Will Cedi carve out a role?

Oct 5, 2022 - 5:00 PM

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Cedi Osman’s 2022 season was simultaneously a substantial improvement from his previous season while still being slightly disappointing. Osman improved in points and drastically in three-point shooting percentage, but the production on both ends of the floor ebbed and flowed based on his three-point shot.

Position: SF

Age: 27

Height: 6’7”

Weight: 230 lbs

2021-22 stats: 10.7 points, 2 assists, 2.2 rebounds, 1 turnover, 0.8 steals on .432/.357/.664 shooting splits

Osman will be fighting for consistent minutes this season in a crowded but underwhelming wing rotation. His best argument for minutes is his three-point shot which returned to form last season.

Osman attempted 62.7% of his shots from beyond the arc last season. He finished the year shooting 35.7% from three while knocking down 41.1% of his attempts from the corner and 35.1% on non-corner threes. Osman also shot 40% on 1.1 pull-up threes per game and 34.9% on 4.3 catch-and-shoot threes per game. Those are solid numbers in terms of volume and percentages from a second-unit wing.

The issues and inconsistencies come from the other areas of his game. Osman once again struggled to finish at the rim as he converted just 62.4% of his shots from there while drawing fouls on only 9.1% of his shot attempts. The lack of ability to score at the rim leaves Osman as a one-dimensional scorer. When his outside shot is working he can be very helpful, but when it isn’t or when defenses are closing out hard on him he doesn’t have many counters to beat them.

Osman’s defense also seems to ebb and flow with his outside shooting. He has a tendency to lose focus on that end when his outside shot isn’t falling. Inconsistent defensive effort is why he was pulled for players like Dean Wade and Lamar Stevens who are not as good of outside shooters as him even though the team desperately needed any kind of three-point shooting.

The Cleveland Cavaliers’ outside shooting should improve with the addition of Donovan Mitchell, but it will likely still be an area of concern this season. Especially from the wing position. There is a need for someone who can get shots up and connect on them. But, there is not room for someone in the ten-man rotation who does not give consistent effort on both ends of the floor.

The days of hoping Osman can turn into a starting caliber wing are long gone. But, there is still a need on this team that he has the perfect skillset to fit. Being able to share the floor with one of Darius Garland or Mitchell, provided J.B. Bickerstaff chooses to stagger both at the start of the year, should help Osman generate consistent and cleaner outside looks. Being able to knock those looks down while providing consistent effort on both ends of the floor is exactly what the Cavs need and the quickest way to earn a spot within the Cavs’ rotation.