3 Issues Cleveland Cavaliers must sort out during training camp

This question could be answered by however the Cavaliers answer the previous one, but it’s an important one for them to answer and probably the most crucial of the three. Whether it’s in the starting lineup or the closing one, how will the Cavs defend opposing guards?

They couldn’t find the right answer last season when Isaac Okoro was the option for much of the year. In the playoffs, however, his lack of shooting throttled the Cavaliers’ offense. When J.B. Bickerstaff took him off of the court, however, the Cavs couldn’t stay in front of Jalen Brunson, forcing adjustments defensively that had cascading effects through rim protection and rebounding.

Who else can the answer be? Caris LeVert will likely get the first crack in the primary rotation, but he will be coming off of the bench. Matchups will probably dictate who among the starters takes which player, but none of the options are excellent. Cleveland.com’s Chris Fedor predicted on a recent podcast that Garland wanted those matchups, while Donovan Mitchell is best equipped athletically but has never functioned as that guy in his career.

If Max Strus can be that guy, it eases a lot of the burden on the starting backcourt. He doesn’t exactly have the size to defend small forwards anyway (another issue to be worked out) but if he can stay in front of guards and defend better than he did in Miami, it helps the Cavs’ lineups make more sense.

Prediction: Darius Garland takes a step forward, but ultimately Max Strus has to be the guy.