Former Cavs draft pick may be out of the league just as quickly as he entered it

Emoni Bates is still trying to carve out a path in the NBA.

The former 49th overall selection in the second round of the 2023 NBA Draft was let go by the Cleveland Cavaliers this past offseason. The team let him walk after barely utilizing him on the major league roster and opened up new avenues for young players to join the G-League roster.

After being waived, the 21-year-old signed with the Philadelphia 76ers on a Exhibit 10 contract. The one-year deal was worth the league minimum, allowing him to potentially carve out a role and compete for a roster spot throughout Philadelphia's training camp.

Unfortunately, that avenue closed up just as quickly as it opened and just days ago, Bates was waived by the 76ers. In his place, the team opted to sign forward MarJon Beauchamp.

Its unlikely another team will look to bring Bates with the regular season beginning across the league this week, so his most likely situation will see him end up in the G-League.

But that wouldn't be bad for the former No. 1 prospect in the 2022 class. He still has some work to do if he wants to end up being a regular contributor on an NBA court.

Across 25 total games in the two previous seasons with the main roster in Cleveland, he averaged 3.1 points, 0.8 rebounds and 0.7 assists, marking a pretty offensive-heavy role. His shooting splits weren't the best, coming in with marks of 32.2% from the field and 33.3% from deep range.

His usage came in parts of the season where the Cavaliers needed extra depth on its bench or injuries dwindled the rotation down. The hope was that he could light it up with strong shooting numbers all over the court and provide relief to the rest of the offense. Unfortunately, his tendencies displayed throughout his game haven't translated well.

In college, his offensive rhythm is what made him special.

At MAC school, Eastern Michigan, he averaged a near 20 points a night and 5.8 rebounds. He also shot a remarkable 40.5% from the field and 33% from three-point range. The reason for his high rate of points scored was because his game revolved around throwing up shots.

In his final collegiate year he averaged 16 shots a game and eight from three-point range, which was by far the highest number of shots taken on the team. His low assist count of 1.4 a game also showed that.

Its obvious the 6'9", 190 pounder can shoot, but that type of selfish play doesn't translate at the professional game.

So, does he have what it takes to last?

Bates isn't a bad player, he has the characteristics to become a really strong offensive contributor for a team.

However, it seems that he needs to lean more into the unselfish playstyle of the league. If he can pass the ball well and move into space to free up shots, he may be able to actually get some more positive numbers.

He also needs to get better at rebounding and playing defense, things that are easily exploited on an NBA court if you lack those skill sets.

When with the Cavaliers on the biggest stage, he was strugglesome on the defensive end and seemed to give minimal effort. When passing, which he rarely did, it was not enough to free up and initiate the offense.

Unfortunately, these are all things that he has been told across high school, college and the pro scene. These aren't new issues for Bates.

Unless he can take a step back, readjust his game to what teams need and make strides in the right direction, the time is ticking for Bates.

And just as quickly as he entered the league, he may exit it.