Newest Cavalier already underrated for his best skill

With Peyton Watson officially the newest member of the Cleveland Cavaliers' core, discussion surrounding his arrival has focused on his fit with the existing stars and potential impact.

The new Cavalier's contract sits at $88 million over four years. He is viewed as the long-desired fifth starter and a potential future star of the team. The Cavs have invested in a young developing player, making his arrival a point of much discussion. His high price point and Cleveland's desperate search for a starting wing has justifiably led to speculation as to his fit and production.

Watson will slot in as the Cavs' starting small forward, replacing veterans Max Strus and Dean Wade who left the franchise this summer. The 23-year-old forward will play a variety of roles offensively, playing as an off-ball and on-ball scorer. Defensively, his duties will be masking the flaws holding the current backcourt of Donovan Mitchell and James Harden back.

Cleveland's newest wing talent will be challenged on both ends of the court to fill the needs the franchise has needed since acquiring Mitchell in 2022. For most of that time, Strus served as the starting forward to finish the starting five. In the deal to acquire Watson, Strus was moved to the LA Clippers, making Watson a direct replacement in both the trade and the starting lineup.

Watson already has motivation for next year

For Watson to have a successful Cavs tenure, he will be compared to Strus' impact as a hustle player and volume shooter. Despite Watson's improved shooting last season, he still took noticeably fewer shots than his predecessor. Offensively, Watson will serve a similar but alternate role to Strus. Defensively, however, Watson must make the most impact to outperform Strus.

In a recent episode of the Game Theory Podcast with Sam Vecenie, the titular host gave a contradictory take on Watson and Cleveland.

Vecenie's co-host Bryce Simon (also known as MotorCity Hoops) broke down concern that Watson cannot fill the point-of-attack defensive role enough to surmount both Wade and Strus. In the middle of Simon's analysis, Vecenie cuts in to plainly state that Strus is a better defender than Watson.

The senior analyst of The Athletic continued his critiques of Watson's defense, comparing him to Minnesota Timberwolves wing Jaden McDaniels and claiming the defensvie gap is "pretty big" without hesitation.

Vecenie's confident dismissal of Watson not only fails the eye test, but it is statistically incorrect. Last season, Watson not only showed offensive growth, but he displayed continued defensive prowess. During his March run as the Denver Nuggets' leading scorer, his defensive impact did take a step back. Outside of that run, though, Watson has been one of the league's best wing defenders.

On the perimeter, Watson ranked in the 97th percentile for perimeter isolation defense and 86th percentile in ball screen navigation, per Bball-Index (subscription required). His defensive impact also extends to the paint, ranking in the 99th percentile of block percentage for wings last year.

Though Watson is not a perennial lock for All-Defensive Team, his progression over four seasons in the league have proven him to be a perfect fit for Cleveland's defensive needs. His shot blocking and perimeter navigation will bolster the Cavs' defense well beyond what the team has seen in recent years.

Strus served well as Cleveland's POA defensive leader, but Watson is undeniably ahead of him. The Cavaliers valued Strus' energy and physicality, but the team still recognized his liabilities, replacing him with Wade in the starting lineup for more size and defense. Watson, however, will not need a replacement to balance out the defense.

Vecenie is a veteran voice in the NBA and has earned respect for his balanced takes on the league. His Watson perspective misses the mark, but it should only serve as motivation for Watson and the Cleveland Cavaliers.

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