Shadow Hunter, the Cavaliers reappeared as Jerome-like marksman, and finally received a salary of tens of millions of dollars after lying dormant for 5 years

Last year, the Cavaliers made great progress and achieved an impressive record of 64 wins and 18 losses in the regular season. Core players such as Mitchell and Mobley certainly contributed to this, but sharpshooters like Jerome also contributed a lot to the team.

As a high-quality shooter selected by the Suns with the fourth overall pick in the first round of 2019, Jerome only spent one season with the team before being traded to the Thunder. However, in the talented Thunder, he failed to seize the opportunity for two consecutive seasons. His average of 7.1 points per game made the team management exclude him from the future map. Later, in the deal between the Thunder and the Rockets, he was sent to the Rockets.

However, for the Rockets, they couldn't train the first-round picks they chose in those years. Where would there be a place for Jerome? Then they moved to the Warriors and Cavaliers, and finally had a breakout in the contract year last year. Alongside Mitchell and Garland, Jerome averaged 10 minutes per game. In 19.9 minutes, he scored 12.5 points, 2.5 rebounds, 3.4 assists and 1.1 steals for the team. His shooting percentage was as high as 51.6% and his three-point shooting percentage was 43.9%. This is already very efficient for a 1.96-meter guard.

However, in the offseason, the Cavaliers' operations were really confusing. They did not choose to keep the sharpshooter. Jerome joined the Grizzlies with a three-year, $28 million contract, and the Cavaliers turned around and gave team member Sam Merrill a four-year, $38 million fully guaranteed contract.

On the surface, there was a huge gap between Merrill and Jerome last season. He also played nearly 20 minutes of playing time. Merrill averaged only 7.2 points, 2.2 rebounds and 1.5 assists per game. As a player who was only selected with the 30th pick in the second round of 2020, Merrill's height of 1.93 meters has no advantage over Jerome.

It is precisely because of this operation that in the team record predictions before the start of this year's regular season, many people said that the Cavaliers will no longer have the strong offensive firepower last year. Their strength is likely to lag behind the Knicks and Celtics, ranking only third in the Eastern Conference.

However, judging from the two games the Cavaliers have played, the Cavaliers' decision to sign Merrill is very correct. In terms of defense, Merrill is much more active than Jerome, and after being given enough ball rights, he can also deliver a satisfactory answer. In two games In the game, Merrill averaged 27.5 minutes per game, scoring 20.5 points, 2 rebounds and 3 assists, shooting 54.5% from the field, and 55% from three-point range. Compared with such data contribution, Merrill's contract is very cost-effective.

As the last player selected in 2020, Merrill's basketball story is also quite inspiring. Merrill, who had played in the college league for four years, was already 24 years old at the time of the draft. After the draft, he was traded to the Bucks by the Daigo team, where he began his NBA career. However, as a second-round pick, Merrill did not get much playing time at all, averaging only 3 points per game.

After playing 30 games with the Bucks, Merrill was traded to the Grizzlies. However, he only played 6 games for the Grizzlies. He recovered for 4 months due to a left ankle injury. Of course, this also cost him the opportunity to renew his contract in the NBA. In desperation, Merrill could only sign a 10-day short contract with the Cavaliers to continue his career.

After representing the Cavaliers in the Summer League, he was selected to the All-Summer League first team, and he officially gained a foothold in the team. After three seasons, the 29-year-old role player finally got his first multi-million dollar contract. For him, it was a dream come true.

Currently in the Cavaliers, because Garland, Hunter and Sturrus have not played in the new season due to injuries, Merrill can still occupy a starting position. When these three main players return, he is likely to return to the bench. However, as long as he maintains his current status, I believe he will receive a more generous contract than the four-year $38 million in his future career. What do you think of Merrill's performance? Welcome to leave a message for discussion!