Cavs have added three interesting undrafted prospects to Summer League team
The Cleveland Cavaliers added a trio of undrafted prospects that can make some noise in the league, if given the chance.
Between former five-star recruit Billy Preston, an uber-athletic offensive dynamo at 6-foot-10; Purdue’s prototypical three-and-D shooting guard in Dakota Mathias; and Notre Dame’s double-double machine in 6-foot-6 combo forward Bonzie Colson, there’s a lot to like about the Cleveland Cavaliers’ Summer League additions.
The three undrafted prospects have each drawn rave reviews and leave you wondering if the other 29 teams just failed to do their homework or if the Cavs lucked up.
After trying, and failing, to secure a second-round pick in the 2018 NBA Draft, the basketball gods did them one better by dropping three players in their laps that are “projects” but talented enough to be instant contributors in a small role as a rookie.
Preston is a stretch-big who is an excellent athlete, can put the ball on the deck to create for himself, has shooting touch out to three-point range and has a nice post fadeaway.
His strength on the block and his defensive awareness need to improve but he’s truly one of the most talented big men you’ll see from an offensive standpoint.
The Cavs, who may move or lose one or both of Kevin Love or Tristan Thompson by the summer of 2020, could use big man depth even if Ante Zizic is another talented big man on the roster.
The differences between Zizic and Preston are low-post skill and defensive acumen, which favors Zizic, athleticism, which favors Preston. That said, these are players who can play beside each other in a Twin Tower offense or simply be depth at center (Zizic) and power forward (Preston).
Colson is a player who can score off-the-bounce but does a lot of work in the post, getting off jump hooks and fadeaways with precision. He’s shifty and quick enough to beat players off-the-dribble when he’s not taking advantage of players in the post.
He’s simply capable of scoring from all three levels.
He also has an incredibly built upper body, which allows him to be a dynamic rebounder despite being 6-foot-6 (and likely aids him in the post as well). However, while he’s an aggressive rebounder, another important skill Colson has is on the defensive end. He’ll need to improve his conditioning but his awareness as a shot-blocker (not to mention his 7-foot-0 wingspan) will be particularly important if he’s to be a stretch-four.
Like Preston, Colson is a player who could eventually end up seeing minutes in a small role early if the Cavs trade a big man or two.
(Last season, Colson averaged 19.7 points, 10.1 rebounds, 1.7 steals and 2.2 blocks per game on 50.3 percent shooting from the field as a senior. He’s made 35.0 percent of his threes in his career.)
Mathias, another four-year college player, is a knockdown shooter who can make his shots coming off of curls, off of screens, off of pin-downs, off of spot-up opportunities and off-the-dribble. He makes sound decisions with the ball in his hands and does a great job of feeling up his opponents body to get a shot off in space when he’s on the move.
He’s a high IQ player.
Not to be hyperbolic but he truly looks a lot like Philadelphia 76ers shooting guard J.J. Redick from an offensive standpoint. At 6-foot-4, 200 pounds and having a 6-foot-6 wingspan and 41.9 career shooting percentage from downtown, that comparison seems even more accurate.
Considering that Cavs sniper Kyle Korver is 37-years-old and fellow sharpshooter J.R. Smith is seemingly on the trade block, Mathias brings a very translatable skill to the Cavs from Purdue.
Defensively, Mathias has quick feet, quick hands and puts in the effort to do his scouting homework on opponents. He may not be guarding Russell Westbrook the next level but he’ll be able to hold his own, if not be a difference-maker.
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That said, while it may not be ideal for one of these players to be in the regular season rotation for the simple fact that the championship-contending Cavs want as much experience and talent as possible in their rotation, Cedi Osman was forced to start 12 games last season (as a rookie) thanks to an injury-plagued roster. He played at least 10 minutes in 30 games and the Cavs were +3.9 points per 100 possessions with him on the court thanks to his point-forward ability and defensive acumen.
In other words, no matter the lack of experience the player has, he’ll need to stay ready. A player that’s ready and particularly talented will be able to have a positive impact, despite his inexperience.
Preston, Colson and Mathias are three players that fit that mold. They’ll likely spend most of their time with the NBA G-League Canton Charge, a training ground for the Cavs, if they’re signed to the 15-man roster or two-way contract following Summer League action.
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*All stats gathered from www.sports-reference.com/cbb and www.basketball-reference.com