3 best ways for Cavs to utilize Dylan Windler offensively

Dylan Windler should be an impact contributor for the Cleveland Cavaliers.

I might be higher on Dylan Windler than many, but I firmly believe he’ll be a very meaningful contributor for the Cleveland Cavaliers.

I wouldn’t expect Windler, who missed all of 2019-20 in what was supposed to be his rookie season with complications involving a stress reaction in his left leg, to crack the starting lineup for Cleveland next season.

I’d expect Isaac Okoro to take over at the starting 3 spot fairly early on for Cedi Osman more so than Windler, but Osman and Windler should feasibly play with one another in some stretches in 2020-21, anyway. Cleveland will have to figure out that dynamic, albeit Windler, with his offensive capabilities, seems to be primed for his share of opportunities, still.

So with that caveat, what should we look for as far as how Windler could be used by Cleveland next season offensively?

I’ll get into the three best ways the Cavs should use him offensively here.

The first is probably pretty on-script.

#1: The Cavs should feature Windler as a key off-movement shooter/finisher

Windler hit 40.6 percent of his 4.2 three-point attempts per outing in a four-year collegiate career at Belmont, and hit 42.9 percent of his 7.1 deep attempts per game as a senior. Firstly, it’s evident that Windler could very well establish himself as a knockdown shooter for the Cavaliers off-the-catch, and particularly, as a sniper off movement.

Just as is the case with the recently-signed Damyean Dotson, Windler times up his movement/is highly capable as a catch-and-shoot player coming around off-ball screens, and his high, quick release should lead to him knocking down perimeter looks.

It wasn’t suprisingly that Windler made his presence felt as a big-time shooter in the Cavs voluntary in-market bubble team workouts in late September in 5-on-5 work. And for Cleveland next season, when he’s in there, Cleveland must feature him plenty off-movement.

Windler also placed in the 94th percentile in catch-and-shoot attempts in the halfcourt as a senior in 2018-19 at Belmont, per Synergy Sports. The 6-foot-6 lefty wing has parking lot range, and his presence should help open up driving lanes more for players such as Collin Sexton, Darius Garland, Kevin Porter Jr. and/or Isaac Okoro.

Coupled with that, though, Windler’s finishing touch/ability to finish above the rim, too, as a cutter shouldn’t be glossed over, and that’s a nice counter to his perimeter shooting. Windler is a willing and active cutter as well, and the Cavs need to utilize that when that’s applicable in settled offense at times, too.

For further context, Windler placed in the 96th percentile on shots around the rim in the halfcourt in 2018-19, again, per Synergy. So the Cavaliers need to find him when that’s there on cuts, as he’s a heck of a finisher and has true ambidextrous finishing touch near the basket on the move, even.

Moving along, the second-best way for Cleveland to utilize Windler offensively relates to his passing.