The NBA Summer League has gotten underway in Las Vegas, and your Cleveland Cavaliers will get things going on July 7, on Friday, when they battle the Brooklyn Nets at 8:30 pm as the game is being broadcasted on NBA TV.
There are several new faces on this 13-player Cavs roster. Some are returning from playing on this squad last summer and there are several new faces as well. Emoni Bates, a lanky 6-foot-9 wing out of Eastern Michigan, was just picked by the team in the second round of the draft. It was a bit of a fall from grace for Bates who was at one time considered a lottery pick, seemingly at minimum, when he first started playing college ball at Memphis. He transferred last year to Eastern Michigan.
Now he’s with Cleveland and he’s indicated he’s had the “best week” of his life training with the team, as he’s been able to refind his love of the game after a difficult stretch of basketball these last two years.
Cleveland also went out and signed undrafted player Craig Porter Jr. out of Wichita State following the draft, and he’ll be on a two-way deal. The 6-foot-2 guard really showed some true grit to get to this point in his career and he demonstrated how he can contribute in a number of ways with the Shockers.
With that backdrop, let’s take a look at all 13 players now. Some of these players have an outside shot at making the Cavaliers roster. Some others will likely play on the Cavaliers G League team, the Cleveland Charge.