Cavaliers Rookie Spotlight - May

It has been a brutal last 21 days for the Cavs. This is how long it has been without a win, now dropping 10 games in a row as the season has winded on. They had a good effort against Indiana but lost again. 

On the bright side, we saw more of Brodric Thomas. Isaac Okoro had another great game. One final Cavaliers Rookie Spotlight for you. Here we go.

Dylan Windler

We can only hope that next season is better for Dylan Windler. Various injuries and ailments have made his first two NBA seasons very uneventful. He had a brief hot stretch earlier this year and a game where he was even +29 during his minutes.

It is unclear if he will have a role in the rotation next season, but at the least, it would be great to see him confident and healthy.

Lamar Stevens

Concussions stink. They really do. Whether or not you have had one, there is no disagreeing there. Lamar Stevens has now been out multiple weeks with one, and it is unclear if he is going to be coming back to the court. And with all due respect for Mfiondu Kabengele, it would be much better to see Lamar out there.

That’s whose minutes he is receiving given the state of the team with all of its injuries. Hopefully, he can come back. And if not, let’s hope he makes the team for opening day next season. He’s earned that shot.

Brodric Thomas

The consistency is not always there for Brodric Thomas, but he has shown some very good signs for the Cavs over the last week. They were already very short-handed, and then they lost Cedi Osman too. And so Brodric has stepped up as one of the only healthy wing players on the roster.

He had a sequence against Indiana where he blocked a shot on one end and buried a three on the other. He’s shown ability and prowess as a two-way player. His future is not clear, but he’s been fun to watch since signing as a Cav.

Isaac Okoro

Last week’s 32-point game against Phoenix was Isaac Okoro’s highlight of the season. Everybody knew he could defend lights out, no problem. And now, here he is against Indiana, doing something we hadn’t seen from him yet in his rookie season.

The first part is that he grabbed double-digit rebounds for the first time. He finished the day with 10 of them in 43 minutes of action. He shot the ball 20 times, making eight of them. Add in some made foul shots, and you get 22 points for the day. Okoro finished the day with 22 points, 10 rebounds, and 4 assists.

This marked the first time in 64 games played as a Cav that he was able to have a 20-10 game. They aren’t all that common among wing players. Some guys go years without ever having a double-double, let alone a 20-10 game.

For a guy averaging nine points and three assists per game, it’s doubly impressive to see this type of stat line. Especially during a long skid. Cavs fans should be very happy about Okoro’s future.