CLEVELAND, Ohio — Sometimes, talent isn’t enough. Just ask Tyrese Proctor.
The Cavs’ rookie guard put on a show in his preseason debut against the Chicago Bulls, scoring 14 points in just 12 minutes while shooting a hyper-efficient 5-of-6 from the field and 3-of-4 from beyond the arc. His poised, mature performance had head coach Kenny Atkinson claiming after the game that Proctor would “make it hard on us” when it comes to rotation decisions.
There’s just one problem with that narrative, according to Cavs beat reporter Chris Fedor: basic math.
“He was guy 11 tonight,” Fedor explained emphatically on the Wine and Gold Talk podcast. “And the situation was no Sam Merrill, no Darius Garland, and no Max Strus. And if he’s guy 11 with those circumstances, there’s just not a place for him on this team right now as a rookie.”
The 49th overall pick in the 2024 NBA Draft, Proctor finds himself in a peculiar position.
On many rebuilding teams, his impressive debut would have fans clamoring for immediate playing time. In Cleveland, however, he’s stuck behind a deep rotation filled with veterans and established players – and that’s before accounting for the return of several injured contributors.
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Fedor compared Proctor’s situation to what Jaylon Tyson experienced as a rookie last season, noting: “So I know Kenny after the game said, Tyrese is going to make it hard on us, and we’re going to have these hard decisions. The math isn’t mathing on that one. It’s very similar to me, to what Kenny was saying in the lead up to last year’s regular season about Jaylon Tyson.”
This brutal reality reveals the “good problem” of a championship contender: even underdrafted talents struggle to find minutes.
When the team returns to full health, Proctor’s spot on the depth chart goes from 11th to potentially 13th or 14th – mathematical impossibility in a league where rotations rarely exceed nine or ten players.
The silver lining? The Cavaliers organization appears to have found exceptional value with the 49th pick. Proctor’s skill level, court awareness, and shooting touch suggest he was significantly underdrafted. His performance validated what many within the front office believed when they selected him – that despite his draft position, he possesses legitimate NBA talent.
What’s next for Proctor likely mirrors Tyson’s rookie journey: development behind the scenes, strategic G League assignments for game reps, and soaking up knowledge from veterans.
Most importantly, he’s already been taken under the wing of Donovan Mitchell, giving him a direct line to one of the league’s premier shooting guards.
For Cavaliers fans, Proctor’s impressive debut offers a glimpse into the organization’s future. While he may not contribute meaningful minutes this season, his development represents a long-term investment in building sustainable success beyond the current competitive window.
For the complete breakdown of Proctor’s debut, the roster math problem, and what it means for his development trajectory, don’t miss the latest episode of the Wine and Gold Talk podcast with Chris Fedor, Ethan Sands, and Jimmy Watkins.
Here’s the podcast for this week: