As the Cleveland Cavaliers search for workarounds to their injury woes, Nae'Qwan Tomlin has become an unlikely source of hope. An undrafted free agent in 2024 who has played nine NBA games in two seasons, Tomlin proved that Cleveland has a deep pool of talent to pull from.
In turn, Tomlin established a fundamental truth that has come to define a vast majority of NBA champions in recent seasons: The Cavaliers have a next-man-up mentality.
Cleveland entered its Nov. 13 encounter with the Toronto Raptors down a small surplus of critical contributors. The list included All-Star point guard Darius Garland, 3-and-D specialist Max Strus, and breakout second-year wing Jaylon Tyson.
The Cavaliers ultimately lost 126-113, but Tomlin showed out with 18 points, six rebounds, five offensive boards, and two steals in 22 minutes.
It was the third consecutive game during which Tomlin appeared that he showed out in limited minutes. That trend began on Nov. 7 against the Washington Wizards and has continued with one overarching theme at play: Consistent effort on both ends of the floor.
It's far too soon to project Tomlin's future with the franchise, but he epitomizes what the Cavaliers need—and is thus setting the tone for veterans who have no excuse to not match his energy.
Nae'Qwan Tomlin epitomizes Cavaliers' "next man up" mentality
Tomlin, 24, is a 6'8" and 210-pound forward who cut his teeth with the Kansas State Wildcats and Memphis Tigers between two collegiate seasons. He shot 39.6 percent on 2.5 three-point field goal attempts per game in 2023-24, and showcased the potential to be a high-intensity 3-and-D player.
Unfortunately, it's taken nearly two years for Tomlin's number to be called in anything resembling a consistent manner—and yet, here he is, ready and willing to contribute.
That alone epitomizes why the Cavaliers should keep him in the rotation. He's playing with a level of intensity that can easily be emulated if the players around him put their minds to it. For a Cleveland team that keeps shuffling key players in and out of the lineup, there's no better time to send that very message.
While Tomlin has certainly done an excellent job of making shots, it must also be noted that everything he's done up to this point is realistically sustainable.
Tomlin is making energy plays on both ends of the floor. Between his past three appearances, he's registered 10 offensive rebounds, five steals, and two blocks in just 46 minutes of action. Even his 18-point performance was a product of his energy and IQ.
Tomlin scored off of a pick and roll, a loose ball, three offensive rebounds, a pair of sneaky baseline cuts, and a transition opportunity that he created with his defense.
If Tomlin can translate his efficient shooting from his sophomore season to the NBA, then there's ample reason to believe he can contribute positive minutes. He makes smart reads defensively, is an active and committed offensive rebounder, and turns corner positioning into far more than a stationary role.
The Cavaliers still need to get back to 100 percent to truly contend, but the ability to find high-level contributions from unlikely sources is a crucial trait found in any true contender.