3 potential experimental lineups Cavs could use next season
By Mason Cole
Cleveland Cavaliers potential experimental lineup #1: Sexton-Porter Jr.-Nance Jr.-Kevin Love-Drummond
There are two points of interest that I immediately see in this lineup. The first being the backcourt pairing of Sexton and Porter Jr.
Any backcourt duo that the Cavaliers deploy will be an experiment in itself simply due to the lack of true passing abilities on their roster. But a pairing of Sexton and Porter Jr. would offer the Cavaliers an incredibly high ceiling in terms of scoring ability.
Sexton is probably the best pure scorer on the team. After leading the team in scoring during the 2019-20 season with an average of 20.8 points per outing, Sexton apparently arrived to the Cavaliers in-market training bubble in incredible shape and has added a considerable amount of good weight.
With his scoring talent and his work ethic, it’s fair to believe that Sexton’s scoring ability could become even greater as his career progresses.
Kevin Porter Jr. has the potential to be a great NBA scorer as well. In his rookie year, KPJ showed in flashes his unique ability to score in isolation situations. With his combination of size, athleticism and handle, Porter’s ceiling as a scorer remains immensely high.
If both Sexton and Porter Jr. continue their upward progression as scorers, this backcourt duo could quickly become a dangerous threat for the Cavaliers.
The second point of intrigue when considering this potential Cavs lineup is its use of Larry Nance Jr. at the small forward spot.
Towards what would end up being the conclusion of the Cleveland Cavaliers 2019-20 campaign, Nance Jr. saw some action at the small forward spot. This was unusual for Nance who usually fits as either a power forward or center, despite his 6-foot-7 height.
But Nance Jr. saw some success when filling in at small forward, and with his length and improved three-point shooting (35.2 percent in 2019-20), it would make sense that Bickerstaff would want to continue experimenting with Nance at small forward.
A lineup that features Nance, Kevin Love and Drummond on the court at the same time might lead to concerns defensively, but that is why this lineup is still listed as an experiment. An experiment that we still could see the Cavaliers test in the near future.