Cavs Insider

Are Cavs' Fans Sold On The Jaylon Tyson Pick?

After being selected 20th overall in the 2024 NBA Draft by the Cleveland Cavaliers, Jaylon Tyson highlights and takes have been floating around social media.

Cole McDaniel

Feb 15, 2024; Pullman, Washington, USA; California Golden Bears guard Jaylon Tyson (20) controls the ball against the Washington State Cougars in the first half at Friel Court at Beasley Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: James Snook-USA TODAY Sports
Feb 15, 2024; Pullman, Washington, USA; California Golden Bears guard Jaylon Tyson (20) controls the ball against the Washington State Cougars in the first half at Friel Court at Beasley Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: James Snook-USA TODAY Sports / James Snook-USA TODAY Sports
In this story:

The Cleveland Cavaliers reportedly had former California wing Jaylon Tyson at the top of their draft board on Wednesday. After making the selection at pick 20, the Cavs organization appeared to be very excited about the pick. Do the fans feel the same excitement?

Truthfully it felt like a mix of good and bad feelings about this pick on Wednesday night. Some fans quickly went the route of posting highlights and getting onboard with the pick and others addressed their concerns.

For those who may have been on the fence and not necessarily leaning one way or the other, Tyson's press conference on Thursday may have won you over. Tyson did appear to come off as well-spoken and a quality addition to the locker room. The overall feeling outside the building appears to be stronger on Friday than it was on Wednesday night.

Despite the ability to score and handle the ball as a wing, Tyson's 6'6" height may feel redundant to what the Cavs already have on the roster.

Whether you find yourself in the camp of being confident, optimistic, concerned or frustrated following the 2024 NBA Draft, perhaps some of these clips and observations will provide an idea of what to expect.

Jaylon Tyson does have a well-rounded offensive game as a scorer, rebounder and passer.

Some have been comparing Tyson to Isaac Okoro, but Mike Lucas, the producer of the Ultimate Cleveland Sports Show, believes there is more Caris LeVert to his game.

Cavs' sideline reporter Serena Winters expressed appreciation for Tyson's energy, eagerness and confidence already in his first few days as a Cavalier.

At Cal, Tyson was the primary scorer and handled the basketball a ton. In the Cavs offense, he will likely be off ball a whole lot more. The Fear the 'Fro podcast posted some numbers from him in an off ball role with Texas Tech and they look promising.

Honestly, there could be numerous statements added to this from media members who had great things to say about the rookie following his introductory press conference.

Although many appear to be sold at this point, I think it is fair to be skeptical. The height does not concern me as much as his ability to push the pace in transition. When watching clips of Tyson at Cal, it felt like the offense usually slowed down when the ball touched his hands. The Cavs should be looking to speed up their offensive pace after having one of the slowest ones in the league the past few seasons.

There is no doubt that all of the fans and people surrounding the team want Tyson to succeed. Truthfully, Cleveland needs him to succeed in his role with the team. The Boston Celtics are coming off a championship year where they were so well-rounded as a unit. The New York Knicks have also been rather aggressive in the past week as they strengthen their roster.

Unless Cleveland shocks everyone and makes some massive moves, they are trending towards running it back next year with virtually the same group. Tyson will need to put on a good showing in the Summer League because potential valuable minutes in regular season games should be coming his way quickly. Hopefully the general optimism about him is correct and Cleveland got this one right.

Published
Cole McDaniel

COLE MCDANIEL

Cole McDaniel is a contributor to both Browns Digest and Cavs Insider. He is the Vice President of Operations for Kee on Sports, most notably serving as lead NFL Draft analyst and the play-by-play voice for high school football. He can also be heard on numerous Baldwin Wallace University athletics broadcasts and has served as Cleveland SC's color commentator since 2019. Cole is a 2019 graduate of Baldwin Wallace where he also played soccer. 

Home/Opinion