Apr 13, 2025; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Cleveland Cavaliers forward Nae'Qwan Tomlin (30) throws a pass beside Indiana Pacers guard Andrew Nembhard (2) in the first quarter at Rocket Arena. Mandatory Credit: David Richard-Imagn Images David Richard-Imagn Images

NBA Draft Expert Names 2nd-Year Player as One to Watch in Cavaliers Summer League

Originally posted on Cleveland Cavaliers on SI
By Andy Quach | Last updated Jul 10, 2025 7:00 AM ET

At long last, the Cleveland Cavaliers are about to join the fray for NBA Summer League. They weren't able to participate in the California Classic or in Salt Lake City, but they're gearing up for their first game of NBA 2K26 Summer League on Thursday, June 10.

The Cavaliers didn't have a first-round pick in this past draft, although they did add Tyrese Proctor from Duke and Saliou Niang out of Italy in the second round. They'll be part of Cleveland's 13-man roster for Summer League, alongside Craig Porter Jr.

Porter Jr. isn't the only player on the team who's already garnered NBA experience. He's joined by Nae'Qwan Tomlin, who signed a 10-day contract as an undrafted free agent with the Cavs last season before inking a two-way contract with Cleveland.

As a 24-year-old who's already tasted NBA action, he could emerge as a leader for them in Summer League. Matt Powers, co-founder of Swish Theory, recently named his continued development as something to watch for the Cavs.

A Summer League thing I’m keeping an eye on for each team:

ATL - Newell as PNR roll finisher
BOS - Amari usage as conductor
BKN - How does that many ballhandlers work
CHA - Kon PU3 willingness
CHI - Noa’s FTR translation
CLE - Tomlin’s continued growth
DAL - Coop’s rim finishing
— Matt Powers (@DraftPow) July 9, 2025

Tomlin started his basketball career playing in junior college before transferring to the Kansas State Wildcats. His play there earned him a spot with the Memphis Tigers for the 2023-24 season. As a senior, he averaged 14 points, six rebounds, and over a block a game while hitting 60 percent of his shots, including nearly 40 percent of his 2.5 triples per game.

Since then, he's split time between the Cavaliers and their G-League affiliate, the Cleveland Charge. For the Charge, he put up an eye-catching 20.8 points, 8.4 rebounds, 2.1 assists, and 2.7 stocks while maintaining his scoring efficiency with 54 percent marks from the field and 34 percent shooting from deep. On his 10-day contract, he was able to showcase a bit of what's made him such a dominant force in the G-League, with averages of 7.2 points and 4.2 rebounds in five games, playing just over 12 minutes per outing.

Continuing his ascension with a strong showing in Summer League could significantly improve his chances of landing a standard NBA contract. At 6'10" with a budding outside touch and the potential to be a disruptive defender, there are plenty of teams that should be willing to give him an extended look, including the Cavaliers themselves.

This article first appeared on Cleveland Cavaliers on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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