The Cleveland Cavaliers are signing forward Luke Travers to a two-way contract, per ESPN insider Adrian Wojnarowski.
Australian guard Luke Travers has agreed on a two-way deal with the Cleveland Cavaliers, his agent Daniel Moldovan tells ESPN. Travers was the 56th pick in the 2022 NBA Draft and had been playing with Melbourne of the NBL. pic.twitter.com/L7TewAxhNB
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) August 28, 2024
The 56th pick in the 2022 NBA Draft, Travers played for the NBL’s Melbourne United in 2023-24.
Cavs Sign Luke Travers To Contract After Career Season
For those who have followed Travers’s path to and through the draft, Wednesday’s agreement has been a long time coming. Like most players, Travers hoped to join the NBA immediately after being drafting. However, the Cavs took a longer view of his development, choosing to have him return to the NBL. There, he could hone his skills without having to be on the NBA learning curve.
This is similar to a college player who chooses to return to school for another season or more. The difference though is that the NBL is a professional league. From conducting himself as an employee rather than a student to training and competing against adults, there are myriad benefits to that.
So, after the draft, Travers got his feet wet against the NBA competition in the Las Vegas Summer League. While not overly explosive, his athleticism, energy and instincts at 6-foot-8 helped him stuff the box score. In five games, he posted 6.6 points, 4.6 rebounds, 1.8 assists, 1.2 steals, and 1.2 blocks per game on 48.0 percent shooting from the field and 25.0 percent from 3.
Travers then returned to the Perth Wildcats, the team he played for prior to entering the draft. In what would have been his rookie season in the NBA, he averaged 9.8 points, 5.6 rebounds, 2.9 assists, 1.2 steal, and 0.6 blocks per game. He also shot 50.4 percent from the field and 37.4 percent from 3.
That performance seemed to make him a legitimate option for a roster spot the following offseason. However, looking to capitalize on Donovan Mitchell’s arrival, the Cavs front office prioritized veteran additions. Travers then repeated the previous season’s process, playing for Cleveland’s Summer League team before heading back to the NBL.
In 2023, Travers averaged 7.5 points, 6.3 rebounds, 3.0 assists, 2.2 blocks, and 0.8 steals per game on 48.7 percent shooting from the field and 25.0 percent shooting from 3. He then proceeded to average a career-highs of 12.4 points and 7.6 rebounds per game in 2023-24.
Adding 2.0 assists, 1.3 blocks, and 1.2 steals per game, the point-forward continued to impact the game in a variety of ways.
The Last Word On Travers To The Cavs
Travers still needs to improve his outside shooting. As he’s clearly more competent with a shorter 3-point line, this could lead to him taking more shots from the corners at the NBA level. Nonetheless, players who make such a consistent and multifaceted impact while having a solid physical profile are valuable.
All things considered, this is a good move for both Travers and the Cavs.
