Luke Travers is making a serious case to make the Cleveland Cavaliers after Summer League premier

Luke Travers dazzled in the 2023 NBA Summer League debut for the Cleveland Cavaliers

Last year Luke Travers made his NBA Summer League Debut for the Cleveland Cavaliers and went on to be rather unimpressive. Last year he put up shooting splits of .480/.250/.545, while posting a stat line that wasn’t much more impressive; 6.6 points, 4.6 rebounds, and 1.8 assists per game.

Not great numbers, so Travers was allowed to return to Australia this season to play in the NBL. While his three-point shooting wasn’t great, in 32 games (16 starts), he saw his shooting splits go up from the previous NBL season. They went from .417/.250/.680 in ’21-’22 to .504/.374/.730 in ’22-’23.

Likewise, his 2023 NBA Summer League debut went better than any of his 2022 Summer League outings, playing just shy of 27 minutes, while posting 13 points, six rebounds, four blocks, a steal, and an assist, while shooting .714/.500/1.00o for the game.

Travers, just 21, has been heralded by many for his point-forward skillset, and after watching his performance last night, it’s very clear to me that Travers belongs on the Cleveland Cavaliers roster heading into 2023-2024.

The Cleveland Cavaliers’ best Summer League player is Luke Travers

We can talk about who has the higher ceiling of all of the Cavs’ Summer League roster players, but there should be no debate that of all the Summer League players, Travers is the one most ready for a rotational spot on the Cavs roster. Just looking at his jump in improvement while in his native Australia, playing for the Perth Wild Cats, Travers clearly has gotten better from year to year.

This isn’t just about his one Summer League game. He has gotten better as a player while playing in the NBL. The Cavs would be foolish to not bring him over this year, especially with the lack of rotation pieces the Cavs are dealing with. The team is not deep, and anyone who thinks Ty Jerome and Georges Niang are going to provide big minutes should re-think why both men were available in the first place.

Travers is nearly 6’8, and 210 lbs, he can dribble, score inside and out, rebound, and with the right coach could even see his play-making and passing skills develop. Giving Travers a shot is just smart.

• Published on 07/09/2023 at 00:00 AM
• Last updated at 07/09/2023 at 00:00 AM