Cavaliers wing Sam Merrill joined as a end-of-rotation player years ago but has transformed into one of the foundational veteran presences on the team.
The past half decade in Cleveland Cavaliers history has been spent constructing a legitimate title contender after a hard rebuild began in 2018. With Darius Garland igniting a new era, Cleveland has catapulted back to elite status in the Eastern Conference.
A key element in the Cavs' quick rebuild has been quite the opposite of quick - patience.