Jaylon Tyson had a breakout season for the Cleveland Cavaliers. The 23-year-old wing -- selected 20th overall by the Cavs in the 2024 NBA Draft -- averaged 17.7 points, 6.8 rebounds, 3.0 assists, and 1.1 steals per 36 minutes for Cleveland this season across 66 games, which included 42 starts. His 39-point performance in a win over the Philadelphia 76ers in January seemed to solidify Tyson as a young pillar of the Cavs moving forward.
For whatever reason, Cavaliers head coach Kenny Atkinson took minutes away from Tyson as the season wore on, and this postseason, Tyson saw his minutes drop to 12.7 per game (down from 26.9 minutes per game in the regular season).
Kenny Atkinson, Cavaliers lost faith in Jaylon Tyson, and it hurt them badly
When Cavaliers president of basketball operations Koby Altman did his exit interview on Friday, Altman suggested that Tyson's short leash in the playoffs was connected to shot-making (Tyson was just 9-for-38 from 3 during the postseason). But despite Tyson falling far short of his regular-season mark from 3 (44.6%), he still could've provided defense, rebounding, and versatility for a Cavs team that badly needed it, not to mention a team that was exhausted heading into the New York Knicks series due to Atkinson not using bench players like Tyson nearly enough.
As James Harden got cooked possession after possession in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Finals (and throughout the series, let's be honest), Cavs fans couldn't figure out why Atkinson wasn't throwing another defender at Jalen Brunson. Tyson would've sufficed. Keon Ellis. Anyone else.
Cavaliers' trade deadline resulted in a diminished role for Jaylon Tyson
Cleveland's aggressive deadline that brought over Harden, Ellis, and Dennis Schröder had plenty of positive consequences. The Cavs got their mojo back, and all three of the above names were contributing. But why did this also have to mean such a diminished role for Tyson? Why couldn't Atkinson and the Cavs' leadership have figured out a way to keep pushing the button of Tyson's encouraging growth that was so apparent pre-deadline? Doing so would have made the Cavaliers a much more balanced team in the playoffs, and a much better defensive one, too.
Atkinson messed up by letting Tyson fall out of a regular role. He's plenty good enough to be in Cleveland's rotation, and they obviously needed more of athleticism and two-way aggression in the playoffs. Atkinson has been adamant that the Cavs will have a successful "run it back" season in 2026-27, but that better include a larger and more sustained role for Tyson.
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