Cup of Cavs: Jaylon Tyson has been overlooked
Cavs news and links for Wednesday, July 24.
We’ve made it to Wednesday. Here’s your Cleveland Cavaliers news and links for the day.
The first sip
Jaylon Tyson concluded Summer League averaging 15.4 points on .588/.400/.917 shooting splits with seven rebounds and 4.4 assists per game. Those are impressive numbers in any context, but especially Summer League where efficiency typically isn’t on display. These numbers seem to have fallen under the national radar.
Tyson wasn’t named to either of the All-Summer League teams. Players with similar or worse scoring stats like Bub Carrington, 15.8 points on .329/.359/.864 shooting with 7.4 boards and 5.2 assists, and Donovan Clingan, nine points on .357/.231/.500 shooting with 12.25 rebounds and two assists, did make the team. Tyson may not be a better prospect than either, but he had a legitimate argument for one of those spots. Even Summer League breakdowns, like The Ringer’s, don’t mention Tyson at all.
There’s reasons why this is the case: Tyson didn’t stand out during the first weekend, he wasn’t a lottery pick, and the Cavs were a bad summer team.
The lack of recognition shouldn’t be something to get too worked up about. These glorified scrimmages don’t mean much in the long run. The skills that Tyson showed in those scrimmages does. That is all that matters from these five games.
The second sip
The Cavs officially made Evan Mobley’s extension official. Here’s what Koby Altman had to say in the press release:
“We are thrilled to sign Evan to a long-term extension, solidifying his place as a cornerstone of our franchise,” said Altman. “Evan has quickly established himself as one of the premier defensive players in the league, and we’ve only scratched the surface of his overall potential. Since drafting him, he only knows winning basketball and has proven to be pivotal to our team’s success. His exceptional work ethic, versatility, and commitment to excellence both on and off the court truly embody what it means to be a Cleveland Cavalier. We believe Evan’s best basketball is still ahead of him, and we couldn’t be more excited to continue building something special together for many years to come.”
Random Cavalier of the Day - Jim Cleamons
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Photo by Andrew D. Bernstein/NBAE via Getty Images
Jim Cleamons spent five seasons on the Cavs from 1972-77 after being drafted by the Los Angeles Lakers the year before. He was the starting point guard on the Miracle of Richfield team that upset the Washington Bullets in the first round of the 1976 playoffs. Cleamons started every game that series averaging 12.6 points and 4.6 assists.
Cleamons racked up 3,632 points with the Cavs which is good enough for 32nd in team history. That’s currently 157 clear of Donovan Mitchell who sits at 36th for the Cavs. This is also just ahead of players like Mo Williams (37th), Daniel Gibson (43rd), Mobley (44th), Ricky Davis (46th), and J.R. Smith (52nd).
Cleamons won a championship with the Lakers in 1972 and finished up his nine-year playing career with the Bullets. However, he’s most known for his work on the sideline.
Cleamons began his coaching career serving as an assistant for Furman and Ohio State, where he went to college, before taking the head job at Youngstown State. After two seasons with the Penguins, he joined former teammate Phil Jackson with the Chicago Bulls the year he got the head coaching job. From there, he accompanied Jackson to nine titles with both Chicago and Los Angeles.
Cleamons has been coaching basketball every year since 1982. This includes serving as an assistant coach for Yeshiva University of Los Angeles now at the age of 74.