CLEVELAND, Ohio — The Cavs’ injuries have created opportunities. Young players like Jaylon Tyson and Craig Porter Jr. have seized those opportunities with both hands. Now, as veterans work their way back to health, head coach Kenny Atkinson faces what might be called a “good problem” – but it’s a problem, nonetheless.
How do you reward young players who have earned minutes when established veterans are returning to a rotation that can only accommodate so many bodies?
“I’m trying to see where Kenny Atkinson is going to go for minutes for Craig Porter Jr. And Jaylon Tyson, because at this point in the season, I think they’ve earned it and I think they’ve earned the chance to play at least 10-15 minutes a night,” Ethan Sands emphasized on the latest Wine and Gold Talk podcast.
The emergence of these young players has been one of the bright spots during the Cavs’ injury-plagued first quarter of the season.
Tyson has become a reliable 3-and-D wing who, unlike his predecessor Isaac Okoro, provides both defensive intensity and reliable outside shooting. Porter has showcased playmaking abilities that have helped fill the void left by Ty Jerome’s departure.
But the NBA is a numbers game, and the math becomes complicated when looking at the Cavaliers’ full roster.
“Max Strus eventually is going to come back. He’s got to play, and he’s going to play because he’s really important to the success of this team. Sam Merrill’s hand is eventually going to heal. He’s going to play. He’s going to play high minutes, he’s going to get shots,” Chris Fedor explained on the podcast.
Add in the eventual returns of Larry Nance Jr. and the continued integration of offseason acquisition Lonzo Ball, and suddenly the rotation becomes crowded – perhaps too crowded for a coach who seems most comfortable with a 10-man rotation.
“It might not be what they want in terms of a workload, it might not be what they believe that they’ve earned in terms of a workload, but it becomes a little bit tricky. [Kenny’s] not going to play 12 every single night ... he feels it seems most comfortable with right around 10,” Fedor noted.
This situation creates fascinating dynamics both in the short term and looking ahead to the future.
For Porter, who is in a contract year with a club option looming, consistent playing time could be crucial for his career trajectory.
As Sands speculated, “I’m curious If Craig Porter Jr. is playing himself out of the club option by playing so well, and the team might want to give him an opportunity to go play somewhere else where he can actually earn standard NBA backup point guard minutes.”
For Tyson, the emergence as both a vocal leader and reliable performer have made him difficult to remove from the rotation. His ability to complement stars like Donovan Mitchell and Evan Mobley with spacing, defense, and hustle plays addresses specific needs within the Cavaliers’ system.
The solution likely involves situational flexibility – certain matchups and game scenarios might favor the young players, while others might require veteran presence. Players like Porter and Tyson may need to accept inconsistent playing time while staying ready for opportunities.
“It doesn’t mean that Nae’Qwan Tomlin’s just going to disappear, and it doesn’t mean that Craig Porter Jr. is just going to disappear. And it doesn’t mean that all these guys that have gotten opportunities in the early portion of the season are just going to disappear. Just means that their playing time is going to be sporadic, that is just not going to be consistent,” Fedor explained.
This roster flexibility could actually become a strength for the Cavaliers as they build toward playoff contention. Different opponents require different approaches, and having multiple viable options gives Atkinson tactical versatility that could prove valuable in postseason matchups.
For now, the focus remains on building winning habits regardless of who’s available – something the entire organization emphasized after their frustrating three-game losing streak.
To hear the full discussion about the Cavaliers’ rotation challenges and how the young players have reshaped expectations, check out the latest episode of the Wine and Gold Talk podcast with Chris Fedor and Ethan Sands.
Here’s the podcast for this week: