Cleveland Cavaliers Make Craig Porter Jr. Contract Decision

The Cleveland Cavaliers made their first significant roster decision of the offseason on Monday afternoon. The team announced that it had exercised the fourth-year team option on point guard Craig Porter Jr.’s contract. 

Porter’s story and underdog career continue with the Cavaliers making this contract decision with him. The guard went undrafted in 2023 and ended up signing a two-way deal with Cleveland shortly after the draft.

After impressing in the Summer League, the G League, and an extended run with the NBA team at the start of the 2023 season, the Cavaliers signed him to a multi-year deal.

The 2026-27 season is the final year of that initial deal, setting up Porter to become a free agent next offseason.

Porter has established himself as a capable guard in an NBA rotation during his time with the Cavaliers.

The 26-year-old appeared in a career-high 64 games last season, with most of them coming at the beginning of the season when the Wine and Gold were navigating injuries.

Over his three-year career, CPJ has averaged 4.6 points, 2.4 rebounds, and 2.4 assists in 13.9 minutes a game, while shooting 48 percent from the floor and 37 percent from behind the arc. 

Porter certainly has some strengths and weaknesses in his game, but he’s also stepped up for the team on multiple occasions over the last few years when Cleveland’s backcourt of Darius Garland and Donovan Mitchell has been sidelined with injuries.

The question regarding Porter and his team option has never been about ability, but whether his cap hit was worth it for the Cavaliers to take on. 

Porter is set to make $2.4 million next season. That may not seem like a huge number, especially for a backup point guard, but the Cavaliers are still a second apron offender, limiting the other moves the team can make in free agency or through trades. 

With Cleveland expecting second-year guard Tyrese Proctor to take a jump next season, there was a serious possibility the Cavaliers could have denied the option, allowing Porter to become a free agent. 

Now, Cleveland guard depth is just about set heading into next year with Mitchell, James Harden (assuming he re-signs), Proctor, and Porter. 

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