Following a summer league title in 2023, last year’s Cavs summer league team proved the importance of July’s competition. With the roster officially set, here’s everything you need to know.
Our Cavs Summer League roster has arrived. #LetEmKnow
🔗 https://t.co/s4Whd6Vcgf pic.twitter.com/wyfM9GeJKf
— Cleveland Cavaliers (@cavs) July 5, 2024
Previewing the Cleveland Cavaliers 2024 NBA Summer League
Last year with a fairly unknown roster, the Cleveland Cavaliers went undefeated en route to a first Summer League title. The team featured breakout stars like Craig Porter Jr. and Sam Merrill. Six players from that team made an appearance for the Cavs during last season, with three of them returning this summer.
Roster
This year’s Summer League team features some college stars, familiar faces, and some newcomers making for an interesting blend of talent. As mentioned, this Cavs team has some returning players. A total of four players are returning to Vegas in hopes of repeating their summer league championship this month.
Returning Players
Craig Porter Jr. found himself endeared to the Cavaliers faithful out of nowhere. The undrafted 24-year-old out of Wichita State exploded onto the scene appearing in 51 games last season where he averaged 5.6 points, 2.1 rebounds, and 2.3 assists in 12 minutes per game. An injury in game 82 this season kept him out of the Cavs playoff run. He is hoping this summer gets him back on track as he eyes the Cavs backup point guard role this year.
Porter is joined by Emoni Bates and Pete Nance as players who made their Cavs debut this past campaign after playing in the Summer League. Both players made their Cavs Summer League debuts last summer. Bates is a former 49th overall pick by Cleveland in 2023. He played primarily for the Cleveland Charge this past season, where he averaged 19.8 points, 5.9 rebounds, and two assists per game. A big summer for Bates could have him in a position to extend his contract with Cleveland. Additionally, Pete Nance is an undrafted big out of the University of North Carolina who also played for the Charge and averaged 13.7 points and 8.5 rebounds a game. Both guys had strong showings in Vegas last season which allowed them to sign two-way contracts with the Cavs.
Luke Travers is the biggest unknown of the returning players. Travers is an exciting two-way player. The 6’6″ Australian guard was a second-round pick of the Cavs in 2022. He spent last season with Melbourne United in the NBL where he averaged 12 points, 7.6 rebounds, and two stocks per game. Travers is a player hoping to get a shot with the Cavs sometime soon, if he performs well this summer it could certainly help his case.
New Faces To Be Excited About
With their first-round selection this summer the Cavs selected Jaylon Tyson out of California Berkeley. This will be the Cavs fan’s first chance to get a glimpse of their new wing. It’ll be interesting to see Tyson’s aggressive slashing style paired with his rebounding ability against better athletes. Perhaps the biggest name on the team is NC State’s DJ Burns Jr. The 6’9″, 275-pound Burns burst onto the scene with his size and stellar play in this year’s March Madness. He averaged 16.2 points on 62.5% shooting during the tournament. There are concerns about Burns’s ability to play at the next level as his fitness was a concern collegiately. However, it is rumored the big man has lost over 45 pounds in preparation for the NBA Draft.
The team will be coached by recently named Cavs assistant Jordan Ott. Ott coached the Brooklyn Nets Summer League team in 2022.
Schedule
Vegas Summer League play gets started on July 12. The Cavaliers will face the Magic in the opening game of the tournament. Their schedule is as follows:
#Cavs Summer League Schedule:
7/12 vs ORL, 4p ET
7/14 vs MIL, 3:30 ET
7/17 vs GSW, 10 ET
7/18 vs LAL, 9 ET— Danny Cunningham (@RealDCunningham) June 28, 2024
If the Cavs are one of the top four teams after their opening four games, they will advance to the playoffs. Regardless, they will play at least a fifth game, though it will be just a consolation.
What To Watch For
At the end of the day, the Summer League is about the players. Guys are playing for contracts and a shot to live out their dream of playing in the NBA. The games will be competitive. Look out for Emoni Bates and Luke Travers. The two are looking to extend their stay in Cleveland and could be solid additions to the rotation if called upon. The same goes for rookie Jaylon Tyson. Tyson is more than likely going to be a part of the Cavs rotation in October, so making a solid first impression will be important. Though the Summer League is not the be-all end-all, it produces breakout stars every year and is worth keeping an eye on.
