What happened: Cleveland's Meleek Thomas scored 20 points in his NBA Summer League debut, with 12 of those coming in the fourth quarter. The Cavaliers used the 2nd round pick as part of their opening Summer League lineup in Las Vegas.
Why it matters: The debut gives Cleveland an early look at how the rookie's scoring translates against professional competition before training camp. Fourth-quarter production is often the clearest signal teams track when evaluating undrafted-round and late-round rookies in July. Thomas is the same Meleek Thomas who went live from Cleveland after signing his first NBA deal.
By the numbers: Thomas scored 12 of his 20 points in the fourth quarter alone — 60% of his output came in the final period.
What to watch: Thomas and the Cavaliers continue Summer League play in Las Vegas as Cleveland evaluates its rookie class ahead of the 2026-27 season.