How Sam Merrill can live up to his $38 million deal with Cleveland Cavaliers

Cleveland is eager to ascend to the top of the basketball world rankings and win the championship for the first time since 2016. This offseason, the Cavaliers focused on finding the right players they can pair up with their core to give the team the firepower needed for winning a championship.

Considering multiple player contracts coming to a close, they needed to decide on who they want to stick around and who they are willing to let walk in free agency. Sam Merrill and Ty Jerome were two players that drew in questions on what the Cavs were going to do with them. Letting Jerome walk left some confused and was seen as an overreaction from the organization following his poor playoff performance that helped aid Cleveland’s elimination.

Adding to the confusion, the Cavaliers signed Sam Merrill to a four-year, $38 million contract extension instead of Jerome. They play similar positions to each other, both being guards, leaving the question of why Merrill stayed and Jerome walked.

Since he’s been paid, he’s done nothing except prove he was worth the money. Considering it’s a small sample size of games and there’s still a ton of time before we know if the deal was worth it or not.

As it stands right now, he’s shooting career highs in points, three-point percentage, and field goal percentage. He has been extremely productive for the Cavs and picking up the extra slack until the lineup can get healthy.

He’s carved out a terrific role for himself on a very competitive team and is contributing to winning. Not much more you ask of your shooter. If the Cavs have any chance of getting to that next level, Sam Merrill is going to be a valuable piece to the team.

He has to stay consistent if they want to win, especially during the playoffs. If he can keep it up, it’s going to make the Cavs that much more dangerous. Providing elite spacing and a player you cannot leave to help double a star player.

On the defensive side of the ball, he’s not in any conversations to be an all-defensive player or anything. Although he has done a lot of work to improve and not be a liability on that side of the ball. Teams won’t be able to straight up attack him on that end of the court.

Merrill has done a tremendous job rounding himself out as a valuable player who can play a ton of meaningful minutes on almost every team. It’s very early into this season and a lot can change. There’s an opportunity for this to be one of the most pivotal re-signs in the league.

Only time will tell how big of an impact he will have. If his hot start is any kind of foreshadowing, the Cavs may have decided right.