Last season, the Cleveland Cavaliers were able to find out just who their rookie Cedi Osman was. With a fun-loving nature and a contagious smile, Osman took over the hearts of Northeast Ohioans. But that smile’s been tougher to find this year and it seems to be affecting Cedi’s play.
When the Cleveland Cavaliers’ Cedi Osman came over to the NBA from overseas last season, no one was quite sure what they were getting in the 23-year-old. Known for a pretty good shot and a strong motor, Osman was an unknown member on a Cleveland roster trying to get back to their fourth-straight NBA Finals.
No matter the situation though, Osman couldn’t help but smile.
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It was that easy-going nature about Osman that led his Cavaliers teammates to gravitate toward him during rough stretches of the season. When the Wine and Gold started to move away from their then-starting point guard Isaiah Thomas, Osman was in the position to get more minutes alongside LeBron James and company. The reasoning was simple: Osman provided a spark from his infectious energy at a time where a veteran-heavy roster was running out of steam.
A year later, Osman is not flashing his pearly whites as much. His loose, relaxed nature isn’t a common theme with him. Instead, he’s had the look of a young player trying to fill the void of a superstar.
But one can’t blame Cedi for feeling that pressure. Once James exited for free agency, the expectations for his second season rose a little due to more opportunities coming his way. Then, Osman was invited to a workout over the summer that featured LeBron, Kevin Durant, and Kawhi Leonard. Those are the three best small forwards on the planet and Osman was working with them up close and personal.
As soon as the word got out that the workout included the Cavaliers’ second-year player, the expectations skyrocketed.
It was unfair to Osman, who was asked numerous questions about the workout during the Cavaliers’ media day. From there, the thought was that Osman could have a breakout season that would see him step up as a leader not only statistically but also in his mentality on the floor.
Instead, the Turkish forward has faced a good amount of struggles in crunch time. He’s made mistakes that have cost the Cavaliers a win here and there, most notably his ill-advised pass against the Orlando Magic a month ago. Defensively, he’s had lapses that weren’t as common in his rookie season. At times, it’s seemed as if Osman’s development had flatlined.
Cedi quite possibly heard the noise and started to believe in his own hype. That saw the happiness on the floor turn into a serious tone, as he didn’t appear to be the same player the fans and organization had come to know.
In order for Cedi’s numbers and overall play to improve, he’s got to get back to his roots. He has to get back to the fun-loving, happy guy that earned minutes on the Eastern Conference championship squad. To be frank, he needs to block out the talks of what he should be accomplishing this season and just play the game with a relaxed, care-free approach.
Sunday’s performance in the win over the Lakers was a step in the right direction.