Tipping off their preseason against the Chicago Bulls on Tuesday night at Rocket Arena, the Cleveland Cavaliers were surprisingly without starting guard candidate Sam Merrill.
In his postgame press conference following the 118-117 loss, Cavs head coach Kenny Atkinson provided an update as to why: “Yeah, he's got a little soreness in his abductor, but he wanted to play. I just said no, it's not worth it. We'll see. Like, I’m just gonna be super, super cautious with him in the preseason.”
Merrill is vying for a spot in the starting five as Darius Garland and Max Strus recover from their respective injuries, so this seems to be a minor setback.
Since he had to sit out, Jaylon Tyson found himself in the mix with Donovan Mitchell, De'Andre Hunter, Evan Mobley, and Jarrett Allen. Tyson did not make a shot, with all five attempts being from long distance. However, he made his presence felt with a couple of athletic blocks in help defense and had a steal. Tyson dished out three assists and didn't turn the ball over.
This offseason, Merrill signed a four-year, $38 million deal to play a pivotal role for Cleveland this season and beyond.
“It's impossible to say that there wouldn't be a slightly different mindset,” Merrill said on Cavs Media Day. “It's great to have that security. The NBA is futile. You never know exactly what's gonna happen, but knowing that I'm hopefully gonna be here for a few years [is nice]. But at the same time, you want to play well. Whether you're on a minimum or a max contract, you want to play well.
“My focus hasn't changed. I think my resolve has even gotten stronger to be the best player I can be and help this team get to the next level.”
We'll see when Merrill suits up next. Hopefully, this abductor injury doesn't put him behind the 8-ball.
