Cleveland Cavaliers

Mario Hezonja, back from Europe, is still figuring out his role in Cleveland and where he is comfortable, James Harden said at practice. Harden made the case for finding him a spot: "He has a dynamic that we were missing this last year."

Sam Merrill went through all of Cleveland's practice, scrimmaging included — "really good news," Kenny Atkinson said. Nae'Qwan Tomlin, who had earned a rotation spot, is out for a stretch with no return date; his spot goes to the "best player," not a like-for-like swap.

Peyton Watson says his cutting has to change with the Cavaliers. In Denver he cut off double-teams on Nikola Jokic's post-ups, an engine he called "probably the most talented of all time." Now, "the cuts are more opportunistic. So I've got to find ways to get in there."

Jarrett Allen is paired with Donovan Mitchell again in Cleveland, recalling being told they had "the number 1 pick and roll in the NBA." He called Evan Mobley and James Harden "an incredible pairing": Harden driving and lobbing to Mobley, or Mobley handling off Harden's screen.

Cleveland's Kenny Atkinson said Nae'Qwan Tomlin sat out practice and Sam Merrill was limited; Khalifa Diop is "coming back from a setback." Atkinson wants a 10-man rotation, likely named only at game time: "I've made that mistake before... the guy tweaks an ankle."

Cleveland has reshuffled its guard-big pairings in preseason: James Harden now plays with Evan Mobley, Donovan Mitchell with Jarrett Allen. Mitchell said coach Kenny Atkinson and the players agreed it together. "I think it allows for James and Ev to grow a connection."

Jaylon Tyson's answer to a rough playoff run, per Cleveland's Donovan Mitchell: "I'm going to take a stand. I'm going to go ahead and make sure that I'm on the floor." Kenny Atkinson coaches him more positively: "If you go too far negative, he's going to start doubting."

Craig Porter Jr. has impressed Cavaliers coach Kenny Atkinson in preseason and earned a role. "This guy's going to be in the rotation. He's going to help us win games," Atkinson said at practice, adding Cleveland will use Porter better than it ever has.

Cleveland's Mario Hezonja has no set role yet. Kenny Atkinson wants him to "be aggressive, make plays, you know, shoot open shots," and said it's "too early" to put him in a 10-man rotation. He said Hezonja "could be really good" crashing in from the 3-point line for rebounds.

James Harden "had a full practice," Kenny Atkinson said, "so assume he's going to play and start" in Cleveland's second preseason game. Atkinson thinks everybody is available, and the Cavaliers will "increase the minutes too for our main guys."

Peyton Watson started next to Jarrett Allen in a game for the first time. "It felt good," Allen said at Cleveland's practice. "I felt like he adjusted very well." He said Watson's defensive switching, 3-point shooting and athleticism will be huge for the starters.

Evan Mobley and Donovan Mitchell are "kind of the backup point guards for each other," Kenny Atkinson said, so the Cavaliers' backup spot "doesn't necessarily have to be a point guard." How to split them with James Harden and Jarrett Allen: "we haven't decided yet."

Three preseason games are enough to settle the Cavaliers' rotations, Kenny Atkinson said, plus another intra-squad scrimmage they'll "treat like a preseason game as much as we can." Asked who leads at backup point guard, he named no one: defense first, then shooting.

James Harden was "a little under the weather" at the Cavaliers' scrimmage in Spain and "could have easily just not played," Sam Merrill said. Harden played anyway; Merrill credited the roughly 10,000 fans, mostly kids, cheering him. Kenny Atkinson: "I don't see any slippage."

Mario Hezonja gives the Cavaliers a bigger, rim-attacking option off the bench, Sam Merrill said, naming him a camp standout with Peyton Watson and rookie Meleek Thomas. "Having a bigger guy that can do that should be a nice change-up for us."

Tyrese Proctor has exceeded expectations in Cavaliers camp, Donovan Mitchell said: stronger, and picking up Mitchell and James Harden full court. "He's kind of taken that Jaylon Tyson role last year." Sam Merrill praised his shooting and his defense on the ball.

Craig Porter Jr calls Cleveland's backup point guard job "wide open" after offseason trades and wants to prove he can lead the second unit. Why it matters, he says: playoff relief for James Harden and Donovan Mitchell. "James is going to get double teamed."

Cavaliers rookie Meleek Thomas, a scorer in college, says camp has him learning to play off the ball: setting screens and playing off teammates. "They know I'm a reliable screen setter. I'm in more actions." He also wants to chase rebounds at both ends and get deflections.

Cavaliers' Jaylon Tyson on last season's playoffs: "not playing as much as I was used to in the regular season... really took a toll on me and affected my performance and ultimately affected the team." He worked with a sports therapist this summer.

Cavaliers 4/4 Peyton Watson said he didn't choose Cleveland: as a restricted free agent, it was Denver's call to trade or keep him. He says he's fully committed. Kenny Atkinson cited 16 back-to-backs and what he believes is the league's second-hardest schedule.

Cavaliers 1/4 Kenny Atkinson said the Cavaliers have no plan to hold James Harden under 30 minutes a game: "He's such a durable athlete and he knows how to manage his body so well." Atkinson wants Jaylon Tyson and Peyton Watson guarding opponents' best players.

Cavaliers 3/4 Atkinson said Mario Hezonja is no longer just a shooting power forward: "at 250, 255 pounds, he can do much more damage in the paint." Peyton Watson sees his Cleveland role as "the anchor of our defense." Atkinson is still sorting out the bench mix.

Cavaliers 2/4 Atkinson wants more Cleveland playmakers beyond James Harden and Donovan Mitchell, urging Jaylon Tyson and Peyton Watson to be more aggressive. He also won't force-feed Evan Mobley isolations as early last season; Mobley does best in the system's flow.

Cavaliers 1/2 Evan Mobley said Cleveland is changing some defensive roles and how it defends with Peyton Watson on the floor, though his own job is "pretty much similar to last year." The stated goal: a top-five defense, with rebounding and physicality the areas to raise.

Cavaliers 2/2 Evan Mobley said he spent the summer on his offense, studying Tim Duncan, Kevin Garnett and Hakeem Olajuwon: "Offensively I gotta simplify my game." Paired with his defense, he said, "I'm going to be one of the best players."

On how Meleek Thomas and the other young players earn minutes, Atkinson said he looks first for "the competitive spirit," then for grasping how to play around James Harden and Donovan Mitchell, a big adjustment for players used to being the best on their team.

Cavaliers practice: Kenny Atkinson loves playing his two bigs together, calling them among his "top 4 best players," but says they can only share the floor for so long. Hence more one-big lineups, with Peyton Watson at power forward and Mario Hezonja at either forward spot.

Jarrett Allen at Cavaliers practice: Khalifa Diop's foot injury is "holding him back a little bit," but "he wants more." Allen says added wing size lets Cleveland switch more rather than "funnel everything to the bigs like we have in the past."

Jarrett Allen on rumours linking him to the Lakers: where he plays isn't his choice. "I hear the noise... I understand it, but I don't let it impact my life on and off the court." He said Donovan Mitchell's extension shows he wants "a team that trusts him," not more money.

Sam Merrill at Cavaliers practice: Peyton Watson on the wing with Evan Mobley and Jarrett Allen is "a lot of length and something we haven't totally had," which may let Cleveland pressure less yet still force turnovers. He also backed more playmaking from Allen and Mobley.

Sam Merrill, asked about more time at shooting guard, said he usually guards point guards and will play anywhere: "You want to play me at center, I'll play and find a way to paddle and figure it out." On Donovan Mitchell's extension: "Donovan's always been 100% committed here."