Cleveland Cavaliers: 2 key sellers for FA target Alex Caruso

#2: Less Garland playmaking load for the Cavs, but he could also get more off-ball opportunities

Secondly, Caruso could lessen Garland’s playmaking workload. Whether or not Sexton is traded, in the event Isaac Okoro were to move more so to the 2 in that case it’d seem, Caruso in minutes off the bench could help run things in non-Garland minutes, for one.

He’s not a player that is Matthew Dellavedova or McConnell in terms of vision, but he would be suitable as a bench 1 for stretches, and could aid in getting shooters involved.

And if Sexton sticks around, he could work in spurts with him, and in pick-and-roll, Caruso does have the feel and requisite timing to hit rollers/lob threats such as Jarrett Allen/Evan Mobley/Larry Nance Jr. as a counter to initiate productive ball-swings/sprayouts.

So in that sense, Caruso, who had a decent 4.7 assists per-36 minutes last season (you have to factor in Dennis Schroder and LeBron), could more than get the job done as a backup playmaking presence, I would think.

Now, Caruso, who has had 5.9 points in 18.9 minutes per outing in his career with LA, is not going to be a player that I’d expect to be a key scoring bench presence for Cleveland if he’s signed, but he could play some with Garland, too. And Caruso could help Garland, who is a polished shooter, get more off-ball opportunities.

Caruso is a pass-first player that, while Sexton has improved as a passer, could be able to help generate more off-movement shot chances for Garland than Collin, as Caruso has better feel for hitting skip feeds than Sexton in that realm, and/or seeks out movement shooters more, comparatively, when he’s in.

So that last bit is something I’d consider part of a selling point for Caruso for Cleveland as well, for what it’s worth. Albeit unlike McConnell, who I wouldn’t think could play with Garland much, Caruso, with the defensive element, could for spurts; both could play with Sexton more so, though, I’d think.

But overall, Caruso, given the reasons stated, I could foresee the Cavs potentially signing; we’d have to see as far as the interest, of course.

And as a brief side note, while Caruso was arrested last month at Easterwood Airport in College Station, Texas before trying to board a flight for possession of marijuana and drug paraphernalia, it was reportedly related to less than two ounces of marijuana. He was released after posting bond seemingly soon after, per online records and as noted by ESPN, and I wouldn’t imagine this would be a huge red flag or anything to the Cavs.

That arrest shouldn’t weigh into things, and based on Fedor’s report, I wouldn’t expect it to.

We’ll see as far as Caruso and the Cavaliers regarding upcoming free agency, anyhow.