4 Signings Cleveland Cavaliers will regret come January
By Tyler Watts
3. Georges Niang
The Cavaliers targeted Niang and quickly announced a contract after free agency opened on June 30. The 6’7 forward gives Cleveland a different look, especially after the departure of Cedi Osman. Niang primarily plays the four and allows them to slide Evan Mobley to the five and put four shooters around him.
The 30-year-old is an extremely consistent marksman. He is a career 40.3 percent 3-point shooter, who has connected on north of 40 percent for five straight years. Teams cannot leave Niang open, which should create more space for Donovan Mitchell, Darius Garland, and Evan Mobley to attack.
Georges Niang helps his team space the floor but struggles to offer anything else. He averaged 8.2 points, 2.4 rebounds, and 1.0 assist in 19.4 minutes per game last season. The 6’7 forward has never played more than 22.8 minutes each night over an entire year and has issues on the defensive end.
The Cleveland Cavaliers were 19th in 3-pointers made last season and finished with the best defensive rating in the league. They can afford to give away some defense to improve their floor spacing, but Niang does not offer enough rebounding, playmaking, or versatility to play more than 25 minutes per game. The lack of playing time and other skills will have Cleveland regretting the three-year $25.5 million deal he signed this summer.