Dylan Windler’s Lost Year is an Unquantifiable Setback in Development: Cleveland Cavaliers Season Review

CLEVELAND, Ohio – On July 9, in a summer championship game against the New Orleans pelicans, novice rookie Dylan Windler played eight minutes before Cleveland Cavaliers pulled him out of the game. Windler, the solitary first round of the team that plays at the MGM Resorts Summer League, suffered a bad blow to the face, directly under the left eye while fighting for the rebound position.

Windler returned to the locker room, closely followed by interested members of the organization. The Cavs had seen enough. Wanting to be cautious after dodging a serious injury, they closed it for the rest of the summer championship.

The next step was to take what he learned from his first NBA experience and continue his development at home so that he could be ready for the important role he had expected in his beginner season. Desperate for depth on the wing and a pre-draft favorite of then coach John Beielin, the Cavs grabbed Windler with the 26th pick, making it the second piece of a three player class that also included Darius Garland and Kevin Porter Jr.

While the other two young men faced questions about readiness given their age and lack of gaming experience, Windler should have been the now ready mature piece that entered the NBA at 23, with 128 games and 3,759 minutes attached to his college curriculum vitae. Not only was it expected to slip directly into the small reserve spot, but more members of the organization imagined Windler – because of his 3-point skill, high IQ basketball, rebound, versatility and passing – pushing Cedi Osman for the starting concert from the midpoint of the season.

Nobody could have imagined how his frustrating season had gone.

Season summary

On September 29, the eve of Media Day, the Cavs made an extraordinary announcement: Windler would have been sidelined for 4-6 weeks with a stress reaction in the lower left leg. The injury, which Windler later revealed to cleveland.com, broke out following his excessive exercise in preparation for his beginner campaign, was not “overly worrying” at the moment. It seemed that the Cavs had again avoided the worst on the injury front and believed that rest and treatment would bring him back to the field – even if the entire training camp was missing, the preseason and the first games would have been a significant development disappointment.

But the pain never subsided. The initial timeline was rejected. Other questions have arisen. And just when there was finally a glimmer of hope, when optimism surrounded his potential return when Windler joined the G League affiliated canton for a few tuning games in early December, the young swingman suffered another setback.

Rest weeks, rehabilitation, field trials and a second opinion followed. Although Windler traveled with the team, there were whispers about the potential end-of-season surgery – the last resort option that nobody wanted. On 13 January, in the midst of a long journey, Cleveland’s worst fears were realized: almost four months after complaining for the first time of pain in the lower leg, Windler’s beginner season ended frustratingly, without never make its debut.

Time of year

I guess we’ll have to go back to the summer championship, right?

The Cavs started their off-season exhibition season in Salt Lake City before heading to Las Vegas. Windler exploded into the opener, showing why the Cavs grabbed him with their second pick in the first round. He buried more than 3 pointers, flashing deep with a staggering 30-foot step back. He cut the basket for lay-ups, showing the basketball expert learned in Belmont’s elegant offensive system. He pushed the ball to the floor for easy baskets. Windler quickly found his rhythm and made it easy, finishing with 19 points, six rebounds and three assists. At the end of his debut, some present (it was Utah after all) even called him Gordon Hayward-lite.

Future prospects

The Cavs finished filming in Basketball City before their first visit to Madison Square Garden in early November. While the other teammates were getting dressed and headed for the team bus, Windler snapped 3 points across the arc, barely touching the edge.

Larry Nance Jr. looked excitedly.

“I can’t wait to bring that baby to the floor with us,” Nance told Cleveland.com at the moment. “Look at him. He can shoot him. We need what he brings.”

Even though it was a short taste, everyone could see the potential with Windler. They lost his distance from the floor and the outdoor shots. They would benefit from its rebounding ability and grip potential. He could have moved Osman to a more suitable backup role. After finishing 20th in 3 points in 2018-19, the Cavs made filming a point of emphasis in the off-season. That’s why they used two of their top three picks on Garland and Windler, considered a pair of elite snipers in the draft. But Garland struggled and Windler was unable to play, so the Cavs closed in 20th place for the second consecutive year.

With an uncertain wage limit, an unquantifiable loss of revenue and limited space, after Andre Drummond raised his $ 28.7 million option, internal improvement is the best path to follow. Windler is part of it. But it is difficult to assess the negative impact that will be missing for an entire season. These are formative years for young players and there is no substitute for experience. Windler has already lost the same development opportunities as most players in his beginner class. He hasn’t been able to test himself against NBA competition to see what he needs to work this summer. While the Cavs evaluate their future and assemble off-season plans, they don’t even know what they have with Windler. How could they do it?

With an ironic twist, the swingman who was chosen in part because of reliability and readiness will be far behind 2020-2021.

However, somehow Windler could be seen as an off-season pickup. After all, the Cavs will add a player they needed in 2019-2020, in their most terrible position.

This is obviously expected This recovery produces a better result.

New Cavs masks for sale: Here’s where you can purchase Cleveland Cavaliers themed face liners for coronavirus protection, including a single mask ($ 14.99) and a pack of 3 ($ 24.99). All proceeds from the NBA have been donated to charity.

Reviews on player season

Delly turned around in a bad season, gave the organization a lot to consider

Tristan Thompson has shown why it would not be easy to replace it

Ante Zizic had limited exposure in the 2019-2020 season

Alfonzo McKinnie got a contract, but he needs more offensive consistency

Osman didn’t have a stable role during the season, but he did have pockets of effectiveness

Darius Garland had rocky moments, but he could still be a future teacher

Larry Nance Jr. transforms into great modern, is consolidated as a central piece of the future

Kevin Love let frustration and suffering get the best of him as he plummeted in value

Kevin Porter Jr. shows the potential for being the franchise building block

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