Cavs inviting four players to training camp, including summer league standout

CLEVELAND, Ohio — One week away from training camp the Cavs' roster is set.

Sources tell cleveland.com that the team has agreed to Exhibit 10 deals with Pete Nance, Zhaire Smith, Jules Bernard, Nae'Qwan Tomlin, Gabe Osabuohien and Jacob Gilyard.

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Even though all six are currently on the roster, Cleveland is expected to waive Tomlin and Osabuohien at some point in the next few days, bringing the number down to the 21-man maximum. Tomlin and Osabuohien are planning to play for the Cleveland Charge this season while Nance, Smith, Bernard and Gilyard will join the Cavaliers for their Florida-based training camp beginning on Oct. 1 at IMG Academy.

In all, the Cavs will have 14 under-contract NBA players, three two-ways and four camp invites in Florida.

After originally signing an Exhibit 10 deal last year with the Cavs and performing well in the G League, Nance earned a two-way contract, bouncing between the two professional levels and appearing in eight NBA games. Following the 2023-24 season, the team chose not to give him a second two-way deal, reserving those spots for Emoni Bates, Luke Travers and JT Thor instead.

Smith, a former first-round pick who has dealt with career-altering injuries, was a Cleveland summer league standout — a two-week stretch highlighted by a thrilling poster dunk against the summer Bucks that sent a reminder of his rare explosiveness and athleticism. Still just 25 years old, Smith spent most of last season with the G League affiliate Charge. Even though he earned one 10-day contract with the Cavs, he never appeared in a game, returning to the Charge and finishing the season in the G League.

Bernard is a 24-year-old shooting guard who went undrafted in 2022. He spent the first portion of his rookie season with the Pistons organization before having his G League rights traded to the Washington Wizards. This past season, Bernard played on a two-way deal in Washington, appearing in 19 games and averaging 3.9 points.

Gilyard, a 5-foot-8 point guard, has been with the Memphis Grizzlies and Brooklyn Nets during his two-year NBA career.