Cavs: 3 potential lineups to try out with Ben Simmons

Cavs: 3 potential lineups try out with Ben Simmons – Lockdown unit

Collin Sexton, Isaac Okoro, Ben Simmons, Dean Wade, Evan Mobley

Ben Simmons is one of the very best defensive players in the league, a two-time first-team All-Defensive team selection the past two seasons, finishing second in Defensive Player of the Year voting to Rudy Gobert last season. Any lineup with Simmons deployed is instantly improved by his ability to guard 5 positions and generate turnovers at a high rate.

This lineup leans into that fact by pursuing a defensive combination that can defend literally any lineup other teams have to throw at the Cavs. By combining Isaac Okoro, Simmons and Evan Mobley the Cavs have an option for dynamic guards, prolific wings or offensive bigs.

You could swap in Jarrett Allen at center for Mobley to take on larger centers, such as Simmons’ current teammate Joel Embiid, but playing Mobley gives this team switchability up-and-down the lineup. How does a team run a successful pick-and-roll when Isaac Okoro is guarding the ball-handler, Evan Mobley is playing the screener and Ben Simmons is lurking in the passing lanes?

Dean Wade is a great fit because he can survive defensively and provide some spacing. Lamar Stevens would take the defense to another notch but also cramp the spacing even more. Similarly, Collin Sexton is a better fit than Ricky Rubio, the superior defender, because he can create offense from nothing and help prop up this team’s half-court offense, although hopefully they would be scoring a lot in transition to balance things out.