Cavaliers Head Coach Addresses Starting Lineup Following Injury News

Kenny Atkinson admits the Cleveland Cavaliers could use different players as their starting small forward while Max Strus is injured.

Mar 31, 2024; Denver, Colorado, USA; Cleveland Cavaliers guard Caris LeVert (3) drives to the net after a steal in the second half against the Denver Nuggets at Ball Arena. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images / Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images

Max Strus' injury complicates the Cleveland Cavaliers' game plan for the first few weeks of the season. The forward will miss up to six weeks, which currently puts his estimated time of arrival at the end of November or early December.

Strus' absence from the floor creates a few massive voids on Cleveland's roster. One is three-point shooting, and the other is as they're opening at starting small forward.

Cleveland's new head coach addressed how the Cavaliers might approach this hole in their starting rotation until Strus can get healthy. On Monday, Atkinson mentioned Dean Wade and Caris LeVert as a couple of options who could fill that position.

Based on his comments, it appears the team is leaning toward starting Wade for the season opener against the Toronto Raptors on Wednesday. However, this doesn't mean Dean will be their full-time starting small forward while Strus is out.

Atkinson admitted that they'd determine their starting wing based on their opponent's matchups. "I think it's going to be really dependent on who we play and read it off that," said Cleveland's coach.

But Atkinson also confessed that it's not as simple as just moving someone into the starting five. Those decisions affect the rest of the rotations and how they structure their game plan.

"Everyone, the first thing they think, 'Well, what does those starters look like?' What do those second rotations look like? What do the third rotations look like?" continued Atkinson. "So, that's a big part of the decision because we have to have balance. We can't have the starting lineup really strong, and then kind of two lineups down we're kind of weak. We got to find that balance, and that's defense and offensive balance."

Mar 6, 2024; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; Cleveland Cavaliers forward Dean Wade (32) dribbles against the Atlanta Hawks in the first quarter at State Farm Arena. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-Imagn Images / Brett Davis-Imagn Images

Filling this void by committee is likely the best plan to start the season. The Cavs have a deep roster, and several players who could step into that starting five as needed, and Atkinson appears committed to relying on that depth while they wait for Strus to get back on the court.