Cavaliers to sign Quinn Cook to 10-day; will likely play Friday

The Cleveland Cavaliers have gotten nice play out of Darius Garland, and it’s evident that he’ll be a key member of their core moving forward.

Garland has rebounded this season after a tough rookie campaign, and has had 16.1 points and 5.9 assists per outing.

It’s clear that Garland has been himself, really, though, as opposed to last season, when he was reportedly still not himself fully. That was in regards to him still having his prior meniscus injury, which cut his collegiate season at Vanderbilt to only five games, in the back of his mind.

That said, it’s been unfortunate that Cleveland has not had the likes of Matthew Dellavedova to give Garland some lead playmaking/backup point guard relief this season.

Dellavedova, while he has seemingly been progressing, is still working his way back from a serious concussion/complications having been involved with that.

And Dellavedova, though he appears to be again getting healthier regarding the prior concussion, had to have his appendix removed a few weeks back. He currently does not have a set timetable for his return, in relation to the prior concussion, as he has had other concussions in his career, for further context.

In Garland’s case for a quick bit here, he again has played well and taken considerable strides here in Year 2, but he did leave in the mid-third quarter in Cleveland’s last game before the All-Star break versus the Indiana Pacers due to a left groin strain. The All-Star break would feasibly help some, albeit another point guard, even in a rotational sense, could aid Garland in spurts, even.

In that realm, it was reported recently on Wednesday night by Shams Charania of The Athletic and Stadium that the Cleveland Cavaliers and veteran Quinn Cook have agreed to a 10-day deal. ESPN’s Brian Windhorst reported a tick before that that Cleveland was planning on signing Cook, for reference.

Cleveland.com’s Chris Fedor then reported how Cook will be signed Thursday, albeit technically Friday to get him for “one extra game” from there.

This Cook 10-day is a logical move by the Cavs.

Cook was waived a few weeks back by the Los Angeles Lakers, with whom he had averages of 5.1 points and 1.1 assists per game in 11.5 minutes per outing in 44 appearances with last season.

Cook won a title with LA last season, but was not a key rotational player then, nor was he during this season thus far. He had 2.1 points in 3.9 minutes per outing in 16 appearances this year with them.

Cook did have more of a role with the Golden State Warriors in two prior seasons, though.

In 2017-18 and 2018-19, he had 9.5 points and 2.7 assists in 22.4 minutes per outing in 33 appearances, and then, most notably, when he was more so in the rotation, had 6.9 points and 1.6 assists in 14.3 minutes per game, but in 74 appearances in 2018-19. Cook won a title with Golden State in 2018, too, in what was during when Kevin Durant was on the star-studded Dubs, alongside Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson and others.

In terms of the Cavs’ perspective, as a side note, Cook, who went undrafted in 2015, was a significant contributor for Cleveland’s G League Affiliate, the Canton Charge, in 2015-16 and 2016-17.

Regarding what Cook could provide for the Wine and Gold, at least during this 10-day stint, and we’ll have to see if a potential second 10-day comes for him, Cook should aid Garland as a backup point guard. DG is also banged up, as Fedor noted.

Cook is not nearly Dellavedova, in the backup point guard playmaking realm, but he should help run things as a veteran in instances when Garland is getting a breather. That could aid players such as Collin Sexton, Isaac Okoro, Jarrett Allen and/or Dylan Windler, too, one would think, in spurts.

Plus, though the star-studded cast did help previously, Cook is still a highly capable catch-and-shoot threat from three-point range, and has hit 40.7 percent of his three-point attempts per outing in his career so far. He is a solid pull-up shooter in pick-and-roll situations, too, which could help Cleveland’s offense in spurts.

And lastly, Cook has reportedly been a terrific teammate/locker room presence in his career, which is a positive for the Wine and Gold.

We’ll again have to see if the soon-to-be 28-year-old Cook will eventually get a second 10-day deal with Cleveland, though. But this was a logical signing, from a point guard depth standpoint, by the Cavs.

And per Fedor’s report, Cook is expected to make his Cavs debut on Friday at the New Orleans Pelicans, with it being seemingly likely he’ll end up clearing the NBA’s COVID-19 health and safety protocols.