3 lineup moves the Cleveland Cavaliers need to do to fix their issues
By Chad Porto
Send Caris LeVert to the bench
Playing Caris LeVert in the starting five has never made sense to me. Even if you like him, the starting five already have two ball-dominant guards who don’t play defense well. They don’t need a third. LeVert is a better defender than both Donovan Mitchell and Darius Garland, but he’s not the stopper some think he is, and then you couple that with his shooting on the team, and it’s becoming clear he’s not a fit.
Not with Mitchell and Garland playing next to him. Maybe with just Mitchell, sure but not when he’s playing next to Garland.
Moving LeVert to the bench makes sense, especially when you realize that LeVert and Cedi Osman could potentially play off each other very well. You’d be able to have two point-forwards on the second unit, much like you have Garland and Mitchell on the first squad.
This will help keep the second unit potent when they hit rough spells like right now. Plus, with Kevin Love on that second unit, you now have three very efficient passers who can help spread the ball and keep the action moving.
Sure, defensively they won’t be ball-stoppers but they can provide a lot of effort if given a chance.