Cavs Pick Luke Travers Granted Release From Aussie Club, Wants To Join Cleveland

August 6, 2024

Cavaliers draft pick Luke Travers is coming to the NBA, and that could mean coming to Cleveland. But it’s no guarantee.

Either way, Travers is hoping to join the Cavs next season on the court, a source familiar with his thinking told Hoops Wire.

All we know right now is Travers is leaving Australian club Melbourne United after being granted release from his contract. He is seeking “NBA opportunities,” as relayed by Olgan Uluc of ESPN.

Travers was selected with the No. 56 overall pick in the 2022 NBA Draft. This latest news doesn’t mean he’s definitely coming to the Cavaliers. But the Cavaliers do own his rights. So it would seem that he and the Cavs likely have reached some sort of arrangement — perhaps a two-way deal. Perhaps a camp deal. Perhaps something more or perhaps nothing at all.

It’s too soon to say.

Travers, 22, is a 6-foot-7 guard/forward and has spent his entire career playing in Australia — sans a few runs with the Cavs’ summer team. That included last month.

Overall, in three years combined at summer league, Travers is averaging 7.4 points, 5.3 rebounds, 1.1 steals and 1.4 blocks. He averaged 12.4 points and 7.6 boards in 36 games with Melbourne last season.

So far this summer, the Cavs have added no one other than first-round pick Jaylon Tyson (and new coach Kenny Atkinson). Tyson and Travers just played in Las Vegas together, often sharing the court. They generally play the same position, though Tyson seems more of a guard and Travers more a forward. We really won’t know until they play in the actual NBA.

Basically, it will be interesting to see if this is finally the year that Travers joins the Cavaliers and if he can help in reserve. If he does sign on, he’ll be the second-youngest player on the team.

Travers is eligible to sign either a two-way or standard deal.