Cavaliers Waive Cam Whitmore Before He Ever Plays A Game For Cleveland

The Cleveland Cavaliers have waived Cam Whitmore, league sources told HoopsHype's Michael Scotto on Friday.

Cleveland had a Saturday deadline to release a player and apply the stretch provision to his 2026-27 salary. Whitmore is owed $5,458,310 this season, the last year of his rookie deal. Under the provision over three seasons, the annual cap hit drops to $1,819,437. Whitmore clears waivers after 48 hours if unclaimed.

He never played a regular-season game for the Cavaliers. Whitmore arrived from the Washington Wizards this month in the five-team trade that brought Peyton Watson to Cleveland. Washington received Tre Mann, a 2027 second-round pick that originally belonged to the LA Clippers, and cash.

The sign-and-trade for Watson hard-capped Cleveland at the first apron of $209,015,000 for the season. Watson signed four years for $88 million with a player option and trade kicker.

James Harden agreed to re-sign a day after that trade on a three-year, $97 million contract with a player option for 2028-29 and a trade kicker. Harden had declined a $42.3 million player option in June.

Chris Fedor of Cleveland.com reported the Cavaliers explored trading Whitmore for a player making less money before taking this step.

"I'm told that Harden's starting salary in year one is going to be around $30.5 million," Fedor said on the Wine and Gold Talk podcast. "So the Cavs have had conversations about the possibility of a waive-and-stretch for Cam Whitmore."

Cleveland was roughly $29 million below the first apron before Harden completed his contract agreement.

"They are going to waive and stretch Whitmore over three years," Bobby Marks of ESPN said.

Waiving and stretching Whitmore leaves Cleveland with 12 players on standard contracts and just over $32 million in room below the first apron. Harden's contract has to fit inside that figure. Jake Fischer of Bleacher Report reported the Cavaliers plan to sign a draft-rights rookie into the 14th roster spot. Cleveland holds the rights to Ismael Kamagate and Khalifa Diop.

Houston drafted Whitmore 20th overall in 2023 from Villanova. In three seasons with the Rockets and Wizards, he averaged 10.5 points on 45% shooting and 35% from 3 in 17.3 minutes, Scotto reported.

Whitmore averaged 12.3 points and 3.8 rebounds in 18.7 minutes per game as a rookie in Houston in 2023-24. The Rockets traded him to Washington on July 5, 2025, for two second-round picks.

In December, Whitmore missed two games due to right shoulder soreness. Tests revealed upper-extremity deep vein thrombosis in the shoulder, and he did not play again, the Wizards announced Dec. 23.

Through 21 games, Whitmore averaged 9.2 points, 2.8 rebounds, and 0.7 assists in 16.9 minutes. He shot 45.6% from the field, 28.6% from 3-point range, and 74.2% from the free-throw line.

Whitmore turned 22 on July 8. The Maryland native was on his third NBA team in four seasons.

Kenny Atkinson returns for his third season as Cleveland's coach. Training camp opens in September, and the Cavaliers start the regular season Oct. 22 against Philadelphia.