A brief look at the Cleveland Cavaliers current roster and depth chart for 2017-2018

Center

Kevin Love

Tristan Thompson

Ante Zizic

Kevin Love will start at center this season in an attempt to increase the floor spacing and to put him in a position for his teammates to play off of him. With Rose and Wade starting the in the backcourt at the beginning of the season, two players who don’t excel as perimeter shooters, the spacing Love can provide in the pick-and-roll (a play type both players use heavily) will be a great asset to them. With Love’s passing ability from the elbows, Love will be a player that Rose, Wade, Crowder and James can all play off of in the starting lineup as they dart to the rim. Defensively, Love will be at a disadvantage because he’ll be pulled out into space in the pick-and-roll but if the Cavs blitz particular ball-handlers and are consistently crisp with their rotations, Love’s lack of lateral agility is less likely to be exposed. Tristan Thompson has moved to the bench but he’ll come in the game, crash the boards and have a party inside the paint like he usually does. In the pick-and-roll, Thompson will still finish lobs and kick out to shooters in the short roll. He’s also trying to expand his shooting range and hit corner threes. In addition, his reduced role has invigorated his defense, not because he wasn’t a player who went all-out before but because now he has more time to rest and thus, more energy. This after a season when he was really the Cavs only center. Behind Love and Thompson is Ante Zizic, a skilled center with traditional size and solid potential. He’ll likely spend a lot of time with the Canton Charge this season.

Related Story: Can D-Rose be Cavs' version of Andre Iguodala