CLEVELAND — The Toronto Raptors kept waiting for Joey Graham to get his motor running.

He showed signs of being a high-octane performer, but more often or not, his game sputtered.

Graham, 28, agreed to a two-year, $2.1 million deal with the Cavaliers on Friday. The 6-foot-7, 225-pound small forward is entering his sixth season in the NBA. He was undergoing a physical on Friday and had yet to sign the contract.

Toronto took a chance on the Oklahoma State product with the 16th pick in the 2005 NBA draft. He never panned out with the Raptors.

“I’m a big fan,” Raptors consultant Wayne Embry said of Graham. “He’s so talented, it’s unbelievable. We’ve not begun to see his talent. He has great physical talent.

“When he breaks out, it’s going to be fun to watch. But he hasn’t done it yet.”

Four subpar years followed in Toronto before Graham landed in Denver last year playing for the league minimum. He averaged 4.2 points and 2.0 rebounds in 63 games with the Nuggets.

In his career, he’s averaged 6.0 points and 2.9 rebounds. He’s shot 48.5 percent from the field and 81.5 percent from the free throw line. He’s not much of a 3-point threat, however, as he’s just 30 percent from behind the arc.

Graham will earn $992,680 with the Cavs in 2010-11. The second year of the deal is a team option worth $1,106,941. Since he signed for the league’s minimum, the Cavs still have their $5.8 million mid-level exception intact.

His twin brother, Stephen, played for the Cavs in 2005-06.

The Raptors waited for Graham to evolve into a solid performer. They had hoped to match him with All-Star Chris Bosh on their front line for years to come. Now they’re both gone, as Bosh followed LeBron James to the Miami Heat. Graham could conceivably replace James in the Cavs’ starting lineup at small forward.

“I would have liked to see a greater passion for the game and wanting to be good,” said Embry, the Cavs’ general manager from 1986-1999. “He can do anything he wants to do. He’s physically gifted.

“He’s very strong. He’s built well. He’s one of my favorites. He comes from a good family background. There’s great potential there. He had some unbelievable games for us.”

Graham might get a crack at the starting job at small forward. He’ll compete for playing time at small forward with Jamario Moon, and possibly Antawn Jamison and Jawad Williams. Jamison is power forward by trade, but J.J. Hickson is expected to get the bulk of the minutes at that position.

So, Jamison could get some minutes at small forward or come off the bench at power forward.

Williams is a restricted free agent and could return to the team.

Graham should thrive in Coach Byron Scott’s up-tempo attack. He was built to run the floor and attack from the wings.

“If he shows up for camp and says, ‘This is my year,’ and prides himself to be the best he can be, he could be a real find,” Embry said.