3 Cavaliers Who Could Shock Everyone at Training Camp

Whenever NBA training camp gets going, surprise players can tend to break out. The list of players to watch is always large, with each guy getting the chance to make a genuine impact. But even with all that, so many can fly under the radar.

As the Cavs prepare to head to theirs in Spain next week, there are surely a few names who could surprise and turn some heads.

Let’s give them the spotlight.

Meleek Thomas

Not that he hasn’t turned heads already, but Meleek Thomas is going to have the chance to do it all over again. He provided immense offensive value to the Cavs during the Vegas Summer League, and it’s clear that the team landed a steal in the second round of the NBA Draft.

As a three-level scorer who can also get into the passing lanes, this will be the first chance for Thomas to face NBA stars. He is on a team with several future hall-of-famers, and having the chance to go against them will be a great test for Kenny Atkinson and the staff to really see him.

These are the sorts of opportunities that rising stars tend to gravitate to. Where they rise to the occasion. So look for Thomas to absolutely make some noise, and show off his athletic gifts against the Cavs A-Team, if you will, right when things get going.

Khalifa Diop

Of course Khalifa Diop is going to surprise in training camp. Though he hasn’t exactly been a star on the floor, he has played professional ball overseas for the past four seasons. Baskonia gave him the opportunity to get minutes, which he certainly would not have had in Cleveland during this timeframe.

He’s a big body that can protect the rim and throw down some nice lobs. Diop may be in direct competition with Thomas Bryant for backup center minutes. He may well also be here to just spend some extra time with the Charge, despite the standard deal.

The reason Diop will surprise is going to be the hunger to get himself out there. The first NBA opportunity for any player is a big deal. Especially when it comes years after being selected. Donovan Mitchell and James Harden will love having him as a lob threat. This could be a fantastic partnership.

And it’s the first chance for Diop to show his teammates, rather than just the staff, what he’s got. Ernest Udeh Jr. will be right alongside of him, ready to prove what he can do.

Curtis Jones

When you’ve already gone through an NBA season, a number of lessons have been learned. Curtis Jones spent the 2025-26 campaign with the Denver Nuggets, a place Peyton Watson also was. He knows what it takes to play winning basketball.

Most of the campaign was of course spent in the G-League, but the invaluable lessons a player can take from being around the likes of Nikola Jokic and Jamal Murray, around Watson and shooters like Tim Hardaway Jr. Around do-it-all guys, like Bruce Brown. This is a player ready to stick.

At 6’3, Jones may get stuck in competition with the guards as he’s too small for the forward spots. But, a two-way spot could be coveted by him. He averaged 20 points per game in the G last season and shot 11 threes per game. His confidence is fantastic, and the team does need a guard in that spot, with a big and a wing taking the other two.

Jones will turn a whole lot of heads.

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