Cavs NBA Draft: How Jalen Suggs can elevate Darius Garland’s game

Cavs: Examining Suggs’ potential pick-and-roll impact/how that’d help Garland

Over the last five years or so, the pick-and-roll in the NBA has gotten more and more important. While the Cavaliers already have Garland and Allen running the play, the addition of Suggs could make that pick-and-roll combination even more deadly. Just the idea of Suggs spotting up while Garland and Allen run the pick-and-roll is exciting.

As I stated earlier, Suggs is no slouch when it comes to shooting. With that in mind, it’s easy to imagine Garland and Allen, or really whoever, running the screen-and-roll from one wing, and Suggs spotting up in the opposite corner. If Garland can attack the screener’s defender, it could cause a whole lot of problems for opposing teams.

Albeit it’s possible that the even bigger problem for opponents might be if Suggs and Allen run the play, and Garland spots up.

Often throughout his season with Gonzaga, one could see how patient Suggs was with reading the pick-and-roll. Instead of attacking both players when they’d double team, Suggs would use his patience and vision to take a step back and find an open man in the corner for a three. I know I’ve said it a lot, but there’s no reason that wouldn’t work in the NBA, with Garland spotting up opposite.

Not only would Suggs take Garland’s play to the next level, but it’s very possible he could do the same for Jarrett Allen. Suggs’ instincts and anticipation are incredible, and that’d make a big difference for Allen as the roll man. Suggs really is a triple threat in that position initiating in PnR situations.

He can come off the screen and attack the hoop himself. He could also be patent and wait until he sees Garland or another shooter in the corner, and make the skip pass to them. Finally, right now Allen’s offensive game is a bit of a work in progress. Suggs should make an instant impact on Garland’s game, but over time he could also make Allen a real threat on the offensive side of the ball.

As I’ve said, I’m just not a fan of Evan Mobley. I do think he’s valuable and at worst he will be a great rim protector. But after watching some of Suggs’ film, one can easily see how he could help out multiple players on the Cavs. I mean, just look at the instant impact he had on an already good Gonzaga team.

In the end, the Cavaliers need to evaluate all of the top players in the 2021 NBA Draft. Personally, I think if the front office can make a trade involving Collin Sexton, fans would be more than happy to replace him with Suggs.