The Cleveland Cavaliers had to bend over backward to get Peyton Watson to Northeast Ohio. He was (is) a rising star who showed plenty of promise in limited minutes with the Denver Nuggets, so he was worth the hassle.
As the team's new big-time addition and a high-flying guy with a sweet touch around the rim, he was expected to be the team's secondary scorer, with Donovan Mitchell leading the way. Six games into his Cavs tenure, that hasn't been the case.
Watson has taken double-digit shots three times in six games, but he's averaged roughly seven in the other three. That can't happen, and this team needs him to be much more aggressive if they want to take another leap forward.
Peyton Watson needs to trust his scoring touch
This isn't a case of him not getting enough touches or clean looks. He's actually had the ball in his hands quite often. He can flip the switch in no time, and he's a human wrecking ball when he drives to the rim; he's just not doing it as often as one would want.
Over six games, Watson has taken six, eight, 17, 13, 11, and seven shots. He's averaging just 10.8 points per game on 37.1/16.7/78.9 shooting splits, far below expectations. Also, it's no coincidence that he's scored in single digits every time he has taken single-digit shots.
Granted, the team has still played well with him in that role, but they didn't trade for him just to play defense and pass the ball. He's shown flashes of solid scoring, and his physicality might give this team the punch they've lacked for years.
With all due respect, this Cavs roster isn't the most bruising or the toughest. They've earned a reputation for being on the softer side of the spectrum, and even an all-world defender like Evan Mobley has been rattled and intimidated at times. Watson should bring some bully-ball to the equation to turn the narrative around.
There were some legitimate reasons to be skeptical about this move. He had looked great in Denver before his injury, but the sample size was limited, so maybe he was just a one-hit wonder who wouldn't live up to the hype.
That hasn't been the case so far, at least not when he's been more assertive and has tried to get himself going early in the game, though he should also try to get to the line more often to shake off the jitters. But the only way his confidence will grow is by making sure he gets some scripted looks, and that's on Kenny Atkinson.
It's way too early to be concerned about Watson's inconsistency and somewhat slow start to the season, and the team is doing well. But even the best things can be improved, and it's time to unleash the team's most flamboyant offseason addition.
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