Meleek Thomas scores 16 points in NBA debut

Following a red-hot summer league stint, Thomas has been able to find more success in the preseason. He only played 13 minutes in this game, but he was able to pour in the points in this one. He shouldn’t be on redraft radars, though he may have some solid games if James Harden misses time at any point this season.

One day removed from going for 30 points against the Pistons, Thomas was even better on Monday. The 34th overall pick scored 21 points in the first half, shooting 5-of-6 from beyond the arc, and finished with 35. While the summer league competition is not on par with what Thomas will see in the fall/winter, he’s clearly playing with a chip on his shoulder after falling out of the first round of the draft. Regardless of what happens with Cleveland’s pursuit of LeBron James, Thomas scores too well to be out of Kenny Atkinson’s rotation.

Thomas dropped 20 points against the Pacers in his first Summer League action on Friday and followed it up with a 30-point performance against the Pistons. The 34th overall pick in the draft, Thomas continues to display excellent scoring ability. The rookie is ticketed for a bench role with the Cavaliers, the question is how many minutes he’s able to earn.

Making his first appearance of the summer, Thomas shot the ball well, showing off the scoring ability that made some consider him a candidate to be selected in the first round. Of course, the former Arkansas guard slipped to the 34th overall pick, but the Cavaliers did not hesitate to sign him to a standard contract. With the Cavaliers losing Dean Wade and Keon Ellis in free agency and limited money to replenish their bench, Thomas may be able to earn rotation minutes as a rookie.

Simply put, Thomas is one of the best shooters in the class, and many believe that his name should be at the top of the list. In his lone season at Arkansas, the 6-foot-3 guard accounted for 15.6 points, 3.8 rebounds, 2.5 assists, 1.5 steals and 2.2 three-pointers. Thomas shot 41.6 percent from three and 84.3 percent from the foul line, and he’s considered to have the quickest release in this class. A solid defender, Thomas can also provide value as a supplementary playmaker. Donovan Mitchell and James Harden will continue to fill out most of the backcourt minutes in Cleveland, and they aren’t short on depth at guard. Thomas is talented, but it may take some time for him to establish a consistent role.