9. Timofey Mozgoz
This one’s a bit of a no-brainer, but Tyronn Lue‘s recent decision to put Timofey Mozgov back into the starting lineup to boost his confidence should probably be shot down. Like, immediately.
In 32 starts for the Cleveland Cavaliers this season, Mozzy is averaging a meager 6.6 points and 4.4 rebounds per game on 50.9 percent shooting, and he’s posted a -1.4 plus/minus. The Cavaliers are also 22-10 in that span.
But head coach David Blatt’s decision to move Mozgov to the bench and start Tristan Thompson at the 5, coupled with Iman Shumpert‘s return, unlocked the door to Cleveland’s defensive potential. Mozgov adjusted to his bench role relatively well, averaging 6.0 points and 4.7 rebounds per game with a +2.6 point differential.
With the Cavs going 18-6 in games where Mozgov comes off the bench, and Mozzy shooting 61.1 percent coming off the pine it’s pretty clear this team can only afford to play him about 15-20 minutes per game, which makes his limited mobility a better fit for the second unit.
Next: No. 8