The Cleveland Cavaliers appear to be approaching next season with a solid dose of realism and long-term thinking. Their team is now built on a young core of players, a group that will likely start and needs time together to develop and grow into the next contending Cavs squad.
Part of that process is evaluating how various players fit with one another, and how they can be maximized together. Having a group of young talent is a good step towards building a winning team, but that talent also has to fit together. Ask the Process-era Philadelphia 76ers how drafting four-straight non-shooters (three centers and Ben Simmons) worked for maximizing their talent.
The Cleveland Cavaliers are trying to see how their young core fits together. Here are three units for head coach J.B. Bickerstaff to try next season.
Head coach J.B. Bickerstaff has plenty of options, from his young group of starters to some key veterans to fill in behind them. Many of those veterans are versatile positionally, giving him the ability to mix and match a number of players to achieve different goals.
The most obvious lineup is the expected starting one, the “all youth” movement of Darius Garland, Collin Sexton, Isaac Okoro, Evan Mobley and Jarrett Allen. Once he starts bringing in subs, however, where will he go? Here are three lineups he could turn to, each emphasizing a different strength.