The Cavaliers have already shown they have options behind their top guards, but Tyrese Proctor is making a case that he should be one of the names Kenny Atkinson keeps in the mix.
Atkinson has made it clear he wants a ten-man rotation this season, and he’s also been open about how much he likes the youth Cleveland has coming off the bench. Meleek Thomas has taken advantage of that early, bringing energy, defensive effort and a knack for timely buckets. But Proctor has earned a closer look too.
Last season, Proctor was expected to spend most of his time in the G-League. Instead, he stayed on the main roster all year, flashed his potential, and never quite locked down a steady role.
The offseason changed the conversation around him. The organization believed he had a strong summer, added muscle, sharpened both sides of his game, and carried that work into training camp.
Atkinson even said it felt like Proctor wasn’t getting screened.
What makes Proctor useful is his ability to handle both guard spots, a trait that matters when you have Donovan Mitchell and James Harden. That kind of versatility should not be sitting on the margins if he can help it.
And when he has gotten minutes, he’s made them count. Against the Nets, he finished with five points and three assists in 11 minutes.
Against the Hawks, he posted seven points and six rebounds in 20 minutes. In both games, his defense stood out.
He picked up full court, stayed aggressive at the point of attack, and brought a level of pressure that fit what Cleveland wants from that spot.
Offensively, he kept things within the flow, but he also didn’t back away from on-ball chances. Thomas missing the Atlanta game because of injury opened the door a bit more, but Proctor still showed enough to suggest he belongs in the rotation conversation.
It’s early, and teams around the league are still sorting out their lineups. But Cleveland’s bigger picture is clear: if the Cavs want to contend, they need depth, and they need to build that depth over the course of the 82-game season.
Proctor has the skill set to help. Now he needs the opportunity.
In Other News...
Cavs Just Unlocked A Formula The Bucks Couldnt Handle
The Cavaliers found a way to make life miserable for Milwaukee by leaning into the size and skill of Jarrett Allen and Evan Mobley, and it showed on both ends of the floor. Allen and Mobley were central to the game plan, giving Cleveland a steadier interior presence than the Bucks could handle while also helping set the tone defensively. Donovan Mitchell and Mario Hezonja chipped in as well, but the night was defined by how often Cleveland could turn to its frontcourt and keep the pressure on.
For the Bucks, the problem was less about one hot hand than a broader inability to keep Clevelands bigs from dictating the action. Milwaukees defense struggled to contain the Cavaliers inside, and the matchup exposed just how difficult it can be when Cleveland gets that part of its offense rolling. Tyler Herro also came up short of expectations, adding to a night in which the Bucks never quite found the answer to the Cavaliers interior edge. [Read more 🡒]
Cavaliers Face A Backcourt Problem That Could Force A Tough Choice
Since Donovan Mitchell arrived, the Cavaliers have lived with a familiar problem in the backcourt: how to keep enough defensive size on the floor without dulling the offense. James Harden has helped some because of his strength and ability to hold up better inside, but opponents still look to drag him into space and attack with quicker guards, which keeps Cleveland searching for cleaner lineup answers.
The numbers have only sharpened the debate, because Mitchell and Harden have looked better when they are not sharing the floor and Cleveland has gotten more from Mitchell alongside shooting around him. Harden still matters as a late-game scorer and Mitchell remains the engine, but the Cavs are weighing whether a different starting mix might better fit the way they want to defend and close games. [Read more 🡒]
Cavs May Have Found The Offensive Formula Fans Wanted
Kenny Atkinson made it clear he wanted Jarrett Allen and Evan Mobley more involved offensively, and the Cavaliers responded in a way that looked a lot like the kind of balance this roster has been chasing. Against Milwaukee, Cleveland leaned into its size and kept working the ball inside, a formula that put pressure on a Bucks defense that struggled to hold up around the rim.
The result was a convincing 136-111 win built on interior dominance and a frontcourt that kept the offense humming. Mobley and Allen were central to that push, and the Cavs spent the night attacking the paint with enough consistency to make the matchup feel lopsided long before the final buzzer. The bigger question now is whether this was a one-night answer or the start of something Cleveland can keep repeating. [Read more 🡒]