Season stats: 2025-26. Updated 6 h ago.
Sam Merrill Enters Year Two of His Cavs Deal Healthy and Ready to Shoot
newsroom · 1 h agoSam Merrill heads into the 2026-27 season as a veteran guard off Cleveland's bench, coming off a 2025-26 campaign where he shot 42.1% from three. He is not on the injury report. No trade rumors or recent game data are in this brief.
Where Merrill Stands
Sam Merrill wears No. 5 for the Cavaliers and plays guard. He is 30 years old, in his sixth NBA season, out of Utah State. He stands 6-4 and weighs 205 pounds. Merrill is not on the injury report heading into 2026-27, and this brief carries no injury history for him. There is also no rumor activity tied to his name right now. For Cleveland, he projects as a steady rotation guard who can space the floor and knock down open shots when his number is called.
Last Season by the Numbers
In 2025-26, Merrill played 52 games for Cleveland, averaging 26.5 minutes a night. He put up 12.8 points, 2.6 rebounds and 2.4 assists per game, adding 0.6 steals and 0.1 blocks. He turned the ball over just 0.8 times a game, a low mark for a guard with real offensive touches. His usage rate sat at 16.7%, showing he was more complementary scorer than primary option, but efficient within that role.
The Shooting Profile
Merrill's calling card is his jump shot. He shot 46.1% from the field and 42.1% from three-point range last season, numbers that put him among the more reliable outside shooters on Cleveland's roster. He also shot 85.5% from the free-throw line. His true shooting percentage of 64.4% reflects how efficient he was, driven largely by high-value three-point volume and clean free-throw shooting. A plus-minus of plus-4.7 last season points to a positive on-court impact when he was in the game.
Role Heading Into 2026-27
Merrill enters the new season as an established piece of Cleveland's backcourt depth. His 2025-26 workload of 26.5 minutes per game suggests a rotation role rather than a starting job, and his efficiency numbers back up why the Cavaliers keep him on the floor in that capacity. With no injuries reported and no roster moves noted involving him, Merrill projects to open the season in a familiar bench role, leaned on for spacing and low-mistake possessions alongside Cleveland's other guards.
What to Watch
The season opener is coming, and Merrill's health status heading in is clean, nothing on the injury report. The key question for Cleveland is whether he can replicate or improve on last season's 42.1% three-point shooting across a full season workload. His low turnover rate and high true shooting mark make him a low-risk, efficient piece regardless of exact minutes. This brief does not include preseason game logs or rumor buzz, so his early-season role will be defined by how the coaching staff uses him once games begin.
Questions fans ask
What team does Sam Merrill play for?
Sam Merrill plays for the Cleveland Cavaliers, wearing No. 5 as a guard.
Is Sam Merrill injured?
No. He is not on the injury report, and this brief lists no injury history for him.
How did Sam Merrill shoot last season?
In 2025-26, Merrill shot 46.1% from the field, 42.1% from three, and 85.5% from the free-throw line across 52 games.
What are Sam Merrill's per-game stats?
Last season he averaged 12.8 points, 2.6 rebounds and 2.4 assists in 26.5 minutes per game.
Where did Sam Merrill go to college?
He played college basketball at Utah State.
Are there any trade rumors involving Sam Merrill?
No rumors involving Merrill are in this brief.
Game log
last 0| Date | Opp | Result | Min | Pts | Reb | Ast | FG | 3P | +/- |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| No games logged yet this season. | |||||||||