CLEVELAND -- Following the Cleveland Cavaliers' first practice of the 2018 preseason, head coach Tyronn Lue declined to reveal the status of his starting lineup.
"I'm going to let it play out," Lue said.
"No matter how many times you ask."
Still, that hasn't stopped speculation from already starting up.
As opposed to the previous four seasons, in which the Cavs rarely entered training camp with more than one starting spot up for grabs, this year, only one member of the team's starting five appears to be etched in stone. Kevin Love is going to start in Cleveland -- that much, we know. But beyond him, one could make the case for as many as 10 different players -- 10! -- to be worthy of starting spots in Cleveland's post-LeBron James lineup.
Even which position Love will occupy at the start of the season appears to be up for debate. Given the gluttony of swingmen currently a part of the Cavs' roster, the 5-time All-Star could either resume his role as the team's starting center or slide back to his more natural position at starting small forward.
Should Lue opt for the latter, he'll then have a decision on his hands regarding the Cavs' starting center; Either he could run with the relatively reliable Tristan Thompson or go with the higher upside player in Larry Nance Jr. Second-year center Ante Zizic also remains a possibility, although it's most likely he'll serve in a reserve role this season.
In Cleveland's backcourt, Lue will have even tougher decisions on his hands.
Between Rodney Hood, Kyle Korver, Cedi Osman and J.R. Smith, the Cavs possess four swingmen with starting experience capable of filling the spots at small forward and shooting guard. Additionally, it seems likely Lue will want to find playing time for both shooting guard Jordan Clarkson and small forward Sam Dekker as the team looks to balance developing its young talent while also attempting to compete for a playoff spot.
At point guard, the decision the Cavs are facing is obvious and will also be telling regarding their true expectations for the season. On the one hand, Cleveland could stick with 11th-year veteran George Hill or turn the reins over to rookie Collin Sexton, the No. 8 overall pick in the 2018 NBA Draft.
If the Cavs truly are intent on making a playoff push, it would seem likely Hill would get the nod. But the possibility also exists that the 19-year-old Sexton's upside could provide Cleveland with the best of both worlds.
"Each and every day, I'm just going to do my thing in practice," Sexton said at Cavs media day when asked whether or not he expects to start as a rookie. "Work hard each and every day."
Although Lue has insisted he's going to let the process "play out," there have already been some hints as to who entered training camp on the Cavs' first-team.
In pictures from practice posted to the team's official Twitter account on Tuesday, Hill, Osman and Love can each be seen wearing the wine jerseys typically reserved for the team's starters, while Sexton, Clarkson, Korver and Nance can be seen wearing white.
In a video posted to the team's website, Thompson can be seen in a wine uniform, indicating his status as the starting center.
With Smith limited due to a sore hip, one could surmise the Cavs' Day 1 starting lineup looked as such:
- C - Thompson
- PF - Love
- SF - Osman
- SG - Hood
- PG - Hill
Plenty, obviously, can change over the course of one practice -- let alone between now and the start of the regular season on Oct. 17. But for now, these pictures remain the clearest clues as to what Cleveland's starting five might look like this season.
Just don't ask Lue for anymore.
