On the verge of free agency, Sam Merrill has reportedly struck an agreement to return to the Cleveland Cavaliers. According to ESPN’s Shams Charania, the deal will be worth $38 million over four years.

Merrill was part of a deep regular season rotation for the Cavs, hitting 37.2 percent of his 5.2 three-point attempts per game. He was the 60th pick in the 2020 NBA Draft.

In combination with the Lonzo Ball acquisition, this deal now makes it extremely likely that Ty Jerome is on his way out. Jerome was a Sixth Man of the Year candidate but the Cavs now have positional depth and are financially strapped.

There were concerns regarding Jerome’s playoff performances where his size and defense was exposed.

Cleveland was an elite three-point shooting team last season and will now expect to maintain that.

Can Merrill Offer Cavs More Moving Forward?

Jerome wasn’t the only one who looked a bit exposed in a postseason environment. Merrill will also need to find ways to improve defensively to make him more viable.

His path to being more playoff sturdy will lie in some strengthening as well improving his quickness, if possible. At the end of the day, he is 29 and so the quickness aspect of it may prove a challenge.

Other facets Merrill could look to improve are his rebounding and playmaking. He is an absolute sniper shooting the ball, but the playoffs magnify a player’s weaknesses in a unique way.

At the end of the day, Merrill holds strong value in the regular season at the very least. The 82-game season is a grind and you need players who can help manage the load of the stars going into the playoffs.

Donovan Mitchell saw his load lightened this past season and Merrill helped contribute to that.

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