Is the new contract worth it? The three-point shooting percentage of the Cavaliers powerful pitchers has improved significantly?

In the previous NBA regular season, the Cleveland Cavaliers easily defeated the Washington Wizards at home 148-114. After this game, the Cavaliers, who had won three consecutive victories, improved their record to 6 wins and 3 losses, and their ranking rose to third place in the Eastern Conference; while the Wizards, who suffered a seven-game losing streak, had their record drop to 1 win and 8 losses, and their ranking fell directly to the bottom of the Eastern Conference.

In this game, the performance of the Cavaliers' substitute outside pitcher Sam Merrill was quite stable. Merrill played 18 minutes and 21 seconds, making 5 of 6 shots and 4 of 5 from beyond the three-point line. He scored 14 points, 2 rebounds, 2 assists and 1 steal. He also had 2 fouls, with a plus-minus of +10. Merrill's playing time and number of shots were not actually much, but he also seized the limited opportunities to display his super shooting ability. He also provided a lot of support for the team on the offensive end through his outside shooting. Merrill's performance in other aspects is relatively average, but at least he has achieved good results. Merrill's performance on the defensive end can be considered so-so, and he didn't have any big troubles. Overall, Merrill's performance on both offense and defense is worthy of recognition. He also played his role well and made a huge contribution to the team's easy victory.

In the NBA regular season last season, Merrill played a total of 71 times in 82 games, averaging 19.7 minutes per game and averaging 7.2 points per game. Points, 2.2 rebounds, 1.5 assists, 0.7 steals, 0.2 blocks, 0.5 turnovers and 1.7 fouls, shooting 40.6% from the field, 37.2% from the three-point range, and 96.6% from the free throw line. In the playoffs, Merrill played a total of 8 times, averaging 19.9 minutes per game. He averaged 5.8 points, 2.5 rebounds, 1.8 assists, 0.5 steals, and 0.2 blocks per game. He also had 0.2 turnovers and 2.2 fouls. He shot 37.5% from the field, 35.9% from the three-point range, and 66.7% from the free throw line. Since the start of this season, Merrill has played a total of 6 times in the first 9 games, averaging 26 minutes per game, averaging 16.2 points, 1.7 rebounds, 1.7 assists, 0.7 steals, and 0.2 blocks per game. He also has 1 turnover and 3.3 fouls. He has a shooting percentage of 57.7%, a three-point shooting rate of 57.8%, and a free throw shooting rate of 100%.

This summer, Merrill received a four-year contract with a total amount of US$38 million from the Cavaliers and successfully stayed in the team. Merrill's performance during the regular season last season was quite good, but in the playoffs, he also proved that he was indeed somewhat embarrassing. Unexpectedly, the Cavaliers gave him a generous contract extension this summer. However, Merrill's performance has indeed improved significantly this season. At least so far, his three-point shooting rate is really ridiculous. I don’t know if he can maintain this level and prove that he is the top pitcher in the league.