Kenny Atikinson, Tristan Enaruna
When news broke last night that the Cleveland Cavaliers were waiving two-way forward Chris Livingston, it was clear what was next. Signing another player to take the spot was the move that would follow it.
At 28-20 and winners of four straight games, the team recently announced big man Evan Mobley would miss 1-3 weeks with a calf strain. He missed five games earlier in the season.
And so, the Livingston news makes a little more sense, as perhaps they wanted to add another forward. So, they did. Tristan Enaruna, who spent training camp and Summer League with the Cavs, will be joining the team for his first look in the NBA,per Michael Scotto.
A floor-spacing forward that played five years of college basketball, Enaruna may be able to sneak a few minutes on a banged-up Cleveland team right off the bat.
Stay tuned for the scouting report, coming in the next section.
Getting to Know Tristan Enaruna
When opportunity knocks, it’s on the player to be ready to meet it head on. Tristan Enaruna now enters the fold in Cleveland. A guy who played his last two years of college ball at Cleveland State, he’s been able to find professional chances in the city. He played his home games not even two miles from where he’ll be playing them now. Small world.
During his two years with the Vikings, Enaruna proved that he had a knack for scoring the ball, getting it right to the cup. He averaged 18 ppg over those campaigns, hitting over 50% of his shots and averaging better than five attempts per game at the line.
After struggling with the 3-point shot there, he put the time in and has knocked in over 45% of triples with the Cleveland Charge this season.
The big man is somebody that plays hard whenever he gets on the floor, and it’s been clear with his 20+ points per night in year two in the G-League. It isn’t rocket science why he’s getting his first chance in the association right now. His game expects to translate smoothly.
Other Cleveland Charge players that have found success with the Cavs in recent years include Sam Merrill and Nae’Qwan Tomlin. Might we have a third one on the way?
Expectations for Tristan Enaruna In Cleveland
Of course for Tristan Enaruna, there is nothing guaranteed. But with the season more than halfway through, he will be eligible to be active for as many games as the team wants. Nae’Qwan Tomlin is nearing his limit on games played before the team has to opt to either convert him, or let him stay in the G-League.
One of the reasons for the signing could be for that reason. The Evan Mobley injury certainly does play here though, as the team will now be a bit undersized. An athletic 6’8 forward like Enaruna could provide a few minutes and bring the energy on the floor.
Should he get on the floor, look for Enaruna to be the guy driving it right to the cup. He can dunk with oomph, and has no problem finishing through contact. He could be a nice stretch four option in Mobley’s absence, if they don’t like what they’re getting from Dean Wade and Larry Nance Jr.
Perhaps a small role, similar to what Tyrese Proctor has had, could be a realistic expectation. Some early second-quarter minutes as the 10th or 11th man off the bench could allow Enaruna to gel with a few of Cleveland’s starter.