Isaac Okoro discovered his potential and is thriving for Cleveland
In the final year of his rookie contract, 2020 draft prospect Isaac Okoro has broken past his limits and become a solidified threat on both ends of the court on the Cavaliers. Throughout the early years of his career, Okoro's fit on the Cavs was in peril as he could not find a feeling for the offensive side of the ball. From his rookie debut, the former Auburn wing displayed his elite defensive abilities. Cleveland trusted in Isaac's work ethic to develop a steady three-point shot, and he finally found his stride this year.
As both a starter and bench player, Okoro has set career-highs in points (9.4) and three-point percentage (38.8) while maintaining his defensive prowess and all-around effort. As the Cavs enter the playoffs, Okoro looks prepared to establish his reputation and silence the doubters after last year's playoff dud. For the past few seasons, Okoro's criticism was earned. Without any consistent offensive production, the Cavaliers' timeline seemed to have leapfrogged Okoro's own development. Now, Okoro has become indispensable for Cleveland in the offseason when he hits restricted free agency.
With Okoro's continued ability to shut down the rival's best scorer, the Cavs have happily enjoyed witnessing the immense growth out of the talented wing. Okoro deserves recognition for his efforts, both from the fanbase and from the front office in his next contract.
As the season winds down, the Cleveland Cavaliers have a lot of questions to answer but also have plenty to celebrate. No season is perfect, and players will rise and fall every year. The Cavaliers should emphasize the surprise talents this year and work to uplift their struggling teammates. The ultimate path forward for Cleveland will emerge as the offseason comes, hopefully after a long and exciting playoff run.