Cleveland Cavaliers: Two key team offensive goals for 2020-21

Team goal #2 for the Cleveland Cavaliers offense in 2020-21: Ranking in the top 12 in three-point shooting percentage

Andre Drummond is reportedly likely to pick up his $28.8 million player option for next season, and assuming he’s back, he’ll get his low-post/rolling touches from Garland and others, including feasibly Love, via big-to-big passing.

More from King James Gospel

• 3 possible starting lineups for Cleveland Cavaliers in 2023-24
• The Cavaliers may have snagged a hidden gem in Craig Porter Jr.
• 4 players the Cavaliers should pursue in 2024 free agency
• 6 players Cavaliers might replace Jarrett Allen with by the trade deadline
• This stat is one to keep an eye on for Cavaliers’ Max Strus in years ahead

Although Drummond is not a floor spacer, nor a shooting presence really, he is a very effective screener both on/off-ball, and his offensive rebounding/big body inside does help carve out space.

With more on-floor chemistry with Love and Sexton, among others, that should hold true in a number of instances with help coming, if Drummond finds his outlets.

Also to me, while Cleveland was in the bottom ten across the board in terms of three-point shooting metrics last season, next season should be much different.

Cleveland will have plenty of on-ball threats that can lead to movement, and if Garland can be utilized more off of relocation, it doesn’t seem far-fetched for Cleveland to rank in the top 12 in three-point shooting percentage in 2020-21.

Windler should make a difference as a floor spacing presence if he’s mostly healthy, as he shot 40.6 percent from three-point range in four collegiate seasons at Belmont, per Sports Reference, and I believe he could do plenty of damage off of movement as a shooter, too.

Also, Cedi Osman hit 38.3 percent of his three-point attempts last season, Sexton hit 38.0 percent of his deep balls and Kevin Porter Jr. hit 40.7 percent of his catch-and-shoot three-point attempts, per NBA.com’s shot tracking data.

If the Cavs’ playmaking throughout games improves and the young pieces continue to progress, this goal shouldn’t be all that lofty, with Love’s shooting presence in there, too, but reaching it would be invaluable for Cleveland being more competitive next season.

With the Cavs ranking 13th in the NBA among teams in their last 15 games pre-hiatus in three-point shooting percentage at 37.0 percent, per NBA.com, and with strides taken in the ball movement/offensive flow realm, top 12 for the Cavs in that category seems realistic and again, would be meaningful. For further context, the Cavs ranked 14th and 13th in three-point shooting clip as well.

Even if that interior piece in Drummond, who could be a nice expiring trade piece during next season, is eventually dealt, I still believe with ball movement being more consistent/more off movement shooting, the three-point shooting efficiency will be considerably better for Cleveland.

Looking down the road, let’s hope the Wine and Gold can meet/surpass these two key team offensive goals in 2020-21.