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Cleveland Cavaliers: 8 quality free agents who will accelerate rebuild

By Tony Pesta

SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA - FEBRUARY 10: Derrick Jones Jr. #5 of the Miami Heat looks on in the first half against the Golden State Warriors at Chase Center on February 10, 2020 in San Francisco, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Lachlan Cunningham/Getty Images)
SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA - FEBRUARY 10: Derrick Jones Jr. #5 of the Miami Heat looks on in the first half against the Golden State Warriors at Chase Center on February 10, 2020 in San Francisco, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Lachlan Cunningham/Getty Images) /
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Washington Wizards,
Washington Wizards, /

4. Davis Bertans

Few players across the league have had a more surprising season than Davis Bertans. A hidden gem on the San Antonio Spurs for three seasons, the 27-year-old nearly doubled his points per game with the Washington Wizards.

It’s rare for a player this old to randomly begin making a difference. But, everything fell perfectly into place for Bertans to succeed with the Wizards. He is one of only two power forwards on the roster, the other being rookie Rui Hachimura. Washington’s lack of depth at this position freed up playing time for the former role player.

Bertans played almost 30 minutes per game this season and averaged 15.4 points and 5.4 rebounds. He torched his way into the NBA’s 3-point contest by drilling over 40 percent of his 400 total 3-point attempts this season.

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In terms of stretch-bigs, you won’t find a much better option than Bertans. A total of four forwards have drilled more than 180 3-pointers on above 40 percent shooting this season.  Of that group, only Duncan Robinson has made more than Bertans. The same goes for catch-and-shoot opportunities, where Bertans and Robinson lead every position in 3-point field goals by a wide margin.

As a result, the Wizards boast the third-best shooting percentage on catch-and-shoot 3-pointers while Bertans holds a higher offensive rating than Bradley Beal, the Wizards leading scorer and third-highest scorer in the league.

His skill set aligns nicely with one of the Cavaliers’ biggest needs: shooting. The Cavs found themselves at the bottom of most shooting statistics last season and will need a player such as Bertans to solve this issue.

Bertans is currently in the last year of a two-year, $14 million dollar deal. While his performance this season has rightfully earned him a bigger raise, the Cavaliers will have to persuade him to sign a one-year deal for roughly $9 million. This is a possibility, as executives around the league believe players will be interested in short-term deals in order to hit the market again next year when the financial fallout of COVID is hopefully over.

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