Story by
How Sam Merrill is giving the Cavs more than they bargained for after long-term contract
- Story by
- How Sam Merrill is giving the Cavs more than they bargained for after long-term contract
CLEVELAND — As Evan Mobley stepped to the free throw line with a chance to ice the game against the Milwaukee Bucks , fans at Rocket Arena chanted, "MVP, MVP, MVP."
But through the Cleveland Cavaliers ' first three games of the season, coach Kenny Atkinson has had a different selection for who has stepped up the most in Cleveland's 2-1 start.
Advertisement
When asked about Sam Merrill 's play after the Cavs' win over the Bucks Oct. 26, Atkinson shook his head a bit and said, "Guy has probably been our best player over the first three games. Just quite simply, both ends, looks great."
Cleveland Cavaliers guard Sam Merrill celebrates after hitting a 3-pointer against the Milwaukee Bucks on Oct. 26, 2025, in Cleveland.
Merrill hasn't just stepped into a larger role to begin the regular season, he's leapt several levels and has been a top scoring option who is only clearly trailing Donovan Mitchell in that regard.
Through three games — still a small sample size — Merrill is averaging 19.3 points, tied with Mobley for second on the team. Mitchell has poured in 90 points through three games.
Advertisement
The Cavs' trade deadline and offseason moves cleared the runway for Merrill to carve out a much larger share of the rotational minutes. Caris LeVert was dealt to Atlanta in the trade for De'Andre Hunter at least year's deadline. Then, this past summer, Ty Jerome left via free agency .
Sam Merrill contract
Those moves in part opened the door to Merrill signing a four-year , $38 million deal , a drastic increase in the franchise's long-term investment in him. It virtually guaranteed Merrill would be a bigger piece of the Cavs' long-term plans, but even they might not have seen this coming right off the bat.
Injuries to both Darius Garland (toe surgery) and Max Strus (foot surgery) left a scoring chasm that needed filling, which has been a major part of Merrill's outburst to open the season. But the Cavs see a player stepping into more scoring responsibility with the presence of a more seasoned veteran.
Advertisement
But what has impressed Atkinson and the Cavs the most thus far, and what they see as the brightest part of it all, isn't just that he's nailed 50% of his 3-point attempts. It's that he's attempting nearly 10 a game. He hasn't stepped into the starting lineup because of injuries and just timidly complemented those around him. Instead, Merrill has taken control of the offense at times, even with Mitchell, Mobley, Jarrett Allen and Hunter on the floor with him.
"There's been no hesitancy," Atkinson said. "Sometimes he gets thrown in with two All-Stars and is used to coming off the bench, and that's just his mentality. I don't think he's ever afraid of anything. But I also think it's a reflection of the confidence that our best players have in him."
Sam Merrill stats
Milwaukee Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo (34) drives to the basket against Cleveland Cavaliers guard Sam Merrill (5) on Oct. 26, 2025, in Cleveland.
Dating back to last year, the Cavs have raved up and down about Merrill's defense, repeatedly stating he's a better defender than what he was getting credit for outside the locker room. That, plus the 3-point shooting, was enough to earn some minutes and then the long-term contract.
Advertisement
The Cavs have also seen Merrill grow into a more vocal leader, which they've stressed as a priority to several players on the roster , including Mobley and Garland.
"Last game against Cam Thomas , I wanted to guard Cam Thomas. He was like, 'No, I got it.' You want that. You want a guy who's willing to do whatever it takes," Mitchell said of Merrill. "Before the game, I was talking about pressuring the guards, and he was like, 'Well, you got the point guard, so you better do it, too.' You know what I'm saying? Like, he was hoking, but it's a level of accountability that you want to have."
The Cavs went deeper into the second apron to keep Merrill long term. The early returns on that investment have been even more than they could have imagined.
This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: Sam Merrill stepping into larger role with Cavs with new contract
