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Cavs: 3 players that should get off to a good start in 2019-20

By Dan Gilinsky

Cleveland Cavaliers head coach John Beilein (right) and Cleveland big Larry Nance Jr. (Photo by David Liam Kyle/NBAE via Getty Images)
Cleveland Cavaliers head coach John Beilein (right) and Cleveland big Larry Nance Jr. (Photo by David Liam Kyle/NBAE via Getty Images) /
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Cleveland Cavaliers
Photo by Melissa Majchrzak/NBAE via Getty Images /

#3: Windler

As KJG contributors have hit on countless times, the 22-year-old Windler should have a carved-out role with the Cleveland Cavaliers right away as a perimeter shooter off-the-catch that should provide valuable spacing for his teammates, whereas the beginning of the upcoming season could cause plenty of growing pains due to likely adjustments for Sexton, Garland and Porter in terms of needing to play off the ball more.

Coming off the bench, I would imagine Windler should be able to come in about 18 or so minutes per game initially, and though I could definitely see him struggle on the defensive end and though it won’t be ideal with him feasibly having to defend 4’s more as the year progresses due to trading of expiring bigs and potential injuries, Windler again, should project as a ready-made perimeter shooter curling around screens, as a possible pick-and-pop player and he should be a productive cutter, too, when defenders overplay his three-point shooting.

light. Related Story. Cavs: 3 keys to successful 2019-20 for Windler

Windler shot 40.6% from three-point range and had a career effective field goal clip of 64.0% in four seasons at Belmont (per Sports Reference), and his pull-up shooting progressed nicely over his time in college, too.

In 2018-19, Windler placed in the 85th percentile in halfcourt pull-up shooting (per NBA.com), and that should bode well with defenders closing out hard to him, and, thanks to cutting feel, he also placed in the 96th percentile in halfcourt finishing around the rim (again, per NBA.com).

So right away, I would think off feeds from a combination of players such as Garland, Sexton, Osman, Brandon Knight, Matthew Dellavedova, Nance and Love, Windler should find baskets in that way, too.

Again, though I’m skeptical as to where Windler will match up defensively, he should at least be able to rebound his position (a career rebound average of 7.8 per game at Belmont, per Sports Reference) and be a solid rotator to shooters, and plus, how many rookies come into the NBA as plus defenders?

I’d expect Windler to be an efficient perimeter shooter, and have, by and large, a positive impact early on (7-8.0 points per game) because of him spacing the floor, moving the ball effectively, rebounding his position and having a bit of pick-and-roll playmaking and/or rolling ability.