The Cleveland Cavaliers will have plenty to look out for before they tip off against the Toronto Raptors in late October.
Along with announcing their new complete coaching staff last week, the Cavs’ offseason was highlighted by the return of key contributors from last season’s fourth-place finish in the Eastern Conference. Guard Donovan Mitchell, center Jarrett Allen, and forward Evan Mobley were all brought back with lucrative extensions. Locking down a core that saw the Cavaliers make two straight playoff appearances and the Eastern Semis last season. Center Tristan Thompson was signed to a one-year deal after playing in 49 games for Cleveland last season. Forward Emoni Bates, a former second-round selection for the Cavaliers, returned to Cleveland on a two-way contract after splitting time with the Cavs and the Cleveland Charge.
Cleveland will head into the NBA season with a few new faces. Including first-round pick and former California guard Jaylon Tyson. Tyson, a leading scorer and playmaker for the Golden Bears, was the 20th pick after he averaged 19.6 points per game during his lone season at Cal. The Cavs recently signed former Charlotte Hornets forward JT Thor to a two-way contract. Which rounds out a slate of two-way players that features Bates and guard Luke Travers. They will join various starting and bench options for the Cavaliers from last year’s campaign, all of whom must play a key role in solidifying Cleveland’s place as a contender in the Eastern Conference.
Top 2 Cavaliers Bench Players Who Must be Key Contributors During 2024-25 Season
Caris LeVert
Caris LeVert’s 14 points per game last season were the highest outside of Cleveland’s core four. It was also his highest average with the Cavs since he first arrived in a 2022 trade with the Indiana Pacers. The former Michigan wing spent four seasons on Brooklyn Nets squads led by Atkinson. He played in 68 games and started in 10 for the Cavaliers last season, including an October loss to the Pacers that saw him score a season-high 31 points at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse. LeVert returned to Cleveland with a two-year, $32 million extension during the 2023 offseason, retaining much-needed depth in a backcourt group that features Mitchell and guard Darius Garland.
LeVert must continue to be a scoring and shooting option on a Cavaliers bench that ranked 14th in the NBA with an average of 34.4 points per game during the regular season. Their 20.6 points per game during the playoffs ranked ninth among teams who made the postseason. He scored proficiently in the restricted area and on mid-range opportunities during the regular season, hitting 58.2 percent of his attempts in the restricted area and 51.9 percent of his mid-range attempts.
LeVert shot 32.5 percent from three-point land on the season. However, he made just under 45.8 percent from threes during the final six regular season games before declining to 18.2 percent from beyond the arc in the playoffs. The near-decade-long NBA veteran must regain the long-range shooting consistency he found during the 2022-23 season after an off-year from beyond the arc. Cleveland’s roster finished 15th during the NBA’s regular season with a 36.7 percent clip from the three-point line and 13th in the playoffs with an average of 31.5 percent.
Craig Porter Jr.
How will guard Craig Porter Jr. perform following a solid rookie season for the Cavaliers?
Porter Jr. solidified his role off the bench for the Cavs after he signed a two-way contract with the squad before the start of last season. Cleveland converted the deal into a four-year contract last season during a year that saw him play in 51 games and hit just under 51 percent of his attempts from the field. Even with inefficient shooting, the former Wichita State guard played a key role on Cleveland’s Summer League squad in three games, ending his run with averages of 13 points and four assists.
The 24-year-old guard will need to improve his outside shooting to continue being a key option for the Cavs off the bench. He hit just over 35 percent of his three-point shots during last year’s regular season. Porter Jr. hit a consistent 45.5 percent of his 22 shots from 25-29 feet but has yet to find the same consistency from the corners. If he can continue to grow his outside shot and be a playmaking option as the Cavs move into next season with a new-look coaching staff. He can play a crucial role on a Cavaliers bench that tied for 10th with an average of 8.3 assists per game during the regular season.
