Craig

Porter Jr.

Jerome has been rolling as a sparkplug off of Cleveland’s bench, and he’ll get the night off against Brooklyn. In his place, Sam Merrill and Craig Porter Jr. could see increased run.

With Donovan Mitchell and Caris LeVert both sidelined for this game, Cleveland needed to find offense somewhere. That came in the form of Porter Jr., who set a new career-high for points in this game. He scored 12 points in 16 minutes in their last game and has shown an ability to put up numbers in other categories as well. He has seen extra minutes with Mitchell out and played even more in this game with LeVert sidelined. Porter Jr. could be worth a stream if both other guard options remain sidelined against the 76ers on Tuesday.

With Darius Garland and Caris LeVert sitting out Tuesday’s game with hamstring issues and Ty Jerome being sidelined by a sprained ankle, Porter found himself in the rotation. And the rookie took advantage of the opportunity, hitting double figures for the first time in his brief NBA career. Normally, there would be no chance of Porter having fantasy value in the short term. However, the Cavaliers and Knicks will meet again Wednesday night in New York. If Garland and LeVert remain sidelined, Porter could find himself once again taking on a credible role within the rotation. Don’t add him right now, but Porter’s name is one to be mindful of on Wednesday afternoon.

Bates was one of Cleveland’s best performers at Summer League, and he finished his run in Las Vegas with a complete performance. The 49th overall pick in last month’s draft, Bates had the look of a player who could potentially develop into a steal for the Cavaliers. He’ll be on a two-way contract next season, as will Craig Porter Jr., who added eight points, nine rebounds, eight assists, one steal, and one block in 30 minutes on Monday. With Bates, Porter, and title game Isaiah Mobley all on two-way deals, Cleveland’s G League affiliate stands to be pretty good next season.

Porter Jr. has had a decent summer for the Cavs, but this was by far his best game in Vegas. He is on a two-way contract for Cleveland after going undrafted out of Wichita State, and he’ll likely spend this season in the G-League, but this was a solid performance for him.