CLEVELAND, Ohio — With Darius Garland potentially sidelined for four to five months due to injury, Craig Porter Jr.’s development has suddenly become much more than a future consideration for the Cavs — it’s an immediate necessity.
On a recent episode of the Wine and Gold Talk podcast, host Ethan Sands joined cleveland.com’s Chris Fedor and Jimmy Watkins to dissect Porter’s development path and the one skill that could transform him from G-League standout to reliable NBA backup.
“When we talk about Darius Garland and however his injury heals, I think Craig Porter Jr. especially in this coming season is going to be important,” Sands emphasized.
But what specifically needs to improve for Porter to seize this moment?
As Sands put it directly: “For me it’s efficiency and consistency from beyond the arc.”
Fedor immediately agreed: “Yeah, it’s the 3-point shot. It’s keep teams from going under screens.”
This single skill — becoming a reliable outside shooter — could dramatically transform Porter’s effectiveness, particularly in pick-and-roll situations where defenses currently don’t respect his shooting enough to fight over screens.
What makes this development so intriguing is that Porter already possesses several high-level NBA skills. Fedor noted: “Craig has historically been a really good pick and roll player, a really efficient pick and roll player and you can see flashes of that. He’s at his best attacking downhill. He’s at his best when he can use some of his craftiness and keep the defender on his hip.”
Porter’s game has drawn interesting comparisons across the league.
Watkins observed that Porter represents something of a throwback: “Craig Porter Jr. is like a player from a different era. He’s like an old school, true point guard kind of guy.”
While his court vision and basketball IQ are valuable in any era, the modern game demands shooting from all five positions — especially from guards.
The discussion highlighted the unique position Porter finds himself in.
Unlike many young players on championship-contending teams who struggle to find minutes, Garland’s injury creates a potential pathway to meaningful playing time. However, Porter must prove he can be trusted with those minutes by showing progress on his 3-point shooting.
Beyond the technical aspects of Porter’s game, Watkins pointed to the intangible quality that could separate him from other fringe players: “Honestly being in Indiana, in its current iteration, is really good for TJ McConnell. Like just control the pace. They have more of a spot for your traditional point guard. ... He can make the occasional three. Defenses don’t really respect him, but he can knock down that open shot. Craig can get there and he can have that same sort of, leave your fingerprint on the game when you’re running that second unit and again just play really freaking hard.”
While some see elements of T.J. McConnell’s high-energy, old-school point guard style, Fedor revealed another model: “I will say that I’ve never heard the T.J. McConnell comp, but people inside the Cavs organization, including one player, continue to bring up Tyus Jones as a model for Craig Porter Jr. to try and follow.”
This Tyus Jones comparison is particularly telling.
Jones has carved out a valuable NBA career as one of the league’s most reliable backup point guards, known for his decision-making, low turnover rate, and ability to organize an offense. If Porter can emulate Jones’ steadiness while adding his own defensive intensity and finishing ability, he could become a significant asset for Cleveland.
For Cavaliers fans looking for reasons to be optimistic about the team’s backcourt depth in Garland’s potential absence, the Wine and Gold Talk podcast offers valuable insights into Porter’s development. To hear the complete breakdown of his progress and potential, plus more discussions about Cleveland’s emerging young talent, check out the full episode.
Here’s the link for this episode:
_Note: Artificial intelligence was used to help generate this story from the Cleveland Wine and Gold Talk Podcast by cleveland.com. Visitors to cleveland.com have asked for more text stories based on website podcast discussions._