Spurs give former Cavaliers developmental project a shot at proving Cleveland wrong

As part of the De'Andre Hunter trade, the Cleveland Cavaliers acquired G League prospect Emanuel Miller from the Chicago Bulls.

When the Cavaliers added Miller to the ranks, they already had a stacked wing rotation with the Charge, and rather than overload the team, Cleveland waived Miller.

As many NBA teams have begun using two-way roster spots as real opportunities to develop overlooked talents, the Cavaliers have been one of the best teams at fulfilling that goal. Dean Wade, Sam Merrill, Craig Porter, Jr. and Nae'Qwan Tomlin all began their Cavs tenure on the Charge. Unfortunately for Miller, Cleveland's staff did not see the same potential in him.

According to Spotrac's Keith Smith, however, Miller's NBA journey is not yet over. He is returning to the lone star state of Texas where he began his career, this time joining the San Antonio Spurs on a two-way contract.

Miller will have the rest of the regular season to prove himself to the Spurs organization, but as a two-way player, he will be ineligible for postseason play. Still, Miller is proving himself a valuable G League player with a solid frame and a spark of NBA potential.

With the Spurs hosting a quality young core of Victor Wembanyama, Stephon Castle and Dylan Harper, adding affordable, talented players now could potentially help the Spurs maneuver the salary cap when all three players are nearing extension talks.

The Cavaliers may have missed out on a great prospect

Miller, a 25-year-old forward, has had a quiet NBA career thus far. While he has signed with multiple teams, including the Dallas Mavericks, Bulls and the Cavaliers, he has only played for Chicago. In 11 total career NBA games, Miller has averaged 2.3 points in 5.3 minutes per game.

With the G League Windy City Bulls this season, though, Miller is posting 17.6 points, 5.2 rebounds and 2.2 assists per contest. He is shooting 39 percent on 3.4 three-pointers per game in the G League compared to his 28.6 percent in the NBA on low volume.

Despite struggling to meet NBA expectations, Miller is thriving in the G League. With a larger scoring role and higher shooting volume, Miller's efficiency also trends upward. In his first game with the Austin Spurs, Miller immediately displayed a crafty arsenal with a quick cut to the hoop and easy layup at the rim.

With a wing rotation of Jaylon Tyson, Wade, Max Strus and Merrill, the Cavaliers may have not seen enough opportunities to test Miller in a real environment, but the Spurs may have been the perfect place to make the Cavs look foolish for waiving him.

Standing at 6-foot-5 and weighing 215 pounds, Miller has the same physical frame as Strus. While Strus' broader build and greater upper body strength certainly have made him a more reliable NBA talent, the young Miller may only be one golden chance away from making the same leap from G League to big leagues that Strus himself made in his earlier years.

Cleveland has depended on the G League to gather bench depth over recent years in order to manage an inflated cap sheet led by a core of stars on maximum contracts and Jarrett Allen's soon-to-be $28 million salary. If the Spurs quietly stole a legitimate NBA wing in Miller, the Cavaliers could be kicking themselves sooner than later.