The Cleveland Cavaliers have agreed to sign former Milwaukee Bucks forward Chris Livingston to a two-way contract, according to multiple reports. Born in Akron, the 22-year-old played for local Buchtel High School in his freshman and junior seasons. After graduating from prep powerhouse Oak Hill Academy, he then committed to Kentucky’s blue blood basketball program.
Cavs Take The Reins From Bucks For Homegrown Chris Livingston
Entering college, Livingston looked like the best prospect Akron had produced since former St. Vincent-St. Mary standout LeBron James. That isn’t to say he was receiving a Michael Jordan-esque billing, like James was. He simply had a lot of promise and, perhaps, even more support.
That’s what makes the Cavs’ decision to fill their final two-way slot with him unsurprising, even if he’s been on the court for just 207 minutes, playoffs included. After all, the Bucks only waived Livingston to sign Giannis Antetokounmpo‘s little brother, Alex Antetokounmpo. It’s a tragic twist for a player whose agent purposely steered him to Milwaukee following a 2023 NBA Draft promise, per ESPN senior insider Shams Charania (then with The Athletic). However, like their addition of Thanasis Antetokounmpo, it was seen as their way of extending the olive branch to a cornerstone that’s been knocked loose.
On top of that, the Bucks “have now gone 11 consecutive draft classes without signing a pick to a second contract,” according to ESPN senior writer Brian Windhorst. In fact, Giannis was their last draft pick to receive that honor. So, what should Cleveland expect of Livingston, Milwaukee’s sacrificial lamb?
What To Expect From Chris Livingston
In 42 regular season appearances with the Bucks, Livingston averaged 1.3 points, 1.3 rebounds per game, shooting 40.8% from the field and 7.7% from 3. It’s unwise to read much into such a small sample size, especially when he played fewer than five minutes in 30 of those contests. However, those are definitely forgettable numbers (or numbers someone would want to forget).
Expectedly, Livingston was able to log far more on-court time with Milwaukee’s G League affiliate, the Wisconsin Herd.
In the 2024-25 Tip-Off Tournament, he posted 18.3 points, 8.6 rebounds, 2.3 assists and 1.1 steals in 30.9 minutes per game, shooting 48.0% from the field. He also converted 33.3% of his 3s on 3.9 attempts per game. In the 2024-25 regular season, he recorded averages of 18.0 points, 7.9 rebounds, 2.0 assists and 1.1 steals in 28.5 minutes per game. Though he made 48.6% of his field goal attempts, he went 13-46 (28.3%) from 3.
On tape, he popped as a versatile offensive weapon that can create for himself off-the-dribble, is confident as an off-ball shooter, instinctive as an off-ball cutter, and can even score in the post. At the defensive end, his fluidity, anticipation and IQ stand out.
The Last Word
Naturally, many Cavs fans will want to see Livingston grow and become an integral part of the team. With that in mind, he averaged an efficient 20.8 points per game for the Bucks in the 2K26 NBA Summer League. He followed that up by scoring 8.5 points in 9.6 minutes per game during the 2025-26 preseason.
G League, Summer League, or preseason success don’t automatically translate into actual NBA success. Nevertheless, players who do well in those environments are often able to make a noticeably positive impact on an NBA floor. It’s best to temper expectations, but this is what Livingston is also capable of.
In the event of an injury to a player like De’Andre Hunter or Dean Wade, his call-up could be right around the corner.
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