Assessing Peyton Watson’s 2nd Appearance as a Cavalier

In that short clip, Watson was able to step on his toes, pick up Orlando’s Franz Wagner on the perimeter, and ultimately contain his dribble drive, forcing Wagner into a turnover. He grabbed the ball, raced down court and found Evan Mobley for an easy alley-oop finish on the other end.

This is an area that Cleveland struggled in last postseason, scoring the fewest fastbreak points per game (7.2) as well as the second fewest points in transition (13.4). Some of that is related to pace of play but much of it is rooted in the inability to force transition opportunities. Watson should immediately help in that regard as he scored 1.32 points per possession in transition, leading the Denver Nuggets in that area.

An offense creator in the making

Though he shot just 3/10 from the field, Watson’s comfort level with the ball in his hands is undeniable. He brought the ball up the floor and opted to drive into the interior of the defense. He opted for midrange pull-up jumpers in isolation. He tried his hand at a step-back or two. And he even broke out a few fadeaway jumpers.

In fact, 4 of the UCLA product’s shot attempts came from the midrange area. He made good on 2 of those 4. Having another player capable of creating his own offense from within a half-court setting could be a boon for this Cleveland team come the playoffs as defenses load up on the likes of Donovan Mitchell and James Harden. It’s a small sample size but though 2 preseason outings, he has fielded a usage rate of 19.6%.

If he can recapture his efficiency from 3PT range in the coming weeks, this starting unit has a chance to be truly special. Cleveland’s next preseason battle will occur against this very same Orlando Magic team, albeit on the road, at the Kia Center. Time will tell if Head Coach Kenny Aktinson plays his starters once more.