Cleveland signs former local high school star to final two-way contract

on friday, Cleveland Cavaliers signed Chris Livingston to a two-way contract from Akronfilling out the team’s roster at 18. He joins Nae’Quan Tomlin and Luke Travers as the third and the last two-way player on the team.

The Milwaukee Bucks waived Livingston on Oct. 16 despite his participation in training camp and signing a one-year, $2.3 million deal in the offseason, so a few weeks later, the Wine and Gold decided to take advantage of the opportunity to bring him home.

“Some of our front office people and scouts really liked him,” Cleveland Charge general manager of the Cavs’ G League affiliate Leron Fannan said at media day. “We had that two-way (slot) open, so it was kind of smart to bring him in and see what he could do.

A five-star recruit who won the 2019 AmeriCup U16 MVP with Team USA, Livingston grew up about 45 minutes down I-77 South and played at Buchtel High School before rising to the prep level at Western Reserve Academy in Hudson. He then committed to the University of Kentucky to play one season for John Calipari and the Wildcats.

After 34 games in Lexington, Livingston was surprisingly declared for the 2023 NBA draft and tried out at the NBA Draft combine in Chicago. The Bucks selected him late in the second round with the 58th pick overall.

“Obviously, with the Bucks the last two years, our scouting department. To me, it’s simple: front office, I believe,” Kenny Atkinson said Tuesday of the addition. “Every guy they bring in here, I like it.”

During his time with the Bucks, Livingston played in 42 games. He only exceeded 10 minutes in an NBA game four times, but played in 39 G League games with the Wisconsin Herd. He also played for the team in the Milwaukee Summer League in three consecutive years. Fannan added that Livingston carrying such experience at the age of 22 is a rarity these days, especially with the NIL.

Shooting will be the 6-foot-6, 220-pound power forward’s swing skill with the Cavs. In his rookie year with the Herd, Livingston knocked down 37.1% of his three-point attempts. Last season, that percentage dropped by seven (30.1%). He also needs to take better care of the basketball, averaging about two turnovers per game.

Livingston’s standout abilities are his athleticism, rebounding and defensive aggressiveness. He had a usage rate over 22% in both of his development seasons, but showed the ability to make plays on the ball and draw fouls.

“We’ve already had these conversations with him about what we think he needs to get better at and where he’s at,” Fannan said.

“It’s great that he’s a local kid, isn’t it, from Akron,” Atkinson added. “That’s a great story. I can’t wait to get to know him better.”