The Cleveland Cavaliers have a healthy problem, but a problem nonetheless. They have a deep and talented roster. It is stocked so well with quality players that someone is going to inevitably get the short end of the stick come playoff time. Kenny Atkinson just clued everyone in on who it might be.
"Probably have to get to nine, but again I'm still evaluating who fits and who's gonna take the lead. ... We haven't made a clear decision on who those nine are, but it's tough to play 10. ... We have to evaluate, especially our wings, right? We have a lot of wings right now."
The wing rotation has long stood out as the elephant in the room ahead of the postseason. The Cavaliers have a lot of talented options and a clearly finite amount of minutes to give to those players.
Dean Wade, Keon Ellis, Max Strus, Jaylon Tyson, Sam Merrill — someone from that group could end up warming a seat on the bench a lot more than expected if Atkinson is trying to get to nine guys for the playoffs. Each of those players has a valid argument for it not being them.
Cavaliers have an impossible decision to make on the wings
Time to take quick stock of who is safe and accounted for. James Harden, Donovan Mitchell, Evan Mobley and Jarrett Allen make up four spots in the rotation. Dennis Schroder can probably be cautiously added to that group, too, as the third true guard behind the star backcourt.
A quick argument can then be made for Wade. The Cavaliers veteran can slot in either as a starter at the three or fill the gap in the frontcourt behind Mobley and Allen as a backup.
That brings the number up to six.
This leaves Ellis, Strus, Merrill, and Tyson fighting for the last three spots. Off the jump, there are two names who stick out larger than the others.
Merrill has been a big part of the Cavaliers' success this season. Ellis has also quickly earned Atkinson's trust in minutes distribution since arriving, averaging 24.4 per game and even starting two games. They should both be considered safe, leaving the discussion between Strus and Tyson.
The former has the experience, but is still trying to get up to speed after returning from his Jones fracture injury. The latter has been important to the Cavaliers all year, but has seen his role shrink post-trade deadline.
Whatever the answer ends up being, a chunk of Cavaliers fans will surely be unhappy about it. The case for all of these players is strong. However, to Atkinson's point, it is hard to feature a 10-man rotation in the playoffs. Someone will fall victim to that reduction in the process.