Around this time in the NBA season, teams use their open roster spots in one of two ways. The first is to sign veterans on the buyout market to stock up for a playoff run; that’s what the Cleveland Cavaliers did in signing Danny Green earlier this month.
The other method is to sign a younger player to a 10-day contract and get a close look at them in practice and the occasional game. Perhaps that player will be worth keeping around or even signing to a longer-term contract.
With Kevin Love agreeing to a buyout with Cleveland, the Cavs now have an open roster spot again. With a pair of two-way bigs and a paucity of wings available in the G League, it’s reasonable they could use that final spot on a guard. Here are three potential options playing well in the G League this season.
G League guards the Cavaliers can sign: Sharife Cooper
Sharife Cooper’s name has been linked to the Cavs for the entire season, as he spent time with Cleveland in training camp and has been balling out for the Cleveland Charge all season. The reality is that the former Auburn point guard has been one of the G League’s best players, full stop, and is worth a look as the Cavs’ third-string point guard leading into next season.
Cooper’s best skill is his pinpoint passing, but he has worked hard on his shot since coming into the NBA. It’s not a strength yet, but he is up to 36 percent in all of his G League games this season. He’s fast, dynamic with the ball in his hands, and a good defender. If the Cavs move on from Raul Neto this summer and want an inexpensive option behind Darius Garland and Ricky Rubio, Cooper seems like the obvious first choice.
G League guards the Cavaliers can sign: Mason Jones
Mason Jones won SEC Player of the Year honors his final year in college, a scoring machine for the Arkansas Razorbacks who declared for the NBA Draft a year early hoping to parlay his success into a professional career. Unfortunately for Jones, he went undrafted in the 2020 NBA Draft.
Jones signed a two-way deal with the Houston Rockets to start his career, and from there he began bouncing around the league. He appeared in just 36 NBA games across two seasons, and thus far this year he has remained unsigned by an NBA team. He has instead played the entire G League season for the Mexico City Capitanes.
He has been dynamic this season, averaging 25.5 points per game and 5.3 assists as the best shooting guard not signed by a team.Still just 24 years old, he has real upside as a microwave scorer off the bench with enough size (6’4″) not to be a complete turnstile on defense.
The Cavaliers don’t have an immediate need for such a player, but they don’t have an immediate need for anyone available in the G League. What Jones provides is an NBA-worthy player who could be signed to a long-term, inexpensive contract if things work out, stepping into the rotation when Darius Garland or Donovan Mitchell miss time in future seasons. He’s worth a look to see if that’s the player he has become.
G League guards the Cavaliers can sign: Mac McClung
The story of Mac McClung has been making its way around ever since he was announced as a participant in the NBA Slam Dunk Contest, and doubly so after he won it in such a dominant fashion. The 24-year-old guard showed off incredible athleticism, power and control and threw home all four of his dunks on the first try, a rare accomplishment in the modern dunk contest.
A high school star on social media due to his dunking ability, McClung had a lackluster college career and has struggled to find an NBA home since going undrafted out of Texas Tech in 2021. He has spent most of his time bouncing around various G League teams, playing a game each for the Chicago Bulls and Los Angeles Lakers in the NBA.
The reality with McClung is that he is more than just a dunker. He has worked hard on his shot, and after hitting just 31.3 percent of his 3-pointers in college has become a reliable shooter in the G League, including hitting 40.8 percent across all competition this season. His explosion with the ball attacking the rim puts pressure on defenders deciding whether to close out hard or protect against the drive.
The 6’2″ McClung is small and has had to rebuild his game from an inefficient on-ball scorer to a valuable off-ball player, but he is getting there. He has improved as a passer, shooter and off-ball mover in the G League, and it’s worth it for a team to give him an extended shot to make a team.
Currently that team is the Philadelphia 76ers, who have McClung signed to a 10-day contract. If they don’t renew that deal he will return to the G League a free agent eligible to sign with any other team, and the Cavs might like to give him a look and unleash him in practice. Perhaps there is something there worth keeping around for longer.