CLEVELAND — Cavaliers guard Ty Jerome placed third in NBA Sixth Man of the Year voting, followed by Cavs wing De’Andre Hunter finishing fourth, the league announced Tuesday, April 22, on TNT.
No Cavs player has ever won the award, but Jerome came close as one of three finalists. Boston Celtics guard Payton Pritchard received the honor, and Detroit Pistons guard Malik Beasley was the other finalist.
In order, the top five vote recipients were Pritchard (454 points in the voting system), Beasley (279), Jerome (91), Hunter (33) and Minnesota Timberwolves center-forward Naz Reid (31).
Jerome and Hunter are close friends who won an NCAA national championship together in 2019 at the University of Virginia. The Cavs acquired Hunter on Feb. 6 in a trade with the Atlanta Hawks.
A media panel of 100 voters picked the winner based on performances throughout the 2024-25 regular season. The finalists were unveiled April 20 shortly before Jerome scored 16 of his 28 points in the fourth quarter of the Cavs’ 121-100 win over the Miami Heat in Game 1 of their best-of-seven first-round playoff series.
“We’ve seen it all year,” Cavs guard Sam Merrill said. “It just feels like anytime we need something offensively he’s able to provide it and keeps making those tough floaters and those crazy fallaways and hits deep 3s and competes.”
In Jerome’s postgame news conference, he reflected on being recognized as one of the league’s strongest Sixth Man of the Year candidates.
“Especially after last year, not being able to play the whole year, not being able to play in the playoffs, just watching, it speaks to how my teammates have empowered me and how my coaching staff has empowered me since day one, for sure,” Jerome said. “So it definitely means something for sure. But now we’ve got the playoffs started and bigger things to worry about.”
After leaving the Golden State Warriors by signing with the Cavs in free agency, Jerome missed all but two games last season because a right ankle impingement sidelined him in October 2023 and resulted in surgery in January 2024. In response to a question from the Beacon Journal during Cavs Media Day on Sept. 30, Jerome said, “I had to remove bone spurs, and I had to reshape the surface of bones in my ankle.”
Jerome’s comeback has been remarkable and meets every definition of a breakout season. He appeared in 70 regular-season games and averaged 12.5 points on 51.6% shooting from the field, including 43.9% on 3-pointers. He also averaged 3.4 assists, 2.5 rebounds, 1.1 steals and 19.9 minutes.
“Just to be nominated is phenomenal,” Cavs coach Kenny Atkinson said. “… I just think he’s earned it. All year him coming into the game has kind of changed our trajectory and then manifested itself in our last game.”
A first-round draft pick (No. 24 overall) of the Philadelphia 76ers in 2019, Jerome had never previously played more than 48 games in a regular season. An extensive injury history was an obstacle.
Now Jerome, 27, is positioned for a significant payday with the Cavs or another NBA franchise. He is scheduled to become an unrestricted free agent this summer.
Two other members of the Cavs are finalists for major end-of-season NBA awards. All-Star forward Evan Mobley is in the running for Defensive Player of the Year and Atkinson for Coach of the Year.
Nate Ulrich can be reached at nulrich@thebeaconjournal.com. On Twitter: @ByNateUlrich.
