Cavaliers second-round pick Sir’Dominic Pointer looks to take charge in Canton

As the D-League continues to expand, we are starting to see more cases of domestic draft and stash. Last season, the big names were Thanasis Antetokounmpo, Semaj Christon and Josh Huestis. The benefits remain to be seen, as this is a relatively novel phenomenon for NBA clubs.

The newest member to add to the testing ground is Sir’Dominic Pointer out of St. John’s. Chris Haynes reported a couple weeks back that the second round pick will forego the Cavaliers’ training camp and report to Canton instead. Pointer will be a Draft Rights player for the Charge, meaning he can only earn an NBA call-up from the Cavaliers this season.

Why is it smart for the Cavs to make a move like this? Pointer, while already 23 years old, is still raw offensively and a season in the D-League will give him ample opportunity to improve his skills in live-game situations. Cleveland will be vying for an NBA Championship, leaving no place for Pointer in 2015-16.

However, stashing him in Canton is proof they see value in his potential down the road.

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Pointer exploded onto NBA radars during his senior season at St. John’s University after averaging 13.7 points, 7.7 rebounds, 3.0 assists, 1.9 steals and 2.4 blocks per contest. He took home the Haggerty Award as the All-Metro Player of the Year, was the Big East Defensive Player of the Year, was the Big East Most Improved Player and made All-Big East 2nd Team.

To say the least, it was a wildly successful year for him.

Let’s take a look at some of his strengths and weaknesses as he heads into his first professional season.

Strengths

Pointer is a defensive monster. At only 6-5, he creates havoc in passing lanes and possesses uncanny instincts when it comes to defending the basket. His timing is impeccable and while he is sometimes out of position, he makes up for it with his athleticism. When watching tape of his games last season, it’s clear offensive players are aware of where he is on the court, especially when they chance a drive to the basket. It’s rare to see a wing defend the basket with such precision, and those skills will be valuable as Pointer makes the transition to the professional game.

Perhaps just as impressive: he does all of this without fouling. He averaged three fouls in almost 35 minutes per game last season, so he can be relied on in the waning moments of a game.

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While his defense is the main asset, Pointer also showed an array of offensive abilities, mostly came in the open court. He’s a great rebounder for his size (13.1 per 100 possessions) and his ball handling ability allows him to start the fast break and finish on the other end, or find a teammate for an open look. Prior to his senior season, he was seen as passive. After averaging 5.3 shot attempts his first three years, that number jumped to 10.1 in his senior campaign and he shot 52.4 percent from the field.

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Pointer has quality vision both in the open court and in a half court setting, too. Many times he will pass up an open look for a better one and while that’s an admirable trait, coaches in Canton will likely implore him to shoot open jumpers to create muscle memory and improve consistency. Nonetheless, he has the ability to create for others both off the bounce and from the mid-to-high post.

Weaknesses

Pointer will never be mistaken for a dead-eye shooter. Last season, he made only two 3-pointers in 25 attempts (8 percent) and went 21-for-109 (19.3 percent) over his four-year college career. The silver lining is his mechanics aren’t terrible and he shot a stellar 56 percent on 2-point field goals.

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The clip above shows the benefit of being able to hit the mid-range jumper, and keeping defenders honest will allow him to blow by them with his quickness. He still has a ways to go in the development of his jump shot and that is one of the main reasons a season in the D-League will benefit him greatly.

While his offense can be explosive in the open court, the half court presents a new set of issues. His footwork in the post leaves something to be desired and while he won’t likely use that skill often once he reaches the NBA, his time in Canton will provide opportunities to improve his footwork greatly.

Everything stems from his ability to hit open jump shots, however. If he becomes a reliable outside threat, defenders will be forced to play up on him which opens up the driving lanes and his ability to attack the basket.

Development in Canton

While Pointer might be better off in an uptempo offense in the short-term, Canton is a perfect fit for his long-term potential. Canton plays a methodical style of basketball, which is going to force Pointer to make plays in the half court offense. Jordi Fernandez and his staff are a defensive minded bunch who will love what Pointer brings to the table. Their offensive style will stretch him and force him to grow, too — if he’s up for the challenge.

Here are some quick team stats for Canton to depict their style:

• Field Goal Attempts Per Game: 77.7 — league average is 87.3 and Reno led league with 103.2
• Points Per Game: 98.8 — one of two teams under 100 PPG, with Westchester being the other
• Pace: 92.34 — dead last in the league
• Opponent Points in the Paint: 2,198 — 2nd fewest allowed in the league
• Opponent Field Goal Attempts Per Game: 78.8

Canton forces opposing teams to play at their pace and that’s the key to their success. Though they only scored 98.8 points a night, they finished the season 31-19 and made the playoffs.

If Pointer spent next season in an offense like the D-Fenders, Vipers or Bighorns, he would put up eye-popping numbers. However, as previously mentioned, this slow-it-down style of hoop is going to allow him to grow and improve the skills necessary to succeed at the next level.

While D-League numbers can be fun for fans, the Cavaliers are focused on growth and development, which will ultimately lead to the most important number of all — wins.