The Cavaliers just made it official: Nae’Qwan Tomlin is here to stay.
Cleveland is converting Tomlin’s two-way contract into a standard NBA deal, locking in the 25-year-old forward on a two-year, fully guaranteed minimum-salary contract. It’s a well-earned promotion for a player who’s gone from long-shot prospect to legitimate contributor-and it couldn’t have come at a better time.
Tomlin hit the 50-game active limit for two-way players on Monday night, forcing the Cavs into a decision: shut him down or sign him. They chose the latter, and honestly, it was overdue. Tomlin has been playing real minutes in real games, and he’s been making them count.
Through 43 appearances this season, Tomlin is averaging 6.5 points, 3.1 rebounds, and 1.0 assist in 17.1 minutes per game. Those numbers don’t leap off the page, but they don’t need to. What Tomlin brings is energy, defensive versatility, and a willingness to do the dirty work-exactly what Cleveland’s frontcourt has needed in a season that’s tested their depth.
This isn’t some overnight success story, either. Tomlin’s path to this moment has been anything but linear.
From 2019 to 2024, he suited up for four different colleges before going undrafted out of Memphis. Last season, he bounced between the G League’s Cleveland Charge and a couple of brief NBA stints. He signed a 10-day contract with the Cavs in February of last year, parlayed that into a two-way deal in March, and never stopped grinding.
Now, he’s carved out a role on a team with playoff aspirations.
Because the Cavs are operating above the second tax apron, their options were limited. No raises, no extra years-just a minimum deal, capped at two seasons.
But by fully guaranteeing both years, Cleveland gave Tomlin the best offer they could under the current rules. If the deal becomes official before Wednesday’s game against Washington, he’ll earn about $718,000 for the rest of this season and a little over $2.4 million next year.
There’s no need for a corresponding roster move either-the Cavs had an open spot ready for him.
At its core, this move is about more than numbers or cap mechanics. It’s about a player who showed up, put in the work, and took every opportunity given to him.
Tomlin didn’t wait for minutes to come his way-he earned them. And now, he’s got a contract to match.