Cavaliers' Underrated 3-And-D Threat

The priceless 3-and-D position has become a valuable commodity in the NBA. Teams are eager to get a player who can consistently knock down threes and defend an opposing team's best player in this era of pace and space.

Just look at players such as P.J. Tucker, Alex Caruso, and Grant Williams who bring so much to their team without filling up the traditional stat categories.

The Cleveland Cavaliers have found one of the NBA's best 3-and-D players in the league and he's not getting the recognition he probably deserves.

So, let's do that now. Let's talk about Dean Wade.

Dean Wade's Offense

Wade is never going to be a player who's going to average 15 points a game. But quality isn't the goal when it comes to 3-and-D players, it's all about how efficient they are and that's something Dean has been for the Cavaliers.

He's currently averaging 3.4 points per game but is shooting 40% from behind the arc on almost four attempts a game. Cleveland is currently on a four-game road trip and Wade is shooting 77% (10-13) from three through the first three games of the trip.

Dean Wade's Defense

This is where the impact is really felt. Wade may seem like just another role player for those outside of Cleveland who don't watch the Cavs regularly. But the advanced numbers tell a completely different story.

Wade currently has a defensive rating of 104.6 which is the best in the entire NBA. BB Index also ranked him as the best wing-stopper in the league as of January 15. Wade has been tasked with guarding some of the best wings in the league in Evan Mobley's absence and he's doing that at an elite level.

It's hard to argue that Wade should be left out of Cleveland's rotation even after Mobley returns from his injury. His efficiency makes him a threat even when he's not scoring in bunches and Wade's defense opens up more opportunities for his teammates.