Despite An Amazing Week In Canton, Kay Felder Still Needs Some More Time In The D-League

On Monday afternoon, the Cleveland Cavaliers announced that they recalled Kay Felder from the Canton Charge. The Cavaliers bringing back Felder likely has something to do with his most recent stint with the Charge that started on February 28th.

During that week, Felder put up an unbelievable 30.7 points, 6.7 assists and 2.3 steals on 47% from the field and 39% from beyond the arc. Those fantastic averages allowed Felder to maintain a 63% True Shooting Percentage, outstanding for a volume scorer like the Cavs rookie.

Felder’s fantastic play during that week allowed him to be named as the D-League’s Performer of the Week. As evident by those eye-popping numbers, Felder was able to lead the Charge through a variety of different ways. During those three-games, Felder helped lead Canton through his work as a facilitator, mid-range/perimeter shooter and as an on-ball cutter.

That work as an on-ball cutter was probably the most entertaining part of Felder’s stint with the team, as the guard was able to pull off the kind of moves would seem impossible for any player, let alone a 5’8 guard.

Despite his smaller frame, Felder showcased a real knack of being able to score around the rim around the contact. Felder was able to pull off those moves though a combination of athleticism and his strong 180 pound frame. Those two traits pushed Felder to shoot 76% from inside the restricted area during those that three game stint. A fantastic example of Felder’s ability from around the rim is evident in the play below with this acrobatic finish.

Coinciding with those skills as an on-ball cutter, Felder was able to shoot from any angle from around the court, whether it’s in or outside the perimeter. As a mid-range shooter, Felder does a great job of harnessing his smooth handles to break the opposing guard until he get a clean look at the rim. Once he’s able to do that, Felder is able to utilize his quick and smooth shooting stroke to put the ball in the basket.

Felder’s solid shooting stroke has allowed him to shine from well behind the NBA three-point line. Last week, Felder shot 39% from beyond the arc on 6 perimeter attempts per game. Although this can clearly be looked at as an example of small sample size, Felder’s recent perimeter prowess is something that the Cavaliers organization should be optimistic about when he makes his return to the main roster.

On the other hand, the Cavaliers brass should be worried about Felder’s inefficiency as a ball-handler. Although the 5’8 is able to shine through his knack of making great finishes around the rim, Felder has a real problem with containing the ball. Felder’s struggles are showcased by him averaging 5.3 turnovers per game during that otherwise fantastic three game stretch.

Can Kay Felder shine as a great finisher or solid perimeter shooter? Absolutely. However, Felder should be spending more time with the Canton Charge until he can get rid of that one major flaw. Because no matter how many great moves you can pull off, you probably can’t stick with an NBA title contender if you can’t hold onto the ball.