NBA Notes: Cavs, Sam Merrill, Nuggets, DeMar DeRozan, Thunder

Cavaliers

The Cavaliers changed quite a bit around the edges this summer. Some players should benefit more than others.

Zach Weiss of NBA on SI identified Sam Merrill and coach Kenny Atkinson as two offseason winners, with Craig Porter Jr. and Jaylon Tyson potentially losing some ground.

Merrill’s place certainly looks secure. He averaged 13 points last season, remains one of the Cavs’ best floor-spacers and should continue seeing significant minutes around Donovan Mitchell and James Harden.

Porter’s path is considerably murkier. The Cavs added rookie Meleek Thomas, while Tyrese Proctor continues pushing for a role. Porter has spent much of his Cleveland career bouncing in and out of the rotation, and that may not change.

Tyson is a little different. He showed last season he can play, including a 39-point performance against Philadelphia, but the addition of Peyton Watson likely means Tyson isn’t walking into the starting small-forward job.

That’s not necessarily bad news. If Tyson is coming off the bench because the roster got better, the Cavs can probably live with it.

Atkinson, meanwhile, has more options after Cleveland added Watson and Mario Hezonja. Of course, more options also mean more expectations. Funny how that works.

Nuggets

DeMar DeRozan should help the Nuggets offensively. Defensively? That’s where things get interesting.

Logan Struck of NBA on SI raised that issue after Denver added the 37-year-old veteran following the trade that sent Peyton Watson to Cleveland.

DeRozan can still score, handle the ball and create shots, which should be particularly useful for a Denver bench that badly needed another offensive creator.

But he isn’t arriving to fix a defense that ranked 21st last season.

Patrick Beverley made essentially the same point on The Pat Bev Show.

“I like it offensively,” Beverley said. “Defensively, I hate it.”

That’s probably the entire DeRozan discussion in six words. Denver did add some defensive help elsewhere, including Alpha Diallo, Spencer Jones and rookie Trevon Brazile.

Still, losing Watson and replacing him with DeRozan is very clearly a trade of defense for offense. Whether that’s a good trade will matter a whole lot more in May than September.

Thunder

Remember when everyone wanted the Thunder to trade all those draft picks? Sam Presti apparently had other ideas.

Ivan White of NBA on SI noted that Oklahoma City still owns considerable future draft capital even after becoming a championship team.

That matters because the pressure to cash everything in for another star has largely disappeared.

There were years when practically every available big name got connected to Oklahoma City. Pascal Siakam. Giannis Antetokounmpo. Whoever happened to be unhappy that particular week.

Instead, the Thunder allowed Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Jalen Williams, Chet Holmgren and the rest of the roster to grow together.

It worked. Now they still have picks, still have young talent and still have the ability to make a major trade if they ever decide one is necessary.

That’s the luxury of getting the hard part right first. Turns out you don’t have to spend every draft pick simply because somebody keeps asking when you’re going to spend them.