Cleveland Cavaliers · 3 notes
Mario Hezonja gives the Cavaliers a bigger, rim-attacking option off the bench, Sam Merrill said, naming him a camp standout with Peyton Watson and rookie Meleek Thomas. "Having a bigger guy that can do that should be a nice change-up for us."
Cavaliers rookie Meleek Thomas, a scorer in college, says camp has him learning to play off the ball: setting screens and playing off teammates. "They know I'm a reliable screen setter. I'm in more actions." He also wants to chase rebounds at both ends and get deflections.
On how Meleek Thomas and the other young players earn minutes, Atkinson said he looks first for "the competitive spirit," then for grasping how to play around James Harden and Donovan Mitchell, a big adjustment for players used to being the best on their team.