NBA
Cavaliers Sign Thomas Bryant To 1-Year Deal
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All posts by James FoglioUpdated4 hours ago on September 24, 2025
The Cleveland Cavaliers and free agent center Thomas Bryant have agreed to a one-year deal, Mark Bartelstein and Zach Kurtin of Priority Sports told ESPN’s Shams Charania on Tuesday.
Bryant played a key reserve role during the Indiana Pacers’ playoff run last season. The 6-foot-10 big man now enters his ninth NBA season. The 28-year-old will provide depth to the Cavs’ frontcourt this season.
Thomas Bryant Helped Lead Pacers To 2025 NBA Finals
In 66 games (eight starts) split between the Miami Heat and Pacers last season, he averaged 6.5 points, 3.8 rebounds, and 14.6 minutes per contest while shooting 50.8% from the floor and 85.9% from the foul line.
Miami traded Bryant to the Pacers for a 2031 second-round draft pick in December.
In Indiana’s 129-113 home win over the Chicago Bulls on Jan. 8, he recorded a season-high 22 points on 9-for-16 (56.3%) shooting from the field and 2-of-4 (50%) from beyond the arc.
Bryant also played a crucial role in Indiana defeating New York during last season’s Eastern Conference finals.
After seeing limited playing time earlier in the series, Bryant came off the bench in Game 6 to score 11 points and hit three 3-pointers in 13 minutes of action to help Indiana reach its first NBA Finals since 2000.
However, the Pacers were defeated in seven games at the hands of the Oklahoma City Thunder.
Bryant Won An NBA Title With Nuggets
Bryant holds career averages of 8.9 points and 5.1 rebounds per game while shooting 58.2% from the floor with the Los Angeles Lakers, Washington Wizards, Denver Nuggets, and the Pacers.
He also won an NBA championship with the Nuggets during the 2022-23 season.
Bryant is now set to join a Cavaliers frontcourt that incudes starters Jarrett Allen and Evan Mobley, as well as backups Larry Nance Jr., Nae’Qwan Tomlin, and Dean Wade.
Emoni Bates, a Cavs second-round pick in 2023, signed a contract with the Philadelphia 76ers on Monday.
Bates has mostly played for the Cleveland Charge, the Cavs’ G League affiliate. He appeared in 25 games off the bench for the Cavs over the past two seasons, averaging 3.1 points and 8.3 minutes per contest.
