Cavs: Mitch Ballock could be solid choice for other two-way

It wasn’t the most glamorous signing from the offseason for the Cleveland Cavaliers, but I wouldn’t say it was the most surprising move when they signed Brodric Thomas via two-way deal again on Wednesday.

JD Shaw of Hoops Rumors first reported that, and noted how Thomas signed his two-way qualifying offer. As Luke Adams of Hoops Rumors pointed out following that report from Shaw, with Thomas previously having spent last season a two-way, his “qualifying offer was the equivalent of another two-way deal with a $50K partial guarantee.”

I was soured some on Thomas, who didn’t aid his case in Las Vegas Summer League, but objectively, he was mostly in a lead playmaking role, which is not natural for him. With Cleveland when he was given opportunities last season though, he did do a nice job on the defensive end on the perimeter, even as a rotational shot blocker, and when he was applying rim pressure, I thought finished well.

The shot is not something I’m crazy about, but perhaps in his share of G League play with the Cleveland Charge next season, that can develop further for the former undrafted guard/wing out of D II Truman State.

So in relation to the other two-way spot for Cleveland, looking past the Thomas news, who might make their case for that then?

At first glance, maybe Tacko Fall, who was signed via training camp deal, could have an argument, or could perhaps even fill a role as a depth 5?

From there, while he is currently filling a standard roster spot, if Cleveland were to waive him by next season, given their forward situation, maybe Dean Wade, whose rookie year was spent on a two-way, could be back via that again? I’m not certain on that one; perhaps the Cavs could look elsewhere.

Or maybe an alternative could be training camp signing Mitch Ballock, who went undrafted out of Creighton and spent Vegas Summer League with the Philadelphia 76ers squad there. The argument for him would be the shooting aspect; like Fall, Ballock’s deal was an Exhibit 10, so he could potentially end up with the Charge if he’s waived before next season.

Ballock could be a solid choice for the Cavs’ other two-way spot.

Putting it simply, I could see the Cavaliers extending the 6-foot-5, 215-pound Ballock a two-way/converting his deal to that because of how he could be worth an investment for his perimeter shooting abilities. In a four-year collegiate career at Creighton, he knocked in 39.8 percent of his 5.9 three-point attempts per game, of which included him hitting 41.4 percent from deep in his last three seasons.

Just like fellow lefty Dylan Windler did in his collegiate career at Belmont, Ballock firmly established himself as a floor spacer and movement shooter, and maybe he could be worth a two-way/long-term play for Cleveland. Ballock wouldn’t be a player they’d look for to create his own offense, but to reiterate, his deep shooting could possibly translate.

If that were to play out, he’d likely be mostly with the Charge, at least for next season, I’d imagine. But if injuries were to occur, maybe he could receive some meaningful playing time with the Cavs if needed; if Windler, who objectively has been injury-prone, were to be sidelined again, that could lead to some rationale for Ballock getting PT.

Granted, the Cavs did recently sign Denzel Valentine, and even with him set to be partially-guaranteed for next season, he will likely get chances to prove he can viable.

In a two-way sense, however, I could foresee him being a solid choice for the other Cavaliers’ two-way spot from a wing standpoint. Regardless of injuries, the Cavs were last in the NBA in three-point percentage last season, 29th in three-pointers made per game and 28th in triples attempted per outing.

Maybe the 23-year-old Ballock is a longshot for even that, but if he can show his range a fair amount in camp and/or in preseason action, I wouldn’t necessarily be shocked if he landed that other two-way spot. There is one open with Jeremiah Martin’s rights having been renounced as a corresponding move related to Cleveland’s sign-and-trade acquisition of Lauri Markkanen from the Chicago Bulls.

Again, though, Ballock will need to be a camp standout, one would think.