Summer League: Cavs vs. Magic preview and game thread
The Cavs look to defend their Summer League title
The Cavs will look to defend their 2023 Las Vegas Summer League title against a familiar foe as they take on the Magic.
Who: Cleveland Cavaliers vs. Orlando Magic
Where: COX Pavilion - Las Vegas, NV
When: 4:00 p.m. EST, Friday July 12
TV: NBA TV
Spread: Cavs +2.5
What to watch for
Jaylon Tyson’s first professional game
This will be the first time Tyson takes the floor in a Cavaliers’ uniform which is reason enough to watch. The Cavs are limited in how they can improve this team through trades and free agency. Hitting on a late first-round pick in Tyson would be huge. We won’t know whether he’s a hit after one Summer League game, but we should get a slightly better idea of how his game translates in a watered-down NBA context.
Can DJ Burns make a statement?
Last season, the front office hit a home run by signing undrafted free agent Craig Porter Jr. to a two-way deal immediately after last year’s NBA Draft. The Cavs didn’t make a similar signing this time, but they did make sure to add Burns to their Summer League roster shortly after the draft concluded. Burns averaged 12.5 points and 4.8 rebounds last season for NC State as a 6’9”, 275-pound big.
If you’re looking for a surprise player who could sneak onto a two-way contract this season after being undrafted, Burns could be that guy. It may not be likely, but it’s a possibility. The Cavs certainly do have an opening at the backup center position.
The first look at Kenny Atkinson’s philosophy
Atkinson won’t be with the team in Las Vegas, but his first hire on the staff is. Jordan Ott will be coaching the Summer League team. It’s unreasonable to expect the coaching staff to have instituted much after just a week of practice, but we could get a little hint as to the overall philosophy the Cavs will want to play with next season.