Dean Wade has to start for Cavs after Donovan Mitchell trade
Dean Wade must start for Cavs after Mitchell trade: Other options
Realistically, there are only three options for the Cavs to start at small forward. They aren’t going to shoe-horn Kevin Love into the Markkanen role from last year, and Lamar Stevens and Dylan Windler are too far down the pecking order. That leaves Dean Wade, Isaac Okoro and Caris LeVert.
LeVert has the most pedigree and may have been promised a starting job when the team traded for him last season, but his offensive game — decent on-ball creation, good playmaking, poor shooting and off-ball movement — scales terribly alongside two other on-ball creators in Donovan Mitchell and Darius Garland. The Cavs aren’t running the offense through LeVert. His defensive limitations seal the deal and will hopefully either resign him to a Sixth Man role off the bench or even put him in trade discussions to add a true small forward.
Isaac Okoro is a reasonable option, and he started his entire rookie season at the 3 alongside Garland and Collin Sexton. The results were terrible, though, which was partly because this team had a weak roster and partly because Okoro lacks the size to consistently check small forwards at just 6’5″ with a 6’8″ wingspan. If his shot develops this season he is a potential option, but he doesn’t do anything better than Wade and is smaller. He has more upside than Wade but in this role is a small step down.
Next. 3 burning questions following the Cavs’ Donovan Mitchell trade. dark
The Cavs ultimately need a better option at small forward to become a true title contender, and that will be a goal over the next year or so. For now, out of the available options, Dean Wade is the best fit in a lineup of stars to help them perform at the highest levels. Starting Wade also puts in place a second unit of Ricky Rubio, LeVert, Okoro and Kevin Love that has plenty of two-way juice as well.
Start Dean Wade.