Sam Merrill (elbow) out Saturday vs. Knicks

Merrill has missed Cleveland’s last two games due to management of a right elbow injury. Meleek Thomas has seen his opportunities increase, and that may remain the case on Wednesday if Merrill can’t play.

Merrill will miss a second straight game due to what the Cavaliers are describing as right elbow injury management. In his absence, Meleek Thomas and Tyrese Proctor took on larger roles in Saturday’s loss to the Knicks. Of the two, Thomas offers a higher fantasy ceiling, especially if Jarrett Allen (knee) remains out.

Merrill started Friday’s game but struggled, missing all three of his shot attempts and going scoreless with three rebounds and two steals. Unfortunately, the Cavaliers’ guard injured his right elbow during the first half and will not return. Meleek Thomas started the third quarter and should play more minutes with Merrill out.

Watson will miss a game for the first time this season, and Jaylon Tyson (ankle) also happens to be sidelined. Rookie Meleek Thomas, Sam Merrill or Mario Hezonja will likely step into a starting role, though all three will see more minutes.

Merrill is a nice shooting option to have off the bench, but he hasn’t been as productive this year as he was last season, when he averaged 3.0 triples per game. This was the first time he surpassed two threes in a game this year, which resulted in his first double-digit scoring performance. He’ll have some big nights, but his upside will be capped as a reserve. Barring an injury to a starter, he won’t be a consistent producer in fantasy basketball this year.

Tyson is a late addition to the injury report, which means he’s in danger of sitting out against Atlanta. If Tyson is ultimately ruled out, Sam Merrill and Mario Hezonja could see bumps in playing time.

Usually, James Harden (nine points, five rebounds and six assists) shooting 2-of-10 from the field would spell doom for his team. That wasn’t the case on Sunday, with Merrill’s performance among the reasons why. Shooting 5-of-8 from beyond the arc, Merrill was one of four Cavaliers to finish the 125-94 rout with at least 20 points. Max Strus (9/3/2/3 with one three-pointer) was the fifth starter on Sunday, replacing Dean Wade, but there’s room for Merrill to step up as well. Cleveland visits New York on Tuesday in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Finals.

Merrill missed Game 2 with a hamstring injury, but is available for Game 3 on Saturday. The 29-year-old shooting guard was held scoreless in seven minutes off the bench in Game 1. Max Strus will remain the Cavaliers’ preferred wing option off the bench.

Merrill did not play in Thursday’s Game 2 defeat after logging seven minutes in the series opener. As a result, the Cavaliers essentially went with an eight-man rotation, with Keon Ellis logging six minutes as the ninth man. Regardless of Merrill’s status, Max Strus should log the majority of the bench minutes on the wing.

Merrill logged just seven minutes in the Game 1 loss and didn’t register a single point. Still, the Cavaliers’ depth takes a bit of a hit in regard to three-point shooting and overall scoring. In his absence, Max Strus, Dennis Schroder, and Jaylon Tyson should see more minutes.