Cavs Weigh G League Options as Backcourt Injuries Test Depth
As the Cleveland Cavaliers navigate a stretch marked by injuries and uneven production from their backcourt, help might be coming from just down the road - literally. The Cavs are keeping a close eye on their G League affiliate, the Cleveland Charge, where two guards have emerged as legitimate candidates for a 10-day contract: former lottery pick Killian Hayes and under-the-radar prospect Darius Brown II.
Let’s start with Hayes. The former top-10 pick is putting together a strong campaign with the Charge, averaging 24.4 points and 8.3 assists per game while shooting 45.5% from the field.
Those are eye-popping numbers for a player trying to rewrite the narrative around his NBA career. After falling short of expectations in Detroit, Hayes is showing signs of the player scouts once believed he could become - a crafty, pass-first guard with size, vision, and an improving offensive game.
The Cavs have taken notice.
“Killian Hayes has been great with the Charge, and the Cavs are thrilled with his progress in his development and what he has done down in the G League,” said Cavs beat reporter Chris Fedor. “A lot of the stuff that they’ve asked of him to work on... he is doing those things.”
That internal development is key. Hayes hasn’t just been putting up numbers - he’s been checking boxes the Cavs care about. Decision-making, shot selection, defensive engagement - all trending in the right direction.
There’s also a layer of familiarity that could work in Hayes’ favor. Cavs head coach Kenny Atkinson has connections to the French national basketball program, and while Hayes isn’t in the same tier as French stars like Victor Wembanyama or Rudy Gobert, that shared lineage may help build trust and communication between player and coach.
Still, the Cavs aren’t in a rush. With the trade deadline looming on February 5 and just one open roster spot available, the front office is keeping its options open. A 10-day contract might seem like a small move, but in a tightly managed roster environment, every decision carries weight.
“I just don’t see like a huge sense of urgency to give Killian a 10-day contract,” Fedor noted. “But if they do decide to give somebody a 10-day contract, I think Killian’s definitely near the top of that list.”
Enter Darius Brown II. While he doesn’t have Hayes’ draft pedigree or NBA mileage, Brown has something else working in his favor: organizational familiarity. He’s spent time with the Cavs at Summer League over multiple years and has built a reputation as a steady, smart floor general.
“Darius Brown is somebody that this organization has an affinity for,” Fedor said. “He’s somebody who’s been around the organization for a number of years.”
Brown is a more traditional point guard - smaller in stature, listed between 6-foot and 6-foot-2, depending on the source - but he brings a different flavor to the table. He’s a pass-first guard who knows how to run an offense and keep things steady. For a team that’s been without Darius Garland and continues to wait on Lonzo Ball - whose absences are starting to stack up - that kind of stability could be valuable.
So what’s the play here?
The Cavs are walking a tightrope. On one hand, they want to maintain flexibility ahead of the trade deadline.
Adding a player now, even on a 10-day, could complicate potential deals that bring back multiple players. On the other hand, the team is trying to stay afloat in the Eastern Conference playoff race, and every game without a true secondary ball-handler makes that job tougher.
The bigger question looming over all of this: Do the Cavaliers believe this core - when healthy - can truly contend? If the answer is yes, then a short-term fix like a G League call-up makes sense.
Just patch the hole and keep the ship moving. But if there are doubts about the roster’s ceiling, the front office may opt for something more aggressive at the deadline.
For now, Hayes will keep doing his thing with the Charge, hoping his resurgence is enough to earn another shot at the NBA level - whether that’s with Cleveland or elsewhere. And Brown will stay ready, knowing the organization already sees him as one of their own.
It’s a small decision on paper, but it could be a telling one - a glimpse into how the Cavs view their present and their path forward.