It appears the Cavaliers are serious about second-round pick Tyrese Proctor.
After all, the Cavs are signing the guard of Duke to a four-year, $8.69 million deal, sources told Michael Scotto of HoopsHype. The third year of the deal consists of a “significant partial guarantee,” Scotto reported, with the fourth year being a team option.
Proctor is 6-foot-6 and was selected with the No. 49 overall pick. His presence is likely among the reasons that the Cavs did not make a qualifying offer to two-way wing Emoni Bates, sending Bates into free agency.
Proctor is expected to join the Cavaliers for the NBA Summer League in Las Vegas, which runs from July 10-20.
“We had him almost as a first-round grade, so for him to fall to 49 was something we were very excited about,” general manager Mike Gansey said, via Cleveland.com’s Chris Fedor. “He came over to Duke a year earlier probably than he should have.
“We ended up seeing him at his pro day in California in May, and I think he put on about 10 or 11 pounds. So he’s definitely worked on his body. Great kid and a worker.”
As for No. 58 pick Saliou Niang, the Cavaliers plan to stash the Senegalese wing overseas for the 2024-25 season.
Per ESPN’s Jonathan Givony, Niang will suit up for EuroLeague powerhouse Virtus Bologna. Whether he joins Cleveland’s Summer League squad remains uncertain.
“The last two seasons he’s gotten a lot better,” Gansey said. “The strides he has made have been pretty incredible. It’ll be a great opportunity for him to play at the highest level over there, and we’ll be tracking him and keeping tabs on him.”
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