Ricky Rubio, Ty Jerome and Dennis Schröder - these three guards have served as the Cleveland Cavaliers' secondary point guards in recent seasons but have all exited the team.
After spending the summer finally building a competent wing and forward depth chart with Peyton Watson and Mario Hezonja joining Cleveland, the Cavs' most shallow position suddenly became the backcourt after many years of being overloaded with small guards. Craig Porter, Jr. and Tyrese Proctor were both potential backup point guard options, but each one has flaws that kept them from breaking through.
Porter's poor shooting and inconsistency constantly push him back to the bench. While Proctor may play in the backcourt, he is more of a play finisher rather than a guard who creates for others and distributes at will. When James Harden rests, Cleveland needs an answer to keep the offense moving. Donovan Mitchell's sporadic tunnel vision cannot maintain a competent offense often enough.
Enter Jaylon Tyson. Drafted 20th overall in 2024, Tyson joined the Cavs as a swiss army knife wing, showcasing a gritty attitude and rough playstyle. Tyson's rookie year showed flashes of greatness just as often as it showed unforced errors. In his third season now, Tyson may be emerging as the Cavaliers' most important bench player.
Tyson's development with Cleveland Cavaliers goes beyond a 3&D wing
Compared to Caleb Martin and Josh Hart ahead of his arrival to Cleveland, Tyson seemed committed to playing that role. He has embraced every job handed to him, whether he was competing for a starting spot or serving as a tertiary role player. Tyson's physicality steadily refined from erratic foul-collecting toughness to clever positioning and promising defense.
Offensively, Tyson has developed into a steady three-point shooter. Despite a slow start to the season at 22.7 percent, his career shooting is now at 41.8 after his jump last year. Where Tyson has grown the most, however, is as a floor general and playmaker.
In his first five games this season, Tyson is averaging 2.8 assists per game off the bench, reaching an assist percentage of 19.6, 8 points higher than last year's 11.6 percent. He ranks third in AST% among the Cavs with 100 minutes played, just behind Harden and Mitchell. Tyson's passing has opened a new dimension not only to his game, but to the Cavaliers' playbook.
When Tyson takes the court, he is often taking the ball up and initiating the offensive play, calling for screens and orchestrating his teammates to get to their spots. Tyson's defensive physicality has translated to offense, driving into a contested lane only to spot an open shooter and kick it out with no hesitation.
The Cavs have a hidden gem in Tyson
Cleveland has approached the backup point guard question with numerous traditional answers like Rubio and Schröder, but the lack of size always left the Cavs unprepared. Ty Jerome's breakout year with the Cavaliers highlighted the value in a big guard who can absorb contact and play with unwavering confidence. Jerome's score-first mentality and poor defense, however, led to a poor fit overall.
Tyson is never going to lead the Cavaliers' headlines. He is a prototypical role player, accepting the tasks at hand and molding his game to complement the stars. Last season, Tyson fit solidly as a two-guard and small forward, but this year he has already shown value at every position one through four.
If the Cavaliers can continue to foster Tyson's all-around skill set, he may very well be the perfect long-term answer to a backup point guard. Rookie Meleek Thomas has shown his elite scoring and pestering defense, but Tyson has undoubtedly been the best playmaker and passer off Cleveland's bench in the early days of the season.
Tyson gives Cleveland everything needed in a sixth man, and he has surprisingly filled a role nobody else could do. The Cavaliers have given Tyson the perfect atmosphere to develop his game, and he is taking full advantage. When teams look for "winning players" to come off the bench, Tyson should be the example.
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