Reflecting on Sam Merrill Mania
Cavs news and links for Thursday, August 22.
Sam Merrill was a pleasant surprise for the Cleveland Cavaliers last season. Here’s how he can become more than a one-trick pony moving forward.
The first sip
Merrill burst onto the scene in December 2023 when he fully scorched earth from beyond the three-point line. He shot 21-of-39 (53%) from deep across a five-game sample size in a stretch that swept Cleveland into a frenzy.
But not long after, Merrill’s fire turned into fading embers.
The return of Darius Garland placed uncertainty on Merrill’s place in the rotation. Merrill and Donovan Mitchell showcased elite chemistry together but their opportunities to share the floor grew limited by injuries in the back half of the season. It didn’t help that Merrill himself began struggling to generate clean looks.
Merrill opened the first half of the season by shooting 44.2% from deep. His off-ball movement surprised opponents as he punished sleeping defenses each night. This changed once teams started to wake up. Merrill shot 35.7% after the All-Star break and below 30% in the second round of the NBA Playoffs.
One can argue that Merrill’s diminishing returns are a product of the system rather than the individual. That is to say, Merrill didn’t change anything about his game — it’s just the rest of the league learned how to defend him. Neither Merrill nor the Cavs coaching staff found an effective or consistent counter to how opponents covered him after his initial breakout.
Last year’s Cavs were a heavy pick-and-roll team that didn’t generate much movement away from the ball. Often, Merrill was the only one moving without the rock. It’s easy to cover one action — but multiple actions are where Merrill can hit his stride again. This could happen under new head coach Kenny Atkinson. The Cavs are hoping Atkinson will provide a more dynamic offensive approach next season and Merrill could be one of the biggest benefactors.
Merrill will still need to prove he can hold his own defensively. But most of all, he just needs to knock down shots at a high rate. Three-point shooting is the most valuable skill in today’s NBA and Merrill is as gifted as it gets in this department.
Random Cavalier of the Day - Jarrett Allen
Sometimes, the random number generator doesn’t feel so random. But I won’t complain about another chance to praise Jarrett Allen.
Allen has been nothing but a joy since landing in Cleveland. He’s a brilliant finisher at the rim and his defense has raised the Cavaliers’ floor each season. At just 26 years old, Allen may still have his best years ahead of him. I hope he spends them in a wine and gold uniform.
WNBA Games on Today
Dallas Wings at New York Liberty - 7 PM