Cavs: Revisiting stats predictions for Kevin Porter Jr., Larry Nance Jr. and Matthew Dellavedova

Revisiting my 2019-20 stats predictions for Dellavedova

My predictions: 4.9 PPG on 52.7 percent true shooting, 3.2 APG, 16.6 MPG and 49 games active

Dellavedova’s 2019-20 stats thus far: 3.1 PPG on 46.3 percent true shooting, 3.2 APG, 14.4 MPG and 57 games active

Looking at where I’ve been off the mark for Delly’s predictions, it’s most notably the shooting, and him playing in way more games than I would’ve expected.

Where I’ve been off the mark: Shooting and appearances

Even though Delly somewhat-found his shot post-All-Star break, often where he was playing much more than he had been the vast majority of the season with Darius Garland having a left groin strain, I never would’ve expected Delly’s shooting stroke to go completely off a cliff.

Dellavedova’s hit just 23.1 percent of his three-pointers in 2019-20, which is by far and away his career-worst, and for his career, he’s hit 36.8 percent from downtown, and that’s definitely dropped just from this season. Delly’s had the lowest true shooting rate of Cleveland’s regular rotation players this year at 46.3 percent, per NBA.com, and again, I was wrong in thinking he could be more proficient in relation to his catch-and-shoot triple attempts.

The other area I was wrong was the appearances for Dellavedova, who I thought wouldn’t have appeared in close to the amount of instances he has thus far leading into the season’s suspension. Even with him being athletically limited to an extent defensively, though, he’s tied for having the best defensive rating of Cleveland’s regular rotation players with John Henson, who was part of a trade with the Detroit Pistons near the deadline where the Cavs got back Andre Drummond.

Again, while Delly has lost his shot, really, he’s done an admirable job getting other pieces around him the ball in their preferred spots, and that’s mainly where I’ve hit with my predictions for Delly.

Where I’ve hit: Playmaking

I firmly believe Cleveland, if a team-friendly deal is feasible in the coming free agency period (whenever that is), should try to re-sign the expiring Delly. He’s still a good rotational playmaker, solid team defender and provides a good locker room/leadership presence for the likes of Garland, Sexton and others.

Again, where I’ve hit in regards to Delly is the playmaking element, and post-All-Star, Delly was playing particularly well, as evidenced by him leading the squad with 5.5 assists per game.

Plus, while the minutes-share is obviously much smaller for Delly than say, Garland, Dellavedova is a player all coaches will trust, by and large. He makes mostly sound decisions in pick-and-roll and this season, he’s again led Cleveland with a 3.05 assist-to-turnover ratio, according to NBA.com.

Again, the Cleveland Cavaliers bringing back Delly next season, and potentially via two-year deal, especially from a leadership standpoint, would be sensible to me.