The Cleveland Cavaliers and Free agent center Thomas Bryant has agreed to a one-year contract.
Kobe played a key backup role in the Indiana Pacers’ playoff game last season. The 6-foot-10 big man is now entering his ninth NBA season. The 28-year-old will provide depth to the Cavaliers’ frontcourt this season.
Thomas Bryant helps Pacers reach the 2025 NBA Finals
In 66 games between the Miami Heat and the Pacers last season (eight games), he averaged 6.5 points, 3.8 rebounds and 14.6 minutes per game, while the floor shot 50.8% and the foul line shot 85.9%.
Miami traded Kobe to the Pacers in December to secure a second round pick in 2031.
On January 8, Indiana won the Chicago Bulls 129-113 home win, he scored a season-high 22 points on 16 innings (56.3%) shooting percentage, while 22 points (56.3%) in four innings (50%) outside the ARC.
Kobe also played a crucial role in defeating Indiana in New York in the Eastern Conference Finals last season.
After seeing limited play time earlier in the series, Kobe scored 11 points from the bench in Game 6 and hit three 3-pointers in 13 minutes of action to help Indiana’s first NBA final since 2000.
However, the Pacers were defeated in seven games with the Oklahoma City Thunder.
Kobe won NBA championship with Nuggets
Kobe has a career average of 8.9 points and 5.1 rebounds per game, while the Los Angeles Lakers, Washington Wizards, Denver Nuggets and Pacers scored 58.2% shooting percentage.
He also won the NBA championship in the 2022-23 season.
Kobe will now join the Cavaliers’ frontcourt, which supports starters Jarrett Allen and Evan Mobley as well as backups Larry Nance Jr., nae’qwan tomlin and Dean Wade.
Emoni Bates, the second round pick in 2023, signed a contract with the Philadelphia 76ers on Monday.
Bates plays primarily for Cleveland allegations, a Cavaliers’ G League member. He has played 25 games in the past two seasons with the Cavaliers, averaging 3.1 points and 8.3 minutes per game.
