One Two-Way Player Made His Name Known to Cavs Fans After First Preseason Game

We saw just about everyone suit up for the Cavaliers on Thursday in their first preseason game of the year against the Boston Celtics.

A lot of people made an impact but one player on a two-way contract really made his name known.

Tristan Enaruna is now in his second season with the Cavs after going undrafted out of Cleveland State. He had only played nine games for the Cavs last season and made a huge impact against the Celtics.

Enaruna played 17 minutes in that first preseason game and he made the most of the time that head coach Kenny Atkinson gave him.

Tristan Enaruna, Cleveland Cavaliers — Apr 6, 2026; Memphis, Tennessee, USA; Cleveland Cavaliers forward Tristan Enaruna (21) drives to the basket as Memphis Grizzlies forward Lucas Williamson (55) defends during the fourth quarter at FedExForum. Mandatory Credit: Petre Thomas-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

He finished the game with 13 points on a very efficient 5-7 from the field and 2-3 from beyond the arc. This performance puts his name on blast for all the Cavs fans before the season even starts.

The one issue he will run into is that he plays the wing position which is now a very loaded room for the Cavs. He will really have to fight his way into the rotation for the rest of the regular season.

The three main wing players for the Cavs this season in Peyton Watson, Jaylon Tyson, and Mario Hezonja all had impressive games against the Celtics as well which makes it even harder for Enaruna to find his way into the rotation.

Jaylon Tyson, Cleveland Cavaliers — May 3, 2026; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Cleveland Cavaliers guard Jaylon Tyson (20) reacts after a play against the Toronto Raptors during the second half of game seven in the first round of the 2026 NBA Playoffs at Rocket Arena. Mandatory Credit: Ken Blaze-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

He also showed some promise on the defensive end for the Cavs. He only had one steal on the stat sheet but did so much more with his good frame at 6'8 220 pounds.

If Enaruna makes his way into the regular season rotation, it will be because of his talent on the defensive end that earns him those minutes.

Enaruna won the 2025-26 G League Most Improved Player for the Cleveland Charge after averaging 20.3 points on an impressive 54.8 percent from the field. He added 5.6 rebounds and 1.2 steals to his stats as well for the Charge.

He showed off his shooting ability against the Celtics, which was a big improvement for him last season. He jumped to 37.2 percent from deep in 2025-26, compared to 29.2 percent the season prior.

H3'S BACKKKKK@TristanEnaruna | #ChargeOn #LetEmKnow pic.twitter.com/Vfxy7Mn3Ce
— Cleveland Charge (@ChargeCLE) October 9, 2026

That could be a key spot for him as well for this Cavs team.

With Max Strus now with the Clippers, Sam Merrill becomes the main shooter for the Cavs, and they will be looking for someone to help fill the void.

While still on a two-way contract, Enaruna made sure Cavs fans know who he is heading into the 2026-27 season.

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