The Cleveland Cavaliers have signed Meleek Thomas to a four-year, $9.3 million deal. Thomas was chosen thirty fourth total by the Cavs final week within the 2026 NBA Draft.
Thomas performed 37 video games with Arkansas final yr as a freshman. He averaged 15.7 factors and three.8 rebounds as a 6’3” sharpshooting combo-guard. The Cavs are excited to add an environment friendly shot-maker like Thomas to their roster.
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“We were excited that he was available in the second round,” stated POBO Koby Altman after choosing Thomas. “Usually, a guy of that caliber of scorer, that level of shot maker, his profile, you get a lot earlier.”
The first three years of the deal, value $6.4 million, are assured to Thomas.
Thomas shot above 40% from deep as a freshman. His marksmanship is among the primary causes Cleveland focused him within the draft regardless of him being a guard. The Cavs are loaded within the backcourt, however Thomas was too expert for them to go on.
Thomas doesn’t view the guards in entrance of him as obstacles, nonetheless. He plans on studying every thing he can from Donovan Mitchell and James Harden.
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“There’s a lot of great guards on the team ahead of me already, so just learning, pick their brain on what they did when they were rookies,” stated Thomas. “Ultimately, all the knowledge that I gain from James, Donovan, any of the guards… me gaining knowledge from the ones that have been here, that’s gonna help me.”
The Cavs aren’t in a place to give Thomas many reps throughout his rookie season. This is a workforce that’s prepared to compete for a title and doubtlessly even welcome dwelling LeBron James (once more). That means endurance might be key in creating the 19-year-old rookie.
Adding to his 190-pound body is one in all his primary targets.
“The Cavs have a great strength program going on, so my physicality… and just some of the high-level things that I might not know that rookies get adjusted to,” stated Thomas on his focus for improvement.
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Thomas reveals promise as a three-point shooter who took steps ahead as a defender final yr. Those are two abilities that each NBA workforce can use extra of.