It's looking very possible that Sam Merrill could end up getting his wish and earning quite a bit more playing time with the Cleveland Cavaliers in the upcoming season. Things are lining up for the young guard to become a much more regular contributor in Kenny Atkinson's rotation.
There's a couple of indicators as to why this might end up being the case. Firstly, we've of course seen some changes to the Cavs' roster since the last time they took the hardwood back in May. One of the biggest being that Ty Jerome will now be wearing the Memphis Grizzlies' colors.
That alone is going to open up more opportunities and minutes in the backcourt. There will be plenty of competition during training camp and preseason, and it'll be the perfect opportunity for Merrill to prove himself worthy of more time on the court next season.
Sam Merrill is in line for a bigger role in 2025-26
Jerome's ball-handling, playmaking and sharp shooting were big for Cleveland's backcourt during their 64-win regular season last year. That production is going to be missed, but Merrill will be able to contribute toward replacing it. It's those kind of offseason moves that often leaves guys further down the bench raising their eyebrows, knowing what kind of positive situation it creates for them.
And that brings me to my second point. The Cavaliers' biggest addition in the backcourt this summer was Lonzo Ball, and it's not like he's about to come in and immediately take up 30 minutes per night in the rotation. Ball is still getting back to his baseline level of comfortability after a prolonged absence from the court, so he'll be a part of Cleveland's equation, but he doesn't represent a gigantic solution just yet.
So with that in mind, it reinforces the idea that there figures to be plenty of minutes to be competed for. Merrill's going to have a great chance of earning his way into a regular role without a whole lot of high-quality competition. And then you have to consider as well the individual improvement Sam has made himself.
Merill played in 132 games for the Cavs over the course of the last two seasons. Prior to that, he only appeared in 41 NBA games over the previous three seasons. Last year, he played nearly 20 minutes a night. That goes to show how much his contributions continue to increase in value. If his progression continues, it's easy to see him playing at least 23-25 minutes a night for Cleveland in 2025-26.