Cavs: An early look at the starting lineup
PG: Darius Garland
Garland is a rising star, buoyed by solid growth in his second season and his inclusion on the Team USA Select Team that trained with the gold medal Olympics squad. He is the surest lock to start on this roster (although this team basically has four locks) and fans should be ready for something spectacular.
SG: Collin Sexton
Can a player be both underrated and overrated at the same time? Collin Sexton averaged 24.3 points per game last season, but that oversells his total impact; he’s not a max player yet. On the other hand it’s really hard to average 24.3 points per game in the NBA, and with a better team around him this year he could take that next step forward.
SF: Isaac Okoro
The Cavaliers really want Isaac Okoro to succeed, and ideally succeed at the 3. He looks like an elite defender and certainly took on the toughest assignments last season as he was thrown into the fire. This year the team will look to see that potential realized as he becomes a legitimate wing stopper; or, they will look to replace him in the draft next year.
PF: Evan Mobley
The rookie is the one coin flip in the starting lineup. The team could easily swap him and Lauri Markkanen and bring Mobley around a little more slowly as the backup to both Markkanen and Jarrett Allen. For now, it’s slightly more likely he starts to gain experience with the fellow starters.
C: Jarrett Allen
The Cavs’ new $100 million man will start at center for the team, and might be their “best” overall player when the season begins, especially relative to his positional peers. Allen’s ability to anchor the defense will set the tone for this team on that end for the entire year.