The Cleveland Cavaliers are no strangers to investing in young prospects to fill out the roster, and Nae'Qwan Tomlin's sophomore season may quickly be another G League success story for Cleveland.
In the Cavaliers' 2025 Summer League opener against the Indiana Pacers, Tomlin stood out on the court despite a 116-115 loss. The 24-year-old forward scored a game-high 30 points, shooting 12-of-16 from the field and hitting three of his seven three-pointers. As any Summer League will be, it was a messy outing with endless foul calls. Tomlin ended with nine against him, also a game high.
Alongside Cleveland's 2024 draft pick Jaylon Tyson's double-double, the two players made a formidable duo. Both showed athleticism, intelligence and innate basketball know-how. Tomlin looked notably more adept than his rivals and fellow Cavaliers. Given that Tomlin is already familiar with Summer League like Tyson, he was comfortable throughout the afternoon showdown.
Cleveland's second-round pick Tyrese Proctor also made an impact, scoring 14 points on decent efficiency. The Duke prospect also collected two steals in his 28 minutes of action. His debut was not jaw-dropping, but he showed poise and flashed the potential that made the Cavaliers believe him to be the steal of the second round this year.
Of all the Cleveland ballers, Tomlin proved the most, though. He is returning on another two-way contract, but his performance could quickly make him too good to live in limbo between the G League and NBA.
Tomlin is an unexpected but welcome addition for the Cavaliers
Born in Harlem, New York, the Cavs forward's path to the NBA has been far from common. Tomlin built his way to the league with four separate colleges, starting at Monroe Community College until he eventually earned a spot with a Division I program with the Memphis Tigers. Going undrafted in 2024, Tomlin agreed to a contract with the G League Cleveland Charge. Halfway through his first season, Tomlin joined Emoni Bates and Luke Travers as the third Cavaliers' two-way player after the team waived JT Thor.
Last season, Tomlin only appeared in five games with the main rotation Cavaliers, primarily playing with the Charge. In the G League, Tomlin thrived. At 6-foot-10 and weighing in at 210 pounds, Tomlin has an ideal frame for a frontcourt Swiss Army Knife. His size allows him to play at the center spot, but he is light enough still to be an athletic four with some decent floor-spacing qualities.
Given the Cavaliers' intentional focus on the frontcourt this offseason, signing Larry Nance, Jr. for a long-awaited homecoming, Tomlin could have the perfect mentor to mold his game to be set up for a full NBA career. Cleveland has found plenty of success in G League players, most recently re-signing Sam Merrill to a long-term contract.
If Tomlin continues to outclass his peers in Summer League, it may be only a matter of time before the Cleveland Cavaliers give him a standard deal and add him to the nightly frontcourt depth chart.