For now Craig Porter Jr wasn’t too happy to see teammates like Dennis Schroeder and Keon Ellis to leave Cavaliers this offseason, he admits their departure gives him a clear path to the team’s backup point guard job this fall, writes Chris Fedor of Cleveland.com (subscription required).
“In this job, you hate it when guys leave, but that’s the way it is – something has to happen to get an opportunity.” said Porter. “The opportunity is there and I’ve got to take it. Honestly, it’s all in my hands. … They’re giving me an opportunity to showcase what I can do and the things I’ve been working on for the last two or three years. I want to set the tone and let everybody know that I can be a leader in the second unit and make an impact in winning the basketball, whether it’s scoring or doing a lot of the little things that I do.”
As Fedor details, Porter is competing with a pair of late second-round picks Tyrese Proctor (No. 49 in the 2025 draft) and Melick Thomas (No. 34 for 2026). According to Fedor, Proctor put on a few pounds of muscle this offseason, while Thomas was one of the standouts of the NBA Summer League in July. Still, Porter has the edge in terms of NBA experience, having appeared in 166 games for the Cavs since 2023, and has a strong following throughout the organization
“We think about him, his work ethic and who he is as a person,” president of basketball operations Coby Altman said of the fourth-year guard. “He has a great opportunity, but we can’t make any promises. This is the NBA. It’s such a competitive league, and it’s really competitive in this gym and inside as we continue to add more talent to this group.”
If Porter takes the job and runs with it, it will bode well for his NBA future beyond 2026-27. He is entering the final year of his current contract and will be eligible for an extension through June 30 before potentially reaching unrestricted free agency.
We’ve got more of everything Central:
- During an interview with Frank Isola and Brian Scalabrine on SiriusXM NBA Radionew Bucks security guard Tyler Herro said he was “kind of pushing” for the trade that sent him from Miami to Milwaukee as part of a package for Janis Antecumpa. “I wanted to go home, start over” said the Milwaukee native. “Honestly, I’m glad it happened. Just the opportunity to come here, like I said, get a fresh start, a new coaching staff. Really, everybody in the building is kind of new and we’re all just, you know, embracing this new culture that we’re implementing.”
- By making perhaps the biggest trade of the offseason, he could Bucks also be a major player in the in-season trade market? Kevin O’Connor of Yahoo Sports addresses this question by showing that great men Miles Turner and Kel’el Ware both are likely to draw significant interest around the league if Milwaukee is open to inquiries. Turner, who had a somewhat lackluster first year with the Bucks, is the more likely trade candidate, O’Connor admits, and could increase his value with a strong first half.
- Daleen Swain had a disastrous showing in Summer League in July, making 4-of-31 shooting (12.9%) and failing to make a single 3-pointer (0-of-7). How Julia Poe of The Chicago Tribune writes (subscription required), art Bykov The rookie is looking to put that performance behind him and hopes to earn a spot in the Tiago Splitterregular season rotation. He made a strong case in training camp. “It’s night and day” said Splitter. “It’s not even close. He wasn’t himself in Summer League. We all understand that. He’s been great. He’s gone through the little things to prove what he has to do. … Once he’s acclimated and feels good and confident, he’s a different player. And that’s what we expect.”
