Amico: Cavs Bringing Back Emoni Bates On Two-Way Deal Makes Good Sense

August 21, 2024

It was mostly a no-brainer. The Cavaliers decided to bring back Emoni Bates on a two-way contract, as first reported by Hoops Wire.

Anyone who follows the Cavs knew they didn’t want to give up on Bates. But they also expect to be a contender under first-year coach Kenny Atkinson.

They have plenty of talented people already at the forward spots — from starters Evan Mobley and Max Strus to Dean Wade and Georges Niang. Caris LeVert and Isaac Okoro (assuming he’s back) can play there, too.

That’s not to say Bates will someday be better than those players. But he’s not, now. So the Cavs are giving him a chance to develop his game by having him spend more time with the Cleveland Charge.

Bates is still only 20 years old. He was dominant in the G League as a rookie, averaging 21.6 points and 5.7 rebounds, and shooting about 35 percent on 3-pointers. He appeared in 15 games with the Cavaliers.

He also offered a fine showing at the Last Vegas Summer League last month. But the Cavs want to see Bates become more than just a jump shooter.

For starters, he hasn’t shot the ball well enough to be just a shooter. He hasn’t done enough of the other things. He has great length at 6-foot-9 and is a good natural athlete. He just needs to be able to utilize it at the NBA level.

Bates showed last year he was on the cusp. But there didn’t seem to be a big difference between Bates the G League player and Bates at summer league in July.

The Cavs selected Bates with the No. 49 overall pick in the 2023 NBA Draft. Coming out of high school, many had him pegged as a future top-three pick, as Bates drew comparisons to Kevin Durant. Then he ran into some legal issues, transferred from Memphis to Eastern Michigan, and his stock slipped.

For the Cavaliers, he was always worth the so-called risk (though at No. 49, there’s no risk at all). A lot of people have high hopes for Bates. Not just fans, but the entire organization.

The Cavs could use more perimeter shooting from the wing spots. That could be a role for Bates. But he’s not there yet. He needs to become more consistent from the outside and do some dirty work.

I’ve talked to Bates. He’s a good guy who loves the game. He truly loves to play and has a true allegiance to the Cavs for drafting him. He has said he wants to reward the organization for taking a chance.

So another two-way deal? It gives both the Cavaliers and Bates more time to help Bates become a steal.