CLEVELAND, Ohio — The struggling Cavaliers are at a crossroads, and the latest episode of Wine and Gold Talk didn’t shy away from an uncomfortable truth: it’s time to reconsider the starting lineup, specifically one that could send De’Andre Hunter to the bench.
With Evan Mobley sidelined for two to four weeks, the Cavaliers are forced to navigate both immediate injuries and broader strategic questions. For hosts Ethan Sands and Jimmy Watkins, the absence of the team’s defensive anchor is not just a challenge — it’s an opportunity to address one of the Cavs’ most concerning early-season issues: consistency from key contributors and the balance of their rotations.
“With Evan Mobley sidelined for the next two to four weeks with that calf injury, I think you have to go with a starting lineup of Darius Garland, Donovan Mitchell, Jaylon Tyson, Dean Wade and Jarrett Allen,” Sands proposed on the podcast.
By repositioning Dean Wade into the starting lineup and adjusting rotation patterns, the Cavs could both stabilize their defense and create an environment where Hunter might thrive in a less pressured role.
Hunter’s struggles have been notable. Despite high expectations, he has failed to find rhythm offensively and has shown moments of disengagement, including a benching in the fourth quarter of a loss against Charlotte.
“De’Andre Hunter needs his snow globe shaken like he just needs change. It’s not work. This was supposed to be one of my bold predictions. I am embarrassed to say now, before the season was that De’Andre Hunter could be like a fringe all star guy,” Watkins admitted.
“He’s not shooting the ball well. He floats through games at time he got benched during the fourth quarter of a loss against Charlotte,” he added.
Yet this proposed adjustment is far from experimental. Hunter has proven he can excel as a sixth man — both in Atlanta, where he had a career year, and during his previous rotations off the bench with Cleveland.
“De’Andre Hunter, we know that he works as a sixth man. That’s how he had a career year with the Hawks last year and he frankly, all things considered, it went pretty smooth integrating him into the Cavs bench lineups last year,” Watkins explained.
Sliding Hunter into a secondary role could reduce the pressure and allow him to operate in spaces where he has historically succeeded, while simultaneously empowering a starting lineup built around spacing, defensive control, and rebounding. That’s where Wade comes in.
“Dean Wade’s just a world’s better rebounder than De’Andre Hunter is,” Watkins noted.
Wade’s versatility — the ability to switch one through five, guard multiple positions, and provide spacing — makes him the ideal anchor for a lineup navigating the absence of Mobley and the gradual reintegration of Jarrett Allen.
Then you have the second unit, where rotations become a chessboard.
“When Jarrett Allen exits the second unit slides in Dean Wade or Thomas Bryant, depending on the situation, but likely Dean Wade into the five role as the small ball five and keeping the other rotations kind of even,” Sands explained.
“Bringing Lonzo Ball in to keep with the second rotation that Kenny Atkinson has utilized with Lonzo and Dean next to each other. And I think this is something that would not only give spacing, shooting and defensive acumen, but I think it also allows the Cavs to see how they’re going to react to every opponent, not just the Chicago Bulls.”
It’s a nuanced orchestration.
Wade at the small-ball five isn’t just about filling a gap — it’s about manipulating floor geometry, creating driving lanes for guards and controlling defensive rebounds at critical moments. Lonzo’s presence alongside him ensures that the second unit preserves playmaking, spacing and perimeter defense.
Sands frames it as both a tactical experiment and a diagnostic tool. A way to measure not only what Cleveland can do in a vacuum but how it responds dynamically to opponent adjustments.
In other words, this isn’t reactive tinkering. It’s a deliberate, high-level strategy designed to maximize spacing, offensive efficiency, defensive rebounding, and transition control. Wade becomes the linchpin, Hunter gets a space to recalibrate without crushing pressure and the Cavaliers can see in real time how their rotations function under stress.
This discussion illuminates a broader reality: Cleveland’s early-season struggles have exposed the delicate balance between talent, opportunity, and execution.
Every possession, matchup and rotation carries outsized consequences.
The mid-December game against the Chicago Bulls becomes a microcosm of that balance — a proving ground where spacing, pace, and defensive awareness must align, and where Wade’s influence could ripple through both the starting five and the second unit.
For the Cavaliers, the proposed lineup is about giving Hunter a clear role, leveraging Wade’s versatility to the fullest and providing Atkinson with a clearer view of how this team responds when structure meets adversity.
In essence, it’s basketball IQ in action: anticipating the chess moves of the opponent while aligning your own pieces for maximum impact.
To hear the full breakdown of why this lineup change makes sense and how it could shape the Cavaliers’ season, listen to the complete episode of Wine and Gold Talk podcast.
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