Ranking the Cleveland Cavaliers’ top 5 small forwards

2 – Caris LeVert

Personally, I was excited for the Cavs once they traded for LeVert last season. However, I really believe now that he is the most inconsistent player in the league. In some games, it seems like he cannot miss a shot. In other games, he goes 1-10 from the field and 0-4 from deep. I remember when he dropped 41 on the Celtics and then dropped a single point the next game two days later against the Knicks.

He is a solid secondary playmaker, averaging 3.6 assists per night. A common sign for the Cavs wings, he isn’t the best shooter in the world, shooting 36.7% from deep. He is also shooting 40.8% from the field, which also isn’t too good, either.

I don’t think he is worth a first-round pick anymore, to be honest. I think the Cavs would be better off if they traded him to another team, and see if Cleveland could get something better in return.

1 – Dean Wade

I like Dean Wade, and I do believe that he is the best player to start as the small forward this season. He isn’t that bad of a defender, and he is a very reliable 3-point shooter. He is currently shooting 41.1% from deep and has helped the Cavs be successful. With Dean Wade on the floor, the Cavs have a record of 12-5. When he is not playing, they are 13-9, which is still good, but obviously, it seems that Wade helps the Cavs.

The Cavs’ defensive rating without Wade is 112.1, but their rating is 107.7 with him on the floor. Wade definitely isn’t the flashiest player, but he does help Cleveland, and he does get the job done.

My friends and I argued about who we’d rather have on the current Cavs, and I said I’d rather have Dean Wade over LeBron from this year. Crazy, I know, but I had facts to back it up.

His advanced analytics look comparable to LeBron, and his +/- is better than his in fewer games this season. Also, Wade is a better shooter, and that is what the Cavs need this season. LeBron is obviously a great playmaker and a solid defender, but the Cavs need bench scoring and shooting, and Wade can bring that to the Cavs. I do think Cleveland is too top-heavy, and having Wade over this year’s LeBron would be more helpful.

Anyway, I do think that the Cavs’ small forward position should be changed, maybe a Bojan Bogdanovic, or a Harrison Barnes, or a Kyle Kuzma could really help the Cavs’ roster. I do think Okoro or LeVert are the odd men out when it comes to the wing positions and are probably the first players to be moved if the Cavs were to make a trade come this deadline.