The first time the Cleveland Cavaliers lost LeBron James, they went into a four-year tailspin due in large part to lacking young talent prior to his departure. They ensured that wouldn't happen the second time around by holding onto their young assets. One of those players was Cedi Osman, who turned into one of the lone bright spots on last season's lottery team. Now, the Cavaliers plan to keep him around for quite a bit longer.
Osman has agreed to a four-year, $31 million extension with the Cavaliers, according to Marc Stein of the New York Times. The deadline for players on expiring rookie deals to extend their contracts was Monday, but while Osman is still quite young at 24, he technically qualified for a veteran extension because he did not sign a rookie-scale contract after being drafted. He was the No. 31 pick in the 2015 NBA Draft, and as a second-round selection, was not subject to the scale at all.
Bobby Marks of ESPN reported that Osman's new extension starts at $8.6 million next season and then decreases in salary from there. That makes sense for a Cleveland team that doesn't figure to contend in the immediate future. The Cavs don't have many pricey veterans on the books for next season but hope to by the end of this deal. Having a cheaper Osman by then will help their books, and make him more tradeable if the Cavaliers decide to move in that direction.
Osman averaged 13 points, 4.7 rebounds and 2.6 assists per game last season as a full-time starter at small forward while also providing decent defense. Typically, starting-caliber players demand at least the Mid-Level Exception in extension negotiations. That Cleveland managed to secure Osman for less than that should represent excellent value for them, especially with Osman only being 24-years-old. As the Cavaliers build a core that they hope can compete on the same level that James' teams once did, Osman's deal represents some much-needed stability moving forward.
