Here, we will take a look at two bold predictions for Dylan Windler in the upcoming 2020-21 season with the Cleveland Cavaliers.
Perhaps one of the aspects of the upcoming 2020-21 season that is most intriguing is the thought of actually seeing Dylan Windler play in his first official NBA game. The 26th pick of the 2019 NBA Draft was able to play through the 2019 Summer League in Las Vegas for the Cleveland Cavaliers.
That was the case in Salt Lake City, too. However, unfortunately for the young forward out of Belmont, complications involving a stress reaction in his left leg caused him to sit out the entire duration of the 2019-20 NBA season.
This still-current season for other squads is since over for the Cavs, who were not one of the top 22 teams chosen to play in the league’s season resumption post-novel coronavirus-induced hiatus.
I for one cannot wait to see Windler finally don the Wine and Gold and make his official debut in the NBA with the Cavaliers.
Although he did not play a single game this now-past season for Cleveland, if the numbers he put up at Belmont are any indication of the player we can expect, then I think the Cavaliers might have another solid young talent on their hands.
With an average of 13.2 points per game, to go with 7.8 rebounds and 2.0 assists, per Sports Reference, Windler definitely made an impression in his four-year collegiate career. I believe if he can come back from this injury and improve and be the player he has already shown us he can be, then he will surely find himself with some considerable playing time.
Here, I would like to highlight two bold predictions I have for Windler in the upcoming 2020-21 NBA season for the Cleveland Cavaliers.
The first of those bold predictions pertains to his three-point shooting, which is a big strength of Windler’s game.
Bold prediction #1 for Windler: He shoots 42.0 percent from three-point land for the Cleveland Cavaliers
The first bold prediction for Windler in this upcoming season is that he will shoot 42.0 percent from three-point territory.
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
Now, admittedly it is difficult to make these kinds of predictions, especially for a player who has yet to actually play a single minute of a game in the NBA during the regular season.
That said, Windler has already shown us glimpses of his potential, as during the 2019 Summer League in Vegas, the Cleveland rookie had been shooting at 38.5 percent from three-point range.
While the Cleveland rookie had begun to display his capabilities during last year’s Summer League, the numbers he put up in his time at college are far more indicative of the kind of player the Cavaliers can expect.
That was just Summer League, yes, but it did offer a glimpse into the floor spacing threat Windler could become.
In much of his four years at Belmont, Windler had proven himself to be a star for the Bruins. That was especially the case in his junior and senior year, when he was shooting over 42.0 percent from the beyond the arc, making him a key threat from the perimeter. That was even off of movement fairly frequently and some off-the-bounce, too.
If Windler can return to form and keep up the consistency of his shot, he will undoubtedly become a reliable shooter for Cleveland, and reasonably early on.
This prediction is a bit bold, though, again with how Windler will take some time to get acclimated to the NBA game. Coupled with that, he’ll need to find a way to mesh alongside other pieces, such as Kevin Porter Jr., Larry Nance Jr. and Darius Garland.
The second bold prediction for Windler would involve Windler establishing himself as potentially a high-end impact player every night for the Cavs in coming years.
Bold prediction #2 for Windler: He will eventually start at the 3 for the Cleveland Cavaliers
The second bold prediction I have for Dylan Windler in the upcoming 2020-21 season is that he will start at the 3 at some point.
With a total of 128 collegiate games played, Windler again averaged 13.2 points, 7.8 rebounds and 2.0 assists per game. The 6-foot-6 rookie out of Belmont definitely has what it takes to play a starting role with the Cavaliers at some point.
He is also progressing well in his recovery from his injury, per a report from Cleveland.com’s Chris Fedor, who noted how last summer, some within the Cavs organization were wondering if Windler could “displace Cedi Osman as the starting small forward within months.”
It would seem pretty bold for Windler to eventually start next season, though, given him not playing in 2019-20 for the Cavs and lack of team practice reps for so long to this point because of social distancing guidelines due to COVID-19.
Albeit the young wing has shown himself to be a highly capable finisher during his collegiate years, and as Cavs fans we hope he can make a return to form during the upcoming season. With his track record, Dylan Windler has the potential to be one of Cleveland’s best shooters of the near future, and frankly has more on-ball potential/pull-up ability than Cedi Osman.
Windler would fit seamlessly in a starting lineup featuring himself, along with Garland and Sexton holding down the backcourt, or at some point down the road with Kevin Porter Jr. potentially at the 2 with Sexton as the starting 1 of sorts. Meanwhile Kevin Love and Andre Drummond, who fully intends to pick up his $28.8 million player option for 2020-21, would make up Cleveland’s frontcourt.
I believe Windler would mesh especially well with Drummond, in particular, and whose team defensive instincts could aid the young sharpshooting threat. Drummond’s interior offensive and screening presence would definitely mix well with a natural catch-and-shoot talent like Windler, too, as KJG’s also hit on.
Windler would surely do some damage with this starting lineup (which again could feature Sexton-KPJ eventually), especially when it comes to scoring off the ball, given his talent as a catch-and-shoot threat.
Windler’s pull-up, off-movement and cutting/finishing abilities could make an upgrade over Osman, but again, we’ll have to see if Windler can eventually start at some point next season and be mostly healthy.