Penn State Basketball: Lamar Stevens Signs Four-Year, Non-Guaranteed Deal With Cavs Per Reports

Former Penn State men’s basketball forward Lamar Stevens has signed a four-year non-guaranteed deal with the Cleveland Cavaliers according to multiple reports. The story was first reported by The Athletic while details were later reported by Cleveland.com

Stevens, who was previously signed to a two-way deal [which traditionally limits the amount of time a player can spend in the NBA before being required to return to the G-League], had spent the past 37 games with the Cavaliers, averaging 4.4 points and 2.5 rebounds per contest. That said, Stevens has increasingly become a regular within the Cavs rotation on certain nights, enough to manage several respectable outings including a 15 point, 11 rebound effort against the Spurs and a 10 point, six rebound effort against the Portland Trailblazers among other meaningful outings.

Stevens also recorded a game-winning dunk against the Atlanta Hawks with 4.1 seconds to go in February meeting between the two teams.

According to Chris Fedor of Cleveland.com, Stevens’ deal with be guaranteed for the remainder of the season with the next three seasons not guaranteed and a team option attached to the final year. Effectively a deal that rewards Stevens for his play and would in turn open the door for the Cavs to sign an additional two-way deal to bring more young talent to the NBA for the remainder of the regular season.

The financials of the deal have not yet been disclosed by for the 2020-21 season two-way contracted players would receive a fixed salary of roughly $450,000. That number is not usually a fixed rate, but changed as two-way contract rules were adjusted to reflect the oddities of a COVID-19 impacted season.

Stevens signed with the Cavs after going undrafted following his senior campaign. The Cavaliers are currently 19-34 and not in the NBA Playoff picture.