The Cleveland Cavaliers scouting office has been one of the most well-run functions of the front office, consistently discovering hidden talents to fill out a contending rotation.
With a cap sheet well surpassing the NBA's new daunting second apron of the luxury tax, every way the Cavaliers can add talent around the margins on cheap, controlled contracts will be a growing necessity. The league is effectively punishing franchises for retaining homegrown talent and offering pay raises to those players, making it harder to keep a star core together. For the Cavaliers, these penalties are worth the cost of frozen draft picks, trade restrictions and massive luxury tax bills - for now.
One way the Cavs are circumventing the NBA's prohibitive second apron is trusting in the process that gave them stars like Darius Garland and Evan Mobley - developing young talent patiently and purposefully. Dean Wade and Craig Porter, Jr. are two G League prospects the Cavaliers have molded into rotational pieces and well-respected role players.
Last year's rookie Jaylon Tyson and the newest Cavalier Tyrese Proctor are two names fans hope to see join the list of underrated talents the Cavaliers can develop into playoff contributors. Halfway through last season, another player caught the eye of the Cavs and is becoming a local rising star. Nae'Qwan Tomlin was an unlikely NBA talent, never playing basketball until college and rising through the collegiate ranks from community college to Division I programs.
With the Cleveland Charge and Cavaliers, Tomlin is making noticeable progress as a real NBA talent. His 6-foot-10 frame and athletic build make him an ideal candidate to fill out the Cavs' frontcourt if he can continue to develop his skill set. He is on a new two-way deal, and while he may benefit from the increased playing time he gets in the G League over the NBA, he could quickly play himself into a standard contract by next offseason.
Though talented, Tomlin is still an imperfect prospect at 24 years old. If he is going to make the leap from a two-way player to rotational piece, he will need to refine his game as a fluid frontcourt player. Larry Nance, Jr.'s hometown reunion could gift Tomlin the perfect mentor.
Tomlin needs to shape his game after Nance
Despite his height, Tomlin is not an imposing force in the post. He is a nimble and quick athlete, but he does not have the physical presence to bully down low. Instead, like the rest of the Cavaliers frontcourt, he relies on quick cuts to the basket, a high motor and quick decision-making.
When Nance first entered the NBA, he had a more traditional playstyle, though it never seemed to suit his skinny frame. Undersized for a big at 6-foot-8, Nance had to transition his game from a close-range small center to a floor-spacing versatile big man. In a press conference following his return to the Cavs, Nance attributed his improved three-point shooting to his evolution as a player. Given Tomlin's physical makeup, following Nance's guidance is exactly what Tomlin needs for his career.
Thus far, the undrafted big man is already displaying eye-catching talent as a shooter. In his first season, Tomlin shot 33.7 percent on 5.7 three-pointers attempted per game with the Charge. His willingness to shoot at volume is encouraging, and he can find a rhythm for stretches.
As a defender and rebounder, Tomlin already has a fairly well-rounded game. He is a patient defender and stacks up his fair share of blocks. He averaged 8.4 rebounds per game in the G League, 3.7 of which were offensive. By showing his ability to crash the boards on both ends of the ball and use his strong, athletic build to defender multiple opponents, Tomlin's path to the NBA is already underway.
Similarly, Nance is not a typical big man, but he still makes a recognizable impact on both ends of the ball. He can catch a pass on the way to the rim, finish alley oops and knock down threes at good efficiency and volume. Defensively, Nance can reliably apply pressure from the 3 to the 5.
Given Nance's physical build and innate talent, his maturity throughout his NBA career makes him the ideal mentor for the young Tomlin. If Nae'Qwan can grow his offensive game and translate his defense and rebounding to the main stage through working with Nance, the Cleveland Cavaliers could have found a special talent who was overlooked by the rest of the NBA world.