Tasked with working on his strength and building up his win, Craig Porter Jr. took Cleveland Cavaliers head coach Kenny Atkinson's challenge to heart. He came into training camp bigger, healthier, and focused on playing the role he'd be assigned.

There was an internal competition for minutes as the roster changed, with the acquisition of Lonzo Ball and a rookie, Tyrese Proctor, in the fold. Porter kept his head down and put in the time to make sure he played, and off the bat, the results showed.

Atkinson never pigeonholes Porter, who he sees as more than just a backcourt backup. He isn't afraid to use him in positionless, multi-guard lineups because of the way the 26-year-old plays. CP has an uncanny rebounding ability, makes hustle plays, and can get it going as a scorer when aggressive.

Out of the gate, with the Cavs down a bunch of bodies, including Darius Garland, Porter produced with great efficiency and poise. He was shooting 53.3% from the field and 44.8% from long range in the first 17 games. It's even more impressive considering he had to take turns with Ball, who wasn't cleared for back-to-backs at the time. 

That was likely going to be Porter's third-year story, as the roster couldn't stay healthy. The three-pointer wasn't quite as crisp, but his playmaking was excellent, and crashing the boards was consistent. However, midseason moves were made.

Once the Cavs traded for Dennis Schroder and Keon Ellis, followed by James Harden, Porter was basically out of the rotation. All of his postseason minutes came in mop-up time, as other players took precedence.

REGULAR SEASON STATS

4.5 POINTS | 3.4 REBOUNDS | 3.2 ASSISTS | 45.0% FG | 35.5% 3PT | 60.0% FT

The Cavs officially exercised Porter's fourth-year, $2.4 million team option a week ago, so that means he likely will have one more shot to convince Atkinson and the team that he can do more in extended minutes.

It should be noted that Porter's option is non-guaranteed until Jan. 10, 2027, so Cleveland has flexibility if it decides to pursue another lane.

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