It's been a while since Ty Jerome has suited up for the Cleveland Cavaliers. The last time he played for the Cavs was on October 27, 2023, when Cleveland lost to the Oklahoma City Thunder. After that, a nagging ankle injury kept Jerome sidelined. The remainder of the season did not go as planned by either the Cavs or Jerome. After those two appearances, Jerome eventually underwent surgery on his right ankle, which ended the backup guard's season. He averaged 2.0 points and 1.5 assists in 7.5 minutes per game in those two games. Jerome also connected on 50% of his field goal attempts but didn't hit on any of his three-pointers.
After so long, many have forgotten how big of a difference-maker Jerome could've been last season for the Cavs. Outside of Caris LeVert, their bench lacks consistency in two key departments: playmaking and outside shot-making. This is where Jerome is theoretically an excellent fit for the second unit as the Cavs' second-string point guard. It's why Cleveland signed Jerome in hopes of bolstering their backcourt depth. However, because of his ankle injury, no one understood what Jerome could be for Cleveland.
Instead, everything on paper about what Jerome could be for the Cavs has made him an enigma. Unfortunately, that enigmatic presence made Jerome an afterthought when breaking down Cleveland's rotations for this season. Sure, it did help lead to the emergence of Craig Porter Jr. as a backup point guard. But what Porter lacks on the court is what Jerome would've made up for with his outside shooting. Jerome’s presence could've been a breath of fresh air when the Cavs bogged down on offense last year. However, with him being sidelined for so long, it's easy to forget that.
But now, if he's 100% healthy, the 6'5″ combo guard seems primed for a bounce-back season this year.
How Ty Jerome is primed to bounce back for the Cavs
On paper, Jerome takes care of the ball, makes sound decisions when scoring, and shoots efficiently from three-point range when left wide open. He has a chance to be a reliable floor general who can shoot 40% from deep and organize an offense. Moreover, now that he's been reunited with Atkinson (Jerome and Atkinson were together in Golden State), Jerome can find a more uncomplicated groove after not playing for nearly a year. Jerome’s most recent season with the Warriors is the best example of what we might expect from him when he is healthy. He’s a 6’5” point guard who averaged 6.9 points and 3.0 assists while turning it over fewer than once per game and shooting above 38% from the three-point line. So, a familiarity with Aktinson's offense gives Jerome a leg up heading into this year.
That familiarity with how Atkinson wants to run Cleveland's offense will help Jerome ease back in. Moreover, Atkinson's offensive system fits Jerome's playstyle. Atkinson is known for being analytically focused with his offensive scheme and relies heavily on continual player development. His motion-based offense wants to play with pace and get up three-pointers while moving the ball and empowering his players to make the right reads. The idea is to play with flow and pace and create advantages that make the players on the floor effective. This system will empower players to grow and develop, honing skills that could eventually become strengths.
Atkinson's system and Jerome's familiarity with it are why he's already stood out during training camp. Jerome's been so impressive that Cavs President of Basketball Operations Koby Altman said the backup guard has been “balling.”
“He (Jerome) had a really good offseason,” said Altman. “If I had to rank open gym in September, MVP of September? Now September is meaningless, but he’s been balling.”
Hopefully, Jerome can keep building on his momentum heading into the regular season and remind everyone why the Cavs brought him here in the first place.