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According to cleveland,com’s Chris Fedor, the Cavs are waiving Billy Preston and Andrew Harrison — both of whom are on two-way contracts. Cleveland is signing Jaron Blssomgame and Jalen Jones to two-way deals to replace Preston and Harrison.
Preston was signed by the Cavs on July and is the definition of a project player. A 6’10” forward, Preston was highly touted coming out of high school, but his time at Kansas went awry. With the Canton Charge, the Cavs’ G-League affiliate, he’d been coming off the bench in 10 appearances, averaging 6.1 points and and 3.8 rebounds per game.
Cutting Preston seems a bit hasty considering his potential, but this move would signal that the Cavs aren’t seeing it with him. In the short time two-way deals have existed, Cleveland has also favored guys who can help more in the short term (i.e. John Holland and Marcus Thornton last year as opposed to projects).
It is not clear if Preston will remain with the Charge.
Harrison is gone a day after George Hill returned from injury and, with it, Harrison’s spot in the rotation. Alec Burks’ arrival also lessened the need for Harrison as an extra ball-handler. He did not play on Saturday in the Cavs’ loss to the Raptors. He had been in consideration for the Cavs’ open roster spot.
Blossomgame, 25, was picked in the second-round of the 2017 NBA Draft by the Spurs. A 6’7” forward, he spent his entire time with the organization with the Austin Spurs, San Antonio’s G-League affiliate, before being traded for Holland on Nov. 19. In five games with the Charge, he’s averaged 17.2 points and 7.6 rebounds per game. If the Cavs continue to lack healthy bodies on the wing, he would be a candidate to be called up to the NBA. He has never appeared in an NBA game.
Jones, a 25-year-old 6’7” forward, went undrafted in the 2016 NBA Draft and spent a season with the Maine Red Claws, the Celtics’ G-League affiliate. He spent part of the 2017-18 season on a two-way deal with the Pelicans before being cut in January. He then signed a two-way deal with the Mavericks and finished out last season with the Texas Legends, the Mavs’ G-League affiliate. He has appeared in a total of 16 NBA games and, like Blossomgame, would be a candidate to shore up minutes on the wing in the case of injuries and/or trades.