Cleveland Cavaliers: 3 storylines to keep an eye on in training camp

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Cleveland Cavaliers Rodney Hood (Photo by Joe Murphy/NBAE via Getty Images) /

Storyline #2: Getting an idea of who the second option could be

The Cavaliers have a number of possibilities for the second option void this season. They have a stable of guards who will need to get run, and those players will have the right to considerable usage rate. The first player who comes to mind as Love’s potential number two is Hood, who has career averages of 13.0 points per game and an effective field goal percentage of 50.3.

It has been reported by Joe Vardon (previously of Cleveland.com, and now with The Athletic) that Hood wants to earn a big contract from the Cavaliers. He’s currently playing next season out on a one-year, $3.4 million qualifying offer, and it’d be great for both sides if he can show how valuable he could be to a new-look Cavs squad.

As we’ve mentioned here at KJG numerous times, Hood is a gifted, multifaceted scorer that has the potential to be a key piece for Cleveland in the near future. Using him as simply a spot-up shooter is a waste of his ability as a playmaker off the bounce, and the Cavs need to feature him more in other ways, such as in pick-and-rolls as the ball-handler and as a post-up threat.

Along with Hood, Sexton and Osman could potentially emerge as Cleveland’s second option. Both players project as key playmakers for themselves and others (although their passing needs to improve), and they should have their share of pick-and-roll mismatches.

Osman and Sexton should be able to push the pace on a number of occasions after turnovers and rebounds. Plus, with their tenacity driving to the rim, they should get plenty of free throw chances as they get more experience playing with the spacing Love and players such as Kyle Korver provide.

With other solid role players that can cut well, such as Nwaba, Clarkson and Thompson, the Cavaliers offense should have balance. It would be nice to have some consistency outside of Love at the top of the scoring pecking order, though.

Lastly, the leadership provided by Cleveland’s veterans early on in training camp will be a nice plus as the season nears. Right now, it seems that the vets are more than willing to help out the young guys, and with the way the rotation will be way different, that’s encouraging.