Cavaliers scoring dynamo is officially trade eligible — in name only

Cleveland Cavaliers v Detroit Pistons | Nic Antaya/GettyImagesJan. 15 is an important date on the NBA calendar for trade restrictions. A ton of players who had offseason dealings of some sort officially become eligible to be moved again once that threshold is crossed. Among that bunch this year was Cleveland Cavaliers guard Sam Merrill.

Merrill re-upped with the franchise on a four-year, $38 million deal during the offseason. That pinned him down in Cleveland until the key date that has officially been hit in 2026.

Realistically, his trade eligibility comes in designation only. The Cavaliers have absolutely no reason to really entertain any deals involving Merrill. Not only is the 29-year-old…