After a series of moves that has left the team hard-capped at the first apron with essentially zero flexibility remaining, the Cavaliers are very likely to enter the season as is.
And while they've addressed several position groups this off-season, questions remain about the reliability of their depth. One of the spots in question is at backup point guard. After moving on from veteran guard Dennis Schrder, Cleveland is going to be relying upon the youth to take the reins as well as their star guard duo of James Harden & Donovan Mitchell to bridge the gap.
And when it comes to the incumbent options, there is perhaps no one must suited to step up than that of Craig Porter Jr. The 4th year guard is entering what is sure to be a pivotal season in terms of his future with the team . He is coming off of a 2025-26 campaign in which he posted averages of 4.5 Points, 3.4 Rebounds, and 3.2 Assists while completing roughly 45.0% of his field goals attempts in about 17.9 minutes per game.
Pound for pound, Porter might be the most versatile guard on the roster. He's a capable defender and rebounder, a very solid playmaker and even has some juice from midrange. Yet something seems to be missing from his game. Something that is pretty essential for any guard these days. A consistent 3PT shot.
The percentages tell us that he has been accurate when attempting these types of looks. After all. he is a career 37.7% from distance while completing at least 35.0% in each of his first 3 seasons at the pro level, including a 2024-25 season that saw him shoot 43.8%. On the surface, that sounds like a fairly reliable shooter. The factor that must be taken into consideration here, is the volume with which he has operated with through year 3.
The Wichita State product is credited with attempting a career 1.1 triples per contest. And while the 1.5 per game he took in 2025-26 represented a career-high, he's still nowhere near where you'd like him to be in terms of sheer volume. He just looks a little too tentative from beyond the arc.
He has attempted more triples while on-ball compared to off of it, registering 106 pull-up triples over the course of 3 professional seasons. Added volume would help increase his offensive value to a degree, by sheer virtue of boosting his on-ball gravity, an area in which he placed within the 66th percentile last season. To be honest, I am less worried about his ability or willingness to pull the trigger while operating with the ball in his hands than I am when he's off of it.
He simply must be more viable without the ball in his hands. Over the span of 166 career appearances, Porter has taken a total of 68 catch-and-shoot triples, drilling 26/68 (38.2%) in the process. As mentioned before, solid efficiency, troubling volume. He placed within the 63rd percentile in off-ball gravity in 2025-26. He moves well enough without the ball, scoring 1.4 Points Per Possession as a cutter (72nd Percentile) but he must be more willing to attempt these looks.
Especially with how his usage rate has trended year in and year out. We know he can create for others. His1.55 assist-to-usage ratio ranked in the 97th percentile just last season.
Porter's ability to attack off the dribble shouldn't be ignored either. His 4.2 drives per game last season, was fifth-most on the team, while posting just a 6.7% turnover rate on drives. That was the lowest mark among Cleveland's drive-heavy guards. He also generated a 13% assist rate on those possessions.
The defensive ability stands out as well. Especially when playing the passing lanes (91st percentile) and navigating screens both on and off the ball. His ability to reject shots at his size (1.8% BLK rate) is nothing short of impressive.
But if Porter is to earn the role, he must be more aggressive in 2026-27. If not, he could be gone by the deadline as he represents what little flexibility the team has left. Time will if he is able to separate himself from the proverbial pack.
This article was originally published on www.si.com/nba/cavaliers/onsi as Craig Porter Jr. Must Seize This Upcoming Opportunity With Cavs .
