The Cleveland Cavaliers have some tough decisions to make with their starting lineup. 

The Cleveland Cavaliers’ season is already off to a rocky start, and we’re still weeks away from training camp. The main reason for this early adversity is the injuries already affecting the Wine and Gold’s lineup.

Darius Garland may be out at the beginning of the year after undergoing offseason toe surgery, and now Max Strus could be out until January of 2026 after a procedure to help heal a fractured foot.

Because of these two key injuries, Cleveland’s starting lineup in 2025 will look much different from it did in 2024, and this is what their first five of the new season could look like.

PG - Donovan Mitchell

Donovan Mitchell is certainly fit to be more of a shooting guard who thrives in catch-and-shoot plates and burning defenders in isolation. However, that’s not to say he isn’t capable of being a playmaker or leading an offense, and the Cavaliers may need him to do just that at the start of the season.

With DG’s status for the start of the year still up in the air, and Lonozo Ball better suited to lead the second unit, Mitchell is Cleveland’s best option to be the team’s starting point guard.

SG - Sam Merrill

With Strus out, the Cavaliers must find a way to recreate the three-point threat and floor spacing that the forward provided in the starting lineup, which is why Sam Merrill is a perfect candidate to slide into the starting five. 

This decision to potentially start Merrill makes even more sense with the possibility of Mitchell starting the year in Garland’s place at the point guard.

The Mitchell-Merrill duo actually played fairly well with each other last season, recording a net rating of 9.5 when sharing the floor.

Assuming Garland is out for the beginning of the season, starting Merrill makes too much sense, especially with Strus sidelined. 

SF - Dean Wade

Here’s where things will get very interesting. 

With Strus out of the equation for the chunk of the season, Kenny Atkinson has to figure out who’s the best option to start at small forward. At this point, the candidates are likely between De’Andre Hunter, Dean Wade, and Jaylon Tyson.

Hunter is easily the best overall player of this trio, and will likely be the wing in clutch-time minutes. However, his versatility to play either forward position makes him much more valuable coming off the bench, paving the way for Wade to be in the starting lineup.

That said, this is a role Wade is familiar with and has achieved considerable success in throughout his career. 

The 28-year-old has started 122 games over his career. In those appearances, he’s averaged 7.4 points and 4.8 rebounds while shooting 38 percent from the floor. 

Plus, Wade has proven himself to be one of the NBA’s best underrated defenders, so the Cavaliers wouldn’t be losing anything on that front by having him in the starting lineup.

PF - Evan Mobley, C - Jarrett Allen

The Cavaliers have plenty of decisions to make with the first three spots in the starting rotation. However, two positions that are locks, barring any more injuries, are at power forward and center.

Evan Mobley will be starting at the four, and Jarrett Allen will be starting at the five as long as either of them or on the Cavaliers roster, and the same can be said for the start of the 2025 season.