Cleveland Cavs' Emoni Bates receives summer league honors, sparks fan optimism

The last subject anyone wants to talk about during the summer is basketball.

It brings about images of grey skies (not that the Canadian haze is better), chilly temperatures and lake effect snow (dependent on place of residence in Northeast Ohio).

Yet, here we are courtesy of the Cleveland Cavaliers' summer league team that finds itself in the championship game in Las Vegas at 9 p.m. Monday night against the Houston Rockets.

According to those who follow summer league hoops, it’s glorified rec ball. But that’s OK because every so often you get a glimpse of a player with some potential, who might, just might help a team out.

Emoni Bates: Cavs rookie happy to have huge expectations lifted, be under Donovan Mitchell's wing

Emoni Bates, who at one point was the nation’s top high school basketball recruit before controversy latched on to him at Memphis and he landed in his home state at Eastern Michigan University, plays a position of need for the Cavs, small forward. It’s an area where there’s been little consistency on either side of the ball.

Will Bates change that?

Well, fans seem to think so:

And given that he’s made second-team all Summer League with the Cavs’ Sam Merrill making the A-squad, they could be right.

Bates, who hit a timely shot to help put the Cavs in the championship game, has averaged 16.8 points, shot 44% from the floor and 41% from the 3-point line in summer league.

Will that translate to the league? Given the Cavs perceived early exodus from last season’s NBA playoffs, fans are daring to dream.

This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: Cavs' Emoni Bates makes NBA Summer League 2nd team, Sam Merrill on 1st