The Cavaliers are only into their second preseason game, but there’s already plenty worth tracking as Kenny Atkinson keeps sorting through lineups and trying to find the right combinations.
Three names stand out in particular: Meleek Thomas, Khalifa Diop and Craig Porter Jr. Each brings a different question into the next matchup, and each has something to prove as the preseason starts to take shape.
Thomas was always going to be near the top of the list. The Arkansas product has already drawn plenty of attention since his debut, and for good reason.
He didn’t put on a show in his first real NBA action, but he did show he isn’t shy about letting it fly, and he still finished with double-digits. That kind of confidence matters.
What makes Thomas so interesting is how much he could matter to this team this season, whether he ends up in the opening night rotation or not. For game two, the focus is on the finer points: a little more playmaking, a little more efficiency, and ideally a better shooting night than the last one.
He doesn’t need to be perfect. He just needs to keep showing those flashes while tightening up the edges.
Diop is another player worth a close look, especially because he wasn’t on the floor in the first preseason game. That should change here. The big man was added to round out the roster, four years after he was originally drafted #39 overall in the 2022 NBA Draft.
His job description is pretty clear. Diop is supposed to provide rim protection and give Cleveland another lob threat.
The bigger question is how his game translates from the EuroLeague to the pace he’ll see here. That adjustment is the part worth watching most closely.
He’s not being asked to save the bench, and he’s not locked into rotation minutes unless injuries open the door. Still, at 24, he’s a useful piece to have in the mix.
Then there’s Porter, who may have been the most eye-catching of the group the other night. Craig Porter Jr. was brilliant against the Celtics, piling up 10 assists in just 16 minutes. Once the all-bench unit came in, he started steering the whole thing, setting teammates up all over the floor through the third quarter.
Now entering his fourth season, Porter has made it clear he wants to prove he belongs and claim the backup point guard role. Atkinson has already described him as someone he can “plug and play” in any lineup, which is about as strong a vote of confidence as a young guard can get.
The question now is simple: can Porter back up that performance with another strong showing? That’s what makes him one of the most intriguing players to watch heading into game two.
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