9 Cleveland Cavaliers that never played a single minute
No. 5 – Tyus Jones
A player very well known to modern basketball fans, Tyus Jones first erupted onto the scene as the closer on a star-studded Duke Blue Devils team that won the National Championship in 2015, propelling Jones from a multi-year college player to a one-and-done first-round pick.
It was the Cleveland Cavaliers who drafted him in the 2015 NBA Draft. Coming off of their first NBA Finals appearance of LeBron James’ return, the Cavs decided to save money by then moving Tyus Jones for a trio of second-round picks, one of which they used on longtime Cleveland role player Cedi Osman (we don’t have to dwell on the other two players; Rakeem Christmas and Justin James played just 102 career games between them).
Jones thus began his career with the Minnesota Timberwolves, establishing himself as one of the best backup point guards in the entire league and playing high-leverage basketball behind the oft-injured Ja Morant. Most recently, Jones has landed in Washington and could be the full-time starter for the first time in his career.
Seemingly since trading him away the Cavaliers have been interested in a return, as Jones has been named as a potential trade target or free agent target at various times. Perhaps one day he will come full circle and return to the Cavaliers.