Cleveland Cavaliers: 3 positive takeaways from minicamp so far

2. Dylan Windler’s debut

The most forgotten player of the 2019 NBA Draft, Dylan Windler was seen as one of the best sharpshooters in his class but was unable to make his professional debut due to multiple leg injuries.

Finally, after roughly a full year of rehabilitating, Windler is back in action for the Cleveland Cavaliers. He has participated in 5-on-5 scrimmages all week long for the team and is looking like he could be the missing piece they needed.

Windler’s specialty is 3-point shooting. He drilled 100 total 3-pointers on a sky-high 42.9 percent shooting as a senior in college. His volume and efficiency increase each year at Belmont. Windler’s transition to the NBA should be effortless in this category.

At 6’6″, Windler has good size and will fit in nicely on the wing for Cleveland. He was an above-average rebounder in college, hauling in 10.9 rebounds per game in his final season. Though he isn’t a great athlete, his long arms and sound fundamentals make him a reliable defender.

It shouldn’t take long for Windler to step in and improve the Cavaliers. The team ranked 21st in 3-pointers per game last season and shot just 35.1 percent as a roster. They connected on the 7th fewest catch-and-shoot opportunities as no one outside of Kevin Love and Cedi Osman was a consistent threat in these scenarios.

According to Kelsey Russo of The Athletic (subscription required), Windler’s teammates are excited to see him in action. Larry Nance Jr. called him a ‘deadeye’ while general manager Koby Altman stated he is thrilled to have a super-efficient player added to his roster.

Windler will change all of this with his presence. Windler can act as an extra option for Cleveland’s guards to pass to on their drives. Expect the 24-year-old to have a surprisingly productive rookie season.