The Hidden Gem On The Cleveland Cavaliers' Roster, Revealed

The Cleveland Cavaliers are in search of more weapons to add to their roster, but they may already have one diamond in the rough in tow.

Apr 2, 2024; Salt Lake City, Utah, USA; Cleveland Cavaliers guard Sam Merrill (5) reaches for a loose ball against the Utah Jazz during the fourth quarter at Delta Center. Mandatory Credit: Rob Gray-Imagn Images / Rob Gray-Imagn Images

The Cleveland Cavaliers are mainly known for Donovan Mitchell and the rest of their "core four," but there are other players on their roster that will play a significant role in determining the direction of the team next season.

Bleacher Report's Zach Buckley has identified who he feels is a hidden gem for Cleveland: Sam Merrill.

Merrill is coming off of a 2023-24 campaign in which he played 61 games and averaged eight points and two rebounds over 17.5 minutes a night on 40.2/40.4/92.9 shooting splits.

The 28-year-old is almost exclusively a three-point specialist, with 5.8 of his 6.4 field-goal attempts per game coming from beyond the arc.

Mitchell himself truly appreciates what Merrill brings to the table, calling him a "trigger" for the Cavs' offense.

Given that the Cavaliers don't exactly have a ton of floor spacing, Merrill's presence on the bench is absolutely vital for the club.

Merrill isn't particularly adept at anything else. He doesn't have an offensive repertoire outside of shooting the 3-ball, and while he isn't hideous defensively, he isn't great on that end of the floor, either.

However, the gravity that Merrill provides to Cleveland's offense is crucial, and it makes the jobs of Mitchell and Darius Garland that much easier.

Of course, it would still be nice for the Cavs to add a three-and-D wing who can supply more versatility than Merrill, but that doesn't make Merrill any less important.

The Utah State product is preparing to enter his third season with the Cavaliers. He split the first two years of his NBA career between the Milwaukee Bucks and Memphis Grizzlies.