It's no secret that the Cleveland Cavaliers are among the front-running favorites to win the Eastern Conference in 2025-26. With the core of the team still around, the Cavaliers seem primed to take their next leap -- one that could take them to the top of the league. However, the NBA season is long, and Cleveland, like many other teams are already feeling the effects of injuries.
De'Andre Hunter has just returned, and Darius Garland and Max Strus are still out, so it will be crucial for the Cavaliers to make the most of their depth. Perhaps the most key component of Cleveland's depth getting them through the grueling 82-game season will be finding a way to get consistent production from their young players such as Jaylon Tyson and Tyrese Proctor.
When the Cavaliers traded for Donovan Mitchell, they gave away most of their draft capital for the foreseeable future. That feels like a good move, but a nonetheless, teams still need to find serviceable players on rookie contracts given the current CBA.
Right now, Cleveland has the highest payroll in the league. The are significantly over the second apron, so it's paramount that they capitalize on guys like Tyson and Proctor, who (for now) don't cost very much.
Jaylon Tyson needs to give Cavaliers a second-year leap
In year two, Tyson has seen a significant uptick in his role, jumping from 9.6 minutes per game last season to 19.3 this year. He also started the first two games of 2025-26 before moving to the bench upon the return of Hunter.
While it's been encouraging to see Tyson in the rotation, things haven't gone great so far. His numbers aren't terrible. He's averaging 6.0 points, 2.0 rebounds and 1.0 assists per game on 58.3% from the field and 50.0% from three.
The problem has been struggling to find his role offensively. He hasn't taken more than four shots in any game yet this season and looks completely lost on that end.
Coming out of his final year at California, Tyson was known for his on-ball creation. His slithery handle and seemingly infinite number of moves off the bounce led him to being a first round pick in 2024, despite being a bit older.
Now, at least on offense, some of the fears about his game are being realized: he very much struggles playing off the ball. Tyson is not a lethal movement shooter, and while he is certainly serviceable from deep, he doesn't provide a ton of gravity for an offense that needs it.
Surprisingly, perhaps the most encouraging part of Tyson's young career has been his defense thus far. While he's a fluid athlete, he never was necessarily the most explosive, and had been known to struggle to both stay in front of guys and stay engaged off the ball.
He has a good frame at 6-foot-6-inches, and has shown major growth in his awareness and anticipation, averaging 0.7 blocks and 1.0 steals per game. While still not perfect, his play on the defensive end has been a welcome sight for a team who has been looking to find wing stoppers for years.
Year 2 Jaylon Tyson…hello pic.twitter.com/vxUJhLLET6
— Jordan Zirm (@JordanZirm) October 7, 2025
Tyrese Proctor needs to provide an insurance policy at point guard
While Tyson's early season performances have been a mixed bag, Proctor's evaluation has been a bit more pessimistic. After a solid preseason, he struggled mightily in the first two games of the regular season, averaging 2.5 points per game on 22.2% from the field and 16.7% from three.
His performance on Friday against the Brooklyn Nets was so discouraging that head coach Kenny Atkinson removed Proctor from the rotation completely. That lead to him not getting a single minute on Sunday against the Milwaukee Bucks.
Proctor was a fun evaluation in the pre-draft process. His elite off-ball shot-making and advanced secondary playmaking, combined with length and versatility on defense had him in the first round conversation.
However, as many do, he fell a bit to the 49th pick. Obviously, Garland and Donovan Mitchell were going to be ahead of him in the rotation of guards, but his size at 6-feet-4-inches gives Atkinson options.
One could hope that Proctor could be primarily a backup point guard given the status of the currently injured Garland and frequent load management of Lonzo Ball, but it looks as if Proctor is a long way off from that. On Sunday, Atkinson clearly preferred Craig Porter Jr. in that role, leading to Proctor's benching.
At Duke, Proctor's most valuable role was off the ball, so when he inevitably returns to the rotation at some point, look for him to play on the wing considering the logjam of on-ball guards. Although, the recent strong performances of Sam Merrill and eventual return of Strus will make it hard for Proctor to find time there either.
This season, if the Cavaliers are going to be a true contender, it seems likely that one of Tyson or Proctor will emerge as a real rotation piece. Right now, things look a bit bleak for them both, but again, the season is long and they will each have numerous opportunities.
With Hunter and Strus both having been banged up, the wings are in flux and it would thoroughly benefit Cleveland to find a gem in a position group. President of Basketball Operations Koby Altman has been looking for answers for for a long time.
Long term, neither Hunter nor Strus currently has a contract with the Cavaliers after next season (2026-27). Given their cap situation, it is doubtful that they'd want to resign either player for a price close to their market value. That, once again, makes Tyson and Proctor not just key for the present, but the future too, as Cleveland cuts costs in the upcoming years.