One of the Cleveland Cavaliers’ biggest moves this offseason was acquiring big man Lauri Markkanen in a three-team trade.
Markkanen saw his role diminish with the Chicago Bulls during the past two seasons. This led him to seek a change of scenery.
The Cavs are confident that a new start in Cleveland will help the 24-year-old get back to the level he showcased in his sophomore season.
“The Cavs believe a change of scenery and abundance of organizational support will allow the former top-10 pick to recapture his early-career form and maximize his immense potential,” wrote Chris Fedor of Cleveland.com.
During his second year in the NBA, Markkanen averaged 18.7 points, 9.0 rebounds and 1.4 assists per game. He looked like he was destined for stardom in the league. That has not been the case, however, as his averages have gone down in each of the following two seasons.
The former first-round pick has made it clear that he is happy to be with Cleveland. He also mentioned that he is excited to learn from Cavs veteran Kevin Love.
Markkanen has career averages of 15.6 points and 7.1 rebounds per game on 44.0 percent shooting from the field and 36.6 percent shooting from beyond the arc.
It’s clear that Markkanen can contribute a lot, so it will be interesting to see how exactly the Cavs use him in their packed frontcourt.
