Luke Travers’ run with Cleveland has come to an end, and the next stop is Milwaukee.
The Australian forward, who spent last season on a two-way contract with the Cavaliers, will suit up for the rival Bucks this summer. That closes the door on the possibility that he would return to Cleveland for Las Vegas Summer League and try to win back his two-way spot.
Travers never got much of a runway with the Cavs, which wasn’t exactly a surprise on a contending roster. Cleveland waived him in February during its trade-deadline activity, briefly bringing in Emanuel Miller from the Chicago Bulls. After waiving Miller, the Cavaliers went with Riley Minix instead of restoring Travers to the mix.
For a while, Travers looked like the kind of player who could hook a fan base before he ever logged serious NBA minutes. In Australia with the Perth Wildcats, he was a do-everything point forward - driving, passing, scoring and throwing down dunks.
At 6'7", he had the size to play either forward spot and enough foot speed to avoid being a liability on defense. At the NBL level, he could handle the ball and run an offense in a way that drew comparisons to players like Deni Avdija or Josh Giddey.
But the shot never came around. That was always the swing skill, and for Travers it never reached the level he needed. He shot 32.9 percent for his NBL career, then managed just 25 percent in 25 appearances for the Cleveland Charge in the G League.
That’s why Cleveland moved on. The Cavaliers clearly decided not to wait around for the jumper to catch up, and Milwaukee now gets the chance to see whether there’s anything else it can unlock.
The Bucks operate in a different place as an organization than Cleveland does, and they’ve spent the last dozen years leaning into the kind of point-forward talent Giannis Antetokounmpo has provided. Maybe that means they’re willing to look past the shooting and focus on the rest of Travers’ game. For Cleveland, though, the message is simple: they’ve given up on Luke Travers.
In Other News...
Cavs May Have Their Cheapest Answer To A Familiar Wing Problem
With some new financial flexibility after James Harden declined his player option, the Cavaliers have a little more room to hunt for fixes around the edges of the roster, and the wing remains one of the obvious places to look. Brooklyns decision to let Ziaire Williams reach unrestricted free agency has put a young forward with size and athleticism on the market, and Cleveland is weighing whether he fits as a low-cost swing on a team that could use more versatility on the perimeter.
Williams brings defensive appeal and enough upside to make him an interesting development bet, especially in Kenny Atkinsons system, where the Cavs have shown a willingness to try to unlock more from young players. He also offers a possible cushion if Dean Wades free agency takes him elsewhere, which gives this pursuit a practical edge beyond simply adding another body on the wing. [Read more 🡒]
Cavs Just Lost A Defensive Piece Fans Thought Would Stick
Keon Ellis looked like the kind of depth piece the Cavaliers could keep around for a while after arriving in the DeAndre Hunter deal with Sacramento. He brought defensive energy, gave Cleveland useful minutes during the regular season, and showed enough versatility in 29 games to suggest he could carve out a longer stay in the back end of the roster.
Instead, Ellis is headed into a different situation after landing a two-year deal with Brooklyn, a move that gives him a clearer path to playing time on a rebuilding team. For Cleveland, it is another reminder that even useful defensive pieces can be tough to retain when the market offers a longer commitment and a more defined role. [Read more 🡒]
Cavs Could Make The All In Move LeBron Would Notice
LeBron James next move is already stirring up familiar speculation, and Cleveland is back in the conversation for all the reasons that still matter in July. Reports say he will not return to the Lakers and is expected to land somewhere that makes him happy, which naturally puts the Cavaliers on the list of teams worth watching whenever his name comes up.
For Cleveland, the idea is less about nostalgia than ambition, because any true swing would have to be big enough to change how the league views the roster right away. The Cavaliers have been linked in rumor chatter to a possible major deal with Boston, and even the existence of that kind of discussion tells you how aggressive this front office might be willing to get if it sees a path to moving the team into a different tier. [Read more 🡒]