The Cleveland Cavaliers, fresh off a heartbreaking first-round exit at the hands of the New York Knicks, were one of the busiest teams on the free agent market. In their bid to improve over last year’s disappointing finish, the Cavs acquired the likes of Max Strus and Georges Niang to bolster the team’s depth across multiple key positions.
The Cavs, in particular, will be expecting big things out of Strus after signing him to a four-year, $64 million deal in free agency. Strus should give the Cavs offense a different dimension: a shooter that thrives off movement. But the addition of the former Miami Heat man shouldn’t cast a shadow on the acquisition of Niang, as he will certainly play a huge role off the Cavs bench in the coming year.
In fact, Georges Niang thinks that signing with the Cavs was the perfect fit for him, especially when he gives the team some reinforcement in a key area of need. Moreover, Niang sees the Cavs franchise as one that is hell-bent on winning — something the 30-year old forward believes he can contribute to.
“The Cavaliers have expectations. I have expectations. This is a team that is very close — very! They have some really good young talent and were looking for a veteran shooters and I was looking for a team that is dedicated to winning. It’s a perfect fit,” Niang said, per Bill Burt of The Eagle Tribune, via Cavaliers Nation.
One of the problems the Cavs ran into against the Knicks last postseason was their lack of frontcourt spacing. Evan Mobley and Jarrett Allen do most of their damage from the interior and the Knicks were wise to this, clogging Donovan Mitchell and Darius Garland’s driving lanes. Georges Niang could then help grease the wheels of the Cavs offense, coming in as a frontcourt alternative in case the action bogs down.
The amount the Cavs will be paying Niang across the life of his deal (three years, $25.5 million) is nothing to scoff at. But Niang knows that there’s a lot of work to be done, and he can’t wait to rise to that challenge.
“You love to be compensated for everything you’ve put in and worked for. But work doesn’t stop,” Niang added.