Filed under: Cavaliers, NBA D-League, Erie BayHawks
Earlier this week, the NBA D-League's Erie BayHawks received a big addition to their roster when the Toronto Raptors sent down 7-foot-1 center Solomon Alabi to get some playing time. Today, the roster will get even stronger, as the Cleveland Cavaliers, Erie's other NBA affiliate, have assigned 6-foot-5 guard Christian Eyenga.Eyenga, a surprise selection with the Cavaliers 30th pick in the 2009 NBA Draft, played last season in Spain for DKV Joventut before coming over to play for Cleveland in the Vegas Summer League, where he averaged 11.4 points and 4.2 rebounds. That was enough to earn a two-year contract with the Cavs, but in his first NBA season, he's yet to crack Byron Scott's rotation.
"With a young man like Christian, you want to get him on the floor and get him some playing time," Scott told The News-Herald earlier this week. "If we can't do that in our games, the best thing is the D-League. We need him here now."
Plans have evidently changed since earlier in the week, though, with Mo Williams' impending return from a groin injury prompting the Cavs to send Eyenga to Erie to pick up some playing time.
With the BayHawks, Eyenga will more than likely start at shooting guard alongside three-time call-up Cedric Jackson in a lineup that will also feature recent Cavs cut Tasmin Mitchell. Alabi and Ivan Johnson, the BayHawks' first-round pick in this year's D-League draft, should round out the starting lineup.
The BayHawks first game is Friday, Nov. 19, when they'll play the Springfield Armor in a back-to-back. Eyenga's defensive prowess will need to be on display from Day 1 as he'll likely be matched up with former NBA draft pick JamesOn Curry.
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