Never fear, Travers is here: Aussie's last-minute Cavs call

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We all know Aussies will do anything for their team but Luke Travers' last-minute effort to rescue the injury-riddled Cleveland Cavaliers from having just nine players was something special.

Veteran ESPN NBA reporter Brian Windhorst revealed the two-way forward arrived in Cleveland just two hours before tip-off for a clash with fellow Aussie Josh Giddey and the Chicago Bulls on December 19 (US time) after being called-up from the G League showcase in Orlando.

Travers was required to play with the NBA team due to Donovan Mitchell being a late withdrawal from Kenny Atkinson's side, who were already without big man Evan Mobley, Max Strus and Larry Nance Jr.

Cleveland lost the game 136-125 with Travers playing six minutes for four points and three rebounds. Australian teammate Tyrese Proctor had the first start of his career, dropping 16 points, six rebounds and three assists.

"On Friday, when the Cavs lost, they started a second-round rookie, Tyrese Proctor made his, first start, Jalon Tyson, who at the beginning, he's had a decent season, but he was a borderline rotation player at the beginning of the season, they played two two-way guys in the rotation, including one guy, Luke Travers, Windhorst said on the latest episode of The Hoop Collective.

"When the team got sick and a couple of guys got deactivated, including Donovan Mitchell, they had to fly Luke Travers up from Orlando.

"He was at the G League Showcase, and he had to take a flight, and he got to Cleveland like two hours before the game, and he was in the rotation."

The call-up is a sign of where the Cavaliers are at this season, struggling in seventh spot in the Eastern Conference with a 15-14 record in a campaign which promised so much after finishing the 2024-25 regular season in first place.

"Look, I mean, the NBA, this is the nature of it. You have to have a deep team, you know, whatever, but the reason the Cavs are not in first is in large part because of the injuries that they've had, Windhorst went on to say.

Travers has played in 12 games for the Cavaliers this season, averaging 2.3 points, two rebounds and 0.8 assists. Cleveland have won seven of the 12 games he has played in.

His impact while in the Cavaliers line-up is crucial for Travers' NBA future, considering Cleveland do not typically keep two-way players beyond their second season.