Cavs: We should see Isaac Okoro in bigger offensive role in 2021-22

In his first season with the Cleveland Cavaliers, there were some rough patches for Isaac Okoro offensively, and considering the circumstances, that was to be expected. Objectively, Okoro came into his first season fairly raw offensively, and with the lightning quick turnaround from the 2020 NBA Draft until the regular season, and with the COVID-19-affected campaign, there was going to be struggles.

Okoro was inconsistent and he was somewhat hesitant up until April or so, seemingly. Overall, he had 9.6 points in 32.4 minutes per game and while it wasn’t shocking necessarily, he knocked in just 29.0 percent of his three-point attempts.

There were plenty of positive signs from Okoro though, as when he was getting downhill, it led to success for him, and when he was more assertive from April or so onward, it paid off.

It’s also a plus that Cleveland does reportedly intend to have Okoro operating out of the mid-post some next season, and them looking to get him some more pick-and-roll looks could be beneficial. We didn’t see it a ton last season, but he could make more of a difference as a secondary playmaker in Year 2, too.

In any case, while I’m not expecting him to be having nearly the role of Darius Garland or if he sticks around, Collin Sexton, for example (factoring in trade rumors), Okoro will have a bigger offensive role next season, I’d think.

We should see Okoro in a bigger offensive role for the Cavs in 2021-22.

Now, Cleveland’s #3 pick in the upcoming draft, assuming they’ll end up making that selection, which still seems likely, will likely have a key offensive role. That’s in the event that’d end up being Jalen Green, Evan Mobley or Jalen Suggs, even while I’d still think those guys would be bench players earlier on, and in the Jalens’ case, that’s whether or not Sexton were to be traded.

I’d still think we could see Garland-Sexton-Green lineups a fair amount next season too, and Sexton could still feasibly not end up traded up and perhaps Cleveland could work something out with him eventually contract-wise.

At any rate, no matter what plays out during the 2021 NBA Draft for the Cavaliers, I still would expect Okoro to have more of an offensive role game-to-game for them when he’s in there.

Now, of course, injuries did play into it, but Okoro’s confidence did grow as last season wore on and he became more comfortable it seemed; that played into him being named to the NBA’s All-Rookie Second Team. In the last 12 games for him of 2020-21, even with injuries to some others, Okoro did still have 16.2 points per outing in that span and we were seeing him get downhill often, which was crucial for him and he was often in-rhythm.

In his minutes-share next season, and he’ll still be in for a considerable amount of the time I’d think, and no matter what Cleveland does in free agency, with a full offseason heading into it and them getting him more on-ball work, Okoro’s offensive role should increase in Year 2.

Granted, he does need to be more efficient from three-point range on catch-and-shoot looks, and hitting 34.0 percent or so from there would be meaningful progress. The Cavs player development staff is more than capable of aiding him in that realm throughout the offseason however, and Okoro improving his handle some would be impactful.

But in a general sense, with Okoro reportedly being a tireless worker, like Sexton, and with Cleveland looking to get him some more opportunities out of the mid-post either way shooting/driving-wise, that can get him more interior looks from quick moves. The same could go for more free throw attempts, of which he did have a solid free throw rate of 28.1 percent in Year 1.

Moreover, while again I’m not saying we’ll see him with nearly the role of Garland and/or Sexton, or perhaps Green if he were to end up being Cleveland’s pick (whether or not he begins off the bench for a good bit), I’d still expect Okoro to be more involved on-ball next season.

In his second season, with a full offseason to work on his game, with his driving ability, feel for generating free throws and with a more assertive mindset seemingly, we should see a bigger offensive role for Isaac in 2021-22. There was noticeable growth from April-onward from him in Year 1, too.