The Cleveland Cavaliers have a few bigs in John Henson and Ante Zizic that could seemingly both be out for the first few games of the 2019-20 season, so they might as well give two-way bigs Tyler Cook and Dean Wade a bit of run in those contests.
The Cleveland Cavaliers are going to have a tough time early on and throughout the 2019-20 season with the team rebuilding, and considering that, they should be having young pieces play a bunch of minutes.
Key young pieces including rookie guard Darius Garland, who is “probable” to start against the Orlando Magic on Wednesday, per head coach John Beilein and as transcribed by Basketball Insiders’ Spencer Davies, guard Collin Sexton and wing Cedi Osman fall right into that large minutes-share category early on, and that’s clear.
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Exciting rookie wing Kevin Porter Jr. might get a fair share of meaningful minutes early on, too, with fellow rookie wing Dylan Windler likely to at least miss a bit of time to start the season with a reported stress reaction in his left leg, in particular.
Beilein could favor Alfonzo McKinnie, who was recently picked up off waivers, more in rotational minutes backing up Osman, though, given that Porter is only 19 and could take some time to adjust on both ends against NBA wings.
The bigs situation seems to be more veteran-laden in the first few games and likely more into the first month, though.
Star big Kevin Love is likely to start at the 4 early on with Tristan Thompson seemingly at the 5, and though Larry Nance Jr. should absolutely get a considerable minutes share, too, Cleveland looks like they’ll be pretty light on available bigs with regular roster spots at least in the first few games of 2019-20.
According to the Cavaliers, Ante Zizic, who did not play at all in the preseason, will reportedly be out until about mid-November due to plantar fasciitis in his left foot, which is a tough blow.
Zizic was productive in his minutes last season, with 7.8 points and 5.4 rebounds in 18.3 minutes per game in 59 appearances (per Basketball Reference).
Along with that, John Henson, who could bring rim protection for Cleveland, did not play at all in the preseason due to reported groin and then ankle injuries, and it seems Henson could miss a few games to start 2019-20, at least feasibly in Cleveland’s first two games against the Orlando Magic and the Indiana Pacers.
Henson, who didn’t play at all last season for Cleveland due to a reported torn wrist ligament after being traded by the Milwaukee Bucks early on, could seemingly miss a few contests, given this bit from Beilein on Tuesday, as was transcribed by Davies.
John Henson (groin) participated in some "half-court things."
— Spencer Davies (@SpinDavies) October 22, 2019
Beilein says they'll see what he does tomorrow in shoot around. Not expecting to have him for opener at Orlando, but didn't completely rule it out. #Cavs
With this being the case, Cleveland should give undrafted rookie two-way bigs Tyler Cook and Dean Wade a bit of run in the first few games to start the season and perhaps get Henson more time to get right, even if they are not really meaningful minutes for the two-way players.
That’s especially the case considering in the first two games, the 45-day limit for which the two can be with their NBA team, which begins on Oct. 28, for the two won’t start yet, as Cleveland.com’s Chris Fedor recently pointed out.
The 6-foot-8, 250-pound Cook, who Beilein reportedly tried to recruit to play for him at Michigan, is primarily an interior scorer near the basket, but has pretty good quickness for really a natural 4, and who could reportedly play some 5 for the Cleveland Cavaliers, might be able to give Thompson a bit of a breather in some instances.
That could mean perhaps in the 10 to 12 minute or so variety in the first few games with Henson potentially sidelined for precaution. Cook, an explosive athlete who had 14.1 points and 6.7 rebounds per game in three seasons at Iowa (per Sports Reference), could bring Cleveland some energy as a reserve.
Additionally, considering Love is coming off a 2018-19 season where he only appeared in 22 games mostly due to reported toe surgery, the 6-foot-9 Wade could spell him a bit for Beilein.
Wade has some stretch big capability, as was shown in his four-year career at Kansas State where he had 12.0 points per game and hit 38.6% of his three-pointers (per Sports Reference), and he’s a good athlete who can be an occasional lob threat.
Also, Wade can switch out some on the wing if needed in pick-and-roll on the defensive end, which is something Love doesn’t do well.
Granted, I wouldn’t expect Cook or Wade to play much in the first few games, if at all, especially with Cleveland feasibly going small with McKinnie or Osman maybe playing some 4, but with that 45-day limit not starting anyway until the 28th, Beilein and the coaching staff would be wise to give their two two-way bigs a bit of run in the first week or so of the season.
Of course, Henson could be fine after the Orlando game, but I am anything but certain he will be, so why not see what your two two-way players can do a bit with you rebuilding, anyhow, Cavs?