With Darius Garland injured, Jerome scored 21 points on 20 shots in Game 1, then went 1-for-14 in Game 2 and was the defender who lost track of Tyrese Haliburton on the Pacers’ game winner. Jerome got off to another slow start in Game 3, shooting 1-for-8, and at that point coach Kenny Atkinson had seen enough. Jerome played just 13 minutes, by far his lowest total of the postseason, as Sam Merrill passed him on the depth chart. By Game 5, Jerome couldn’t get off the bench until the second half. Already facing financial pressures as a projected second apron team next season, the Cavaliers might now conclude that Jerome isn’t worth retaining if he can’t even stay on the floor in their most important games. And Jerome’s struggles in the playoff pressure cooker might also scare off potential suitors who would otherwise be interested in seeing what he could do with more touches. -via ESPN / May 14, 2025
