Cavs starting lineup, rotation while Jarrett Allen is out

The Cleveland Cavaliers have weathered a number of lineup storms this season. They played games missing five guards, or five bigs; they have had to bear the burden of not having a true small forward all season. Head coach J.B. Bickerstaff hasn’t been perfect, but he was dealt a hand of powerful yet ill-fitting cards and then had those cards randomly snatched away at different points in the season.

The rotational roulette strikes again, and Bickerstaff will have his work cut out for him replacing his All-Star center, Jarrett Allen, out indefinitely with a fractured finger (on top of a quad contusion, both sustained in the win over the Toronto Raptors on Sunday). Once again, this coaching staff has to change it all up.

With All-Star center Jarrett Allen sidelined with injury, the Cavs need a new starting lineup and a new rotation while he is out

The starting lineup got just a couple of games together with everyone healthy before Allen went out, and now he will need to be replaced at center. Do the Cavs stay “big” or downshift to put their most talented five players on the court to start? If the latter, who gets promoted?

Downstream, the team has to replace Allen’s 32.3 minutes per game throughout the rotation. Do those minutes go to other bigs (and do the Cavs, therefore, need to sign another big man) or will they filter up the lineup to wings and forwards? Let’s break down each of those topics in turn.