Cup of Cavs: What comes next for Jaylon Tyson?

Good morning. It’s Wednesday, December 3. The Cleveland Cavaliers are 13-9. Let’s talk about Jaylon Tyson.

Jaylon Tyson is playing like the perfect role player.

He works hard, goes after every loose ball, and holds his teammates accountable if they aren’t matching his energy. He also plays comfortably without the ball on offense, thriving on catch-and-shoot attempts and cuts to the basket. And whenever Tyson gets an opportunity to create off the dribble, he doesn’t shy away.

We’ve seen Tyson do it all through 22 games. But what’s next? How much better can he get?

The Cavs are in the early stages of figuring out how to maximize Tyson. The 23-year-old wing wasn’t even a lock to be in the rotation this season — but he’s given Kenny Atkinson no choice but to lean on him. He’s molded into any role the Cavaliers have given him thus far. Where can they go from here?

One area that still feels untapped is his offensive potential. Tyson is shooting lights out from deep as a catch-and-shoot threat. He’s burying 48% of his three-point attempts, ranking in the 99th percentile. But while this efficiency likely isn’t sustainable, there is room for Tyson to grow as a creator.

Tyson has shown some on-ball creativity. We saw his playmaking pop in Summer League and it’s flashed occasionally through the first 22 games of his sophomore season. Particularly, when playing with an advantage. Tyson has a strong feel for the game and a strong enough handle to get to his spots.

Look at it this way: Tyson is sharing the floor with some of the best players in the NBA. Donovan Mitchell, Darius Garland and Evan Mobley demand so much defensive attention that Tyson will naturally find himself with an advantage. The more that he’s able to capitalize on those opportunities, the better.

This could mean knocking down standstill jumpers, cutting behind the defense, or crashing the glass to grab an offensive rebound. But there are also situations where Tyson can catch and create off the dribble for his teammates. That’s the full package.

We aren’t all the way there yet. Tyson is on a hot streak that will almost certainly cool down eventually. It would be shocking if he never ran into a sophomore slump at some point. But he’s built up enough goodwill to sustain whatever is on the horizon. And if he learns from the eventual storm, Tyson could emerge as an even better player.

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