The Cleveland Cavaliers’ starting small forward position is the weakest on the roster. Obviously, Darius Garland and Donovan Mitchell are All-Star talents, and Jarrett Allen was an All-Star last year. Evan Mobley looks like a DPOY in the making, but the small forward position has been a bit iffy. Lamar Stevens, Dean Wade, Isaac Okoro, and Caris LeVert have all been placed in the starting three spot this season.
It seems like every game, the Cavs have to start another player at the small forward, because of injuries or inconsistencies. Looking at the roster, the Cavs have many wings. LeVert, Wade, Stevens, Okoro, and even players like Cedi Osman and Dylan Windler are on the team. Yes, I do realize Dylan Windler hasn’t played this season at all, and he’s already 26 years old. Chances are, Windler will not be on the team next season.
So for the sake of this article, we will look at these players who can start at the small forward position; Caris LeVert, Dean Wade, Lamar Stevens, Cedi Osman, and Isaac Okoro. All of these players, besides Cedi, have been inserted into the starting lineup as the small forward. Also, we will consider that all of these players are fully healthy and the current roster is also all healthy, for the sake of the list. Without further ado, here is my ranking of starting wings on the Cavs roster.
5 – Isaac Okoro
I don’t hate Okoro, I really don’t. I feel like my articles recently have been hating on him, but I like him, as a person and as a player. However, his skill set isn’t what the Cavs necessarily need. Cleveland needs 3-point shooters, as they are ranked 13th in the league. Sure, that ranking isn’t terrible, but considering how far the Cavs want to make it in the playoffs, they’ll want to get better at the 3-point shot.
Let’s look at why I am not a fan of Okoro starting at the 3. He’s a great and versatile defender, no arguing that. However, his offensive game isn’t spectacular. If he’s a great defender, why doesn’t he start? Darius Garland and Donovan Mitchell are both 6’1,” so it would make sense to get perimeter defenders in the lineup. Yes, that is true, but I believe Mitchell has looked better on the defensive end this year, and both Evan Mobley and Jarrett Allen are amazing defenders to back up the defense even more.
Okoro’s 3-point shot isn’t that good. He is currently shooting 26.0% from distance, which isn’t helping the Cavs’ cause. His +/- is 0, and if he wants to be a starting wing, his +/- has to get better, in my eyes.
4 – Cedi Osman
I love Cedi. I think he’s a great guy, but I do think he’s best suited off of the bench. Currently, Osman is ranked seventh in the league in total +/-, ahead of names like Joel Embiid, Ja Morant, and Kevin Durant. His 3-point shooting isn’t the best, either. Only 34% isn’t the worst ever but definitely should be improved.
The Cavs’ bench ranks 1st overall in net rating at the moment, too. Also, he is shooting 40% from the corner 3-point shot. But, he is rather inconsistent, in my opinion, and he shouldn’t really be the starting small forward for a championship roster.
I remember the old days, when Cedi Osman was the starting small forward, way back when (like 3 years ago). The Cavs weren’t a really good team back then, not to say Cedi was the main culprit for the Cavs not being a good team. However, he had a terrible +/- in the 2018-19 season, a miserable -641.
3 – Lamar Stevens
Lamar Stevens does all you need for an athletic power forward. His hustle is tremendous, he is a great finisher, and he’s a good defender. His jump shot isn’t there yet, but I still do believe he is a better fit as the small forward than both Okoro and Osman.
Looking at his stats, he is averaging 6.3 points, 3.7 rebounds, and 0.7 assists per night. His shooting isn’t that good, to be honest, but I still do like him as a player. His effort does not go unnoticed, as he has won the Cavs’ chain(the player of the game award for the Cavaliers) many times.
Just like Osman and Okoro, his 3-point shot isn’t too reliable, shooting 29.8% from deep this season. His effective field goal percentage of 47.4% isn’t that pleasant to look at, but Garland’s and Mitchell’s offense should definitely make up for what Stevens lacks if he were to start at the 3 for the remainder of the season.
His +/- is also a -9 on the season, which isn’t awful, but Cleveland would definitely like him to be in the positive for the season. Stevens is a really talented player, but I am not sure if he is the best player for the Cavs to start at the 3.
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.