Lue: Love could start at center for Cavs this season

Cleveland Cavaliers head coach Tyronn Lue could be ready to shake things up with his starting lineup this season.

Following Saturday's practice, Lue said that All-Star Kevin Love could be named the team's permanent center moving forward, thus moving Tristan Thompson to a reserve role, according to ESPN's Dave McMenamin.

Love - who played 87 percent of his total minutes at power forward in 2016-17 - has seen "quite a bit" of time with the starting unit at the five spot during the first week of training camp. In his stead at the four has been Jae Crowder, who Cleveland acquired from the Boston Celtics in the blockbuster trade involving Kyrie Irving.

"Tristan is a very dynamic roller, guy that plays a lot as a dunker. Myself, I have to play inside-out, mix that up and really take what the defense gives you. But it gives us a different look," said Love. "I mentioned different dynamics out there on the floor with different lineups and we're so deep now that (Dwyane Wade) and a lot of guys similar in size at that 4-5 spot, we're going to see guys playing interchangeable. It's not just going to be on the defensive end in that regard."

Irving led Cleveland in total 3-pointers made with 177, and with his replacement in Isaiah Thomas possibly out until January with an injured hip, both Derrick Rose and possibly Dwyane Wade could be the starting backcourt for the next couple of months. Neither guard is particularly adept at shooting from distance, as they both thrive in getting their offense around the rim with cuts to the basket.

With Love at center, Cleveland could then bring a large body out of the paint to accommodate his teammates, as he's a career 36.4 percent 3-point shooter that needs to be accounted for by the defense.

"Spacing opportunities, spacing the floor," Lue said about what he likes about Love at center. "Being able to play through the elbows with multiple guys."

Lue had previously stated that Thompson was his starter, but that he'd be running more plays through Love, especially at the elbows.