The Cavaliers have a hole to fill after losing Dean Wade, and the shape of that loss is pretty clear. Wade wasn’t a star, but he mattered because he gave Cleveland a jumbo floor-stretcher who could defend both forward spots. For a team that has long had trouble matching up with long wings, that kind of piece is not easy to replace.
Cleveland hasn’t signed anyone specifically to take Wade’s place, but the answer might already be on the roster. Jaylon Tyson has flashed two-way ability, and the case for giving him a much larger role is getting stronger.
Tyson came into the league with a reputation as a more NBA-ready rookie than most. He was not a one-and-done player, and he arrived with an NBA-ready body plus a strong feel for the game and his role.
Even so, his first season barely got off the ground. He nearly posted a triple-double in his first start, but the minutes never really followed.
That changed more in year two under Kenny Atkinson, and Tyson started to show why the Cavaliers should trust him more. He averaged 13.2 points, 5.1 rebounds, 2.2 assists, and 1.2 stocks per game while shooting 49 percent from the field and 44 percent from three.
The appeal is easy to see. Tyson has the length, wingspan, and lateral quickness to stick with smaller players on the perimeter. He can fight through screens without getting caught in switches, and he’s also strong enough to hold his own against bigger forwards.
He’s not a finished product, though. Tyson can get too amped up and drift into shaky decision-making and questionable shot selection. But those are the kinds of issues that can be cleaned up with more reps, and Wade’s exit has opened the door for exactly that.
Tyson may not have Wade’s strength, but he brings more agility, more speed, more athleticism, and a more varied offensive game. He can create his own shot, and he’s also a willing passer with the kind of basketball IQ that lets him set up teammates.
In that sense, this feels overdue. Keeping Wade would have been the better outcome for Cleveland, but Tyson was already trending toward a bigger opportunity. And with LeBron James also potentially arriving in Cleveland, Tyson’s ability to defend and space the floor could become even more important for Atkinson’s team.
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Lakers Rumor Suddenly Puts A Cavs Core Piece In Play
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For Cleveland, the speculation lands in an obvious place because Jarrett Allen remains one of the core pieces that anchors the Cavs identity on both ends. The idea of Los Angeles circling another big after landing Kessler has created a fresh layer of intrigue around the Lakers search for size, while also raising the practical issue of spacing if they keep chasing that profile too far, even with Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves in the mix. [Read more 🡒]
Cavaliers May Sacrifice A Key Piece For A Familiar Dream
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Clevelands interest in preserving flexibility is what gives the speculation its edge, especially with the second-apron tax realities hanging over the teams planning. If the Cavaliers do decide to move Schrder, it would not just be about trimming salary, but about keeping the door open for a much bigger swing later, one that would require the kind of runway this roster does not currently have. [Read more 🡒]
Meleek Thomas Drops 20 In Encouraging Cavaliers Summer League Debut
Meleek Thomas wasted little time giving the Cavaliers something to watch in Summer League, making his debut look more polished than most first outings. In Clevelands 99-93 loss to Indiana, the young guard played with confidence, attacked the glass and showed the kind of scoring touch that can make a summer showcase feel a little more meaningful than the final score.
Thomas finished with a team-high 20 points in 27 minutes and added five rebounds, including three on the offensive end, while doing much of his best work late. The fourth quarter offered the clearest glimpse of why Cleveland has been intrigued by him, and the staffs early optimism only grew after seeing him handle the moment the way he did. [Read more 🡒]