Throughout the Donovan Mitchell era, the backup point guard spot has been quite unsettled for the Cleveland Cavaliers. The best option was Ty Jerome during the 2025 season, but a rough series against Indiana forced the Cavs to move on. Jerome also has a well documented injury history and struggled with that last season with Memphis.
Ricky Rubio, Raul Neto, Craig Porter Jr., Lonzo Ball, and Dennis Schroder have all tried and failed to fill Cleveland’s need at point guard. The Cavs have invested in that spot through the draft over the last couple seasons, as both Tyrese Proctor and Meleek Thomas were second round picks that the team has high expectations for.
With Porter Jr. still in the fold as well, there are options for the Cavs, but there is only one way to find the best fit.
Cleveland’s backup point guard spot will likely be settled in training camp
Thomas, Proctor, and Porter Jr. seem to be headed for an intense camp battle for the backup guard minutes. The Cavs will likely have to use all of them at some point, but the minute distribution is what will be looked at with this group.
Porter Jr. has the most experience of the bunch and has flashed his potential over the last few seasons. He is a versatile defensive piece and a very strong rebounder. He is also a willing passer and is a very strong athlete on both ends of the floor.
Proctor flashed in the few opportunities he got last season, as he showed great confidence in shooting the ball, and was not afraid to take on defensive challenges. His handle also looked tighter than it did in college and he has the frame to play both guard spots.
Thomas had an absolutely stellar summer league, where he was the scoring leader. He also looked comfortable operating as a point guard and barely turned the ball over, which was also the case in college.
Out of these three, the case could be made that Porter Jr. offers the most stability and experience, Proctor offers the most versatility, and Thomas has the most upside. All three bring different things to the table, but the Cavs need consistency from their reserves and it starts with the backup guard spot.
Cleveland will be relying a lot on youth in their reserve group this season, which will allow these guys to get comfortable in their roles quickly in preparation for the playoffs. It’ll likely start with one of the more intense training camp battles that head coach Kenny Atkinson has had during his tenure.
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