Last season, many of the Cleveland Cavaliers' best moments included stellar performances from unexpected contributors.
Craig Porter, Jr.'s impressive stretch as a backup point guard helped the Cavs stay afloat amid countless injuries, earning him an upgrade from a two-way deal to a standard contract. Porter's energy, defensive intensity and determined scoring pushed the Cavaliers over the top against the reigning NBA Champion Denver Nuggets.
Cleveland also enjoyed an outstanding fourth quarter performance from Dean Wade who dropped 20 points over the Boston Celtics to steal the win. In what was likely the most exciting regular season game of the year, the Cavs outlasted a star-studded Dallas Mavericks behind Max Strus' historic game winner. Strus' shot earned him the 2023-24 Play of the Year from House of Highlights as he knocked down a 58.6-foot buzzer beater.
Who, then, could be the Cavaliers to shock the world this year? With a roster fairly unchanged, fans will mostly have their minds decided toward Cleveland's best role players - both positive and negative. Still, Cleveland is sure to witness stunning performances by the supporting cast.
Georges Niang will bounce back with the Cavaliers
In his first season with the Cavaliers, Georges Niang may have ended up more of a disappointment than an exciting contributor as he saw a significant dip in long range efficiency and struggled mightily to hold his own defensively.
Admittedly, some of Niang's flaws will undoubtedly be present again. Niang was targeted by both opponents in the playoffs, exploiting his slow running and poor lateral quickness. Yet, Niang's career sharpshooting should give the franchise hope to see a return to form this year. Before joining the Cavs, Niang earned a career three-point percentage above 40 percent through seven seasons. With continued success as an accurate volume shooter, Niang could quickly surprise fans with confident shooting.
At times, Niang could find his stride. Against his former team, the Philadelphia 76ers, Niang set a career high of 33 points, draining 13 of his 14 field goal attempts on the night. While the veteran shooter has had plenty of low lights, he has shown he still has the ability to impact winning.
Much of Niang's struggle may be attributed to Cleveland's disjointed offense in general. The Cavaliers struggled to create open looks all year, relying too heavily on objectively predictable play calls and an overreliance on heroic efforts from the stars. If Kenny Atkinson can deliver on his promises of a more diverse offensive approach, Niang should easily emerge as a top bench shooter in the Cavs' forward rotation.