The Cleveland Cavaliers are just day days away from their 2020-21 season opener.
Because so many players have been missing during the preseason, it may be hard to get a solid grasp of what the team’s starting lineup will be when it takes on the Charlotte Hornets on Dec. 23.
Luckily, Chris Fedor of Cleveland.com recently offered insight into what the team’s starting lineup will likely look like that night.
Perhaps most notably, rookie Isaac Okoro is part of the presumed unit.
“So, let’s presume the Opening Night starters are [Darius] Garland, [Collin] Sexton, Okoro, [Kevin] Love and [Andre] Drummond — the most likely unit at this point,” Fedor wrote.
Outside of Okoro, the presumed starting five is not all that shocking. Love and Drummond are both veteran big men who have been starters for years.
As for Sexton and Garland, they are entering a pivotal season together in which it will likely become much more clear whether or not they can be considered the backcourt of the future in Cleveland.
Finally, Okoro has likely earned the spot over competitors such as Cedi Osman and Dylan Windler thanks to his incredibly impressive outings in the preseason.
So far in the preseason, the 6-foot-6 wing is averaging 14.3 points, 1.7 rebounds and 2.3 assists per game. He was drafted at the No. 5 overall pick primarily for his defensive ability. His production on the offensive side thus far has been a huge positive.
While expectations aren’t very high in Cleveland overall, this starting unit does seem to be the most talented the Cavs have enjoyed since LeBron James’ departure two years ago.
