As the regular season is coming to a close, the Cleveland Cavaliers are preparing for the playoffs. In regard to their preparation, they have waived defensive guard Deandre Liggins, who was signed in the offseason to a summer camp deal. Liggins was able to make Cleveland’s roster, playing 61 games and earning 19 starts. He averaged 2.4 points and 1.7 rebounds in 12.3 minutes per contest. Liggins is offensively challenged, but the Cavaliers mainly required his services on the defensive end.
What does this mean for Cleveland?
Waiving Liggins comes at a curious time.
He was once expected to be waived after the trade deadline, but it didn’t happen. Now with three games left to the season, the Cavaliers waived him. Could it perhaps be because of Kyrie Irving’s recent knee troubles? Are the Cavs trying to open a roster spot to sign a point guard instead?
Possible free agents
Cleveland’s roster is currently at 14, and there are plenty of playoff-eligible players available for them to sign. This move makes you wonder if the Cavaliers are looking to sign Mario Chalmers, who has been healthy for a while now and has been hoping to return to the NBA. The Cavaliers showed interest in Chalmers, as well as Kirk Hinrich, earlier in the year. In fact, they held work-outs for the two point guards in late January.
However, they ultimately signed Deron Williams after he was bought out by the Dallas Mavericks at the trade deadline.
Now that they have created a roster spot, they may re-visit the idea of adding Chalmers or Hinrich in the wake of Irving’s latest injury. Chalmers would certainly be a good fit for Cleveland since he has played alongside LeBron James before.
The veteran point guard last played for the Memphis Grizzlies but ruptured his Achilles’ tendon last year, which ended his season. Hinrich, meanwhile, was last seen as a member of the Atlanta Hawks, but he was limited due to multiple nagging injuries.
For now, Kyrie Irving will be playing, as he is suiting up against the Atlanta Hawks for Sunday’s bout.
However, the Cavaliers may still be a little concerned and may try to make sure they have enough point guard depth when the post-season arrives. Rest assured, Cleveland must have something planned, as making such a late-season roster move is a little surprising. They may already have a free agent in mind and will probably sign someone as soon as Monday. We will just have to wait and see.
