As the Cleveland Cavaliers look to defend their NBA title, one of the main points of emphasis for head coach Tyronn Lue heading into the 2016-17 campaign will be keeping his Big Three fresh and well-rested.
Lue said on Wednesday that he wants to keep minutes down for LeBron James, Kyrie Irving, and Kevin Love this coming season, per Cavaliers play-by-play man Fred McLeod.
Ty Lue wants to keep minutes down for Lebron, Kyrie and Kevin..LBJ admits he is stubborn but knows he and staff will keep close eye on it
— Fred McLeod (@CavsFredMcLeod) September 28, 2016
James, Irving, and Love averaged 35.6, 31.5, and 31.5 minutes per game respectively last regular season. Though JR Smith remains unsigned, the Cavaliers retained virtually their entire championship core and brought in veterans Mike Dunleavy and Chris Andersen as well as rookie Kay Felder over the offseason. That kind of depth should afford Lue the luxury of keeping his star players’ workload to a minimum during the regular season.
James is nearing 50,000 minutes played for his career (both regular season and playoffs), Irving has had various knee troubles in the past and didn’t get much of a rest over the summer thanks to suiting up for USA Basketball at the Rio Olympics, while Love is already entering his ninth NBA season. Though seeing decreased minutes may not necessarily be a popular decision amongst the players themselves, to borrow a page from Gregg Popovich and the Spurs and ensure that their stars are healthy and spry for the postseason is the right call for Lue and the Cavs.
H/T Rotoworld
