The Cleveland Cavaliers desperately need former first-round draft pick Jaylon Tyson to step up and create the depth they lack along the wings. It's a tall task for a second-year player, but Tyson's upside is likely to be tested and explored more extensively than it was in 2024-25.
With injuries already impacting the rotation, Tyson will need to remind the Cavaliers of why they selected him at No. 20 overall in the 2024 NBA Draft.
The Cavaliers received an early reminder of how thin they remain along the wings when Max Strus was forced to undergo surgery in August to repair a Jones fracture in his left foot. The hope is that he'll be back on the court relatively early in the 2025-26 season, but a return date remains unclear.
As such, the Cavaliers will likely turn to starting small forward De'Andre Hunter and reserves such as Sam Merrill and Dean Wade to provide depth along the wings.
It's a rational approach, but context reveals the need for Tyson to step up and help stabilize the rotation. Wade played just 20 percent of his minutes at small forward in 2024-25 and the 6'4" Merrill spent just nine percent of his playing time at the position.
With this in mind, the Cavaliers need Tyson to make enough progress to justify playing significant minutes as the backup small forward while Strus is out—and perhaps even after he returns.
Jaylon Tyson must save Cavaliers from lack of depth along the wings
Tyson, 22, worked his way into the first round of the 2024 NBA Draft after producing a tremendous season with the California Bears. He earned First Team All-Pac-12 honors after averaging 19.6 points, 6.8 rebounds, 3.5 assists, 1.2 steals, and 1.6 three-point field goals made on .465/.360/.796 shooting.
A well-rounded talent with an effective set shot and intriguing versatility as both an on and off-ball player, Tyson has clear potential to explore.
Tyson played just 9.6 minutes per game as a rookie, which inevitably limited his opportunities to break into a larger role in the rotation. In the only two games that he played at least 30 minutes, however, he decidedly stole the show.
Tyson posted 31 points, seven rebounds, four assists, three steals, and a block in Cleveland's season finale, and posted 16 points, 11 rebounds, seven assists, and two steals in a Nov. 20 showing.
Two games clearly aren't enough to reveal what Tyson will do on a nightly basis. They were confirmations of what was shown in college, however, as he displayed a well-rounded skill set that includes the unselfishness to look to get other players involved.
Expecting Tyson to go off in the way he did in the aforementioned games would be unrealistic, but a well-rounded skill set as a backup wing would be a welcome addition in 2025-26.
Assuming health permits, Tyson should have no shortage of catch-and-shoot opportunities with playmaker Lonzo Ball leading the second unit. The true test, however, will be how consistently he can defend and whether or not he can make the right decisions with the ball in his hands.
If Tyson steps up, the Cavaliers will not only be able to overcome Strus' absence from the rotation but find a new do-it-all wing to turn a current weakness into an invaluable strength.