Cavs: Cedi Osman seems to be preparing to wreck opponents in a comeback season

Cedi Osman may be set to break out for the Cavs.

Cedi Osman had a very rough 2020-2021 for the Cavs. The at-times very dynamic playmaker has had a turbulent up and down career so far in Cleveland. Capable of carrying the ball up the court, with excellent court vision, passing, and a three-point shot that has range, but you’d never know most of that based on last season. Osman shot poorly and nearly drove himself out of the lineup due to it, but did get a chance to play with the ball in his hands after issues with health affected Darius Garland and Matthew Dellavedova. He looked good, not great but good as the season came to a close.

The issue that plagued him all season wasn’t his decision-making with the ball in his hand, but his shooting. His three-point shot, which was once considered to be limitless in its range, completely disappeared. This may have been because he was the only three-point shooter on the team who was healthy and was forced to adjust his game considerably.

He shot more three-point attempts last season than at any other point in his career and hit fewer. The Cavs were, no surprise, one of the worst three-point shooting teams in the league. So it’s easy to understand the pressure Osman faced, especially knowing his spot was in jeopardy after Isaac Okoro took his spot in the lineup.

That can all affect a player.

Cedi Osman is shooting like never before for the Cavs

Maybe that’s a bit hyperbolic but Osman’s preseason shooting is a very encouraging sign. In four games so far he’s hitting 54% of his shots from inside the arc and 47% from three-point.  He’s been averaging just shy of nine points, two rebounds, and one assist per game in barely under 18 minutes per game.

If we’re looking at his PER 36 (his expected averages should he play 36 minutes) Osman would be averaging 17.8 points per game.

It is just preseason, and he’s only playing a fraction of minutes compared to his regular-season expectation. He’s also not playing with the normal rotation so who knows what will happen when he does. The other thing to factor into the “wait-and-see” of it all is the fact that with more minutes comes more fatigue. The more fatigue a player is the more likely they are to miss shots. Right now, Osman is playing manageable minutes and hitting things.

What happens when he’s playing 20-25 minutes per game across eight games in 11 days. Will he still keep the same splits?

Time will tell but if you’re an Osman fan, you should really be happy with what you’re seeing in the preseason.