The Cleveland Cavaliers had one of the best second units in basketball last season. Defensive stoppers. Microwave scorers. Two Sixth Man of the Year Finalists. Life was good.
Things have changed.
Cleveland’s
bench isn’t the same, for one. De’Andre Hunter is a starter. Ty Jerome is in Memphis. And players like Lonzo Ball, Larry Nance Jr., Jaylon Tyson and Nae’Qwan Tomlin either weren’t in the rotation last season or weren’t on the team altogether.
It’s no surprise that these changes haven’t been seamless. Injuries to Darius Garland and Max Strus, plus a wobbly start from Evan Mobley, have had a trickle-down effect that makes establishing a firm identity more difficult.
Furthermore, the Cavs’ personnel changes have forced a shift in playstyle. They won’t be bombarding teams from deep anymore. They aren’t built for that. This is a group that has to win through its defense. That requires chemistry and experience.
Right now, the Cavalier rotation is lopsided. Donovan Mitchell and Jarrett Allen are overwhelming positives, according to Cleaning the Glass. Evan Mobley, Sam Merrill, De’Andre Hunter, and Tyson are all positive or breaking even.
There’s a steep decline in net rating after that.
Nance is a -19.3 per 100 possessions. Wade is -9, Ball is -7.4 and Porter is -4.2. The rookie, Tyrese Proctor, is a team-worst -22.1 for a minimum of 100 minutes.
Let’s be clear. Net rating isn’t everything. On/off splits can be wonky. But the eye-test isn’t far removed from the numbers we’re seeing. The Cavs’ bench isn’t scoring at a high rate, as we expected, but they have felt disconnected on defense. That’s a concern.
Nance has had a difficult time finding any rhythm. He’s shooting 18-for-53 from the floor (34%) and looking a step too slow defensively. The Cavs had hoped Nance would provide them with a legit backup big this season. So far, this hasn’t gone as planned.
Wade is another player struggling to fill his role. He’s shot 31.3% from deep and doesn’t feel as impactful defensively as he normally does.
Tyson, Ball and Porter have all had success. Tomlin, as well. Each player competes hard and has nights where they score efficiently. But outside of Ball, this is a young and inexperienced group. The chemistry is a work in progress and they aren’t always on the same page as their teammates.
Forming an identity takes time. That might sound frustrating, considering this Cavs core has been together for years — but keep in mind this bench is almost brand new.
The second unit isn’t built for microwave scoring or elite three-point shooting. They have the personnel to be a gritty defensive group. But that requires being on a string. Playing as a cohesive unit. That won’t happen overnight.
