Head coach Tyronn Lue announced that the newest member of the Cavs, Dwyane Wade, will start at the shooting guard spot for the Cleveland Cavaliers, rounding out their starting five. This information was confirmed by ESPN. The Cavs starting five has some seasoned NBA stars with Derrick Rose playing point guard, D-Wade playing the shooting guard, Jae Crowder and LeBron James playing the forward spots, and Kevin Love playing at center. The Cavs offseason moves gave them a better shot at getting even with the Warriors, but their lineup isn't even at their full potential yet.
They still have one more piece to add later in the season.
The Full Potential
The Cavs starting five is a good mix of pace and post play, but one could say they lack one of their biggest weapons from their 2016 campaign. Their three-point shooting has taken a hit, as Rose and Wade aren't really known for their three-point shooting. Both have improved over the years, but with Kyrie Irving and J.R. Smith last year who were three-point deadeyes, this is a considerable drop. This is the Cavs starting five for now, but this isn't even their roster at full strength. Isaiah Thomas is dealing with a hip injury suffered from last season, and the Cavs aren't expecting to see him on the court until Christmas at the earliest.
Thomas adds the three-point element the Cavs need now that Smith is coming off the bench and Kyrie Irving is now in Boston. LeBron James can shoot the three but he likes to get his teammates involved and get into the paint. With the Cavs current starting five, their best three-point shooter is Kevin Love at the center spot.
When the Cavs get Isaiah Thomas back on the floor and into the starting five, they will be able to reach their full potential and begin their run at an NBA championship.
Chemistry is everything
The biggest thing for every team to be successful in the NBA is chemistry. This Cavs team needs to build that and have done a good job of doing that to this point.
LeBron James is the common denominator for the starting five, as Wade and Love have experience playing with him. Crowder and Rose haven't played with each other or anyone else in the starting five, so all of them will need to figure out how to make sure everyone gets their touches. Nothing starts off pretty when there is a new super team in the NBA, but with time, the Cavs could become one of the most dominant teams in the NBA. The Cleveland Cavaliers take on the Chicago Bulls in preseason action on Oct. 10. The game will be on ESPN at 8 PM ET.
