Last season, the Cleveland Cavaliers stood among the worst shooting teams in the NBA.
Cleveland checked in among the bottom third of the league in field goal percentage (25th, 45.0), three-pointers made (29th, 730), and in three-point percentage (30th, 33.6).
The Cavaliers were the NBA’s worst scoring team overall, ranking 30th in both points per game (103.8) and total points scored (7476).
To help organize the offense, Cleveland added Ricky Rubio on draft night.
The team traded Taurean Prince, a 2022 second-round pick, and cash to the Minnesota Timberwolves for the veteran point guard.
While Rubio doesn’t help the Cavs’ shooting woes, considering his 32.5 percent career three-point clip, the 31-year-old will stabilize the backcourt and provide veteran leadership for Darius Garland and Collin Sexton.
But Cleveland needs shooters, and there are still several available on the free agent market.
3. Sviatoslav Mykhailiuk
Sviatoslav Mykhailiuk entered the league as the No. 47 overall pick in the 2018 NBA draft by the Los Angeles Lakers.
The Ukrainian-native played collegiately at the University of Kansas, hitting over 40 percent of his three-point attempts throughout his four-year career.
As a senior with the Jayhawks, Mykhailiuk netted 44.4 percent of this threes.
Despite his success at the collegiate level, the 6-foot-7 shooter has bounced around the NBA throughout his career.
So far, Mykhailiuk has made 36.2 percent of his three-point attempts, but with the Detroit Pistons in 2019-20, he knocked down 40.4 percent from three on 5.1 attempts per game.
That season, Mykhailiuk averaged nine points per game.
After a trade to the Oklahoma City Thunder last season, Mykhailiuk found additional opportunities to see the floor, and parlayed that into a 10.3 points per game average.
While Mykhailiuk is not a shot-creator by any stretch, as a floor spacer, he could thrive playing alongside ball-dominant guards in Sexton and Garland.
2. Garrison Mathews
Garrison Mathews might be an unheralded free agent, but the 6-foot-5 wing would provide the Cavs with a knock-down shooter.
Mathews made it to the NBA on a two-way contract with the Washington Wizards after going undrafted in 2019.
The former Lipscomb star netted over 40 percent of his three-point attempts as a senior, and over 37 percent during his four-year run there.
With the Wizards, Mathews thrived through limited opportunities.
Last season, Mathews made 38.4 percent of his three-point attempts for the Wizards and proved to be a dogged defender on the perimeter.
Mathews started 24 games for Washington and could play either at shooting guard or small forward for the Cavaliers.
As a three-point marksman, Mathews would be an upgrade over Damyean Dotson, who made just 28 percent of his threes.
Mathews could supplement Cedi Osman‘s time (and his 30 percent three-point clip) on the floor as well.
Mathews would likely be available for the veterans minimum or for a slightly higher salary through the team’s bi-annual exception.
Wizards take down the Heat. Garrison Matthews dropped 28 points off the bench. 🧙♂️
(via @theScoreBet) pic.twitter.com/u6n4PiXFIn
— theScore (@theScore) December 31, 2019
1. Lauri Markkanen
Acquiring Lauri Markkanen would be the biggest reach for Cleveland, but he could be an interesting fit with their other frontcourt talents in Jarrett Allen and Evan Mobley.
Markkanen reportedly wants out of Chicago, so there might be some way for the Cavaliers to land the 7-foot stretch big man.
Complicating factors for Cleveland include the fact that Markkanen is a restricted free agent and the fact that the Bulls are a division rival.
Markkanen entered the NBA as the seventh overall pick in the 2017 draft out of Arizona.
He flashed promise on the perimeter in his early years, hitting on 36 percent of his three-point attempts.
In his second season, Markkanen averaged a career-high 18.7 points and 9.0 rebounds per game.
Bulls restricted free agent Lauri Markkanen tells Finnish journalist @AJ_Sipila he wants out of Chicago: “We have offers from several different teams. I want a fresh start to my NBA career somewhere else.”
— Chris Haynes (@ChrisBHaynes) August 6, 2021
Since then, injuries have hampered the Finnish native, but Cleveland could represent the fresh start he’s seeking.
