I am curious on the community’s thoughts on Yuta Watanabe. He’s a player I have hardly seen any buzz about signing anywhere amidst all the 3&D targets, even the mediocre-to-bad ones like Oubre. But he has been a solid 7th-9th man off the bench role player who really has found his shot these last few years. He played his best stretch last year as sniper from the corner while KD and Kyrie were still with the nets, topping out around 20MPG and putting up over 60TS% for four straight months before he got buried behind all the wings they landed via trade.
He’s been hitting over 40% on better than 5 attempts per game (per 36) over the last three years, with a high mark of 44% last year, and a low of 37% two years ago. He can play SF and PF, and grades out as mainly a neutral player when considering defense (had way stronger defensive numbers when he was in better systems like Memphis and Toronto).
I don’t know that he’s the guy that solves our starting SF woes, but there’s likely no way he goes back to Brooklyn with their forward logjam, and he’s only 28 and a UFA that could probably be brought in for much less than the MLE.
Here’s his stats, for those curious – https://www.nba.com/stats/player/1629139?SeasonType=Regular+Season
Feels like the kind of player the Heat develop into contributors on the regular, and I’d love to take that shot if he doesn’t have another clear landing spot. At the very least he’d be a good backup with a more reliable shot than anyone on the current roster outside the starting 5.
by WitOfTheIrish
12 Comments
If he’s cheap, I like it. I don’t like throwing the full mle or something at him though
I like him, but only so much. He’s kindve like Niang, where he is a situational role player that specializes in catch and shoot threes but actually gives effort on defense. His value is probably somewhere above the minimum but below even the BAE so only makes sense if we are slicing up the MLE among a couple different players
I think he is better than people are giving him credit for
10000% been wondering why he isn’t a target. Huge upgrade for our bench
My dream (realistic) off-season is we can use our MLE on Grant Williams and then sign both Yuta and Biyombo.
PG: Darius Garland, Ricky Rubio, Raul Neto.
SG: Donovan Mitchell, Caris LeVert, Cedi Osman.
SF: Grant Williams, Isaac Okoro, Emoni Bates, Dylan Windler.
PF: Evan Mobley, Yuta Watanabe, Lamar Stevens, Dean Wade, Isaiah Mobley.
C: Jarrett Allen, Bismack Biyombo.
If he doesn’t ask for the full MLE, then the team should take him. He can do all the dirty work in between while also being a capable floor spacer. Perfect fit for the Cavs if they can get him with a good price.
Maybe we are targeting him but are quiet about it because FA hasn’t officially started yet.
I like this guy bc he has heart and can shoot the ball and maybe bc i perfected his jumper on 2k lol
If there is a way to get him and Taurean Prince I would call that a good off-season. A forward rotation of LeVert/Watanabe/Prince with a Emoni Bates developing would help me sleep at night.
Elite shooter, no doubt about it but he leaves a lot to be desired on the defensive end. I would love to have him in Cleveland though.
I think he’d be a great signing for us. We need depth, 3 point shooting, and wing defense. He gives us all of those.
Gives me left handed Cedi vibes sometimes ngl