CLEVELAND — The Cleveland Cavaliers were very active at the trade deadline last week, acquiring James Harden, Dennis Schröder and Keon Ellis in two different transactions. But where did that leave some of the rotational players? Well, for forward Nae'Qwan Tomlin, it left him with a new contract, bringing his NBA and Cavs journey to a new level.
Tomlin and the Cavs agreed to a two-year, $3 million guaranteed contract, his agent Aaron Turner confirmed to News 5 on Tuesday.
It wasn't surprising news, as president of basketball operations Koby Altman said on Thursday during his post-trade deadline media availability: "When he does get converted I would love for all you guys to congratulate him. It's just remarkable. Not only is he getting converted, but he's playing real minutes and he's helping us. So he's been a revelation."
Tomlin has, indeed, been a revelation for the Cavs this season. Playing in 43 games this season with two starts, Tomlin is averaging 6.5 points, 3.1 rebounds, and one assist a game in 17.1 minutes. He's shooting 48.7% from the field and, most importantly, bringing a level of grit, intensity and toughness off the bench when his number is called.
Last season, Tomlin talked about those attributes as being something he prided himself on when he took the court, letting people get to know him as a player and a person on the segment "Next Man Up."
Tomlin's emergence as a high-impact player began when he signed a 10-day contract with the Cavs last February. Not long after, Tomlin was signed by the Cavs to a two-way contract that saw him split his time between the NBA and G League affiliate the Cleveland Charge. But this year, the minutes he's provided with the Cavs solidified him as a piece they wanted to hang onto, prompting the conversion to a regular contract.
For Tomlin, this is just another step in a remarkable basketball journey that didn't begin until junior college.
He didn't play basketball for his high school in Harlem, New York, but he did love hooping at the outdoor courts around town. Tomlin said he stood about 5-foot-8 his freshman year, and by the time he graduated high school, he had shot up to 6-foot-7, so he decided he should pursue the sport.
Tomlin started as a Junior College player, getting his collegiate start at Monroe Community College before transferring to Kansas State and helping lead the team to the Elite Eight in 2023. Tomlin went undrafted but quickly joined the Cavs 2024 Summer League, which led him to where he's at now, a full-time member of the Cleveland Cavaliers.
