Post-All-Star break has not been pretty for the Cleveland Cavaliers. Injuries have hit this team hard, seeing them run five different starting lineup variations in their last 11 games. Injuries have played a part but do not tell the whole story of the Cavaliers’ woes. The Cavaliers are 3-8 in their last 11 games, putting up stinkers against teams who they should be able to compete against.
Even with this stretch, the Cavs are just five games back of the eighth seed which further shows just how much worse the Eastern Conference is than the Western Conference.
With that said, the direction of the team makes it seem as if the Cavs are banking on adding another top pick this upcoming offseason.
There are a lot of things to take away from this recent stretch of Cavs games but, here, we will look at three specific takeaways from the third quarter of the season.
The first relates to Cedi Osman‘s outlook moving forward, or perhaps, lack thereof with Cleveland.
#1: Osman’s time as a Cavs’ rotational fixture appears to be in jeopardy
This season has been nothing short of a disappointment for Cedi Osman and it seems as if recent coaching decisions can attest to that. Coming off a season where he shot 38.3 percent from three-point range and with the drafting of Isaac Okoro, Osman’s new role seemed great for him, having him be the spark plug off the bench where he could have more offensive freedom.
To start the season, this looked like to be a genius move by Cleveland head coach J.B. Bickerstaff as Osman averaged 15.7 points, shooting 55.2 percent from the field and 52.9 percent from three on 5.7 attempts per game through the team’s first three games. His play from that point on has taken a huge nosedive and there haven’t been many bright spots for him this season.
On the year, Osman is averaging 10.0 points, 3.5 rebounds and 2.6 assists per game, shooting a putrid 35.3 percent from the field and 30.7 percent from three. Advanced stats truly show just how bad his shooting has been this season, as he has the worst true shooting percentage of a player with at least 725 points per 82 team games at 46.8 percent, according to StatMuse.
This play, one would assume, is likely the reason he wasn’t traded at the deadline as well; he was a key Cavs player mentioned in trade rumors, though. This play is also the reason why Cedi Osman has registered back-to-back DNPs via coach’s decision by the Cavaliers.
There are two outcomes that can come out of the coach’s decisions to put Cedi in the “doghouse;” either his play improves or, he continues to play how he has been for most of the season. Whichever happens, it seems as if we have seen the last of Cedi Osman as the writing is on the wall. That’s as a rotational fixture with Cleveland, regardless, it appears.
The Cavaliers chose to draft a wing in last year’s draft and depending on where they are picking, they could look to do the same in this year’s draft as well. Adding in the wings already under contract for next season and you can see how crowded the position is getting.
At the very least, if a trade doesn’t occur by next season’s deadline, it looks as if Osman may have lost his spot in the rotation for the Cavaliers.
Cedi has had many opportunities to show his worth to the team and wasn’t able to do so. Now, it seems as if his future with the team is in jeopardy, as a near-every game player, either way.
#2: Dean Wade deserves to be a regular rotational piece for the Cavs
The Cleveland Cavaliers have gotten quality minutes from players who were looked at as end-of-the-bench guys. When called upon, these players have stepped up to the plate and given the Cavs a lot to think about this offseason. And the player who can be argued as stepping up the most is Dean Wade, who KJG’s Tyler Shelt recently raved about, and rightfully so.
Coming from Kansas State, the undrafted forward has spent most of his meaningful minutes in his professional career with the Canton Charge, Cleveland’s G League Affiliate team. With injuries to both Kevin Love and Larry Nance Jr., though, Wade was called upon and has overachieved in the minutes that he was given.
With more opportunity, his play has improved and this recent stretch of games really show why he deserves a rotational role with the team. In his last eight games, Wade is averaging 9.1 points, 4.4 rebounds, and 2.0 assists per game, shooting 48.2 percent from the field and 38.7 percent from three on 3.9 attempts per game.
His shooting ability at the forward position has helped to open up the offense for the Cavaliers at times, having a reliable shooter for teams to worry about. Combine that with his 6-foot-9 frame and Wade has been a plus for a team that can use as much offense as they can.
Wade has continuously played his role well, always looking to make the right plays and being a plus player on both sides of the ball. Next season is filled with a lot of unknowns but if one thing’s for sure, it’s that the Cavaliers should look to implement Wade into their rotation more for next season and potentially, for the future.
#3: Nance is the glue that keeps the Cavs together
Nance continues to be the “engine” of this Cavaliers team and his production has been felt throughout the entire season when he’s been able to go. Since the Cavs’ dud against the Atlanta Hawks mid-last month, Nance is averaging 12.6 points, 8.5 rebounds, 3.5 assists, and 1.8 steals per game, and has been shooting 51.3 percent from the field and 40.0 percent from three on 3.1 attempts per game.
And as that sort of stat line in that sample suggests, Nance has really turned himself into the ideal NBA “Swiss-Army knife,” as he’s been showcasing his finishing abilities, improved catch-and-shoot game, to go with playmaking and defense.
Offensively, his catch-and-shoot ability is what stands out the most for the Cavaliers, as over his last 10 games active, he’s been shooting 37.5 percent from three, with nearly all coming in that department. Defensively, his activity and IQ on that end is why he averages 1.8 steals over the last eight games and on the year, and that is why he should receive All-Defensive votes.
Pair his play with his continued efforts of being active in the Cleveland community, as well as being a budding leader in the locker room and you can see why Nance is loved and considered a near-untouchable.
The Cavs, even despite plenty of reported interest, didn’t seemingly show any interest in dealing him, per Cleveland.com’s Chris Fedor, and it’s understandable why they didn’t.