Tristan Thompson: Set to move to bench

While starting the versatile Jae Crowder alongside LeBron James on the wing and
shifting Kevin Love to center makes sense from a tactical standpoint, it’s still
a rather drastic departure from how the team was structured last season, when
Thompson started all 78 games in which he appeared. From a pure production
standpoint, Thompson’s numbers likely won’t take a major hit, as he remains the
team’s best big man defender and will likely be featured in some late-game
lineups. However, his complete lack of an offensive game outside the restricted
area cramps the Cavs’ spacing, especially with Irving, an excellent three-point
shooter, being replaced — at least temporarily — by Derrick Rose.