Intriguing G League forward joins Cleveland Cavaliers final training camp roster

The NBA is back with media days and training camps finally on the horizon. The Cleveland Cavaliers start training camp on October 1, releasing their official training camp roster ahead of the start date.

Camp will be the first opportunity for the franchise and fanbase to see the Cavs' three two-way players Emoni Bates, Luke Travers and and JT Thor in action. Travers and Bates have already played alongside the Cavaliers before, but Thor is a new face as a potential frontcourt rotation player. Outside of Cleveland's 13-man roster and the two-way guys, four other players accepted training camp invites.

Bates projects to develop into a modern NBA wing, building a reputation as an elite shooter in the G League with potential to develop his defensive impact in time. This offseason, Bates has appeared in headlines for making impressive progress to add weight and strength over the summer.

Pete Nance and Zhaire Smith returned for another training camp. Jacob Gilyard, a 5-foot-9 guard, joins the team. He played one season in the NBA for the Memphis Grizzlies and Brooklyn Nets. Over the past few seasons, the Cavaliers have found a wealth of talent in the G League and training camp, including Craig Porter, Jr. and sharpshooting forward Dean Wade. This year, one name stands among the rest as a potential hidden gem once again. Jules Bernard of the Capital City Go Go will look to prove himself in training camp for a second chance at the big leagues.

How Jules Bernard fits the Cavaliers

Last season, Bernard played for both the Washington Wizard and the aforementioned Capital City Go Go. In 19 games with the Wizards, Bernard averaged 3.9 points and 1.4 rebounds in 7.8 minutes of action per game. Interestingly, Bernard connected on 37.9 percent of his 1.5 three-point attempts per night.

In the G League, Bernard's numbers increase to 19.8 points per game last season while knocking down 33.9 percent of his three-pointers on 5.5 attempts per game. He also grabbed 6.1 rebounds and dished out 3.7 assists. While Bernard is only on a training camp deal, the fact his shooting talent translated well to the NBA from the G League is a positive sign that he could fill a rotational role in the NBA with another chance.

Defensively, there is no certainty that Bernard can keep up, though. In such a short amount of action with Washington, it is hard to predict how Bernard can impact a defense without more time on the court.

Before the NBA, Bernard played four seasons with the UCLA Bruins, continually improving as a versatile offensive wing in their system. From college to the G League, Bernard has consistently shown an ability to learn and develop as an overall talent. At 6-foot-7, Bernard has the size to be an ideal wing player for the Cavaliers if his shooting translates to the NBA.

Typically, NBA teams rarely transfer players from training camp to the main roster, but Bernard could earn a contract with the Cleveland Charge and continue his G League career. The Cleveland Cavaliers have often used the Charge as a chance to develop young guys into role players for the Cavs, and Bernard could eventually be the next name added to the list if he proves himself in training camp.