Craig Porter Jr. "Earned" His Spot With Cavaliers

J.B. Bickerstaff says it'll be hard to keep Craig Porter Jr. out of the Cleveland Cavaliers regular rotation.

One of the feel-good stories of the NBA season so far has been the breakout of Cleveland Cavaliers rookie guard Craig Porter Jr. The 23-year-old signed with the team after going undrafted last summer and he's quickly become a crucial part of the roster due to a handful of injuries.

Head coach J.B. Bickerstaff wasn't shy about this impact and admitted that it'll be hard to keep Porter off the floor even when the team is fully healthy.

“He’s earned an opportunity. We’re crowded at that [the guard position], but he has been a guy where you put him on the floor, given him an opportunity and he has helped us be a good basketball team. Hard to not have a guy like that on the floor."

Saying that Porter Jr. has earned a spot could even be considered an understatement. He's received significant minutes in the team's last five games and is averaging 13.0 points, 4.6 assists, and 2.8 rebounds in that time frame. The guard is also shooting an ultra-efficient 58% from the floor.

You can't ignore the outcome and Cleveland's 4-1 record in this stretch is certainly a positive sign of what he's capable of doing while on the floor.

Nov 22, 2023; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Cleveland Cavaliers guard Craig Porter (9) controls the ball during the second half against the Miami Heat at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse. Mandatory Credit: Ken Blaze-USA TODAY Sports / © Ken Blaze-USA TODAY Sports

There is one more point that needs to be addressed if Porter were to enter the rotation full-time. He's currently on a two-way contract with the Cavs meaning he only has a limited number of NBA games.

If Bickerstaff wants him on the floor for every game then the front office would have to explore signing Porter to a full NBA deal.