Thomas Bryant, fresh off a trip to the NBA Finals with Indiana, was meant to provide additional depth to the Cleveland Cavaliers frontcourt. He fell just short of that goal, but the underlying issue might have been outside of his control.
All grades are based on our usual expectations for each player.
Regular Season Stats
Bryant’s fit in Cleveland seemed straightforward. He’s a 6’9” center who plays with strength and physicality. He can also space the floor, knocking down 34% of his career three-point attempts. Bryant should have fit nicely with either Evan Mobley or Jarrett Allen.
This didn’t translate to the real world. Bryant mostly clogged things up offensively and his lack of defensive mobility was jarring when placed on a Cavalier team that wasn’t equipped to defend around him. Cleveland was in the 36th percentile for defensive rating when Bryant was alone at center (no Mobley or Allen).
Bryant can be a passable defender when he’s on a team that’s loaded full of versatile and switchable wings. A defense that can contain the perimeter and limit dribble penetration is one that Bryant can slot into as a big who protects the paint. Cleveland was missing that all season. Their point-of-attack defense was shoddy, at best. Often leaving Bryant stuck in space, trying to cover gaps that are outside of his pay range.
Then on offense, a dynamic game plan that’s predicated on ball movement is the type of system that Bryant fits in. Indiana exemplified this. The Cavs did not. Especially in the back half of the season, when stationary spacing became their motto. That style doesn’t work with Bryant.
For this, I think we can conclude that Bryant’s fit in Cleveland was never as good as it might have looked on paper. The Cavs, in my opinion, need to find an athletic forward who can create plays off the dribble to pair with either Mobley or Allen. That’s to say, Bryant’s archetype is not the one this team was missing. I think that context is important when evaluating a role player who underwhelmed.
Bryant’s best moments came when his three-point shot was falling, or when he was stirring the crowd into a frenzy by celebrating like a maniac whenever anything remotely positive happened. His energy was infectious, and you can’t say the man didn’t care about winning. He played every game with an intensity that was unfortunately not always matched by his teammates, particularly in the first half of the season.
Grade: C+
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