Veteran wing Sam Merrill has undergone an incredible transformation since joining the Cleveland Cavaliers.
When the Cavs first discovered Merrill as he bounced between the NBA and G League, his sole talent teams targeted was his three-point shooting. Merrill rarely filled any role other than a spot-up shooting specialist. While a valuable skill, few franchises gave Merrill a real opportunity to secure a long-term spot in the league.
Cleveland, though, had the perfect need for Merrill in 2022 when he signed a two-way contract. His deadeye shooting quickly raised him to the top of the Charge's roster, and as the Cavaliers reignited their playoff contention, a wing shooter like Merrill was a must-have addition. Over his five NBA years, Merrill has shot a consistent 38.6 percent from deep on increasingly high volume. Last season, he shot 37.2 percent on more than five attempts per night.
Though originally a one-dimensional player, Merrill has developed into a solid all-around contributor, offering playmaking and defensive alongside his shooting. Stepping into the biggest role of his career last season, Merrill served as a guard and wing, keeping the ball moving on offense and shooting from deep while defending many of the best opposing scorers on the other end.
Merrill's improve defense has been one of the most impactful yet underrated developments to the Cavs. Discovering and developing a 3-and-D wing like Merrill gives Cleveland's offense an instant boost off the bench and a trustworthy 2/3 wing to pair with Donovan Mitchell and Darius Garland.
Cleveland's trust and patience with Merrill influenced him to sign a four-year, $38 million contract to stay around rather than testing the free agent market. Now that Merrill has reciprocated the Cavs' loyalty, the team must put him in the best opportunity to help the team succeed. This offseason may have finally given Cleveland that chance.
With the addition of Lonzo Ball, though, Merrill's role and defensive duty will change again this year. Rather than entrusting a heavy burden on defense, Merrill can lean on Ball to be a perfect secondary defensive stopper and a lethal shooter.
The Cavaliers had to rely on Merrill's defense too much last year
With a backcourt rotation of Mitchell, Garland, Ty Jerome and Merrill, the Cavaliers were heavily limited on perimeter defense. Isaac Okoro was often left as the sole defensive anchor until Merrill grew into a positive defender. As Okoro's playing time diminished with his poor offensive growth, though, Merrill's defensive burden expanded.
Though Merrill is a quality defender, he is most valuable as a help defender on the wing rather than a point-of-attack defender. Giving him the hardest assignment on the perimeter stretched his talents thin, at times making him look underwhelming when he was tasked for too much. In the right position, Merrill can be one of Cleveland's most valuable defensive talents with his innate hustle and smart team play. Last season, though, the Cavs' shallow defensive depth forced Merrill to play outside of his comfort zone.
Despite a relatively deep rotation and a wealth of good role players, too many Cavaliers last season were specialists who were not effective on both ends of the court. Okoro was only a defender, and Jerome's skillset rarely impacted anything but scoring. With Lonzo Ball, and in a smaller way Larry Nance, Jr., the perimeter hardest defensive assignments will rarely fall onto Merrill.
Cleveland can maximize Merrill's two-way talent as a bench contributor alongside Lonzo, maximizing his sharpshooting and placing him in a secondary defensive role. Being a help defender instead of forcing his fit as a point-of-attack defender will unlock the best version of Merrill the Cavaliers have seen.
Growing from a three-point specialist to a legitimate 3-and-D veteran has revitalized Sam Merrill's NBA career. As he continues to help the Cleveland Cavaliers establish themselves as one of the premier Eastern Conference teams of the 2020's, his altered role on defense will serve as a sneakily perfect improvement next season.