Cavs: John Beilein’s prior recruitment of Tyler Cook seemingly could’ve played into Cook’s two-way

The Cleveland Cavaliers’ second two-way contract was given to undrafted two-way big Tyler Cook, and it would seem that Cleveland head coach John Beilein reportedly recruiting Cook previously could have played into Cook’s two-way deal.

The Cleveland Cavaliers had previously extended a two-way deal to undrafted rookie stretch big Dean Wade earlier this offseason, who had a four-year career at Kansas State, and Wade played some in preseason for Cleveland. He also played for the Cavs’ Summer League team.

The other two-way now has also been filled, and it will be going to undrafted rookie big Tyler Cook, who was released earlier this week by the Denver Nuggets after playing with them in a very brief stint in preseason action.

Cleveland claimed Cook off waivers, and would then be set to remain on his two-way deal, and that was first reported by The Athletic‘s Kelsey Russo.

It was not totally certain that it would stick, though, as Cleveland.com’s Chris Fedor had noted.

The Cavaliers still at the time had not released training camp invitee bigs Marques Bolden (an undrafted rookie Exhibit 10 signing) and Jarell Martin, so again, Cook potentially might have not gotten that other Cleveland two-way just yet.

Plus, according to Fedor in a report, it was seemingly likely that Cleveland would bring on Martin with the team’s 14th roster spot heading into the season, for reference.

Ultimately, though I was a fan of the 21-year-old Bolden, who played within himself as a good screener and rolling presence and was tied for the lead (with the 25-year-old Martin) in blocks in the preseason for the Cleveland Cavaliers, Bolden, along with Martin, was eventually waived on Saturday.

That secured the Cook two-way deal, per Russo (in Bolden’s case) and Fedor (in Martin’s case).

The team would, again, announce that Cook would be the other current two-way heading into the regular season, and would then note the Cavs have 15 players (technically) on the roster.

That equates to 13 rostered and with two two-way players after the waiving of Bolden and Martin on Saturday.

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So what is Cleveland getting in the other two-way big in Cook?

Cook averaged 14.1 points and 6.7 rebounds per game in three seasons at Iowa (per Sports Reference), and is predominantly an interior scorer.

It’s encouraging that Cook, who can get his share of putbacks, could potentially provide Cleveland and head coach John Beilein with energy minutes if needed.

Plus, with John Henson reportedly banged up and Ante Zizic possibly out for nearly a month due to plantar fasciitis in his left foot, Cook could be in the mix, as Fedor noted in the beginning of the season.

The 45-day limit for two-way players with their NBA teams starts officially on Oct. 28, and Fedor highlighted that Cook could be used in the first two games by the Cleveland Cavaliers with that not counting in his 45 days.

Granted, the 6-foot-9 Cook, though an explosive athlete who can get by slower bigs off-the-bounce a bit, doesn’t project as a rim protector, and it’d make for sense for Cleveland to have went with the 6-foot-11 Bolden.

However, familiarity with Cook for Beilein, who previously recruited Cook to play for him at Michigan, according to Basketball Insiders’ Spencer Davies, could have feasibly played into Cleveland going with the Iowa product.

I can understand the Cavaliers valuing that familiarity with Cook Beilein has, and with Beilein’s teams going up against Cook a bunch of times, maybe Beilein and the coaching staff can get efficient play out of Cook if/when he does get a bit of rotational minutes.

Cook is not much of a floor spacer, though, and with an undersized possible reserve 5, that’s concerning, considering the likely starting 5, Tristan Thompson, is a non-shooter.

Again, though, maybe Beilein can make it work with a player he’s especially familiar with from the college ranks in recent years.

Nonetheless, given he’s only on a two-way deal, Cook probably won’t be playing many meaningful minutes for Beilein and company, anyhow.

As far as the 14th roster spot, Fedor mentioned potential targets could be recently waived Golden State Warriors small forward Alfonzo McKinnie and/or Memphis Grizzlies big Ivan Rabb.

Fedor also hit on how Cleveland if they go into Monday with only 13 players, would have a two-week clock starting to have to sign a 14th player, and the process would have a continuous two-week clock from thereon if Cleveland would at some point waive a player and be at 13 again.

Additionally, Fedor also noted how Bolden could play for the Canton Charge, Cleveland’s G League team, this season, given his Exhibit 10, but other NBA squads could sign him or maybe do so on a two-way deal, anyhow.

Moreover, maybe Cleveland and Beilein can find something in their second two-way signing in the 22-year-old Cook, but he’ll likely spend the vast majority of his time in 2019-20 with the Charge, at any rate.