Former IU center Thomas Bryant agrees to a deal to return to Cleveland

Former IU center Thomas Bryant, a member of the program’s 2015-16 Big Ten championship team, has agreed to a deal to return to the Cleveland Cavaliers for the 2026-27 season.

ESPN NBA Insider Shams Charania first reported the news of Bryant’s intent to return to Cleveland.

The No. 42 pick in the 2017 NBA draft, the 6-foot-10 Bryant averaged 6.2 points and 3.4 rebounds in 12.2 minutes per game last season for Cleveland. He appeared in 60 games and made one start.

Over 393 career NBA games, Bryant owns career averages of 8.5 points and 4.9 rebounds in 16.9 minutes per game. He’s a career 57.3 percent shooter from the field.

He won an NBA championship in 2023 with the Denver Nuggets.

Over his nine year career, Bryant has played for the Los Angeles Lakers, Washington, Denver, Miami, Indiana and Cleveland.

According to Spotrac, Bryant has earned more than $37 million in the NBA.

A 2015 McDonald’s All-American, Bryant played 69 career games at Indiana under Tom Crean.

The Rochester, New York, native started every game at Indiana and averaged 12.2 points, 6.2 rebounds, 1.2 assists and 1.2 blocks.

Free agent center Thomas Bryant intends to sign a one-year deal to return to the Cleveland Cavaliers, sources tell ESPN. Bryant averaged 12.2 minutes and 6.2 points over 60 games for the Cavs, who worked with Mark Bartelstein and Zach Kurtin of @PrioritySports on the new… pic.twitter.com/4ONsWu07wD

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) June 29, 2026

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