Cavs: 3 free agents to pursue after Lauri Markkanen signing

Cavs: 3 free agents to pursue after Lauri Markkanen signing – Garrison Mathews

If you regularly follow the content here on King James Gospel, then you know we are all-in on Garrison Mathews joining the team as a 3-and-D option on the wing. The former Washington Wizards player makes too much sense as a free agent target, would bring shooting pop off the bench, and has been one of the top fits available in free agency for weeks now.

Mathews is a 6’5″ shooting guard who went undrafted out of Lipscomb in 2019. He caught on with the Wizards on a two-way deal and played 82 games over the past two seasons for the team. This past year he played 64 of those, including 24 starts.

Mathews is a career 38.9 percent shooter, a high-level catch-and-shoot option with the versatility to run off screens and line up a shot on the move. His free throw shooting is elite at 89.1 percent, further undergirding his shooting ability.

Defensively Mathews is a tough guy to shake, playing with energy and intensity. He does go after live balls and racks up steals that way, but his primary approach is to simply stay glued to his man through any action the offense runs.

Mathews is 24, an unrestricted free agent and a player who fills a need seamlessly. The Cavs should absolutely bring him onto the roster, even if that means cutting Damyean Dotson to clear room.