Who should be the Cleveland Cavaliers’ 5th starter against the Toronto Raptors?
The Cleveland Cavaliers have a real decision to make with that 5th starter spot against the Raptors, and it’s not just about talent — it’s about fit and matchup. When you look at the options — Dean Wade, Max Strus, Sam Merrill, and even Jaylon Tyson — each brings something different to the table.
If you’re trying to win this specific matchup against Toronto, Dean Wade makes the most sense as the 5th starter. Why? Size, defense, and versatility. The Raptors love to play long, athletic, and physical — Wade gives you someone who can switch, defend multiple positions, and not get bullied. He doesn’t need the ball, and he won’t disrupt the flow with Donovan Mitchell and James Harden running things. He’s the cleanest fit if the goal is balance and defensive stability.
Now, if you want to lean offense, that’s where the conversation shifts. Max Strus gives you proven playoff experience and movement shooting, but coming off injury, you might be better off easing him in. Sam Merrill is the ultimate spacing weapon — if he’s hot, he changes everything, but defensively he can be targeted. And Jaylon Tyson? He’s more of an X-factor — energy, length, and versatility — but probably better suited right now as a rotational piece rather than a starter in a playoff setting.
So the call? Start Dean Wade for the matchup, bring Strus and Merrill in to change the game offensively, and use Tyson situationally. That way, the Cleveland Cavaliers keep their defensive foundation intact while still having the flexibility to adjust if the series starts to tilt.
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25 Comments
You can not start Dean Wade at the 3 if Thomas Bryant is out; Wade is also your backup 4. If he starts, there is no relief for Evan or JA. Larry Nance Jr is probably not a reliable post season big. Strus is a no-brainer, McNuggets.
Max with the starting three last year and all season G Bush and everybody else was calling for DeAndre Hunter to start. Nobody wanted Max to start last season
I want to like this show I really do. But these guys besides the main host know NOTHING about ball. You got one guy saying “who talks about Wade like a defensive beast in the league” meaning the players . Like that holds any weight lmao. The advanced stats speak for themselves dummies! Wade is a stud! And then you got the other guy like “can we be done talking about these scrubs “ literally talking about our most important starters and role players . Like yea let’s talk about harden and mitchell some more; because they haven’t been talked about enough. Bunch of casuals
Dean Wade is second in the league for assists / turnover ratio.
Bro really said if Mobley doesn’t deliver this year he’s gone . Y’all are clueless man. Yea let’s just get rid off all our young talent. Mobley, Allen, Jaylen , who needs em!
Defense wins championships. Dean wade is a top ten maybe top five defender in the NBA. In the last couple of months, he is shooting forty percent from the arc. On the season, he is shooting a tad worse than Donovan Mitchell.
Who cares what Earl says.?
Had to listen to him yesterday
Listen to Mike and Jimmy/Dustin…they get it
Mobley avg 18 and 10 stop it
Why would Mobley play bad
Jaylon Tyson is 6 ft 7
As a raptors fan, I think you guys should start Thomas Bryant or Larry Nance Jr
McNuggets saying you are right on topics that are so subjective is ridiculous
yall its scottie barnes and BI lmao even if dean sucks max aint handling that lol
bull would start a new born baby over dean 😂😂
Bull… you’re not thinking with your brain in this conversation.
I know hes shrunk in the playoffs but if wade can play like he does during the season, hes gonna be a big factor. His defense, his shooting and his offensive rebounding would be big time
Either dustin just got there for the second half on the show or the first half of the show is so mid that even the panelists forget what yall talked about lol. This is a mess
Idk this just feels like a perfect slice of sports commentary. You got the fat white guy who’s a loud mouth bitching on his couch, the dude at the barbershop who only knows how to analyze the vibes, the chill dude sitting at the bar watching the game, and the millennial with a computer who actually knows what he’s talking about and no one listens to him.
Wow this show is really going down hill
Dustin doesn't get, when they say who's under the most pressure in these kind of questions they DO mean who will get the most criticised. Dustin is acting as if the question is who do you think feels the most pressure
I can tell Mikey McNugget is the only one who will actually watch his Cavaliers basketball. Dean Wade is that guy.
I don’t know why dean wade is still here cuz he’s stiff on defense to me a offense well 5 pts a game
BULL STFU ON THIS ONE
Harden has played flat lately , he’s getting old