Cavaliers coach Kenny Atkinson sounds off on Sam Merrill's start to 2025 season

Sam Merrill is at the top of his game right now.

On Sunday, Oct. 26, the 29-year-old sharp-shooting guard was incredibly impactful for the Cleveland Cavaliers. He scored 17 points, hauled in three rebounds and dished off one assist in the team's win over the Milwaukee Bucks. Just a game before, he posted a season-high 22 points and five assists.

He is currently averaging 19.3 points per game on 9.7 three-point attempts, placing him seventh in the NBA, while shooting the deep ball at an effective 51.7% which is eleventh. To say he's on fire right now in place of injured teammates would be an understatement. Merrill has been outright game-changing.

This sentiment has been echoed by his head coach, Kenny Atkinson, after his strong start to the 2025-26 season.

“I mean the guys probably been our best player over the first 3 games, quite simply, on both ends," he said.

Merrill took the high road, playing down his head coach's comments.

"He's probably not right," Merrill joked. "We have guys that have a lot more difficult roles but I am glad he sees it."

The front office resigned him to a four-year, $38 million contract in June of this past offseason. The deal not only showed the trust the Cavaliers have in him, but also the belief in his development possibilities, locking him down through the 2028-29 season.

Kenny Atkinson said that Sam Merrill has been the #Cavs best player so far this season

Here was Sam’s reaction: pic.twitter.com/4VscguDcSD
— Tony Pesta (@Tony_Pesta) October 27, 2025

The Cavaliers currently sit 2-1 on the young 2025-26 campaign, and have been relying upon Merrill, superstar Donovan Mitchell and veteran Lonzo Ball to help lead the guard play for the team. Injured guards Darius Garland and Max Strus are still weeks away from returning to the court.

Merrill has stepped up to help offensively as not only a scorer, but also a playmaker, all while being the stalwart defensively with constant pressure. His speed has been unable to be matched by opposing teams.

The rest of the Cavaliers' roster, including Mitchell, has taken note of just how impactful he has been.

"He is very vocal, which is huge," Mitchell said. "He comes in there every day, picking up full-court, being a pest and then obviously knocking down threes. It's great to continue to have that type of leadership."

On 29 attempts this season, Merrill has hit 15 three-pointers for an average of 51.7% from deep. Those numbers have been incredible for the Cavaliers' offense that is looking to continue spacing the floor and being a dynamic offense.

While his usage will certainly take a slight hit when everybody returns healthy, he has made a great case to see more regular type on the court moving forward.

"He's consistent in everything he does and has the respect of everyone in this locker room," Mitchell said.

The Cavaliers next shift gears and prepare to take on the Detroit Pistons on Monday, Oct. 27, with tip-off slated for 7:00 p.m.

The Cavaliers won 3-of-4 games between the two sides in the 2024-25 campaign, marking just one loss for the team since the 2021-22 season for a total of 11 wins in 12 meetings.