The Cavaliers may already have their starting group mapped out before camp even gets rolling. The real fight is for the job behind it.
Cleveland’s backup point guard minutes look like a three-man race entering training camp, with Craig Porter Jr., rookie Meleek Thomas and second-year guard Tyrese Proctor all in the mix, according to Mack Perry of NBA on SI.
Porter has the clearest path to start the season in that role. He already knows Kenny Atkinson’s system, brings defensive energy, rebounds well for his size and put up 3.2 assists in 17.9 minutes a night last season.
The question hanging over Porter is the same one that has followed him: will he shoot enough? He has hit 37.7 percent of his career 3-pointers, but he only takes 1.1 per game. Defenders can live with the percentage when the volume is that low.
Thomas brings the most upside and the most buzz. The No. 34 pick exploded for 27.2 points per game in Summer League, while shooting 50 percent from the floor and 43.8 percent from 3-point range.
That kind of production always comes with the obvious asterisk - it happened in Summer League, where big numbers can get inflated fast. Even so, Thomas looks like the most natural shot creator of the group. If that carries over, Atkinson may not be able to keep him on the outside for long.
Proctor sits in the middle as the wild card. He played 50 games as a rookie and averaged 5.4 points, while showing some promise as a pick-and-roll operator and as a defender working through screens. Whether he can grow into a steady facilitator, or stays more of a combo guard, could determine how real his case becomes.
The early lean is Porter opening the year with the backup job, simply because coaches usually trust the player they already know. But Thomas has the best chance to push him, and Proctor is close enough to keep the picture messy.
With James Harden turning 37 and likely to have his minutes managed, that backup role matters more than it might seem at first glance.
In Other News...
Cavs Fans Have More Ways To Avoid Full DAZN Cost This Season
The Cavaliers new broadcast setup is giving fans a little more flexibility this season, even with the teams partnership with DAZN for non nationally televised games. Rock Entertainment Group is handling the broadcasts, and while the services multi-device plan now runs $25, there are still plenty of ways to follow Cleveland without committing to the full price.
In all, 31 of the Cavs 82 games can be watched without DAZN, either free or through cheaper options like Peacock and Amazon Prime Video. That means nearly 40 percent of the schedule is still available through cable TV or other streaming platforms, part of a broader league trend that gives local viewers more entry points and fewer subscription barriers. [Read more 🡒]
Cavaliers Brought Back A Familiar Shooter For A Reason
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McNeils deal also lands in the same lane as a few other recent transactions around the league, with New Orleans signing and waiving Johnny ONeil and Golden State using Exhibit 10 contracts on Chance McMillian and Deivon Smith to steer them toward G League affiliates. For the Cavaliers, the immediate interest is less about the headline and more about why a player like McNeil was brought back into the fold now, and what that says about the spot he could carve out if the shot keeps showing up. [Read more 🡒]
Donovan Mitchell Contract Raises One Big Cavs Question
Donovan Mitchells new extension gives the Cavaliers exactly what they have spent the past two years trying to secure: a clear franchise centerpiece locked in for the long haul. A four-year, $273 million maximum deal is a huge commitment by any standard, and it underscores how much Cleveland values what Mitchell has brought since arriving, both as the teams top scorer and as the player most responsible for making the Cavs feel like a real Eastern Conference threat again.
Donovan Mitchells contract also naturally raises the question that follows every deal of this size: what, exactly, is the best version of the Cavs built around him? The extension includes a $75.5 million player option for 2030-31, which only adds to the sense that Cleveland is betting heavily on Mitchells prime and whatever comes next. For now, the organization has its answer at the top of the roster, but the bigger issue is how far that answer can carry the rest of the group. [Read more 🡒]