My guess is Jae is used like the Celtics use Smart. He won't start games, but he'll be the first guy off the bench and finish games.
Probably in the 26-28 minute range.
Smart averaged 30.4 MPG last year, 2 minutes less than Jae did and top 5 on the team. Cleveland only had 3 players a year ago who averaged at least 30 MPG (Lebron, Kyrie, and Love).
I think odds are in favor of Jae Crowder, as the third best healthy player on their team at the beginning of the season, being given 30+ MPG. I don't know if they do that with a bench role of as a starter. It probably makes the most sense for him to come off the bench and to retain the starting front court of last year. That also fits the trend of teams starting games bigger and then transitioning to smaller lineups.
Once you get past Lebron, Love, Thomas, Jae, and Thompson, the Cavs don't really have much in the way of quality players. Frye is still useful, and is probably the last front court piece. Shumpert, Wade, and Smith are all useful, but not good, players. Calderon, Rose, and Felder are all awful. Jefferson is old but still not terrible. Korver really isn't very good anymore and shouldn't have much of a role. Green is terrible. Osman, Zivic and Tavares are all unknowns but unlikely to play of contribute.
Taking minutes from Jae so that players like Korver, Wade, Smith, or Shumpert can play more would be terrible roster management and I don't expect it, even from the Cavs.
