SARASOTA, Fla. \u2014 The Cavs\u2019 time at IMG Academy is coming to a close. <\/p>\n
It\u2019s been a week of basketball and bonding, complete with intense training sessions, bucket hats, impromptu baseball batting practice, cornhole tournaments, film sessions and team dinners \u2014 exactly what Cleveland wanted from its second training camp in Florida\u2019s sun coast. <\/p>\n
\u201cI love the vibe,\u201d Cavs coach Kenny Atkinson said, reflecting on the past week. \u201cIt helps when you have a team that\u2019s been together, and we know each other.\u201d<\/p>\n
There\u2019s one more practice on Sunday before returning home for Tuesday\u2019s preseason opener against the Chicago Bulls. <\/p>\n
Turning heads<\/p>\n
With the front office reaffirming its belief in the team\u2019s core and salary cap limitations caused by being the league\u2019s only second apron team, the Cavs focused on minor moves around the margins this offseason. <\/p>\n
But each newbie \u2014 Larry Nance Jr., Lonzo Ball, Thomas Bryant and Tyrese Proctor \u2014 has made a strong first impression. <\/p>\n
Nance, coming off an injury-interrupted career year from 3-point range with the Atlanta Hawks, has been shooting the ball with supreme confidence during camp, displaying the multi-faceted skillset that made him appealing in free agency.<\/p>\n
Bryant, the 6-foot-10 center and capper of Cleveland\u2019s small offseason class, has brought energy, activity, toughness and competitiveness to an already-deep frontcourt. <\/p>\n
Even though Proctor \u2014 the 49th pick of the 2025 NBA Draft \u2014 will find it difficult to get consistent minutes as a rookie, teammates and coaches have raved about his maturity and skill, even with questions about how he would handle NBA-level physicality in the short term. <\/p>\n
Then there\u2019s Ball, the biggest offseason prize \u2014 a high IQ, versatile defender with a reliable shooting stroke and playmaking chops. <\/p>\n
\u201cLonzo\u2019s great,\u201d Donovan Mitchell said Friday. \u201cHe\u2019s a calm, cool presence. His IQ is on a whole other level. He throws full court like he\u2019s back at Chino Hills. Making great plays and being in the gaps defensively. He\u2019s going to get a lot of those stops. He\u2019s going to do a lot of different things on the floor. He\u2019s a big piece for us.\u201d<\/p>\n
Despite obvious injury concerns from his past that will likely cause workload management, the 27-year-old Ball continues to turn heads and is set for a significant role in his first season with the Cavs. <\/p>\n
\u201cHe hasn\u2019t disappointed. Everything that we thought we were getting, we\u2019re getting,\u201d Atkinson said. \u201cHe\u2019s just got a great, great feel. I\u2019m excited to coach any NBA player, but this is a guy I\u2019ve watched for a long time. He\u2019s kind of the ultimate system fit.\u201d<\/p>\n
A different goal<\/p>\n
Last season, starting center Jarrett Allen set a goal to play in all 82 regular season games. He accomplished it \u2014 and then played nine more in the playoffs. <\/p>\n
Toughness. Commitment. Consistency. Reliability. <\/p>\n
But Allen is no longer set on appearing in all 82, with the Cavs having a not-yet-revealed big-picture in-season maintenance plan for all their regulars. <\/p>\n
\u201cI had a talk with him,\u201d Atkinson said. \u201cHe\u2019s open to a [a rest plan].”<\/p>\n
Beyond that, Cleveland\u2019s improved frontcourt depth and big man insurance will make it easier to manage Allen\u2019s workload. Bryant is the 14th player on the roster. His playing time will be sporadic. But Atkinson \u2014 and others inside the organization \u2014 view him as a rotational-caliber player. <\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s a great luxury,\u201d Atkinson said about the number of playable bigs on the roster this season. \u201cIt\u2019s hard to play more than 10. But I think we\u2019ll figure out how to best integrate those guys.\u201d<\/p>\n
Cementing a spot<\/p>\n
Jaylon Tyson has a new hairdo, turning his bushy and wavy ponytail into braids. He has a new perspective, looking to make his mark as the quintessential role player. And he has a new opportunity, with two high-minute rotational players \u2014 Darius Garland (toe) and Max Strus (foot) \u2014 still recovering from offseason surgeries. <\/p>\n
\u201cMan, that kid, he\u2019s … hungry,\u201d Mitchell said of his young teammate. \u201cI\u2019ve never seen a kid come out and lead his team in scoring in college, shoot every shot and then come in here and say, \u201cHey, I want to play in the half roll, I want to screen and get you guys open. I want to defend.\u2019 That mentality is the sense of maturity that you want to have out of a young guy.\u201d<\/p>\n
After logging just 453 minutes last season and even spending some time with the G League affiliate Charge, Tyson focused on at-the-rim finishing, getting in better shape physically, quickening his jumper and becoming a relentless defender while showing his hands and staying away from nonsensical fouls. <\/p>\n
During the team\u2019s player-led voluntary runs in New York and Los Angeles, Tyson was often tasked with guarding Mitchell \u2014 a purposeful challenge from the mentor. <\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019ve said, \u2018Hey, every time we play, anytime anything\u2019s live, you\u2019re guarding me,\u2019\u201d Mitchell explained. \u201cWe\u2019re battling back and forth, and he understands that is what it\u2019s going to take. He\u2019s made me a better player. He\u2019s going to take a big step for us, and a lot of people are going to start to realize who Jaylon Tyson is after this season.\u201d<\/p>\n
As for his jumper, the Cavs track daily shooting activity. Percentages. Left\/right misses. Arc. Every detail that helps them better understand a player\u2019s development. <\/p>\n
Tyson ranked fourth in shooting among all Cavaliers at open gym this summer. <\/p>\n
That\u2019s just part of his role.<\/p>\n
Despite an abundance of high-usage, on-the-ball responsibility in college, the Cavs believe Tyson sometimes has a tendency to do too much and gets out of control. They\u2019re hoping to harness that. They want him to be more of a 3-and-D player. Fighting through screens. Cutting. Rebounding. Running in transition. <\/p>\n
\u201cAll the things role players should do,\u201d Atkinson said. \u201cI\u2019m trying to tell him \u2014 \u2018cause he likes to handle the ball, he handled a lot at Cal, in Summer League \u2014 it\u2019s like Jaylon, you\u2019re gonna be playing with a lot of good players. You\u2019ve got to do all this other stuff. That ball-handling stuff will be down the road.”<\/p>\n
With early-season minutes available, will Tyson capitalize and turn that into a consistent spot? <\/p>\n
\u201cYou\u2019ve got to prove it,\u201d Atkinson said. \u201cThe only way we can evaluate that is through regular season games; we\u2019re not gonna take three games and evaluate it. But sample size, you start getting 10, 15 games, then we can start looking at it. He\u2019s understanding better what we\u2019re looking for from him. I think his body\u2019s better. He\u2019s in phenomenal shape. He plays so hard. My feeling is he\u2019s gonna make a jump. He\u2019s gonna be more comfortable out there. Hopefully this blossoms into a steady role for him. <\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019d be surprised if he doesn\u2019t cement himself in the rotation.\u201d<\/p>\n
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