Did Cavs spend $26 million on an Odyssey or a Grand Caravan?

The Cons of Signing Georges Niang

Georges Niang is a good shooter. He’s a good teammate. He plays hard. At this point, the accolades for Niang have mostly been used up. It’s a credit to his shooting that he earned such a contract from the Cavaliers, but if they aren’t careful his weaknesses could push him out of the rotation and ensure his $26 million salary is dead weight.

Defensively, Niang lacks any sort of a punch. He totaled just 30 steals and 14 blocks over 78 games last season, and he is easily caught wrong-footed and driven past when defending in isolation. He had a negative Defensive Box-Plus Minus and the 76ers were outscored during his time on the court.

Niang is not a particularly good passer, finisher or isolation player. He’s a mediocre defender. A team has to use him in one specific way — as a shooting forward with versatile defenders around him. If they do, he can thrive. Yet even so, the hoops that need to be leaped through may not be worth it in the long run.

Georges Niang has a lot to prove as to whether or not he can be a two-way presence or simply a one-trick gunner. The Cavaliers spent a lot of money this summer; they need to hope that the money they spent on Niang isn’t wasted.