FILE – Cleveland Cavaliers forward Cedi Osman plays during the first half of Game 4 in an NBA basketball first-round playoff series against the New York Knicks in New York, Sunday, April 23, 2023. (AP Photo/Mary Altaffer, File)
CLEVELAND— The Cleveland Cavaliers are fully guaranteeing forward Cedi Osman’s $6.7 million contract for next season, a person familiar with the decision told The Associated Press on Thursday.
Osman has been a solid contributor for the Cavs since 2017. If the team hadn’t guaranteed the deal before Friday, Osman would have entered free agency. The person spoke to AP on condition of anonymity because the team has not made the decision public.
ESPN first reported Osman’s deal.
The 28-year-old Osman averaged 8.7 and 2.3 rebounds in 20.1 minutes last season as the Cavs won 51 games and returned to the playoffs for the first time since 2018. They were bounced in the first round by the New York Knicks.
Osman’s role changed throughout the season, leading to some inconsistency. Still, he was one of the team’s few reliable outside shooters and he provided leadership to one of the league’s youngest teams.
Osman has averaged 9.7 points and 3.0 rebounds in 404 career games — 183 starts.
The Cavaliers also announced their Summer League roster, which includes forward Emoni Bates, their second-round pick last week.
Bates is one of the most intriguing prospects in this year’s draft class. Pegged as a high school prodigy, Bates, who averaged 19.2 points last season at Eastern Michigan, has not played up to predictions or his potential.
The Cavs view him as a low-risk, high-reward project and will give him an opportunity to make their roster. Cleveland has been desperate to find a two-way wing player.
Cleveland’s summer team also includes two players with local roots in Pete Nance and Cedric Henderson Jr. They are the respective sons of Larry Nance and Cedric Henderson Sr., who both played for the Cavaliers.
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