The Charge, led by Luke Travers, get their season going this weekend.
The Cleveland Charge, G League affiliate of the Cleveland Cavaliers, start their new season on Saturday. Let’s take a look at some of the prominent players on this year’s team.
The 56th pick in the 2022 NBA Draft is set to make his debut for the Charge after spending the last two seasons in Australia’s NBL. He’s appeared in two games for the Cavs so far and recorded his first NBA basket in last week’s win over the Orlando Magic.
The biggest differentiator between the professional game here and in Australia is the athleticism according to Travers.
“In Australia, I’m known as one of the more athletic guys, but you come over here and I’m right in the middle ground,” Travers said last week. “It’s going to be a lot of fun to learn new ways to score and stuff rather than just relying on my athleticism. I think it’ll make me a smarter basketball player.”
The G League is a developmental league. Travers hopes to improve in the areas that will allow him to be a rotation player for the Cavs.
“The big thing for me is just shooting and my body,” Travers said. “I think that’s going to be my swing skills for the next level. I think I’ve shown a good ability to go out there and play defense, make the right decisions. Being able to work on those two things is going to be a real driving force for me.”
Thor has plenty of NBA experience as the 22-year-old has appeared in 165 NBA games with the Hornets. He won’t be getting that playing time in Cleveland on a two-way deal, but he’s hoping he can continue to expand his game to be ready when his number is called again.
“Just keep getting stronger,” Thor said about what he wants to accomplish in the G League. “And then just keep using my pop game, stretch the floor. When I’m on the main team that’s probably going to be one of my main roles on the team.”
The Cavs hope to use Thor more at center than Charlotte did. It’s a position he’s becoming more comfortable playing partially due to going up against Jarrett Allen and Evan Mobley in training camp.
“They’re great players,” Thor said. “They’re the best bigs I’ve played so far in my career.”
Bates won’t be with the team for the first part of the season. He’s still recovering from the meniscus surgery he underwent in October. He’s expected to play this season, but there isn’t a timetable for his return yet. The team is taking it week-by-week.
Nance isn’t on a two-way deal to start the season like he was at the end of last year. For that to change, he’ll need to show that he’s the shooter we saw at the end of last season while improving his defense.
“The shooting is a big piece of it,” Charge general manager Liron Fanan said. “And being more aggressive defensively.”
Nance believes he’ll get a shot again soon.
“I have a ton of confidence in myself,” Nance said. “I know that people out there might not, but I think it only matters if I do, and I’m excited to be able to prove it.”
Hutchison was a first-round selection for the Chicago Bulls in 2018. Injuries derailed his career which forced him to retire after the 2022 season. The 6’6” wing feels he’s ready to show what he can do after being away from the professional game for two years.
“I still know what I can do on the court,” Hutchison said. “I still believe in the player that was a first-round pick. . . . I’m a better player now than I was when I stepped away from the game. So it’s just a matter of when it all clicks on the court.”
The Charge liked what they saw from him in training camp and are excited to see how it translates to the floor.
“His size and athleticism really stand out,” Charge head coach Chris Darnell said. “He gets downhill and causes problems in the paint. Defensively he can switch one through five and guard all the positions. He’s been awesome so far.”
Last season was Smith’s first in three years. A string of injuries kept him away from the game from 2020 until 2023. The former Philadelphia 76ers first-round pick is looking to take the next step and make it back into the league this season.
“The confidence is high,” Smith said. “[I] put in the work in the summer. Worked on a lot of ball handling, catch-and-shoot threes, and shooting off-the-dribble. . . . I feel like last year was great. Especially after a few years without playing, and it’s going to get better from there.”
Osabuohien will be going into his third season with the Charge. No one is happier about that then their general manager.
“He’s a big voice in our locker room,” Fanan said. “He’s a big help with our guys off the court.”
This was noticed by the league as he received the G League Sportsmanship Award for his sportsmanship on the court and his work in the community.
Jules Bernard and Jacob Gilyard are two guards who spent training camp with the Cavs and have NBA experience. They should help organize the offense and find ways to attack off-the-dribble which is something this team needs. This isn’t the strong suit of any of the three two-way players.
Here’s the opening-day roster:
The Charge will be led by first-year head coach Chris Darnell. Dan Vincent is the lead assistant. Antonio Broxsie, Doron Perkins, Sam Clancy Jr., Willie Williams, Takuya Kikuchi, Gordon Pang, and Raphael Whittingham round out the rest of the staff.
The Charge will begin their season on Saturday at noon against the Indiana Mad Ants at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse. They play them again on Sunday at 2 PM. Their first five home games will take place at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse before they move to Public Auditorium in mid-December.
