Cavs: 2 realistic expectations for FA target Doug McDermott

#2: McDermott would provide energy/a spark off the bench for the Cavs

Secondly, in a general sense, I’d expect McDermott to provide energy/be a spark plug player off the bench if he were to end up signing with the Cavs.

While he’s not a player that going to generally be a factor on the defensive end and/or a difference maker there, such as Larry Nance Jr., for example, McDermott could feasibly bring some instant offense with his shooting for Cleveland. That, in particular, is not something that I’d be discounting either, nor should the Cavaliers, in weighing a potential pursuit of McDermott in free agency to come in August/possibly onward.

And although injuries last season didn’t help, and Kevin Love missing most of 2020-21 due to a right calf injury didn’t either clearly, McDermott’s presence could be a boost for Cleveland’s three-point shooting.

The Cavs were last in three-point shooting percentage during this now-past season for them, made the second-least triples per game and were 28th in threes attempted per game.

If the Wine and Gold were to add McDermott via free agency, though, his presence and with further progression from Isaac Okoro, for instance, and with Dean Wade (provided he sticks around) in the fold, those metrics could be considerably better in 2021-22.

Plus, McDermott is an adept cutter and with his timing/finishing touch, could help Cleveland in that way as an off-movement player as well.

So while we’d have to see if McDermott were to entertain signing with the Cavs, it’d still seem that he could very well look to sign elsewhere. And the Cavaliers would be in the right in potentially pursuing McDermott, given his shooting abilities, realistically in a rotational sense.