Who are the new rookies the Cleveland Cavaliers acquired so far?

The Cleveland Cavaliers made some moves over the course of the 2026 NBA Draft, making a trade and drafting one rookie to join their squad. The acquisition of Meleek Thomas wasn't the team's only rookie addition, however. The squad also picked up an additional three players via free agency. 

Arkansas' Meleek Thomas was selected with the 34th pick in the 2026 NBA Draft. It was a move that was met with mixed reactions, but many agree that Thomas was a steal for where the Cavs got him in the draft. He'll join two-way contract signee Ernest Udeh, a center out of Miami (FL), while the team also signed Texas A&M power forward Rashaun Agee and Xaivian Lee, a guard out of Florida, to Exhibit 10 contracts. 

Not every rookie is on the active roster, however. Thomas will be signed to a standard NBA contract, barring any unforeseen issues. Udeh will be a 'two-way' guy, which means he'll spend a lot of time with the Cavaliers' minor league club, the Cleveland Charge of the G-League, but could be called up to play for the Cavs as necessary. As for Exhibit 10 contracts, these are training camp invite contracts. If the player is waived, the team retains its rights to its G-League affiliate. 

So who are all of these new rookies?

SG Meleek Thomas

Thomas is a 6'5 shooting guard with good explosive power with the ball in his hand and a good ability to shoot the ball. In his one season at Arkansas, he shot 43.5% from the floor, 41.6% from three, and 84.3% from the free-throw line. For an 'undersized' guard, he also showed some decent rebounding ability, pulling down 3.8 rebounds per game. There's a good chance that Thomas sees real minutes in the 2026-2027 season, as the Cavs are reportedly looking to make some moves this offseason.

C Ernest Udeh Jr.

At 6'11 and 250 lbs, Udeh doesn't overly impress anyone with his size, but he showed he could be a capable low-post defender and rebounder during his time in college. After stints at Kansas and TCU, Udeh landed with the Miami Hurricanes, where he had a career-high average of 9.2 rebounds per game. What he lacks in dynamic offense, he makes up for in high-end athleticism.

PG Xaivian Lee 

He isn't a great three-point shooter, but Lee has shown across his time in Princeton and Florida that he can score inside and facilitate an offense. In his final collegiate season, he shot just shy of 60% from inside the three-point line, putting up a career-high 59.4%. His three-point shooting needs work (just 29.2% from three in the same season). He could prove to be a dynamic scorer if he's allowed to run downhill, but some time in the G-League would likely do him some good.

Rashaun Agee

An older prospect than most, Agee is 25 years old and wasn't a prospect many were watching. A former Texas A&M power forward, Agee wasn't a guy that many had on their radar, but maybe they should. Much like with Udeh, Agee showed a strong ability to rebound the ball. In his fourth-year in college, his third with Bowling Green, he averaged a career-high 9.8 rebounds per game in just 27.5 minutes. This is a guy who could possibly be a 10+ rebounds per game guy in the NBA. He's not the biggest forward in the world, at just 6'7, and he certainly isn't going to move a lot of men off the low-post, as he weighs just 210 lbs. Yet, if he can bulk up a bit, he may be able to draw interest from the G-League, if he can make that roster.