What the Cavs’ 10-man rotation for the 2022-23 season should look like

Backup Point Guard – Brandon Goodwin

I’m going to be honest here, I really don’t see Cleveland not bringing back Goodwin, nor do I think Goodwin does not want to be back in Cleveland. Goodwin was a very good backup point guard, playing with intensity on every play, on offense and defense. Goodwin has played with the Denver Nuggets, then Atlanta Hawks for two years, and now, being one of the primary ball-handlers off the bench for the Cavs this season.

Like I mentioned earlier, Cleveland may bring back Rubio, but I’m not 100% sure. Goodwin seems more likely to come back more so than Rubio, in my opinion.

Also, I doubt Rajon Rondo will return to Cleveland, as he will turn 37 next year, and I’m not sure if he will retire this year or not. If he decides not to retire, I don’t know who would pick up him, or where Rondo would want to go anyway.

Goodwin averaged 4.8 points, 2.5 assists, and 1.9 rebounds a night. Not numbers that jump off of a page, but he only played about 13.9 minutes a night. Against the Minnesota Timberwolves in February, he dropped 17 points, 12 assists, and 2 steals with 0 turnovers, and all of this for an undrafted, two-way player.

Backup Shooting Guard – Caris LeVert

I do believe Caris LeVert did not have enough time to get comfortable with J.B. Bickerstaff’s system. LeVert was a great player for both Brooklyn and the Indiana Pacers, but didn’t play so well in Cleveland.

This may be because he came off the bench for most of his games, something he has not done in a while, since the last time was in the beginning of the 2020-21 season, where he came off the bench for the Nets before being traded to Indiana. Or maybe it was that he was putting up good numbers on a bad team for the Pacers, such things happen more than you’d expect.

LeVert will probably come off the bench, in my opinion, until he shows signs of a resurgence in his offensive game. Until then, I expect Sexton to be taking the starting role, if Sexton is here next season. If Sexton is not back next season, I expect LeVert or the next player listed to be starting at the 2.

Backup Small Forward – Lauri Markkanen

Lauri Markkanen might be the starting small forward come next season, but in my opinion, Okoro should be given that spot. Will it happen? Probably not. The modern NBA is centered on floor spacing, and Okoro doesn’t scream floor spacing as much as Markkanen. However, if they have Markkanen on the bench, that would give Cleveland a very good bench, with LeVert, Markkanen, and more.

Markkanen has been a solid starter for the Cavs this season, averaging 14.8 points, 5.7 rebounds, and 1.3 assists. However, when Cleveland played against the Hawks in the play-in game, Markkanen switched on to Trae Young when a pick-and-roll was set, and Markkanen’s lateral quickness was not enough to stop Young from scoring. However, his defense is not as bad as it may seem, as the NBA’s average defensive rating is a 110.6, while Markkanen’s is a 110.2 for this season, making him about an average defender, which is okay, considering the other defensive players the Cavs have on their roster.

Backup Power Forward – Lamar Stevens/Dean Wade

I could not really decide on who would be the backup power forward, since both are viable options and both will probably play minutes next season. Writing this article really pains me more than you’d think, even if my articles have no impact on J.B. Bickerstaff’s rotation. I really like Cedi Osman, but there was really no room in the rotation for him.

Anyway, Lamar Stevens is one of my favorite players on this roster, since his intensity is always really high and he always seems hyped to play. Stevens may not be lights out from 3, or be anything fancy, but he fills his role well, as a high energy defender off of the bench, who can cut to the basket sometimes as well.

As for Dean Wade, he’s your prototypical stretch 4. Why Cleveland played him at the small forward this season, I still don’t know. In my opinion, his lateral quickness is not enough for him to play at the 3, but that’s just my opinion. Having him on the floor on offense really helps, as it spreads out the Cavaliers’ offense and lets the ball handler get the offense flowing.

Backup Center – Kevin Love

I expect Kevin Love or Caris LeVert to be the 6th man next year, and I think it most likely will be Love. Love has been one of the best bench players in the league this year, providing instant offense with his range for a big man. As of now, the two centers who we had on the roster, besides Jarrett Allen and Evan Mobley, are set to feasibly be leaving in free agency.

Ed Davis, our one center, was not a player you could play more than 15 minutes a night, and rarely played, only appearing in 31 games, playing in 6.5 minutes a night. The other center is Moses Brown, a player we signed near the end of the season for some interior presence, since both Evan Mobley and Jarrett Allen were injured at one point.

Love is not a rim protector, even in the slightest, but if Cleveland does not sign a backup big man (which I think they will), then Love will be the backup center. With both Evan Mobley and Jarrett Allen being the Cavs’ starting big men, Love does not have to be a rim protector, since both Mobley and Allen are elite in that category. Love just needs to provide offense and spacing to the roster once he comes off the bench.

Cleveland’s roster has a lot of players who deserve minutes, but I don’t expect Cleveland to run out with a huge rotation of players, so this is just my opinion on who should get the starting and backup spots.