Cavs: Isaac Okoro’s playmaking will be key when he’s in there

Isaac Okoro hasn’t been in action as of late for the Cleveland Cavaliers, but he’s seemingly almost there.

Isaac Okoro has not appeared for the Cleveland Cavaliers since their second game of this season, in what was a double-overtime victory over the Detroit Pistons.

Unfortunately in that one, Okoro sprained his right foot, and Okoro had also been placed into the NBA’s novel coronavirus health and safety protocol. He has missed Cleveland’s last five games.

On a positive note, though, according to a prior report from Cleveland.com’s Chris Fedor, Okoro could seemingly be back on Wednesday at the Orlando Magic, and he’s since been cleared from the league’s COVID-19 protocol. And it seems Okoro will be out there, as he wasn’t listed as out.

Although, Darius Garland, who missed Cleveland’s Monday loss at the Magic with a right shoulder sprain he suffered in the Cavs’ comeback W at the Atlanta Hawks on Saturday, won’t be in action on Wednesday at Orlando. And per a Cavs team announcement on Wednesday, Garland “could miss up to one week, but will be re-evaluated daily,” and we’ll keep an eye out.

Albeit swinging back to Okoro, especially with that Garland update, the Cavs really need Okoro to help their playmaking efforts when he’s back, which it appears he’ll be this next go-round.

Dante Exum, who had started at the 3 actually in recent games for the Cavs for matchup-sense sans Okoro, suffered a right calf strain on Monday, and is reportedly set to be sidelined for likely one-to-two months. And per that Cavs team annoucement, Exum is “expected to miss approximately 6-8 weeks of basketball activity.”

Cleveland is still set to be without the shooting/mid-post and secondary playmaking of Kevin Love for the next two to three weeks yet, too, because of a right calf strain for him, after which he’ll be re-evaluated for. The Cavaliers haven’t had the likes of Matthew Dellavedova available yet, either, due to a concussion, and he’s had a history of concussions.

The Cavs really need Okoro to make his presence felt when he’s back and in there as a playmaker.

It’s evident that Okoro, though he had some rookie moments in the Pistons game, and was unfortunately scoreless on 0-of-four shooting then, is a player that can aid Cleveland in a variety of ways. He’s an ultra-switchable on-ball defender 1-4, and for stretches for the Cavs, could handle on-ball duties against primary perimeter scorers/initiators.

While Okoro is a 19-year-old rookie, his instincts as a team defender are so rare, and he’ll aid Darius Garland and Collin Sexton, among others, when he’s in there at the 3, or in some instances, at the 2. He seems to rotate well to aid in deterring rolling deliveries, and early on, he’ll be just fine in his shot contests/navigating through off-ball screens; Okoro is a fluid wing.

Again, however, on the offensive end for Cleveland, Okoro’s playmaking help, at least in a secondary playmaking/ball movement role, will be key when he’s back/in there.

With the injury bug hitting the Wine and Gold hard here, they’ll need Okoro to aid in creating open looks for other guys, such as Andre Drummond, Larry Nance Jr., Collin Sexton and perhaps Damyean Dotson. Okoro, who had five assists in his first game, in what was a W versus the Charlotte Hornets, does need to be able to knock down some catch-and-shoot looks, and help as a driver, clearly, though, too.

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That’s apparent, albeit Okoro I believe will aid the Cavs as a finisher via slashing/cutting, anyway, and he could be a crucial transition piece, such as Collin Sexton is.

Okoro placed in the 89th percentile on shots around the rim in the halfcourt, and in the 80th percentile in transition scoring in his lone collegiate season at Auburn, per Synergy Sports and as h/t NBA.com, for further scoring context.

Again, though, with it not being clear as to when Dellavedova is able to go, Exum’s injury and with Garland sidelined a bit, and with Love out, Okoro will need to aid in initiating productive ball movement.

He’s a heady extra pass player, and is capable of pick-and-roll playmaking some/could on occasion make things happen in the middle of defenses.

That’s to help the likes of Larry Nance Jr., Garland himself anyway, Drummond, and Cedi Osman and Damyean Dotson, for instance, in this upcoming stretch.

And Okoro, while the sample size wasn’t a ton at Auburn, was efficient as a PnR playmaker to spot-up players.

He did have a 15.2 percent turnover clip in a general sense, but Okoro did aid Auburn in that secondary playmaking sense as he became more comfortable. And as h/t The Stepien’s Spencer Pearlman, Okoro’s passing efficiency to spot-up threats out of the PnR placed in the 95th percentile, per Synergy.

Overall, on 29 possessions, his PnR passing ranked in the 93rd percentile, per Synergy, and as KJG’s Amadou Sow alluded to, Cavs fans will want to see Okoro’s playmaking on display some for Cleveland’s offense this season, to drive it home.

Moreover, considering the Cleveland Cavaliers have had such rough injury luck, although I’m not saying it in a primary playmaking role, really, it is evident that Okoro’s secondary playmaking instincts/feel will be key for them.

Hopefully he can create some for himself/convert some on spot-ups, too. But when he’s back/in there, I’d imagine we’ll see Okoro aid in easing the playmaking burden for other guys like Nance, Sexton, Osman/Dotson and/or Garland (when DG’s back).

Will there be ups and downs in that sense? Certainly, albeit Okoro is a guy that I believe, even being so young, can help there.