Cavs: Kevin Porter Jr. reportedly likely not playing in LVSL is a bummer
By Dan Gilinsky
Kevin Porter Jr. is reportedly not likely to play in the Las Vegas Summer League for the Cleveland Cavaliers, which has to be a bummer for fans.
The Cleveland Cavaliers went without a win in three games in the Salt Lake City Summer League, and them not having many options to go to didn’t help their cause.
In their first game against the San Antonio Spurs’ SLC Summer League team, Cleveland had more free-flowing offense, and Dylan Windler and Dean Wade were able to get room to operate, while Naz Mitrou-Long was pretty on-point with his playmaking with eight assists, though he did only go six-of-16 from the field (per NBA.com).
More from King James Gospel
- 3 possible starting lineups for Cleveland Cavaliers in 2023-24
- The Cavaliers may have snagged a hidden gem in Craig Porter Jr.
- 4 players the Cavaliers should pursue in 2024 free agency
- 6 players Cavaliers might replace Jarrett Allen with by the trade deadline
- This stat is one to keep an eye on for Cavaliers’ Max Strus in years ahead
Windler had 19 points and three three-pointers in that one, and was able to showcase his deep range, whereas Wade showed his solid in-and-out game, with 14 points on six-of-13 shooting (per NBA.com), and as we’ve noted, looks to be a nice developmental two-way player for the 2019-20 season.
In the last two games, though, Windler was keyed in on as the clear top option offensively, and while he was making good plays from a fundamental passing standpoint and moving the ball with primary defensive focus on him, Windler’s scoring production wasn’t close the last two games compared to the first, which was no shock.
In the last two games against the Utah Jazz and Memphis Grizzlies’ SLC Summer League teams, Windler had only 11 shot attempts, and hit three of those (per NBA.com), and Cleveland’s offense didn’t have close to the same flow.
It was clear that the absence of Darius Garland and Kevin Porter Jr., who both did not appear in SLC games due to the Cavs being cautious with them due to Garland’s reported meniscus tear early in his one season at Vanderbilt (which we’ve often alluded to) and Porter reportedly having a minor hip flexor injury during a pre-draft workout for the Atlanta Hawks, according to Cleveland.com’s Chris Fedor, handicapped Cleveland to a large degree.
Unfortunately, it was previously reported by Fedor that Garland is not likely to play at all in Summer League (that meaning SLC and incoming at Las Vegas Summer League), and it was also reported recently by (again) Fedor in the piece mentioning Porter’s injury that Porter likely won’t play in Vegas Summer League, either.
That was backed up by head coach John Beilein, who said, per Fedor, “I don’t expect it,” and a source of Fedor’s put a stamp on what Beilein said by noting Porter will “probably not” play in Vegas.
That really is tough to hear for Cleveland Cavaliers fans, as Porter is a player that can create his own offense, and that would likely open up more off-ball opportunities for Windler, potentially Mitrou-Long and Wade.
We hit on how Porter’s acquisition via trade becoming official before SLC play starting would’ve likely given him good opportunities for Summer League run, at least one would imagine in Vegas, but it doesn’t appear now that’ll be the case.
It doesn’t seem as though the Cleveland Cavaliers will have an especially fun run in Vegas this year, as opposed to Collin Sexton’s impressive 2018 campaign, where he averaged 19.6 points, 3.6 rebounds and 3.4 assists per game and was named First-Team All-Summer League (courtesy of an NBA.com Cavs release).
Next. Sexton's recent video shows he can grow into leader for Cavs. dark
On the bright side, at least all three of the Cleveland rookie draft picks (Garland, Windler and Porter) reportedly signed, per an official team release.