Sam Merrill has become one of the Cavaliers’ most important pieces, and his value goes well beyond the 3-point line.
His role has grown every season since he arrived late in the 2022-23 campaign, and Cleveland’s results have tracked closely with his availability. In 52 games during the 2025-26 season, the Cavs went 37-15.
Without him, they were a .500 team, and the gap was even more obvious when he sat. His postseason impact also showed up in the biggest moments, especially with the charges he drew against Ausar Thompson in Game 7, including one that resulted in a flagrant and helped tilt the series in Cleveland’s favor.
Merrill’s versatility is a big part of why he matters so much. At 6-foot-4, he can handle bigger assignments when the Cavaliers need him to, and he said at media day that he’s ready for just about any job.
“I'll play anywhere. You wanna play me at center, I'll play.”
That mindset fits the way he’s been used. The Utah State product logged heavy minutes at small forward a season ago and said he’d do it again. He’s guarded bigger players, handled the ball at times instead of just moving without it, and even put in work on his cutting last season, which opened up more scoring chances than he had the year before.
There was also a strong case that Merrill could have done even more if not for a shooting hand injury during the season. That setback cost him games and may have cost Cleveland a few more wins and a better seed, too. Still, he finished with nearly 13 points per game, a new career high.
His shooting remains one of his defining traits, and he explained at media day how his mechanics have evolved since entering the league.
“My form has always been pretty natural. Growing up playing, it's kind of how it formed for me, but I've definitely worked on it since I've been in the NBA to get a slightly quicker release. That's just from doing a lot of drills.”
Merrill’s path to this point wasn’t instant. He needed time to stick in the league, and Cleveland was the fourth team he played for in just three seasons. The right opening eventually came through the G-League, and by year two he had earned his way into the rotation.
Now he looks like a player the Cavaliers can’t do without if they want to reach the goals they’re chasing. Entering another year in The Land, Merrill stands as a serious Sixth Man of the Year candidate, and the Cavs know exactly what they’re getting: a shooter, a connector and a player willing to do whatever it takes.
In Other News...
Dean Wades First 76ers Comments Will Sting Cavaliers Fans
Dean Wades move from Cleveland to Philadelphia already made for an awkward summer subplot, and his first comments as a 76er only sharpened it. After leaving the Cavaliers in free agency, Wade signed a four-year deal with the Sixers and spoke about wanting a chance to compete for a championship, a familiar pitch for any veteran changing uniforms but one that still lands differently when it comes after years in Cleveland.
For Cavaliers fans, the sting is less about the contract and more about the timing and the role he is expected to play in Philadelphia. Wade was part of Clevelands recent playoff run and gave the Cavs valuable minutes along the way, so seeing him head elsewhere with an eye on a title chase leaves another reminder of how thin the margin can be for a team trying to stay in the contender conversation. [Read more 🡒]
Donovan Mitchell Distances Himself From Cavaliers Summer Addition
Donovan Mitchell made it clear this week that he was not involved in bringing Peyton Watson to Cleveland, a small but notable footnote to the Cavaliers busy summer. Watson arrived on a four-year, $88 million deal as the kind of three-and-D wing the roster has been built to value, giving the Cavs another versatile piece as they try to firm up the edges of a contender.
Mitchells clarification doesnt change the bigger picture for Cleveland, which added Watson with the expectation that he can help on both ends right away. But it does add a little intrigue to how the move came together, and to how the Cavaliers are distributing credit as they keep shaping a team they believe can chase a championship next season. [Read more 🡒]
Why The Cavaliers Made This Preseason Feel Different
The Cavaliers preseason has been part of a bigger Cleveland sports conversation lately, even with the Guardians celebrating an AL Central title and the Browns dealing with another round of questions about Deshaun Watson and their defense. On a recent podcast episode that ranged across the citys teams, the Cavs came up as part of the fall sports picture, with their preseason work drawing attention alongside talk of the Guardians Division Series plans and broader trends around the game.
For Cleveland fans, that kind of crossover matters because it gives the Cavaliers a place in the citys current sports mood, not just as a separate basketball team but as part of an all-around stretch of local intrigue. The preseason always brings some anticipation, but this one has felt a little different because the conversation around the team is happening in a season where everything else in town seems to be moving too, from baseball to football to the wider sports issues being debated on air. [Read more 🡒]