Cavaliers turn to Miami big Ernest Udeh Jr. on a two-way deal after drafting Meleek Thomas

The Cleveland Cavaliers completed another step in their offseason roster-building plan on Thursday night, filling a two-way opening with Ernest Udeh Jr., a 6-foot-11 center from Miami. The move came after Cleveland selected Meleek Thomas 34th overall in the NBA Draft, indicating an emphasis on size and upside as the organization looks to strengthen its depth behind the rotation.

According to Chris Fedor of, the Cavaliers signed Udeh Jr. to a two-way contract. In practical terms, that means he will be split between the NBA roster and Cleveland’s developmental situation, giving the team flexibility while also giving the player a defined path to earn regular-season minutes if his performance translates. The Cavaliers’ willingness to use a two-way spot on an undrafted big underscores how they are balancing immediate needs with long-term development.

The timing matters because Cleveland’s draft night decisions did not end with the first-round selection, at least not in terms of adding frontcourt competition. The same report indicates the Cavaliers also signed several undrafted players to Exhibit 10 contracts. Exhibit 10 deals are designed to keep additional prospects in the organization’s orbit for training camp and beyond, particularly if they fit the team’s athletic and positional requirements as rosters take shape.

Thomas’ selection at No. 34 added another layer to that frontcourt strategy. While the report identifies Thomas as the Cavaliers’ 34th pick and links the roster additions that followed, specific details about Thomas’ role in summer plans or how quickly he could impact the active rotation were not outlined in the available account. Still, drafting a player at that slot often carries an expectation of growth, with the expectation that summer work and early-season evaluation will determine whether a prospect becomes a consistent contributor or a longer-range project.

Udeh Jr. adds a clear attribute to the group: size. Listed at 6-foot-11, the center is the kind of player teams look for when they want rim protection potential, physical rebounding, and the ability to be on the floor in lineups that require length. Two-way contracts can be a way to test that profile against higher-level NBA pace and decision-making while limiting the risk and roster squeeze that a standard guaranteed roster spot would carry.

What to watch next for the Cavaliers is whether their draft-and-deal approach results in a defined pecking order in the frontcourt. Cleveland’s next evaluation checkpoints will likely come during training camp and preseason, where the organization can sort out how Thomas fits the team’s style and whether Udeh Jr. can earn a path from the two-way environment into more reliable end-of-bench minutes.

There is also a roster-management angle. With two-way and Exhibit 10 contracts, teams often keep multiple prospects in play until they have a clearer view of how veterans and returning players handle the first weeks of the season. For Cleveland, Thursday’s additions set the stage for that process, but the final depth chart will depend on how these players look once the real practices begin.