The Cavaliers didn’t go through all that trouble to land Peyton Watson just to watch him drift through games. Cleveland brought him in as a rising talent with real upside, a high-flying scorer who could finish around the rim and give Donovan Mitchell a reliable second option. Six games into his Cavaliers run, that part of the plan still hasn’t fully shown up.
Watson has flashed the kind of tools that made him worth the effort in the first place, but the volume has been uneven. He’s taken double-digit shots in three of his first six games, yet in the other three he’s hovered around seven attempts.
That kind of swing is part of the problem. If Cleveland wants to keep climbing, it needs Watson to be far more assertive.
The numbers back that up. His shot totals in those six games have been six, eight, 17, 13, 11, and seven.
He’s averaging 10.8 points per game while shooting 37.1/16.7/78.9. And when he stays in single-digit shot territory, the scoring follows the same pattern: single digits on the scoreboard.
This isn’t about him being invisible. Watson has had the ball plenty and has gotten looks.
The issue is that he hasn’t attacked often enough. When he does decide to go, he can change the pace in a hurry.
He’s a force going downhill, and when he gets to the rim, he looks like a human wrecking ball.
Cleveland has still played well with him in this role, but the trade wasn’t made for him to be just another defender or a connector. He’s shown enough scoring touch to suggest there’s more here, and his physical style could give this group a different edge.
The Cavaliers have long carried a reputation for being a little soft, and even Evan Mobley has at times been rattled and intimidated. Watson has the kind of bully-ball presence that could help shift that image.
There were fair reasons to wonder if this would work. Watson had looked strong in Denver before his injury, but the sample was small enough to raise questions about whether the hype would hold up. So far, the answer has leaned positive, especially when he’s been aggressive early and tried to establish himself from the opening minutes.
He could also help himself by getting to the line more often and settling into the game that way. But confidence usually starts with touches, and that part falls on Kenny Atkinson. Watson needs some scripted looks to get rolling.
It’s still too early to make a big deal out of his uneven start, especially with the Cavaliers playing well overall. But there’s room for more, and Cleveland should be leaning into it. Watson is the team’s most eye-catching offseason addition, and it’s time to let him go.
In Other News...
Jarrett Allen Is Making Cleveland's Trade Calls Look Ridiculous
Jarrett Allen has been one of the steadier reasons the Cavaliers have stayed on track since he arrived in Cleveland during the 2020-21 season, and this year he has only strengthened that case. His scoring and rebounding have ticked up, his shot selection has looked sharper, and even his willingness to step outside and test a three-point shot has added a new layer to what he brings every night.
The bigger point for Cleveland is how closely Allens production keeps lining up with winning. He has remained a defensive anchor, and his early-season block numbers have underscored just how much ground he can cover around the rim. For a team that once had to wonder whether the move for him would age well, Allen keeps making those old trade calls look more and more lopsided. [Read more 🡒]
Cavs Closing Decisions Made This Thunder Loss Even Tougher
The Cavaliers and Thunder spent most of the night trading punches in a game that felt like it could swing on every possession, with 23 lead changes underscoring just how tight it was. Cleveland had to juggle its rotation without Jaylon Tyson and Peyton Watson, which pushed the staff toward multiple three-guard looks and made every closing decision feel a little more delicate than usual.
Meleek Thomas was part of that equation in a big way, making his first NBA start and giving Cleveland a useful burst of energy and production in extended minutes. Even with that kind of contribution, the final stretch still came down to execution and shot-making, and the Cavaliers were left with a loss that stung because they were right there until the end. [Read more 🡒]
Cleveland Cant Afford To Lose This Rare Power Bat
Clevelands offseason conversation has already turned to payroll, but Terry Pluto is making the case that one of the clubs rare right-handed power sources should be near the top of the spending list. Jo Adell arrived in the middle of the season and immediately filled a need the Guardians have struggled to solve, giving them a bat with the kind of pop that can change a lineups shape even when the overall numbers are modest.
Adell hit .244 with a .740 OPS in 48 regular-season games, and Plutos point was less about the stat line than the fit. With the Guardians facing budget limits and another round of labor uncertainty ahead, he argued the front office should be willing to absorb the arbitration cost if it means keeping a hitter who brings a skill set the roster does not have much of, especially when compared with other pending decisions such as free agent Foster Griffin. [Read more 🡒]