2013-14 NBA Bench Power Rankings

May 16, 2013; Oakland, CA, USA; Golden State Warriors point guard Jarrett Jack (2) passes out the ball between San Antonio Spurs point guard Gary Neal (14) and center Boris Diaw (33) during the first quarter of game six of the second round of the 2013 NBA Playoffs at Oracle Arena. Mandatory Credit: Kelley L Cox-USA TODAY Sports

12. Cleveland Cavaliers

Other than a certain game-changing oft-injured big man, the major coup of the Cavaliers off-season had to be the acquisition of Jarrett Jack. Jack can be brilliant, and I’m not being wholly hyperbolic. He’s one of the most clutch non-marquee crunch time performers, and an ideal back up guard (the problems arise when he is handed too much to do). I’m excited to see him play alongside yet another of the league’s future superstars, the fantastic Kyrie Irving. Most of the armchair pundits have issued their bold proclamations of post-season success for the Cavs, and I’m certainly inclined to grant them the benefit of the doubt. It’s nice playing in the top-heavy East if you’re a fringe team. A few lucky breaks can seal the deal. The value of their bench will be directly linked to the ability of Kyrie Irving and Andrew Bynum to stay healthy (in this they form a kind of Eastern analogue to the Golden State Warriors). There’s not much brilliance on this bench, but on the plus side, if Irving and Bynum do their jobs that’s not going to really matter. Besides Jack, the hope on the pine comes from getting surprise Number One overall pick Anthony Bennett comfortable with the pace of the NBA game so he’ll develop quickly enough to help his young teammates on their Midwestern push to relevance. Here’s hoping Anderson Varejao returns to form and Tyler Zeller is actually Cody Zeller.