Did the Cleveland Cavaliers get it right by opting to pay Sam Merrill over Ty Jerome in the 2025 offseason? That question right there will define a large chunk of the upcoming 2025-26 NBA season for Koby Altman and his Cavaliers. Jerome even told all of Cleveland that the Cavaliers never offered him an opportunity to return after the season was done via a post on his Instagram story. Cavaliers front office put its faith — and money — in Sam MerrillChoosing Merrill over Jerome signaled a clear priority for the Cavaliers. The Cavaliers wanted players who were going to make an impact on both ends of the court.