Cavs sign Chuma Okeke to round out roster
Chuma Okeke will claim Cleveland’s last roster spot.
The Cleveland Cavaliers have signed Chuma Okeke to a standard deal, according to ESPN’s Shams Charania. Okeke fills Cleveland’s final roster spot.
The Cleveland Cavaliers and former first-round pick Chuma Okeke have agreed to a deal, filling the East leaders' final open roster spot, sources tell ESPN. Okeke averaged 17 points, 8 rebounds and 5 assists for NBA G League Westchester this season. pic.twitter.com/WuW3DAWLAM
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) April 4, 2025
Okeke is a 6’7” power forward who was selected 16th overall by the Orlando Magic in the 2019 NBA Draft. He missed his entire rookie season with an injury before averaging 6.3 points and 3.7 rebounds across four years with the Magic.
The Cavaliers add Okeke to complete their roster before the postseason. Another option on the bench is always worth having. Especially as the regular season nears an end, Okeke will be able to eat minutes as Cleveland’s core rotation gets a rest.
Okeke has spent most of the current season in the G-League. He was averaging 17.4 points, 8.1 rebounds and 4.6 assists in 36.4 minutes per game with the Westchester Knicks. Okeke is an athletic forward who can do a little bit of everything.
His game hasn’t fully translated to the NBA. Okeke played seven games with the Philadelphia 76ers this season before joining Cleveland. He put up 6.9 points and 6.1 rebounds in 24.4 minutes per game. This type of production hasn’t been enough to give him a full-time home but it will work for what the Cavs need from the backend of their bench.
I wouldn’t expect Okeke to play a significant role on this team. An addition this late into the season is almost entirely for depth insurance. That said, the Cavs could certainly have done worse than Okeke. He’s proven he can fill up a box score at the G League level and has found at least some success in the NBA. This is a quality, last-second signing for the Cavs.