The Cavs have signed former Syracuse standout Elijah Hughes to an Exhibit 10 deal. The 26-year-old was acquired by the team’s G League affiliate, the Cleveland Charge, where he is expected to spend most of the season.
#Cavs deal with Elijah Hughes is an Exhibit 10, sources tell @clevelanddotcom. The team also traded for his G League rights. While he is technically on the Cavs camp roster for the final few preseason games, he will be with the Cleveland Charge this coming season.
— Chris Fedor (@ChrisFedor) October 16, 2024
Cavs Sign Former Syracuse Player to Training Camp Deal
Hughes, who was most recently with the Milwaukee Bucks for parts of the last two seasons, comes to the Cavs following the departure of long-time G League player Zhaire Smith. Smith was waived but is likely to play for the Charge again this season. Hughes replaces Smith on the Cavs training camp roster. He will be eligible for the team’s final preseason game against the Chicago Bulls on Friday, Oct. 18.
Despite spending time on the Bucks most recently, Hughes last played in the regular season for the Portland Trail Blazers in the 2021-22 season. Additionally, Hughes was drafted by the Utah Jazz where he spent his first two NBA seasons. During that time, he was teammates with Cavs superstar Donovan Mitchell.
In limited time in the NBA (54 games), Hughes is averaging 2.9 points and 1.2 rebounds per game. Hughes played last season with the Bucks G League affiliate where he had averages of 13.2 points, 3.6 rebounds, and 2.4 assists per game. His solid play earned him another shot in Cleveland after being waived by Milwaukee.
Who is Hughes?
Hughes played three collegiate seasons between the East Carolina Pirates and Syracuse Orange. In Hughes’ final season with the Orange, he notched averages of 19 points, 4.9 rebounds, and 3.4 assists. The 6-foot-5 two-way guard has struggled in just under 500 minutes in the NBA. Across his career, he has an 88 offensive rating and 118 offensive rating.
Hughes will play for the Charge this season after the team acquired his rights just over a week ago. He has been much more productive in the G League and will be a solid addition to a Charge team with major potential. Hughes will join several Cavs players who are on two-way deals currently. Emoni Bates, Luke Travers, and JT Thor have all appeared for the Cavs but will play for the Charge mostly this season. Bates is currently out with a knee injury but should play a major role for the G League team soon.
It is unlikely that Cavs fans see more of Hughes apart from the minutes he plays against the Bulls later this week. However, it will be a chance for the New York native to stand out for his new team.
Cavs Preseason
Despite an 0-3 record in the preseason thus far, there have been many positives from Kenny Atkinson’s first games as the Cavs head coach. The offense looks more free-flowing while playing a basic version of their style. The stars have looked like stars, and Evan Mobley seems poised for a breakout season. The starters are in line to play again against the Bulls this week, while players like Hughes will have one last chance to impress.
The start of the regular season is just a week away. This final preseason game will be Cleveland’s last tune-up before they head to Toronto to take on the Raptors.
