INDEPENDENCE, Ohio _ By moving center Tristan Thompson to the second unit, Cavaliers coach Tyronn Lue already served notice there would be more emphasis on scoring this season.
But that point became even more clear Monday when Lue announced he will start Dwyane Wade at shooting guard over J.R. Smith when the regular season opens Oct. 17.
Actually, the new starting five of Derrick Rose, Wade, LeBron James, Jae Crowder and Kevin Love at 1 through 5, respectively, will be on display for the first time Tuesday night when the Cavs host the Chicago Bulls at Quicken Loans Arena. James has been sidelined since turning his left ankle in practice on Sept. 27.
That was the day the Cavs signed Wade to a one-year veteran minimum contract after he received a buyout from the Bulls. For a few days, Wade ran the point with the second unit.
But Wade is one of James' closest friends, not to mention a 12-time All-Star and three-time NBA champion, and has been spectacular at times during the preseason. Smith has been a starter since his second game as a Cav, arriving in a Jan. 5, 2015 trade with the New York Knicks. He has shown he can be a lockdown defender, most recently against the Toronto Raptors' DeMar DeRozan in the playoffs last season.
Rose will be the Cavs' starting point guard, but will also direct the second unit, Lue said after practice at Cleveland Clinic Courts. That likely means Rose will come out at about the four-minute mark in the first quarter to rest.
The arrival of Wade and Rose, the 2011 league MVP who signed a one-year, veteran's minimum deal to resurrect his career, gave Lue more egos to manage. He still has point guard Isaiah Thomas to integrate when the ex-Celtic returns from a hip injury before year's end.
As Thompson pointed out on Oct. 2 when his new role became public, "It's not about who starts the game, it's about who is in the game in the fourth and who is finishing it." That could be how it plays out this season.
Lue said he made the decision on Wade over Smith a few days ago and that Smith was "fine" with the plan.
"I just wanted to do it," Lue said. "Tested it out. It's been hard since LeBron's been out, but just something we're going to do to start the season and see how it works."
Asked Smith's reaction, Lue said, "It's tough, you've been in position where you went to three straight Finals and you've been the starting 2-guard. But like I said, it's about sacrifice if you want to win. J.R. was great about it. Just knows he has to have a different role right now, so we'll see how it works."
Lue said what he likes most about the Cavs is the abundance of talent and versatility, both offensively and defensively.
"We've got guys now with the starting lineup, they all can push it out on the break if they rebound the basketball," Lue said. "Guys who can make plays, good cutters, good slashers. We also can space the floor. We have a lot of weapons _ we just gotta put them all together so they all play well together."
James compared the versatility of the Cavs to his teammates, including Wade, for four seasons in Miami.
"Yeah, we have some similarities to that. They wanted to call us tweeners because we were big for our positions," James said. "Jae, D-Wade is a big 2 guard, I'm a big small forward. [Jeff Green] is a big small forward as well. D-Rose is a big point guard. We have the versatility and the ability to fly around with the athleticism that we have and the IQ we have as well. We can do a few different things defensively."
As for the effect such traits will have on the Cavs defense, James said, "When things break down when you have versatility and you have speed, it allows you to cover for mistakes. Hopefully we don't break down, but it happens at times."
The Sixth Man of the Year in 2012-13 with the Knicks, Smith said on Sept. 28 that the addition of Wade made the Cavs stronger, no matter who was chosen to start.
"I don't really focus on it," Smith said then of Lue's looming decision. "This is my 14th year, and I've had a lot of BS in my past, and I don't plan to bring that onto the Cavs.
"We all know who the big dog is," he said in reference to James, "so everybody else has got to get in where they fit in, honestly. If you're going to come in here with an ego, you shouldn't have signed here."
After Friday's preseason loss to the Indiana Pacers at Quicken Loans Arena, Wade said none of the Cavs were concerned with lineup issues.
"I think J.R. said it best _ if you come here, you came here understanding that you're a part of a team and you're going to have to sacrifice something to be here," Wade said. "This is all about winning, so I don't think anyone is concerned about that at all on this team. Everyone is here for one reason, and it's good. It's comforting. No matter what everyone's role is, when you're on the floor you figure it out. And we'll be fine."
Despite the dilemmas presented by a collection of stars, James said he believes all are on the same page when it comes to the Cavs' goal.
"I think at the end of the day when guys sign here and wanted to come here, we all know what we're here for," James said. "So, there's no ego. The only ego is bring your game, which these guys know how to do. We all have a common goal, so none of that other stuff matters."
