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By Anne Erickson
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The Cavaliers don't have many roster spots up for grabs, which makes it even more interesting when a young player is a budding talent. That's exactly what Meleek Thomas is trying to do heading into 2026.
Cleveland found him early in the second round with the No. 34 overall pick out of Arkansas, and it didn't take long for people to start wondering if he should've heard his name called much earlier.
Thomas was one of the biggest offensive stories in Las Vegas in a good way for the Cavs.
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He lit up the Summer League, averaging more than 27 points per game while looking completely comfortable carrying the scoring load. Some young players spend those games trying to find their footing. Thomas looked like he was trying to leave defenders wondering what just happened. He played with confidence, never seemed rattled and had no problem taking big shots when the opportunity presented itself.
The outside shooting was especially encouraging. Thomas hit roughly 43% of his attempts from 3-point range, showing the kind of shooting touch that immediately translates to today's NBA. Every team is looking for players who can stretch the floor, and Thomas showed he can do exactly that.
Of course, Summer League is only the beginning. The regular season is a completely different challenge, especially on a Cavaliers team that already has established talent fighting for minutes. Nothing will be handed to him, and he'll have to earn every opportunity that comes his way.
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Still, this feels like the kind of player the team could find creative ways to use. Thomas brings instant offense and has already shown he can score in a variety of ways. Those are qualities coaches tend to notice pretty quickly.
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