3 Issues Cleveland Cavaliers must sort out during training camp
Issue No. 2: Who is the backup point guard?
This question is more pressing than backup center, because the answer to this question may get playing time in the regular rotation and will certainly see significant time if either Darius Garland or Donovan Mitchell miss time.
Ricky Rubio was supposed to be the answer, but he has chosen to step away from basketball to focus on his mental health. Raul Neto was the team’s third point guard last season, but he suffered a significant injury at the FIBA World Cup and is out for the year, so re-signing him is off the table.
The Cavaliers signed Ty Jerome to add guard depth, and as a combo guard he can be part of the solution. He is best deployed as a lineup’s secondary ballhandler, but he ran some backup point guard for the Golden State Warriors last season and has averaged 5.4 assists per 36 minutes for his career. Together he, Mitchell and Caris LeVert can approximate the playmaking of a full-time point guard in games when Garland is unavailable or off the court.
The team probably needs another option, though. That could be Craig Porter Jr., the undrafted rookie point guard who flashed a lot of ability at Summer League. Sharife Cooper is on an Exhibit 10 deal and could play his way onto the roster as a traditional point guard. Players like Cameron Payne and Kendrick Nunn are still available in free agency, while Delon Wright could be a prime trade candidate.
Prediction: Ty Jerome to start the year, but they will add someone not on the roster by the Trade Deadline.