As the Cleveland Cavaliers are working to solidify things at backup point guard, giving players such as 4th-year guard Craig Porter and sophomore wing Tyrese Proctor early opportunities, a former backup guard of theirs has hit the ground running in 2026-27.

Ladies and gentlemen, Ty “Milk” Jerome (yes, the nickname is real) has his Memphis Grizzlies rolling as the franchise has gotten off to its first 3-0 start since the 2017-18 season.

The former Cavalier guard has been an unstoppable force of nature to open the season, not only looking like a candidate for the most-improved player award but for the NBA’s most coveted individual regular-season accolade, the MVP.

Jerome has dazzled his way to averages of 34.7 Points, 4.3 Rebounds, and 5.7 Assists, while completing roughly 56.3% of his field goals, including 42.9% of his 3PT attempts thus far. He’s currently leading the league in points per game and has the freedom to possibly continue doing so, sporting a massive usage rate of 34.2%.

The veteran guard is picking up right where he left off from an injury-riddled 2025-26 and is poised to lead a team of young and hungry prospects, including this year’s 3rd overall selection in Cam Boozer, as the head of the proverbial snake.

Of course, his ascent should come as a surprise of absolutely zero Cleveland fans as the former Cavalier experienced a true breakout campaign back in 2024-25, after a few flashes prior to that. While with the Cleveland-based franchise, Jerome became a source of instant offense off the bench, posting averages of 12.5 Points, 2.5 Rebounds, and 3.4 Assists, while knocking down over 51.6% of his shots.

He would finish the season as a sixth man of the year finalist with an opportunity to further cement himself as a mainstay heading into the 2024-25 playoffs. And while he was extremely promising in Cleveland’s 4-game sweep of the Miami Heat, he absolutely struggled to get himself going against a very intense and pressure-heavy Indiana Pacers team that eventually reached the NBA Finals.

That series may have soured some in Cleveland on his chances of bouncing back but fans never got the opportunity to see if he would redeem himself due to Jerome not being re-signed as the team and Jerome’s representation clearly were not operating on the same wavelength. Of course, Cleveland's growing tax concerns combined with Sam Merrill's then-upcoming contract deliberations likely played a role.

Jerome has since closed that chapter of his career and is now dominating opposing defenses with each opportunity he gets. He's scored 28 or more in each of his first 3 games and hasn't played more than 32 minutes in each outing.

He’s completed the floater with high efficiency, converting on 18/29 (62.0%). He’s drilled the perimeter shot with flare, especially on pull-up jumpers (6/14). And he’s finishing at the rim like a man possessed, making 8/12 (66.7%) from inside of 5 feet.

The passion with which he operates, is always a refreshing sight to see and it seems to grow with each passing moment. For now, the only thing standing in Jerome's way might be health. If he can stay on the court, he might have the Grizz in playoff territory before season's end.

And for Cleveland Cavaliers fans, Jerome's recent dominance, combined with their own search for a viable option at backup guard, the idea of "what could have been" in relation to his departure is becoming a common theme.