Craig Porter Jr. sees an opportunity to claim a larger role with the Cleveland Cavaliers, and his response puts the responsibility on himself.
With Cleveland’s backup point guard job available, Chris Fedor of Cleveland.com highlighted Porter’s situation Tuesday as he enters his fourth NBA season and the final year of his contract. Fedor shared a direct statement from the guard about pursuing that opportunity.
“I have to go take it. It’s all in my hands,” Porter said.
For Cleveland, the significance extends beyond which reserve appears first on a depth chart. A dependable additional ballhandler could give Kenny Atkinson more flexibility with James Harden and Donovan Mitchell, both when one rests and when an opponent pressures the ball.
Porter has a statistical case for the opportunity. The challenge is showing that his passing and activity can support a consistent role without allowing defenses to overlook him as a scorer.
What Craig Porter Jr. brings to the Cavs’ backup job
Porter’s 2025-26 regular-season statistics show the different ways he contributed during his minutes for Cleveland:
| Statistic | Result |
|---|---|
| Games | 64 |
| Minutes per game | 17.9 |
| Points per game | 4.5 |
| Assists per game | 3.2 |
| Rebounds per game | 3.4 |
| Turnovers per game | 0.9 |
| Steals per game | 0.9 |
| Blocks per game | 0.6 |
| Field-goal percentage | 45.0% |
| 3-point percentage | 35.5% |
| 3-point attempts per game | 1.5 |
The passing and rebounding numbers help explain why a low scoring average does not settle his value. A reserve guard can contribute by starting a possession after a rebound, getting teammates into their actions and finding an available passing lane without needing to finish the play himself.
The defensive totals also give Cleveland something to consider, although steals and blocks cannot establish how well a player contains the ball or navigates screens. Those responsibilities would remain important in any lineup that relies on Porter to handle a difficult perimeter assignment.
His evaluation therefore needs to account for both the possessions he creates and the ones his unit gives up. A good assist total would mean less if the same group repeatedly allowed an opponent to reach the paint at the other end.
Shooting volume is part of the next step
Porter’s perimeter numbers present a different question from whether he can make an occasional open shot. The frequency of those attempts matters to the way a defense guards him.
In his September analysis of Cleveland’s reserve options, Mack Perry of NBA on SI identified Porter’s shooting volume as a concern. That distinction remains useful when considering how he might fit next to a higher-usage guard.
If Porter’s defender can regularly leave him to crowd another ballhandler, the offense may lose some of the benefit of having an extra passer on the floor. Taking an available catch-and-shoot opportunity can be part of helping a teammate, even when Porter’s first instinct is to keep the ball moving.
That does not mean every touch should become a shot. The useful progression would be recognizing when a defense has given him an advantage and acting before it recovers, whether the right decision is a jumper, a drive or an immediate pass.
Tyrese Proctor and Meleek Thomas keep the competition open
Perry’s breakdown identified Tyrese Proctor and Meleek Thomas alongside Porter as options for the backup role. It was an assessment of the available candidates, not an announcement that the coaching staff had decided their order.
The distinction is important because Cleveland has already emphasized that camp would help determine its combinations. As Cavaliers Nation reported before camp, Atkinson left even the opening lineup subject to evaluation.
“The starting lineup is not set,” Atkinson said. “We have a whole training camp to work through that.”
That earlier statement did not specify the backup point guard competition, but it illustrates why an anticipated role should not be presented as a coaching commitment.
For Porter, having more NBA experience than those two competitors is a starting point rather than a guarantee. The staff can evaluate which guard best complements a particular group, not simply which one has the longest record of appearances.
One combination might need another player to initiate the offense. Another might benefit more from spacing around its primary creator. Earning the backup label would not automatically make Porter the best option for every one of those situations.
How Porter could help Harden and Mitchell
The clearest potential benefit is an additional player who can make a decision after the first action draws help. If Harden or Mitchell gives up the ball against pressure, the next receiver has to keep the advantage alive.
Porter could help by getting the ball to an open teammate quickly or attacking a lane before the defense resets. Simply returning it to the original ballhandler would risk asking the star to solve the same problem again with less time on the clock.
That is a possible application of his skill set, not a report of a new offensive package installed by Atkinson. It also makes the shooting question relevant: An opponent has more reason to stay attached if Porter is willing to finish an opportunity himself.
Preseason offers the next test
Cleveland’s preseason schedule begins against Boston on Oct. 8, followed by games against Orlando on Oct. 11 and Oct. 13.
The most useful evidence will be how Porter functions with the groups Atkinson gives him. Does he initiate possessions comfortably?
Does he take the open shot that the offense produces? Can his unit defend without repeatedly asking a teammate to repair a breakdown at the point of attack?
Those questions will reveal more than a single scoring total. A productive stint beside a star and a productive stint running a reserve group can demonstrate different things, and Cleveland has reason to examine both.
Porter has expressed his intent to pursue the opportunity. The preseason will begin showing how that ambition fits into Atkinson’s plans.
