When the Cleveland Cavaliers signed three-time NBA champion Danny Green from the buyout market last month, he was expected to bring a steady veteran presence to a locker room starved for playoff experience. That fact became even more evident following Kevin Love‘s surprising buyout, leaving Green as the lone Cavalier with any Finals experience.
But Green is also coming off an ACL tear last May that sidelined him for the entirety of the summer and much of this season; he played in just three games for the Grizzlies before his buyout.
The transition back to the floor was always going to be a gradual one, but did anyone expect that one month after the signing, Green would have appeared in just five Cavs games at just over eight minutes per appearance? Surely a team that could use three-point scoring would deploy the sharpshooter who has a career 40.0% from three?
According to Chris Fedor of cleveland.com, head coach JB Bickerstaff has relegated Green to “wild card” status, along with most of Cleveland’s end-of-bench rotation.
This is #Cavs Dean Wade’s first game action since March 6. Prior to the game, coach J.B. Bickerstaff referred to the 8/9/10 guys in the rotation as “wild cards” who will play sometimes and then not play others. It’s going to be based on feel and what Bickerstaff thinks is needed
Recent history indicates that once Bickerstaff finds a rotation that he likes, he often sticks with it. Look no further than Love’s exit from the Cavs; the former champ was a coach’s decision DNP in Cleveland’s last eight games before the All-Star Break.
Over that stretch, the Cavs went 7-1, suggesting that, though Love wanted to play, Bickerstaff would likely carry on with the successful roster.
Bickerstaff Offers Honest Assessment of Cavs Rotation
Bickerstaff’s statement comes as no surprise given his recent comments about Cleveland’s postseason rotation plans.
“Eight, nine will probably be the most,” Bickerstaff told Fedor when asked how many players will make up the Cavs’ postseason rotation.
Ultimately, Bickerstaff is staying flexible, preferring to deploy certain lineups depending on the Cavs’ opponent.
“It could depend on our opponent and what we need in the moment. Four of the five starters I think are going to end up playing heavy minutes. So now we’re just trying to piece the guys around them that night to fit the matchups best,” Bickerstaff concluded.
While the names that come off the bench may change on a nightly basis, the overall output hasn’t for much of the season.
The Cavs’ bench unit ranks 27th in offensive rating, a real problem spot that has the potential to be exploited come playoff time.
That stat also highlights a stunning lack of depth outside of the starting five. While Caris LeVert and Ricky Rubio can (sometimes) sustain the offense, the reality is that Cleveland will ride its inexperienced youth through much of the playoffs.
Jarrett Allen Sounds Off on Cavs’ Inexperience
The Cavaliers aren’t too worried about their lack of experience. Jarrett Allen, who has appeared in just two playoff series in his career, spoke recently about the team’s expectations, regardless of age.
“[Outsiders] looked at us as a young team, and you don’t expect a lot from a young team,” Allen told ESPN’s Tim Bontemps last week. “You expect them to come in and try to figure themselves out.
But Allen knows this Cavs team hit the ground running this season, putting any concerns over inexperience to bed after a strong showing in a loaded Eastern Conference.
“But I feel like we came in and made an impact on the league,” Allen finished.
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Coach Bickerstaff Clarifies Cavs’ Stance on Danny Green After Quiet Stretch