Cavs: Ranking starters at every position in Central Division

The Cleveland Cavaliers got better this offseason. They lost arguably their best defensive player in Larry Nance Jr., but they otherwise drafted an elite talent at No. 3 in the draft, brought in Ricky Rubio and Lauri Markkanen and have a few fliers in place on the margins.

Unfortunately for the Cavs, the rest of their division got better too. The Indiana Pacers didn’t lose any of their expected starters and should be healthier; the Chicago Bulls brought in Lonzo Ball, Alex Caruso and DeMar DeRozan alongside a full season of Nikola Vucevic. The Detroit Pistons had the No. 1 overall pick and used it on Cade Cunningham. Even the Milwaukee Bucks look deeper than they were when they won the title just a few months ago.

The Cavs have their work cut out for them in the Central Division. How do the starters rank among every team at every position for the 2021-22 season?

No one is expecting the Cavs to make a run at the title, and even a solid playoff berth is a longshot. The team recognizes this, wisely playing the long game, and will most likely start five players all 23 years old and younger, with a sixth man in that range as well.

How do the Cavs compare to their fellow Central Division teams? Are there any positions that they have an advantage over their peers? The answer is yes, and that the Cavs’ starting lineup compares favorably despite being in the midst of a rebuild. How do they compare position by position, starting with point guard?