Tristan Thompson may want to get himself used to the idea of coming off the bench.
In the aftermath of a wonky offseason, which ended, basically, with the arrival of Dwyane Wade, Cleveland Cavaliers head coach Tyronn Lue is considering using Kevin Love as the starting center, per ESPN.com’s Dave McMenamin:
Kevin Love could be named the Cleveland Cavaliers‘ permanent starter at center this season, with Tristan Thompson coming off the bench, coach Tyronn Lue said after practice Saturday.
Love said he has played “quite a bit” of time at the 5 with the Cavs’ first unit through the first week of training camp.
Cleveland has dabbled with Love in that position in the past when it goes with a small-ball lineup — and it had particular success with it in a first-round sweep of center Andre Drummond and the Detroit Pistons in the 2016 playoffs.
Tristan is a very dynamic roller, guy that plays a lot as a dunker,” Love said. “Myself, I have to play inside-out, mix that up and really take what the defense gives you. But it gives us a different look. I mentioned different dynamics out there on the floor with different lineups, and we’re so deep now that [Dwyane Wade] and a lot of guys similar in size at that 4-5 spot, we’re going to see guys playing interchangeable. It’s not just going to be on the defensive end in that regard.”
Backup center has long been an issue for Cleveland, so having someone like Thompson come off the bench is, in theory, a big victory. Love-at-the-5 lineups are also usually offensive hotbeds. He is a nightmare for most centers to guard and can jostle for rebounds with the burliest bigs.
Defense will be a concern, but, as McMenamin notes, Lue is impressed with the effort Love has been putting in at that end of the floor. Barring those nights when he’s matched up with wings masquerading as centers, he might be able to hold up for protracted period. So, if Thompson has no qualms about coming off the pine, this might be a win-win for the Cavaliers.
What remains to seen, however, is what Lue wants from this shift. The most likely guess: more Jae Crowder at the 4. Moving Thompson, a plus-defender, out of the starting lineup to use LeBron James at the 4 and make room for Wade doesn’t really track. The Cavaliers should want to enhance their defensive and spacing versatility, not compromise them. By turning to Crowder, they can still use Wade at point guard within the starting five, and then hope Thompson develops a nice pick-and-roll chemistry with Derrick Rose and the second-stringers.
The Cavaliers have options. Lots of them. More lineup combinations than last year. And their list of decisions will only increase once Isaiah Thomas recovers from his hip injury. These problems are good ones to have—welcomed ones. But they’re also problems all the same. The rotation of a reigning conference champion isn’t typically up in the air to this degree.
