The Cleveland Cavaliers will wrap up what has been a successful Summer League on Friday when they take on the Chicago Bulls for their fifth and final game.
You want to see your recent draft picks flash in Summer League. Meleek Thomas has certainly done that. He proved that he can be an efficient, high-volume scorer in this environment. What that means in the grand scheme of things is anyone’s guess. Summer League success doesn’t always translate to the NBA, but it’s a good starting point as we inch closer to training camp in the fall.
Thomas didn’t play in the last game and presumably won’t be playing this one either. The main selling points to this contest will be the battle for a two-way spot. Even though all three spots are currently filled by Tristan Enaruna, Riley Minix, and Ernest Udeh Jr., two-way deals don’t count against the cap, so players can be cut at any time.
Enaruna has missed the majority of Summer League due to an illness.
Minix has struggled mightily to find his shot. He’s averaged 8.3 points on .308/.005/.667 shooting splits in four games.
Udeh has shown to be a good rim protector and rebounder, but the lack of scoring has been concerning. He’s averaging just 4.5 points per game on 40% shooting.
The latter two’s struggles have opened the door for someone else to lay claim to that role.
It’s worth mentioning here that Malaki Branham, who’s had an impressive showing this summer, isn’t eligible for a two-way spot because he has four years of NBA service time.
Who: Cleveland Cavaliers vs. Chicago Bulls
Where: Thomas & Mack Center – Las Vegas, NV
When: Fri., July 17 at 7 PM
TV: ESPN
Point spread: Cavs -1.5
Cavs notable players: Meleek Thomas, Ernest Udeh Jr., Riley Minix, Tristan Enaruna, Malaki Branham
Bulls notable players: Caleb Wilson, Dailyn Swain, Noa Essengue, Jaylin Sellers, Tobe Awaka
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