Cleveland Cavaliers Sign Former 2021 Draft Pick To Two-Way Contract

The Cleveland Cavaliers signed JT Thor to a two-way contract for the 2024-25 season.

Oct 25, 2023; Charlotte, North Carolina, USA; Charlotte Hornets forward JT Thor shoots a jump shot against the Atlanta Hawks during the fourth quarter at Spectrum Center. Mandatory Credit: Nell Redmond-USA TODAY Sports / Nell Redmond-USA TODAY Sports

The Cleveland Cavaliers are still looking to fill a few roster spots as training camp and preseason are just around the corner. They’ve filled one of the vacant spots by signing JT Thor to a two-way contract for the 2024-25 season, according to Shams Charania of The Athletic.

Free agent forward JT Thor has agreed on a two-way NBA contract with the Cleveland Cavaliers, sources tell @TheAthletic @Stadium. Thor – a 2021 second-round pick to Charlotte – averaged seven points and five rebounds in South Sudan’s games in the Paris Olympics. pic.twitter.com/xue8cW8eM1

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) August 17, 2024

Thor most recently played with South Sudan in the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris. In 16.5 minutes a game, he averaged 6.7 points, 4.7 rebounds, and 0.7 assists while shooting 28.8 percent from behind the arc.

The biggest standout of Thor’s game in Paris was his defense. He posted a 108.9 defensive rating, which was better than the 70 percent of players. 

Thor comes with some NBA experience under his belt. 

He was a second-round pick by the Charlotte Hornets in the 2021 draft and has appeared in 165 games over the last three seasons, averaging 3.2 points, 2.1 rebounds, and 0.5 assists. 

Last season with the Hornets, Thor averaged 3.2 points, 2.3 rebounds, and 0.5 assists. One of his best performances came in the finale game of the season against the Cavaliers, where the forward scored 20 points, grabbed nine rebounds, and dished out four assists. 

Apr 14, 2024; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Cleveland Cavaliers center Jarrett Allen (31) defends a shot by Charlotte Hornets forward JT Thor (21) in the second quarter at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse. Mandatory Credit: David Richard-USA TODAY Sports / David Richard-USA TODAY Sports

Being on a two-way contract, Thor won’t spend the entire season with the Cavaliers. However, he does provide the team with much-needed forward depth in the event of an injury or other unforeseen circumstances. 

It’ll be interesting to see how Kenny Atkinson and the Cavaliers use Thor this upcoming season.