Cavaliers Sign Craig Porter Jr. to 4-Year Contract

The Cavaliers solidified their backcourt depth with the signing of Craig Porter Jr. on Wednesday.

The Cavs originally signed Porter on a two-way contract last July after the 6-2 point guard went undrafted out of Wichita State.

On Feb. 14, Cavaliers President of Basketball Operations Koby Altman announced that the Cavaliers have converted Porter’s contract to a “standard NBA contract.” It’s been widely reported that Porter signed a four-year deal.

Unfortunately for Cavs fans, Porter was quickly assigned to the Cleveland Charge for tonight’s game at Grand Rapids.

In 32 games – including five starts – Porter hasn’t played like an undrafted rookie.

The poised point guard is averaging 6.5 points, 2.8 assists (sixth among NBA rookies), 2.5 rebounds, 0.53 steals and 0.38 blocks, while shooting .509 from the field in 14.7 minutes per contest.

Porter, who also was a member of the Cavaliers’ 2023 Summer League Championship team, has scored in double figures on nine occasions and handed out five or more assists eight times this season.

In a win over Denver on Nov. 19, Porter recorded a career-high 21 points on 7-of-10 shooting from the field – including a perfect 7-for-7 from the free-throw line – four rebounds, four assists, two steals and one block in 25 minutes off the bench.

His 21 points were the most by an undrafted Cavaliers rookie since Matthew Dellavedova on March 26, 2014, at Detroit.

Against New Orleans on Dec. 21, Porter dished out a career-high 11 assists, which were the most assists by an undrafted Cavaliers rookie since Dellavedova in 2014 against Detroit.

He also recorded the most rebounds ever by a Cavaliers undrafted rookie with 12 boards during a win at Dallas on Dec. 27.

For me, Porter’s signature moment came during the Cavs’ Nov. 22 overtime win at Philadelphia, with Porter driving into the chest of Joel Embiid with 54 seconds left in OT, hanging in midair and scoring to put the Cavs up 118-116.

Porter had 12 points and nine assists off the bench in that game.