Thomas tallied 18 points (7-12 FG, 4-6 3Pt), three rebounds, three assists, two steals and two blocks across 27 minutes in Monday's 124-112 loss to the Hornets.
Thomas moved to the bench Monday but made the most of his season-high-tying 27 minutes. The rookie second-rounder turned in an efficient performance from downtown, posting a team- and career-best 18 points, 12 of which came in the final quarter. Thomas also tied his career high in steals and swatted a career-best two shots. He has yet to log fewer than 18 minutes in a game since being left out of the rotation in Cleveland's first two regular-season outings, and he should continue providing a spark off the bench when the first unit is at full strength.
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Cavaliers' Meleek Thomas: Not starting Monday
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Thomas won't start Monday's game against the Hornets, Serena Winters of FanDuel Sports Network Ohio reports.
With Jarrett Allen (knee) back in the lineup, Thomas will retreat to the second unit. The rookie swingman has averaged 12.0 points, 1.8 rebounds, 1.2 assists and 1.2 steals in 21.4 minutes per contest across five appearances off the bench so far this season.
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Cavaliers' Meleek Thomas: Starting Saturday
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Thomas will start in Saturday's game against the Knicks, Serena Winters of FanDuel Sports Network Ohio reports.
With Cleveland missing Jaylon Tyson (ankle), Jarrett Allen (knee) and now Sam Merrill (right elbow management), Thomas will earn the second start of his young NBA career. He posted 17 points (7-16 FG, 3-9 3Pt), five rebounds, one assist and one steal across 26 minutes in his first career start against the Thunder on Nov. 2.
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Cavaliers' Meleek Thomas: Sliding to bench Wednesday
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Thomas won't start Wednesday's game against the Thunder.
Tyrese Proctor will enter the starting five in Peyton Watson's (hamstring) absence, pushing Thomas to the second unit. The rookie second-rounder has averaged 13.0 points, 2.3 rebounds, 1.0 assists and 1.0 steals in 20.7 minutes per game across three appearances off the bench this season.
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Cavaliers' Meleek Thomas: Scores 17 in first career start
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Thomas finished with 17 points (7-16 FG, 3-9 3Pt), five rebounds, one assist and one steal across 26 minutes during Monday's 117-112 loss to the Thunder.
Thomas got the first start of his NBA career due to Peyton Watson (hamstring) and Jaylon Tyson (ankle) both being sidelined, and he did not disappoint. The rookie second-round pick was second behind only Donovan Mitchell in shot attempts (16 for Thomas and 17 for Mitchell), and they tied for the team lead in scoring with 17 points each. Thomas was one of seven Cavaliers to score 10 or more points, and despite his low assist numbers (four assists in four games), he's not making too many unnecessary mistakes, averaging 0.75 turnovers a night. The 20-year-old has certainly earned the trust of the coaching staff and his teammates, and his confidence and energy should keep him in the regular rotation throughout the regular season.
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Cavaliers' Meleek Thomas: Making first NBA start
Rotowire
Thomas will start Monday's game against Oklahoma City, Serena Winters of FanDuel Sports Network Ohio reports.
Thomas will enter the starting five with Peyton Watson (hamstring) and Jaylon Tyson (ankle) sidelined. Thomas has offered a spark off the bench in three appearances this season, as he's managed to put up 10 or more points in each game.
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Cavaliers' Meleek Thomas: Drops 13 points in return
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Thomas contributed 13 points (5-12 FG, 3-6 3Pt), one rebound, two assists, one block and one steal in 23 minutes during Saturday's 136-111 win over the Bucks.
After missing the previous game due to a foot injury, Thomas returned to action, continuing his strong start to the season. In three appearances, he has averaged 13.0 points, 1.0 steals and 2.3 three-pointers in 20.8 minutes per game. While he isn't doing quite enough to be considered a 12-team asset, he should certainly be on the radar.
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Cavaliers' Meleek Thomas: Available against Milwaukee
Rotowire
Thomas (foot) is listed as available for Saturday's game against the Bucks.
After missing Thursday's 114-111 loss to the Hawks, Thomas will be back on the floor Saturday. The rookie has appeared in two regular-season games thus far, averaging 13.0 points, 3.0 rebounds and 1.0 steals over 20.0 minutes per contest. He has also shot an efficient 66.7 percent from downtown.
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Cavaliers' Meleek Thomas: Iffy for Saturday
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Thomas (foot) is questionable for Saturday's game against the Bucks.
A foot injury could cost Thomas a second straight contest Saturday. Sam Merrill could pick up a few extra minutes off the bench if Thomas is unable to suit up.
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Cavaliers' Meleek Thomas: Listed as questionable
Rotowire
Thomas (foot) is questionable for Thursday's game in Atlanta.
Thomas is at risk of sitting out the second end of this back-to-back set. Sam Merrill and Mario Hezonja could get on the streaming radar Thursday, especially if Jaylon Tyson (neck) is sidelined.
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Cavaliers' Meleek Thomas: Meaningful role continues
Rotowire
Thomas posted 10 points (4-7 FG, 0-1 3Pt, 2-2 FT), four rebounds, one assist and one steal across 20 minutes during Wednesday's 121-111 win over the Wizards.
Thomas logged at least 19 minutes for the second straight game, continuing to prove his worth on the biggest stage. After missing the first two games of the season, Thomas has seemingly moved ahead of Craig Porter in the rotation. Thomas, Sam Merrill and Jaylon Tyson all played roughly 20 minutes Wednesday, an interesting development indeed. He isn't doing quite enough to be rostered in standard leagues, but he should certainly be on the radar moving forward, just in case his role continues to develop.
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Cavaliers' Meleek Thomas: Scores 16 points off bench
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Thomas contributed 16 points (6-10 FG, 4-5 3Pt), two rebounds and a steal across 19 minutes off the bench in Monday's 127-125 overtime win over the Timberwolves.
Thomas made an immediate impact from beyond the arc, connecting on four of five three-point attempts while producing 16 points in just 19 minutes. His efficiency was impressive, but the limited workload and minimal contributions outside scoring suggest his fantasy value remains uncertain. Thomas will likely need more consistent playing time to become a dependable option, particularly with Cleveland featuring several established offensive contributors in the backcourt. He has some upside in dynasty and deep leagues, though.
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Cavaliers' Meleek Thomas: Not in initial rotation
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Thomas (coach's decision) did not play in Thursday's 114-106 loss to Philadelphia.
The rookie guard was left out of Cleveland's initial rotation, with Craig Porter and Tyrese Proctor both receiving playing time off the bench. Thomas showed scoring potential during the preseason, but he'll need to work his way into coach Kenny Atkinson's rotation before becoming a viable fantasy option.
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Cavaliers' Meleek Thomas: Records three steals in loss
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Thomas recorded 11 points (5-13 FG, 1-7 3Pt), two rebounds, two assists and three steals in 23 minutes during Thursday's 124-113 preseason loss to Boston.
Thomas struggled from beyond the arc but displayed encouraging defensive activity, leading Cleveland with three steals. The rookie second rounder received significant playing time in his first preseason appearance, providing an opportunity to showcase his scoring instincts and defensive potential. However, his regular-season role will likely be limited as he adjusts to the NBA level.
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Cavaliers' Meleek Thomas: Leads Cavs in Summer League win
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Thomas recorded 24 points (10-20 FG, 3-8 3Pt, 1-1 FT), two assists, two rebounds and one steal over 25 minutes in Friday's 100-91 Summer League win over the Bulls.
Thomas helped keep the Cavaliers afloat in the second half, with 15 of his game-high 24 points coming over the final two quarters of Friday's game. The rookie second-rounder has put together some strong performances in the Summer League, but unless he dominates in training camp and the preseason, he'll likely spend most of the 2026-27 season in the G League.
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Cavaliers' Meleek Thomas: Ruled out Wednesday
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Thomas (rest) won't play in Wednesday's Summer League game against the Pelicans, per Danny Cunningham of Sports Radio 92.3 The Fan Cleveland.
The Cavaliers are monitoring the rookie second-rounder's reps Wednesday after he exploded for 35 points (14-23 FG, 5-9 3Pt, 1-1 FT) during Monday's 90-73 Summer League win over the Heat. His next chance to play comes during Friday's matchup with the Bulls.
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Cavaliers' Meleek Thomas: Stuffs stat sheet in SL defeat
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Thomas tallied 30 points (10-24 FG, 4-10 3Pt, 3-3 FT), seven assists, four rebounds and four steals across 34 minutes in Sunday's 103-94 Summer League loss to the Pistons.
After dropping 20 points in Friday's loss to the Pacers, Thomas erupted for a game-high 30 points Sunday. The rookie guard also dished out a game-high seven assists while leading the Cavaliers in steals. Through two Summer League outings, he's averaging 25.0 points, 5.0 assists, 4.5 rebounds and 2.5 steals in 30.5 minutes per showing.
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Cavaliers' Meleek Thomas: Scores 20 points in SL loss
Rotowire
Thomas tallied 20 points (7-15 FG, 2-5 3Pt, 2-2 FT), five rebounds, three assists and one steal across 27 minutes in Friday's 99-93 Summer League loss to the Pacers.
Thomas scored six points on 1-of-3 shooting from the floor in the first half before erupting for 14 points during the second, including 12 in the fourth quarter alone. The 34th overall pick in this year's draft tied for the game high in scoring in his Summer League debut, and he also tied for second on the Cavaliers in rebounds. The 19-year-old guard out of Arkansas isn't guaranteed a consistent role in the Cleveland rotation as a rookie, as he's buried behind guys like Sam Merrill, Max Strus and Craig Porter.
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Cavaliers' Meleek Thomas: Taken by CLE at No. 34
Rotowire
The Kings selected Thomas with the No. 34 overall pick in the 2026 NBA Draft and traded him to the Cavaliers.
Thomas represents excellent value for the Cavaliers, who received a future second-round pick to move back from No. 29 and still got a first-round talent. The 19-year-old guard put together a highly productive freshman season under John Calipari at Arkansas, starting 21 of 37 games and establishing himself as a premier perimeter weapon. Thomas averaged 15.6 points, 3.8 rebounds, 2.5 assists and 1.5 steals per contest while serving as the focal point of the Razorbacks' floor spacing. He proved to be a lethal threat from beyond the arc, knocking down an impressive 41.6 percent of his three-point attempts on substantial volume. His 43.5 percent mark from the field reflects some struggles finishing inside against elite collegiate size, so he may struggle in the NBA. Defensively, he uses his quick hands and active anticipation to disrupt passing lanes, pacing Arkansas in total steals. He lands with a Cleveland squad that can afford to bring him along slowly in a deep backcourt, offering him an ideal environment to refine his frame and physical tools while providing the bench with elite, ready-made shot-making depth.
