Tyronn Lue names his bench mob
The Cleveland Cavaliers will have their best bench unit since The Return.
According to Cleveland Cavaliers head coach Tyronn Lue, Derrick Rose, J.R. Smith, Kyle Korver, Jeff Green and Tristan Thompson will form the Cleveland Cavaliers’ second unit this season.
While Lue only named the first four players by name on Monday, it’s already been discussed how former starter Tristan Thompson has moved to the Cavs bench and hopes to win the Sixth Man of the Year award this season. Thompson, who is one of the best offensive rebounders in the NBA, averaged 3.7 offensive rebounds per game last season (tied for fifth-highest in the NBA). He’s a player who’s dedicated to expanding his game and giving his team what he needs past the tangible stats and just one small piece of what’s the best bench unit the Cavs have had since The Return.
Compare this season’s bench to last season’s unit of Deron Williams, Iman Shumpert, Kyle Korver, Richard Jefferson and Channing Frye or the previous season’s bench of Shumpert, Jefferson, Frye, Matthew Dellavedova and Timofey Mozgov.
Or, compare it to the bench of Dellavedova, Shumpert, Thompson, Mike Miller and Shawn Marion from LeBron James’ first season back in Cleveland.
Rose, who averaged 18.0 points and 4.4 assists per game last season, is the type of dynamic playmaking point guard that they haven’t had on the bench since James’ return. He’s an attacking point guard who’ll play at a faster pace than either Williams or Dellavedova did while still being able to control the flow of the offense and set up teammates. When James goes to the bench, Rose will keep the Cavs in attack mode and with his focus on regaining respect around the league, Rose may strike with a vengeance next season.
Like Williams, Rose has been a superstar and feature point guard in the NBA, which will help him succeed in on a team that’s expecting him to be that player – at least within certain lineups. Unlike Williams, Rose is playing with a free mind and has been explosive early in his Cavs tenure. Preseason or not, physically Rose looks better than he has looked in while. We know Rose has the talent. However, what wasn’t known was that Rose still has the athleticism to blow past defenders.
Dellavedova is a more reliable defender and three-point threat than Rose and has been the most productive point guard the Cavs have had in The Land outside of Kyrie Irving since The Return. However, Rose is a proven volume scorer and better finisher around the rim than Dellavedova. At least until Isaiah Thomas returns, Rose could take the Dellavedova’s mantle.
Looking at Rose’s running mate in the second unit, there’s not much surprise either outside of the illusion that Dwyane Wade would be running the show as backup point guard while joined by a player like Shumpert in the backcourt. However, Smith started in front of Shumpert for three seasons and it’s not by sheer chance.
While Shumpert had the better defensive reputation, Smith came to Cleveland and got focused in a way that he hadn’t on any other team. Already gifted with above-average athleticism and size for his position, once he became a student of the game who focused on working on his craft, he became a better player on the defensive end. Better than even Shumpert, according to Lue (per Bleacher Report’s Greg Swartz).
Smith, who has a career three-point percentage of 37.4 and a habit of taking – and making – the tough three-point shot, is also a better three-point threat than Shumpert (a career 34.0 percent shooter from behind-the-arc). Smith has also earned the team’s trust more than Shumpert when it comes to making plays off-the-dribble, both for himself and others.
Korver (career three-point percentage of 43.1) is like Mike Miller (career three-point percentage of 40.7) in that he’s an excellent three-point shooter with a high basketball IQ. However, Korver is not only a better shooter who shows more versatility in how he operates off-ball but he’s healthier, stronger and a better team defender than Miller was for the Cavs. Playing beside Smith, as Lue said to reporters on Monday, will open up the floor for Rose.
Having Smith and Korver on the floor at the same time is going to be unfair for opponents, as they have to decide if they want to give up what’s nearly an automatic three or stop Rose at the rim. Smith and Korver averaged a combined 19.3 points per game for the Cavs last season (5.1 combined three-point field goal conversions per game).
With Green on the court, another threat to score inside the arc and balance the floor, Lue has a great quartet of players to mix-and-match with. These four could play with Thomas, Wade, LeBron James or Kevin Love and thrive on both ends.
Green, who averaged 9.2 points per game last season, is a more athletic than either Jefferson or Marion but is an intelligent and versatile player like they were. As a result, while Green will be an interior force he’ll also be responsible for getting players into the right positions. He’ll be the brain and the brawn.
In addition, though he won’t be as much of a catch-and-shoot threat, Green could be a better defensive piece for the Cavs than either Jefferson or Marion. He has better length and explosiveness than either player and against teams like the Golden State Warriors (Kevin Durant), Oklahoma City Thunder (Paul George) and Milwaukee Bucks (Giannis Antetokounmpo) – teams with lanky scorers – he’ll be a valuable defensive weapon. He held his man to an effective field goal percentage of 39.4 in isolation last season (55th percentile).
Thompson is another versatile player, particularly on the defensive end where his agility will allow the Cavs to switch ball screens more easily than they could with a more traditional big man. Even without switching, Thompson’s agility should allow him to play solid pick-and-roll defense (so long as there’s communication with the point guard and along the backline of the defense). In addition, Thompson will be a solid rim-protector when he comes in the game while providing that defensive versatility. Last season, Thompson showed better timing and quickness as a rim-protector, which helped him block a career-high 1.1 shots per game and have a defensive field goal percentage of 46.3, 0.6 percent less than opponents season average.
Offensively, Thompson will provide valuable screens for Rose, who uses the pick-and-roll heavily to score. He’ll be the clean-up crew for Rose should a layup rim-out and while he won’t give Rose the space inside to score because he lacks a consistent outside jumper, he’ll be a solid lob or pocket pass option for Rose should big men pay Rose too much attention. While he can rely on that part of his game, he’s trying to expand his shooting range. Eventually, Thompson may be the perfect complement for Rose.
When Thompson comes into the game, like Rose and Green, he’ll provide energy to the team and the crowd.
While Rose and Green will do it with highlight-reel plays, Thompson will do it with workman’s hustle on the floor and on the boards. Even after the Cavs’ starters wear down the interior of a defense with their ability to attack the rim, they’ll have to worry about Thompson’s ferocity on the boards, his play in the pick-and-roll and his ability to kick it back out for second chance points – points that can be deadly against an offense with as much talent as the Cavs.
The Cavs bench unit should be much improved from the one that averaged 28.3 points per game last season (third-worst in the league). Their defense, with the impact that Smith, Green and Thompson can make on that end, should also be better than a defense HoopsStats ranked as the second-worst among bench unit’s in the NBA.
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*Unless otherwise referenced, all stats gathered from www.basketball-reference.com