Cavs sign Markel Brown for training camp

According to Shams Charania of The Vertical, the Cleveland Cavaliers have signed guard Market Brown to a deal. The terms of the deal aren’t available, but the expectation is that Brown will compete for one of the Cavs’ open roster spots in training camp.

Brown, 24, spent the last two seasons with the Brookyln Nets. Last year, he played in 62 games while averaging 13.3 points and 3.3 assists per 36 minutes while shooting 39.4 percent from the field. While he racked up a few DNPs early in the year on one of the NBA’s worst teams, he did have a few nice games with Brooklyn.

At the moment, his best skill may be his athleticism. He’s a good dunker and was named the ‘Dunker of the Year’ in 2013 while playing in college at Oklahoma State. He was originally drafted in the second round of the 2014 NBA Draft by the Minnesota Timberwolves and bounced around the D-League before landing with the Nets.

For a combo guard who is probably best at shooting guard, he’s bit small at 6’3” and still has some growing to do as a player if he’s going to stick around. It helps, though, that he has a 6’9” wingspan.

Brown’s odds of making the Cavs aren’t great. Like fellow recent signee Cory Jefferson, Brown would likely have to be overwhelming in training camp to make the 15-man roster to start the year. But it is possible that the Cavs see something in him and will try to develop him in the same way they are Jordan McRae.

Cleveland doesn’t have a lot of ways to acquire younger talent and taking a chance on a guy like Brown is perhaps their best way of attempting to do so.