Cavs sign Tomlin, waive Thor

The 6’10” power forward has shown tremendous upside this season with the Charge.

The Cleveland Cavaliers signed power forward Nae’Qwan Tomlin to a 10-day contract last week. On Sunday, they converted him to a more permanent deal as he’s joining the team on a two-way contract. The Cavs waived JT Thor to make room for Tomlin. This leaves Tomlin, Emoni Bates, and Luke Travers on two-way contracts. The Cavs still have one open roster spot.

Head coach Kenny Atkinson liked what he saw from Tomlin in his recent 10-day contract.

“He impressed right off the back how quickly he picked things up,” Atkinson said before Sunday’s game.

Tomlin has had an unconventional path to the NBA. He didn’t play organized basketball until after high school and played at four colleges in five years. This season with the Cleveland Charge, G League affiliate of the Cavs, was his first as a professional.

Tomlin has made the most of his season with the Charge. He’s improved throughout the year, averaging 15.6 points on .548/.361/.619 shooting splits with 6.9 rebounds per game in 37 contests. The 6’10” 24-year-old has done this while flashing potential as an off-the-dribble scorer.

The Cavs have been stockpiling players with length and versatility. Tomlin fits that mold.

“His energy [has been stood out],” Atkinson said. “[It’s a] small sample size, only a few minutes, we’re all like ‘Wow.’ This kid’s length, energy, plays extremely hard. And then his demeanor. That’s part of it. He’s just humble, always has a smile on his face. That stuff counts.”

The Cas had to release Thro to make room for Tomlin. It’s a move that they didn’t take lightly.

“JT was good for us,” Atkinson said. “You make hard decisions in this league. It’s really hard. JT has got a lot of talent, and he’ll land on his feet.”

Thor has averaged 14.3 points and 7.1 rebounds per game with the Charge on .434/.276/.762 shooting splits.