2017 Summer League

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Top Photos from MGM Resorts Summer League

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2017 Summer League Tourney Game 2: Cavs vs. Raptors

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Damon Jones Discusses His First Foray into Head Coaching at Summer League

If you’re a Cavaliers fan, even if you couldn’t see the TV, you knew who was coaching the Cavaliers Summer League squad in Vegas. The sound of Damon Jones is unmistakable.

The former Cavaliers sharpshooter and current assistant earned the assignment of head coach for this year’s Summer League team – and until Thursday’s 94-83 loss to the Lakers at the Thomas &amp; Mack Center – had an unblemished record heading into tournament play.

On Friday night, Jones and Co. wrap up their run when they take on Toronto at 10:30 EST.

This year’s unit featured a pair of reserves from Cleveland’s recent Finals run – Kay Felder and Edy Tavares – but Jones has gotten pretty solid production from up and down the roster.

Cavs.com took a minute to talk with the one-time “greatest shooter in the world” as he prepares his team for their final matchup in Vegas to talk about the two Cavaliers roster players’ performances, who stood out among the invitees and what he expects from the Wine &amp; Gold in 2017-18 …

Summer League Head Coach Damon Jones and Kay Felder #20 of the Cleveland Cavaliers talk during the game against the Los Angeles Lakers on July 13, 2017 at the Thomas &amp; Mack Center in Las Vegas, Nevada.
Photo by Garrett Ellwood/NBAE via Getty Images

For starters, how’s the head coaching experience been these past two weeks?

Damon Jones: It’s been great! I enjoy it.

I think, as a player – when you play the game or have played the game – you work on your skill-set and everything you needed to do to prepare to help the team. But when you’re the head coach, you have to help 12 or 15 guys be their best as a whole to be successful.

So, it’s been a challenge. I love challenges. And going forward, I just want to put all the guys in the best position possible to help us at the end of the game so that we win – and the other team doesn’t.

Given it’s just been a couple weeks, but do you have a certain style or philosophy that you want to develop?

Jones: I think communication is a big key these days. And I just want to be able to articulate to the players what I want.

I’m not an up-in-your-face guy or a guy who has a ton of rules. I just want the guys to play hard and give it their all defensively. And on the offensive end, do what you best.

That’s been my mantra this whole Summer League: You guys give me your best effort defensively and offensively, you do what you want to do. And it’s worked pretty well so far. Guys are confident out there offensively and we’ve really gotten after it defensively.

You have a pair of players from last year’s Playoff roster – Kay Felder and Edy Tavares – out in Vegas. Starting with Kay, what have you been looking for from him this summer?

Jones: Well, I’m just trying to make sure that he gets better on a daily basis. Understand how to use his speed as well as his athleticism to not only get scoring opportunities for himself but also how to set other guys up and get them involved and make guys around him better.

And so far he’s doing a great job with that and he’s also excelling on the defensive end.

As a former vocal point guard, does Kay need to be more vocal on the floor?

I think when you try to make someone into somebody that they’re not, then they spend more time being what you want them to be than flourishing in the way that they’re able to play.

And I think he’s just doing an overall good job playing the game of basketball this summer. He’s one of the big reasons we’re 3-1 and hopefully he can keep it up.

Can you see a tangible difference in his game from a year ago?

When any rookie comes into the NBA, the game moves really fast for them. You have to go through your bumps and bruises to understand what you have to do moving forward.

And I think the game has slowed down for him. He’s seeing things a lot better now. And again, we just want him to continue to be Kay, and that’s going to help us be successful.

"I think we understand what it takes to be there at the end again and hopefully we do the necessary things it takes to get wins."

We didn’t see much of Tavares after that six-block debut in the regular season finale. How’s he been this summer?

Jones: He’s been really good in Summer League so far.

He’s given us that defensive presence in the paint and he’s actually been great so far in terms of his pick-and-roll coverage.

Usually, when you have a guy that size, there are parts of the game where they struggle – and most of the time it’s the pick-and-roll. But he’s been great in the pick-and-roll, he’s been great keeping guys out of the paint. He’s been blocking shots.

Offensively, he’s a big target in there and if we get him the basketball, we want him to get either two points or two free throws. And he’s doing a good job with that.

So, again, he’s one of the reasons we’ve been successful so far. And I hope he keeps it up.

Jones: I don’t think any surprises, but we’ve had some guys step up and play really well.

T.J. Williams, the point guard from Northeastern has come in and shown poise and ability to score the ball and play good defense. Casey Prather is a guy who’s been heading up our defense, we’ve put him on the best scoring guard and he’s done really well against some pretty high-level NBA players – like Patrick McCaw from Golden State.

So, those guys have been great for us. But the whole team has contributed and that’s why we’re 3-1.

Before we let you go … thoughts on the upcoming season?

Jones: I think the commitment has to be from Day One. I think last year we had a Championship hangover and it kind of spilled over into the year.

But I think we understand what it takes to be there at the end again and hopefully we do the necessary things it takes to get wins.

But we’re very excited about the guys we signed and we feel that we’re in a good place to build on what we did last year and come back and win it again like we did two years ago.

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Running the Show

Full Tournament Schedule
Times Listed Below are PACIFIC

1 p.m. #24 New Orleans 105, #9 Atlanta 95 (Game 37)
3 p.m. #12 Miami 89, #21 Washington 88 (Game 40)
5 p.m. #13 Phoenix 97, #20 Utah 81 (Game 41)
7 p.m. #16 Portland 88, #17 Chicago 77 (Game 44)

1:30 p.m. #23 Denver 87, #10 Houston 81 (Game 38)
3:30 p.m. #22 Golden State 77, #11 Minnesota 69 (Game 39)
5:30 p.m. #19 Sacramento 69, #14 Milwaukee 65 (Game 42)
7:30 p.m. #15 LA Lakers 103, #18 Philadelphia 102 (Game 43)

1 p.m. #8 San Antonio 86, #24 New Orleans 81 (Game 45)
3 p.m. #6 Boston 93, #22 Golden State 69 (Game 47)
5 p.m. #4 Memphis 102, #13 Phoenix 98 (Game 49)
7 p.m. #16 Portland 91, #1 Toronto 85 (Game 52)

1:30 p.m. #7 Brooklyn 85, #23 Denver 74 (Game 46)
3:30 p.m. #12 Miami 91, #5 LA Clippers 84 (Game 48)
5:30 p.m. #3 Dallas 83, #19 Sacramento 76 (Game 50)
7:30 p.m. #15 LA Lakers 94, #2 Cleveland 83 (Game 51)

1 p.m. #9 Atlanta vs. #10 Houston (Game 53) - ESPNU
3 p.m. #20 Utah vs. #14 Milwaukee (Game 55) - ESPNU
5 p.m. #24 New Orleans vs. #23 Denver (Game 57) - ESPNAPP
7 p.m. #13 Phoenix vs. #19 Sacramento (Game 59) - ESPNAPP

1:30 p.m. #11 Minnesota vs. #21 Washington (Game 54) - NBATV
3:30 p.m. #22 Golden State vs. #5 LA Clippers (Game 58) – NBATV
5:30 p.m. #18 Philadelphia vs. #17 Chicago (Game 56) - NBATV7:30 p.m. #2 Cleveland vs. #1 Toronto (Game 60) - NBATV

1 p.m. #8 San Antonio vs. #16 Portland (Game 63) – ESPN2
3 p.m. #12 Miami vs. #4 Memphis (Game 64) – ESPN2
5 p.m. #6 Boston vs. #3 Dallas (Game 62) – ESPN2
7 p.m. #7 Brooklyn vs. #15 LA Lakers (Game 61) - ESPNU

3 p.m. Winner Game 63 vs. Winner Game 64 (Game 66) – ESPN2
5 p.m. Winner Game 61 vs. Winner Game 62 (Game 65) – ESPN2

7 p.m. Winner Game 65 vs. Winner Game 66 (Game 67) – ESPN

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Cavs Conclude Summer League Play Tonight

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2017 Summer League Tourney: Cavs vs. Lakers

Kay Felder Looks to Carry Summer Success Into Second Season with Cleveland

Like most rookies on a veteran-laden club with deep postseason expectations, Kay Felder experienced an up-and-down season as a freshman with the Wine &amp; Gold.

Felder came out of last year’s Draft as the smallest player but with some of the biggest numbers – having led the nation in assists and the only player to rank among the nation’s top 5 in both scoring and assists. After a prolific three-year career at Oakland U., he was taken with the 54th overall pick by Atlanta before being dealt to Cleveland last June.

As the Cavaliers tinkered with the backup point guard role, Felder had some solid nights – including a run in late-December/early-January in which he notched double-figures in four of five appearances off the bench – and some rough ones – including a February night in New York where Brandon Jennings gave the rook a baptism-by-fire.

With minutes at a premium – and Deron Williams joining the fold in February – Felder was assigned to Canton, where he tore up the erstwhile D-League, winning Performer of the Week honors by averaging 30.7 points over a three-game run with the Charge. In a big divisional win over Fort Wayne, Felder went off for 41 points, including 30 in the second half.

Felder will have another veteran point man – José Calderón – to compete with when Training Camp tips off. But right now, he’s been guiding the Wine &amp; Gold in Vegas Summer League, taking an undefeated squad into Thursday’s tournament matchup with Lonzo Ball and the Lakers.

The sophomore guard took a moment to talk to Cavs.com about his experience in the desert, his rookie season in Cleveland and his expectations for the coming campaign …

Kay Felder #20 of the Cleveland Cavaliers handles the ball against the Golden State Warriors on July 10, 2017 at the Thomas &amp; Mack Center in Las Vegas, Nevada.
Photo by Garrett Ellwood/NBAE via Getty Images

How different do you feel today than when you were here one year ago?

Kay Felder: Man, from one year ago today, I feel great!

Coming in last year, I didn’t know everything about what to eat, how to prepare my body and things like that. I didn’t know how to deal with X-amount of games in X- amount of days. That one year getting through the season really helped me – even though I was going back and forth between the D-League and the NBA.

It all prepared me and helped me get to this point, and that’s why I think that my body is in such a great rhythm.

And then all the film I watched on point guards in the league – how they come off of screens and create for others and created for themselves.

What specifically have you looked to improve on in Summer League and over the offseason?

Felder: I’m just doing way better in the pick-and-roll. That’s what the game is all about now – and it opens up so much.

So, something I’ve really worked on this summer is pick-and-roll basketball. Just coming off screens – looking for guys and looking for my shot as well.

I know I can score. But can I create for other guys and make other guys better? That’s a big challenge for me and that’s what I’m trying to improve on.

I’d say that, as well as my defense – not so much trying to get a lot of steals, but just to make sure guys feel me on that end.

Do you feel like you’ve brought some new wrinkles to Summer League this year after one year in the league?

Felder: Yeah, and I think that’s what a year in the league will do for you, especially if you’re engaged – not just sitting back, chilling and complaining about not playing.

When I wasn’t playing, I was watching and asking questions, trying to gain knowledge from different guys.

Plus, doing workouts with Phil Handy and the other coaches – that’s what elevated my game.

After averaging about 30 games a year in college, you did almost 100 games in your rookie season and now you’re in Summer League. How do you feel physically?

Felder: I’m feeling fine. I had a little bit of a break to calm down, relax, get a little break from basketball. But I feel fine at this point.

"This is a business trip for me. And I’m hoping to handle my business the rest of the way."

You’re not a really vocal guy, but sometimes the position demands that you be. Is this something you’re working on?

Felder: Yeah, I’ve definitely been working on talking more and just trying to become that ‘all-around point guard’ – and I think so far I’ve been pretty good. But I definitely have room for improvement, too. I still think I can go a little further and reach a little bit more.

How’s this year’s experience in Vegas been so far?

I’m back playing basketball. I’m having fun – obviously, with the winning – but also because everybody’s bought in and really playing hard. And that’s the main thing: guys are really playing hard and that’s translated to having fun and winning games.

Guys definitely go hard out here because everyone here is looking for a job. I have guys coming at me, coming for my job, so I’m just trying to control things I can control and make sure I’m out there doing my part to keep a job.

What do you think your role can be with Cleveland in your sophomore season?

Felder: I think my role can be backing up Kyrie, coming in with that second unit and pushing the ball, checking guys for 94 feet.

Last year changed me, because I saw what work ethic really was. It challenged me to up my level. It made me want to be more than what I am. It’s made me not want to settle on anything in life. On the court and off, to do everything to the best of my abilities.

What have you been doing for fun off the basketball floor in Vegas?

Felder: Well, I have family here. So, I’ve just been hanging with them and going out to dinner. I’ve just been chilling; I haven’t done much.

But then again, this is a business trip for me. And I’m hoping to handle my business the rest of the way.

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Sophomore Summer

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2017 Summer League Game 3: Cavs vs. Warriors

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2017 Summer League Game 2: Cavs vs. Rockets

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