Cavs: Taking a look at who should be the starting power forward

Over the course of this offseason, the Cleveland Cavaliers have been active in adding talent to certain positions and specifically looking for players that fit around their young backcourt tandem. The biggest moves this offseason were in the frontcourt, drafting Evan Mobley with the third overall pick and orchestrating a sign-and-trade for Lauri Markkanen.

With these moves, the team now goes into the next season with three solidified power forwards as Kevin Love, Lauri Markkanen, and Evan Mobley are expected to see minutes at that position.

Looking at the point guard, shooting guard, small forward, and center positions, it seems that the Cavaliers have those starters locked in, leaving a glaring decision to make at the power forward position. Early thoughts seem as if no one is “locked” into the starting power forward position with Mobley, Markkanen, and Love all having a good chance to occupy that spot.

So what’s the case for each player?

Looking at what head coach J.B. Bickerstaff should look at when making this decision, the fit with the young backcourt tandem should be the biggest factor.

Looking first at Kevin Love, he has the best chemistry with the Darius Garland-Collin Sexton duo as well as being a great fit with his shooting and playmaking abilities at the power forward position.

Over the last three seasons, Love has been hampered with injuries, and with the Cavs’ rebuild, his relationship with the front office has seemingly soured, at least to some extent. Outbursts from the 13-year big have made headlines and despite his desire to win, a buyout is reportedly off the table.

The Cavs are stuck with Love for at least another year, seeing as his expiring contract could draw interest.

Is the relationship with the team too broken to come back from? Is Love even healthy enough to warrant a starting spot? Can he still be a positive player? All of these questions will have to be answered when deciding on if he should be the starter or not.

Looking next at Evan Mobley, the Cavaliers drafted him with the thought of pairing him alongside Jarrett Allen, creating a “twin towers” frontcourt. Mobley is a unicorn as a 7-footer with perimeter skills. His playmaking and handle as a big are rare and that paired with his length is why his potential is sky-high.

The duo isn’t a seamless fit by any means. Mobley shot just 30 percent from three at USC and didn’t attempt many. Starting both would deteriorate the spacing and could hamper the offense, as crazy as it may sound with how unique Mobley is.

Over the last two seasons, the Cavs opted to start their high draft picks and there’s a good chance that trend continues but, in my opinion, looking for spacing early would be better for the team.

Lastly, we’ll discuss Lauri Markkanen’s case as a starter. The Cavaliers recently made the move to acquire Lauri, parting ways with Larry Nance Jr. to do so. Markkanen fits the timeline of the young core, is under contract for four years, and fills the team’s biggest need in shooting.

Though he’s dealt with inconsistencies and injuries throughout his career, his shooting has stayed constant and he’s one of, if not the best 7-foot shooter in the league. Despite being 7-foot, Markkanen has good face-up ability and can beat his man off the dribble if they close out too hard. Defensively, though it isn’t his strong suit, being 7-foot makes him a paint presence, something that a spacer like Love isn’t.

So who’s the best option for the Cavs starting power forward spot?

Taking into account fit, offensive impact, and overall play, Lauri Markkanen is the best option to start at the power forward position. His floor spacing would open up the offense, meaning easier shots for the young backcourt.

Being 7-feet tall makes Markkanen a viable pick-and-pop/pick-and-roll threat. Not only that but his uniqueness means that he can be successful in shooting off-screens, dribble handoffs, and in transition.

With Markkanen starting, this allows for Love to play in a reduced role, limiting injury and brings Mobley along slowly, playing against backups a fair amount as both a power forward and center. All four bigs can play with each other in spurts and in different scenarios.

This opportunity should give Markkanen a chance to re-write his career with the hope that he can return to his second-year form.