Cavs Fringe Roster Battle Gets Real In Second Preseason Game

As the Cavaliers gear up for their second preseason matchup, two fringe players are making a compelling case for why fans should tune in.

The Cavs’ second preseason game against the Magic on Sunday won’t just be about the names everybody already knows. There are a couple of under-the-radar players who could use this stage to show they belong, even if the odds are stacked against them.

Curtis Jones is one of them. He’s under contract with the organization only for training camp, which tells you where he stands right now.

Still, there’s a reason to watch him closely: the shot is real. Jones is the kind of G-League guard who averaged 11 attempts a game from distance in 2025-26, and that kind of volume can keep a player on the radar even when the path to an opening-night roster spot looks steep.

He’s also had a taste of NBA life already. Jones spent time with the Denver Nuggets and around their organization, and that gave him a chance to learn from some of the most clutch players in the league.

He was a DNP-CD against Boston, but there’s a good chance he gets a few minutes against Orlando. It won’t be a long run, but it does give him another chance to show that his shooting can translate to the NBA game.

He appeared in just 10 games in the association in 2025-26, so every possession matters for him.

Rashaun Agee is in a different spot, but he’s worth monitoring for his own reasons. The 6-foot-7 forward is 25 now and will turn 26 in November, and he’s still trying to prove he can make the leap after starting college in 2019 and finishing this past year. At the moment, his game doesn’t look NBA-ready, which is a tough place to be when you’re getting your first shot at this level.

Agee was built for college basketball. He had the frame to bang inside, finish with power and even play as a small-ball big at times.

That hasn’t carried over cleanly so far. In the first preseason game, he moved slowly, and that stood out.

His strength remains a clear plus, though, and that’s the trait he needs to lean on.

The outside shot is another piece he has to keep working on. He didn’t knock down many threes in college, which is a problem for a player his size, but he did put them up in the last game. That at least showed he’s willing to work on it.

Agee should get another chance at more minutes, and he needs to make them count. He could end up as a starter for the Charge this year, and time will tell if the Summer League Cavalier and E-10 signee can make it work.

Cavs-Magic tips at 6:30 PM ET on Sunday. The game can be seen on DAZN for locals in Ohio and on YouTube TV/NBA League Pass for everyone else.

In Other News...

Donovan Mitchell Keeps Showing Cavs Fans What Leadership Looks Like

Cleveland sports loyalty has a way of spilling beyond one locker room, and Donovan Mitchell was right in the middle of it when members of the Cavaliers showed up for the Guardians ALDS Game 5. The appearance was a reminder that the citys teams have built a real cross-sport camaraderie, with Cavaliers players making time to back the home baseball club in a big October moment.

The scene also carried the kind of subtle symbolism Cleveland fans notice. Support from both sides was on display before the game through jersey-wearing exchanges between players, a gesture that underscored the respect between the organizations and the tone Mitchell keeps helping set around the Cavs. With the Cavaliers and Guardians both moving into important stretches, those public signs of unity only add to the sense that Clevelands teams are feeding off one another. [Read more 🡒]

Cavaliers Face A Real Rotation Crunch Kenny Atkinson Can't Ignore

The Cavaliers are already running into one of the trickiest problems a contender can face: how to keep established veterans and rising young players engaged when every minute matters. With Donovan Mitchell and James Harden setting the tone for a team built to win now, Cleveland also has to find room for prospects like Jaylon Tyson, Meleek Thomas, Craig Porter Jr. and Khalifa Diop, all while trying to keep the bigger picture intact for the season ahead.

Kenny Atkinson is the one left managing the balance, and it is not a simple handoff between present and future. The Cavs want championship-level production from their core, but they also need meaningful developmental reps for younger talent that could matter down the line, which means the rotation is already shaping up as a daily puzzle rather than a settled chart. [Read more 🡒]

Cavaliers Have An Early Rotation Problem Worth Watching Tonight

The Cavaliers are already getting an early look at one of the more interesting questions of camp as they head into their second preseason game, coming off a loss in the opener. Kenny Atkinson is using these games to sort out rotations and take a longer look at the young players competing for backup point guard minutes, while also trying to build on the defensive activity and playmaking that showed up in the first outing.

There is still some unfinished business in the backcourt and on the glass, where rebounding remains an area the staff wants to clean up. Atkinson is also expected to give the starters a little more run than they got in the first preseason game, so this one should offer a better read on both the hierarchy and the pace of the coach's decisions as camp moves forward. [Read more 🡒]