LAS VEGAS -- Cedi Osman was talking a lot Monday about "responsibility."

As he put it, he wants to "take the responsibility I obviously couldn't take last year" and be a playmaker for the Cavaliers. He's gotten a jump on that so far in the Las Vegas Summer League, and on Monday poured in 25 points with six rebounds and six assists in Cleveland's 93-88 win over the Indiana Pacers.

"Hopefully this year I'm going to have a chance to take that responsibility, and that's why I think playing in Summer League is really important for me," Osman said.

This is just how important it was for Osman to join his Cavs summer teammates in Vegas. On Thursday Osman flew nonstop from Istanbul, Turkey, where he was playing with the Turkish national team, to Los Angeles -- a 14-hour flight. He then caught a quick flight to Las Vegas for practice, in which he fought to participate.

Osman followed with 15 points and 10 boards in the Cavs' Summer opener, and, understandably, between all the flying and his strong opening night, he sat out Saturday's game to rest.

At this time a year ago, Osman was sitting in the stands with the Cavs' front office, getting to know general manager Koby Altman and coach Tyronn Lue. The Cavs were preparing to sign Osman to a contract and bring him over from Europe. He received a three-year, $8.3 million deal.

Now 23-years old, Osman played in 62 games for the Cavs last year, averaging 3.9 points and 2.5 boards. But when the Cavs traded Dwyane Wade on February 8th, one of the stated reasons for the trade was to give younger players like Osman more minutes.

Only, when the playoffs rolled around, Osman was out of the rotation, and didn't get a chance when Rodney Hood, Jordan Clarkson, Jose Calderon, and even Jeff Green and JR Smith faltered.

Now, with James, Green, and Calderon gone in free agency, and the Cavs having declared to be in the "player development business," Osman knows his chances are going to be there.

"They don't have to explain anything, I understand everything," Osman said. "I was a rookie, I was playing for the team that was playing for the championship, and that was the fourth year in a row. They know better than me, so my job was to stay ready. It doesn't matter how much I play when I get in, my job was to do my best."

Osman's box score against the Pacers looked like the kind of night James might have (OK, a just a "good" night for James, nothing special). Had this been a regular-season game, Osman's 25 points would easily have been a career high, and he'd have tied another with his six assists.

"He wasn't getting a lot of playing time (last season), but those guys were playing a lot of 1-on-1, 5-on-5 during the regular season, and he was getting buckets then," Cavs summer coach James Posey said of Osman's scoring so far. "Not surprised, it's just his opportunity that's presenting itself now. You can tell his swagger, his confidence has grown. He's been having a good summer.

Osman started at small forward, James' old spot. When the season begins in October, it could be Osman or Hood (who is currently a restricted free agent) out there starting where James used to start.

Neither Osman nor Hood, it would appear, is primed to average 27.5 points and 9.1 assists like James did last season.

"I think Cedi's ready for a jump," Altman said.

At minimum, in these two summer league contests Osman no longer looks like a rookie. But he still has holes in his game he's working to fill.

Osman said in conversations with coach Tyronn Lue this summer, he was told he needed to become a better ballhandler. At 6-8 (same height as James), Osman gets pressured by smaller guards who make it difficult for him to get the ball up the floor. He committed three turnovers Monday.

Osman's shot is also a work in progress. He shot a respectable .368 from 3-point last season, but the Cavs want his shot to be more consistent under pressure. He shot 5-of-15 Friday and was 9-of-18 on Monday.

"I have to protect the ball better, and of course I've been struggling with my shots," Osman said. "I have to improve that but I know it's going to be better."

Collin Sexton scored 21 points with four assists on 9-of-17 shooting.

The Cavs are off Tuesday and will begin play in the Summer League tournament Wednesday.