Dribbles: Cavs’ Jaylon Tyson Shows Big Promise As Summer Run Concludes

Random dribbles on the Cavaliers following the conclusion of their run in the NBA Summer League in Las Vegas. …

1. I’ll be honest, I didn’t have high hopes for Jaylon Tyson entering summer league. Don’t get me wrong — Tyson was impressive in the highlights I watched of him at Cal. But No. 20 picks usually are, well, meh.

2. He looked better than a No. 20 pick.

3. Tyson went 9-of-10 shooting for 23 points in the Cavs’ summer finale on Saturday, a 100-93 win over the Indiana Pacers. Yes, 9-of-10.

4. He spent much of that game playing off the ball. Two nights earlier against Bronny James and the Lakers, Tyson was more of a point guard. In that one, he finished with 21 points, 11 rebounds and nine assists. So, basically a triple-double.

5. Granted, it’s important to keep this all in perspective. A lot of these guys in summer league will be playing in places like Turkey, France or Uzbekistan next season. As one scout told me, Georges Niang would probably average 27 and 12 in summer league.

6. Nevertheless, Tyson’s excellent play sure beats the alternative. No less than former Cavs big man Channing Frye — who served as the in-game ESPN analyst for Cavs-Pacers — was impressed.

7. Frye raved about Tyson on several occasions, including when the rookie drove the lane, scored and drew a foul. “It’s a joy to watch him, it really is,” Frye said. “Because it’s the right play.”

8. Frye wasn’t finished. “The Cavaliers want to know, does he fit into the NBA game, is he going to help us win games?” he said. “Absolutely he does. Just shows me they picked the right guy.”

9. Frye knows what it takes to be an NBA player. What we all saw in Tyson was a guy who never forced anything, stayed under control, and was able to look good at everything from point guard to small forward. He was heady, poised, and athletic enough. “He looks like a five-year vet,” Frye said.

10. Meanwhile, Tyson told reporters his goal is to “just learn, play the game the right way and win. Learning from winners. I didn’t want to go to an organization that’s not known for winning. With the team we have, I think we can go further than we did last year.”

11. It’s hard to see Tyson getting many minutes in his first year. Max Strus, Caris LeVert, Niang, Sam Merrill and Isaac Okoro, should he return, are likely ahead of him on the depth chart. But Tyson showed lots of versatility and promise. Next season, though, he may be the victim of a numbers crunch. That said, it looks like the Cavs have a guy who can offer help in a pinch. Lord knows, there are always injuries.

12. Everyone else we know looked about the same. I wrote more about the likes of Emoni Bates, Craig Porter Jr. and Pete Nance right here. Basically, I think the Cavs need to develop Bates into more than just a chucker. Porter is fine. Nance still has a ways to go.

13. Another player who caught my eye was shooting guard Dexter Dennis. I doubt he gets an invite to camp, but I sure would give him a longer look with the Cleveland Charge of the G League.

14. Dennis is 6-foot-5 and gave a fairly solid showing. He went undrafted out of Texas A&M in 2023, then signed a two-way deal with the Dallas Mavericks. He appeared in four games before being waived in late December, then was acquired by the Charge in a G League trade. He just looks like an NBA player to me.

15. OK, back to Tyson. I’ve seen him listed as anywhere from 6-5 to 6-7. I don’t think it really matters. He showed that he’s just a basketball player, period. He truly does a little bit of everything. “What can’t he do?” Frye gushed. “I’ll bet he’s a doctor . . . moonlights as a mechanic  . . . saves birds.”

16. Tyson with the final word: “Nobody told me I would be here in this position right now. Every day I want to prove to people why I’m here and prove it to myself. Just work hard and be the best basketball player I can be.”

17. Other Cavaliers who were drafted with the No. 20 overall pick: Larry Nance Sr., Zydrunas Ilgauskas and Roy Hinson, a fine player who ended up being traded for the No. 1 pick in 1986. The Cavs used it to draft Brad Daugherty. Tyson ended summer league by averaging 15.4 points, 7.0 rebounds and 4.8 assists. He shot a sizzling 59% from the floor and 40% on 3-pointers in five games.

• More Cavaliers | Okoro, summer run, lack of changes, more to come