Jaylon Tyson is becoming what Cavs wanted Isaac Okoro to be

Cleveland Cavaliers second-year guard Jaylon Tyson is quietly emerging as the player that Cavs fans expected Isaac Okoro to be, filling a defensive and energy void left after last offseason’s trade.

The Cavaliers moved Okoro in a deal for Lonzo Ball this past offseason, bolstering their offense and playmaking, but creating questions about who would replace Okoro’s defensive versatility.

Fans wondered if the team would lose too much on that end of the floor.

Enter Tyson, who saw limited minutes as a rookie but is now carving out a crucial role in Atkinson’s rotation. His combination of defensive awareness, versatility, and offensive ability is giving Cleveland a player reminiscent of what Okoro once promised.

It's early in the season but is Jaylon Tyson already more effective than a player like Isaac Okoro?

Okoro In Year 2 (67 games played):
- 8.8 PPG
- 3.1 RPG
- 1.9 APG

Tyson In Year 2 (7 games played):
- 10.9 PPG
- 2.7 RPG
- 1.6 APG

If Tyson's offensive game continues to improve… pic.twitter.com/6Og8GJwWGS
— The Cleveland Pulse (@PulseCleveland) November 3, 2025

Okoro, a former lottery pick, averaged 8.1 points and 2.8 rebounds per game over 334 regular-season games across five seasons, and shot 35.0% beyond the arc.

His playoff numbers were much worse, and that was a big reason why the Cavs decided to move away from him.

He averaged just 5.3 points per game and shot 29% from three point range in the playoffs.

While his impact was felt on the defensive end with his elite defense, teams were begging Okoro to shoot the ball and he just couldn’t knock down open shots.

Tyson has consistently impacted games with hustle plays. He is contesting shots, deflecting passes, and switching seamlessly onto multiple positions.

On the offensive end, he contributes efficiently without overextending himself, letting Lonzo Ball handle primary playmaking duties.

Through the early season, Tyson has averaged meaningful minutes, appearing in high-leverage situations where defensive stops and transition opportunities matter most. His emergence has allowed the Cavaliers to maintain their perimeter defensive identity while still maximizing Ball’s talents.

His most recent performance against the Atlanta Hawks certainly turned some heads.

He scored 18 points and knocked down 5 big three balls in a big 117-109 win for the Wine and Gold.

Here's almost 90 seconds of Kenny discussing Jaylon Tyson:

"The defense and the rebounding, that was his goal and his ability to pick up full court. ... You do that and you become a 40% three-point shooter, and you're going to be $20M a year player." pic.twitter.com/QUS0vTVhin
— RealCavsFans.com (@realcavsfans) November 3, 2025

Cavs head coach Kenny Atkinson is excited about the emergence of the sophomore first round pick and wonders if he will continue to remain in the rotation even at full strength.

#Cavs Jaylon Tyson in his last 3 games:

18.3 PPG
3.7 RPG
2.3 APG
53.8 FG%
45.8 3PT% (on 8.0 3PA!)

Taking a leap. #LetEmKnow pic.twitter.com/UKlSo8BQ1R
— jack (@TheCavsJack) November 3, 2025

With how Tyson has been playing and Max Strus to remain sidelined for possibly another two or more months, it will be hard to remove Tyson from the rotation even when Strus is back healthy.

The Cavs getting Lonzo Ball in return for Isaac Okoro has looked like a win and should continue to look that way as along as Ball remains healthy,

But the real win in that trade is the door it opened for Jaylon Tyson.