Nae’Qwan Tomlin

Forgive me but I’ve just allowed myself to get a little irritated from listening to people dog Tomlin for one reason or another. I just wanted to establish the facts and what the expectations are and should be.

1 – This is his rookie season for all intents and purposes. He’s old for a rookie but only turned 25 in December. He and Tyson are a desperately needed infusion of young talent. The “hype” around him first starts with where he came from: He’s on a 2-Way contract and dirt cheap for the Cavs to control.

2 – Yes it’s the G league, but Tomlin averaged 20.7ppg, 8.4rpg and 2.0apg over 32 gms playing 34 minutes a night. His shooting splits were 53.7%/33.7%/66.7%. He took 5 3’s a game in the G league. This type of upside runs contrary to the weird comparisons lately like “poor man’s TT” and “taller Okoro” (no offense OP.) The 3-pt % isn’t outstanding but it’s solid for a developing stretch 4.

The only thing I can imagine being disgruntled with to this point is his 3-pt shooting. He has been cold. But there’s a reason he has the green light to take an open corner 3…that’s what Kenny’s offense dictates and he’s shown himself to be a capable shooter.

3 – Defense in fact was considered his WEAKNESS. So watching Kenny have him pickup past half-court today was actually majorly impressive. Fouling too much led some to believe he just couldn’t defend. But he moves his feet well and is quick off the floor. Obviously he’s made a huge impact in the hustle department. But in this day and age, being able to switch 1-5 is treasured…and guys like Tomlin, Hunter, and Tyson have that ability.

4 – The Cavs haven’t showcased a lot of what he’s capable of. He’s asked to hustle, dunk, and bang the glass. But Tomlin can do a little bit of almost everything. He’s shown nice touch in the paint, he can handle the ball well for a player his size, he’s made some impressive passes while running/even leading the break. He’s is just built for the modern NBA. That’s what Kenny means when he says “I cannot take him off the floor.” The Cavs are consistently better when he’s out there. He has. +5.1 NET which is one of the best on the team. It might be 2nd only to Mitchell.

5 – Don’t pass judgment because you saw him brick a couple 3’s or miss a dunk. He’s averaging 14/7/2 per 36 and almost never turns the ball over. The forecast is that he can be signed to a cheap deal and backup Mobley going forward. He’s useful today, but there’s raw untapped upside here.

As we stand at full health, he’s probably the 10th man. Wade will always have utility so he won’t get completely benched but Tomlin’s versatility is threatening his spot in my view. When watching him, consider him another late 1st Round pick like Tyson was. He’ll have his ups and downs but he has a lot of room to get better. Just enjoy the ride.