Report: Koby Altman, Kenny Atkinson had ‘heart-to-heart conversation’ with Jaylon Tyson

Cleveland Cavaliers guard Jaylon Tyson has expressed his ambition to become the team's "missing piece" for the 2025-26 NBA season, following a rookie year where he was mostly relegated to the bench. His confidence stems from a standout performance in the Las Vegas Summer League, where he demonstrated a well-rounded game over three productive games.

Cavaliers head coach Kenny Atkinson and president of basketball operations Koby Altman held a "heart-to-heart conversation" with Tyson, as reported by Cleveland.com's Chris Fedor, outlining specific actions he must take during the offseason to secure a rotation spot under Atkinson. This discussion highlights the organization's focus on integrating Tyson more prominently.

Tyson's case for increased playing time is bolstered by two key factors: the departure of guards Ty Jerome and Isaac Okoro has weakened the team's backcourt depth, and his impressive Summer League showing has generated significant attention. In those three games, he averaged 19.7 points, 6.0 rebounds, 6.7 assists, 1.3 steals, and 1.3 blocks per contest.

Notably, Tyson's development as a playmaker was a major takeaway, with his 6.7 assists per game marking a substantial improvement over his college averages (never exceeding 3.5 assists per season) and his rookie NBA average of 0.9 assists. He excelled as a facilitator, ranking among the top five in assists per game during the Summer League, including a 12-assist game against the Indiana Pacers on July 10.

The Cavaliers hope Tyson will implement the advice from Altman and Atkinson to become a consistent rotation player, with the anticipation that his second season could see him emerge as an impact contributor for the team.