3 Cavs who can seize a rotation spot in preseason: Cedi Osman
It’s weird to think of longtime Cavaliers swingman Cedi Osman being outside of the rotation, but that’s where he ended up down the stretch last season. A myriad of injuries often opened up the path to the court for Osman, but it became clear that when everyone was healthy, head coach J.B. Bickerstaff wanted to go elsewhere with those minutes.
Osman is ostensibly a 3-and-D wing with some ball-handling and passing chops, but in reality, he’s more equally mediocre than a versatile jack-of-all-trades. He’s a below-average shooter from basically everywhere on the floor, he frequently gets bodied out of the way on defense, and he doesn’t bring much in terms of highlight plays on either end of the court.
The Cavs head into this season with a big hole at small forward, and Osman is one of a crowded collection of options, none of whom fit exceptionally well into the slot. There is a path for Osman to get that spot, or at the very least the backup position, but to do so will require a very strong showing in the preseason.
If Osman demonstrates his defensive impact and deploys an accurate outside shot, he could earn a chance to rejoin the rotation. If it’s just more of the same for Osman, then there are enough other options that he could easily be the odd man out.