Cavaliers sign Mamadi Diakite to training camp deal

Sep 20, 2022 - 8:12 PM

Per a report from Hoops Hype’s Michael Scotto, the Cleveland Cavaliers have signed 25-year-old forward Mamadi Diakite to a training camp deal. Diakite has played for the Milwaukee Bucks and Oklahoma City Thunder in his two NBA seasons, appearing in 27 games over two seasons.

Diakite is a 6’9” forward from Guinea who played in college at Virginia. He undrafted in the 2020 NBA Draft before signing with the Bucks and sitting on their bench when they won the title that season. He then was on the Lakeland Magic in the G League in 2021 when that team when a title. Last season, he was on multiple 10-day deals with the Thunder, appearing in 13 games with averages of 4.3 points and 4.5 rebounds per game.

In all likelihood, Diakite is a training camp signee who will end up with the Cleveland Charge. He’s got good size at 6’9” and 225 pounds, but hasn’t produced (or really played) in the NBA. His G League stats — 12 games, 18.5 points per game on 58.7% shooting on two-point attempts, 50% from three on 1.2 attempts per game, 10.4 rebounds — is the best indicator of what he plays like. The three-point figure stands out because it’s so high and certainly won’t hold. Diakite, however, did shoot 36.4% from three and 75.4% from the line his last year at Virginia, so perhaps there’s shooting potential to be mined.

Diakite joins Sharife Cooper, Chandler Vaudrin and Jamorko Pickett as training camp invitees. With 14 rostered players and two two-way players, those are the four players that take the Cavs to 20 training camp roster spots.