Cleveland Cavaliers: Grading each pick from the 2019 NBA Draft

Dylan Windler selection grade: B

Dylan Windler is a selection that is decent to me, and it’s all about the Cleveland Cavaliers further emphasizing floor spacing and perimeter shooting.

That’s not difficult to see, really, as Cleveland was just 29th in the NBA in true shooting percentage, and only eight NBA teams made less three-pointers per game in 2018-19 (both according to NBA.com).

Windler fits the mold of rotational sniper, as the Belmont product shot 40.6% from three-point range in his four-year career there, and he shot 42.9% last season on 7.1 attempts per contest, and had 21.3 points per game in 2018-19.

While I wouldn’t imagine, given that his athleticism is not a strong suit at the NBA level, particularly on defense, according to Sports Illustrated’s Jeremy Woo, that Windler will be a starting 2 or 3 for Cleveland in the coming years, he could be a solid rotational player that can help open up driving lanes further for Sexton, Garland, Osman and maybe Porter.

Windler’s 7.8 career rebounds per contest (including 10.8 last season) should help Cleveland on the defensive glass, too, as the 22-year-old 6-foot-seven-and-a-half, 196-pound wing has good feel in that aspect of the game (as evidenced by his 22.7% career defensive rebounding rate), and that could help Cleveland get more run-outs.

Windler, a willing passer, should able to take advantage of a good amount of those opportunities, too.

Nonetheless, it’s hard to imagine Windler being a starter for Cleveland eventually due to, as Woo highlighted, individual defensive limitations, and Windler turning 23 before his rookie season doesn’t scream high ceiling/upside.

Watching this guy shoot the lights out after curling around screens and getting backdoor layups should be a quality sign of good team offense, though, and I’ll love that.

I would think Windler will establish good chemistry both via screening from Larry Nance Jr. and from Nance’s passes/dribble hand-offs, too.