With 14 starting lineup combinations in 27 games, the Cleveland Cavaliers have had a constant push and pull with their first five this season. Their most recent mix of Darius Garland, Donovan Mitchell, De'Andre Hunter, Dean Wade, and Jarrett Allen didn't get the job done against the short-handed Charlotte Hornets, but it made logical sense in some ways because Wade's career starting reputation precedes him.
Before Sunday's loss, he had been 2-1 in his three starts in 2025-26. Expanding that to his career sample size, Wade is 79-47. While it's understood that his role has been different in a lot of those — whether it's been as a sizable 3-man, manning the natural 4, or playing the small-ball 5 — it is hard to argue against the results. Cavs head coach Kenny Atkinson was asked why he hasn't received more opportunities after the team's win over the San Antonio Spurs on December 5.
“We don't want to run his minutes up really high,” Atkinson said. “I'm not saying he's on a restriction, but there are some parameters there. I'll just say that, so that factors in. He played the most games, participated in [since his second season] last year. Our No. 1 key for him last year was keep him available, and we want to continue that. I'm always cognizant of his minutes, and when he starts, it makes it hard to keep those minutes reasonable.”
That night, Wade started the second half in a game where he initially came off the bench. Atkinson admitted that it was the wrong move and adjusted accordingly, citing his synergy with Cleveland's core players. At that point, Evan Mobley was playing, and Allen was not. Now, that has reversed, with the former possibly out for up to a month and the latter easing back into action due to separate hand injuries.
The Cavs will rely on Wade and Thomas Bryant with Mobley and Larry Nance Jr. out of action.
“You're not just going to have one person step into the role of Evan and what Evan brings to this team,” Wade said after Tuesday's practice. “I think those shots are going to be spread out through the whole group. Losing someone like that, All-Star caliber, it's tough for a team to overcome, but I think we'll go in there, and I think it's a group effort to make up for what we miss with him.”
Even though it came in an inexcusable loss to Charlotte, the 29-year-old showed again why he is so critical to the wine and gold. Scoring a season-high 14 points on nine shots, Wade started from the outside and worked his way in. Atkinson found that using him at the 5 helped Cleveland defend and rebound better, as his team outscored the Hornets 32-23 in the fourth quarter.
“He's invaluable,” Donovan Mitchell said postgame. “I think he's consistent every day with what he does. And even when the shots necessarily aren't falling for him, he's continuously finding a way to get in there, rebounding, guarding, and even [Sunday], offensively making plays at the end. I think he got fouled on his dunk. Just trying to find anything possible – the pick-and-pop three when the 5 is guarding him, and being able to be versatile. That’s his specialty, and he brings that for us every night.”
“He means a lot to this team,” Darius Garland added. “Just him switching 1 through 5, can guard every position. He's out there battling every possession. And then, he can shoot the heck out of the ball, which spaces the floor for a lot of driving angles for all of us and pick-and-pop. He's a good fit for this team, and we really need him out there on the floor for us. And confident.”
Wade is grateful for his longtime teammates' support, but he understands that he has to do his part to reciprocate it as well.
“Having perennial All-Stars truly believe in you goes a long ways,” Wade said after Tuesday's practice. “But if I don't shoot the open shot that's the best shot we're going to get through the possession, it kind of makes it a wash on offense on that possession. [You] get a lot of turnovers after people pass up shots, and so, it's kind of a selfish thing if I don't shoot it… The biggest thing is you've got to take your shots when you're open. If I pass up shots, I'm being selfish, I’m hurting the team.”
Atkinson feels that it's “a little easier” for him at the 5 offensively because there's more time and space to shoot, unlike when he's at the wing, where perimeter players can contest more of his shots. Wade agrees with his coach.
“The five-out spacing is tough to deal with,” Wade said. “Obviously, I popped last game and got a three at the end of the fourth, and they had to switch matchups. And when you switch matchups like that in the middle of the fourth quarter, it's kind of hard to kind of get your rhythm back and everything as a defense. So just creating openings, gaps; the paint's gonna be open when I'm at the 5 for DG, Don, Dre, all those guys.
“It's a different kind of matchup problem. It's kind of just a different animal. Rebounding goes down when those two bigs are out, obviously, but we get a little more spacing, hopefully, and we get a little more movement and just [have] got a little bit more fluidity when I'm out there.”
Dean Wade can be the Cavs' X-factor on each end of the floor
Confidence hasn't been an issue, according to Wade, even with his career-low 30.3% three-point percentage. Defensively, he's not as quick-footed as he's been in the past on the perimeter, so switching him to bigs on the inside rather than guards and forwards could help remedy that. Wade isn't the tallest at the position, but he doesn't concede ground.
“He's another great defender,” Allen said. “I know he gets a lot of slack for his offensive side of the ball, sometimes inconsistencies, but on the defensive end, he does it. He brings it every single night. He's one of the best defenders in the league. Some people say he doesn't pass the eye test, but I think he goes out there perfectly.”
He's still the biggest difference-maker on the boards. According to Cleaning The Glass, the Cavs hold their opponents' offensive-rebounding percentage to 26.8% with him on the floor. When Wade is off the court, that figure balloons to 31.6%. Those statistics rank in the 83rd and 91st percentiles in the NBA.
Cleveland's offensive rebounding percentage is at 30.6% with him playing and decreases by a point when he's resting, too; those figures are in the 70th and 63rd percentiles, respectively.
It just goes to show where Wade's priorities lie. He does what the coaching staff asks of him to the best of his ability, playing the right way and for the man next to him. He's a second-chance provider and deterrent at the same time, a ball mover, and an unquestionable asset to the Cavs. He can even get the two-man game working, as he showed with Garland this past Sunday as an off-ball-and-give-back threat.
Atkinson doubled down Tuesday on utilizing Wade at center for small-ball lineups, also noting that it will take better perimeter defense due to a lack of rim protection. Coming off what he considers Wade's best game of the season, he thinks it can be beneficial two-fold.
“We can't live and die by it, but we'll definitely keep sprinkling it in,” Atkinson said. “We've got to make sure we've got the right guys around him, too.”
