Who Would You Start on Opening Day?
- Thread starter twslam07
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Fox/Ellis/DeRozan/Murray/Sabonis. Whatever awkwardness may exist in the spacing after adding DeRozan, I just think that unit is a terror offensively, with enough skill at the rim, midrange, three-point line, and free throw line to make opposing defenses struggle mightily. As for the Kings' own defensive prospects with that starting five, they're obviously not a team that's going to stop many top flight slashers at the rim, but with Murray on wing containment and Fox/Ellis hounding ballhandlers and generating steals, I think there's still potential to see sustained improvement on that end.
The change to the team defense when Ellis was inserted as a starter can't be ignored. Whether that is sustainable at that same level or not I don't know, but I think you have to start with that lineup.
Not only that, the bench is still light on scoring outside of Monk. Huerter could pick up some slack, but that's assuming he's even still on the team on opening night. Last year when Monk had a bad night the bench as a whole struggled mightily. Hopefully Lyles does a bit more next season, but I don't think we can count on that night after night.
I think your ending lineup is Fox/Monk/DeRozan/Murray/Sabonis, but I think Ellis absolutely earned a starting role to begin next season.
Not only that, the bench is still light on scoring outside of Monk. Huerter could pick up some slack, but that's assuming he's even still on the team on opening night. Last year when Monk had a bad night the bench as a whole struggled mightily. Hopefully Lyles does a bit more next season, but I don't think we can count on that night after night.
I think your ending lineup is Fox/Monk/DeRozan/Murray/Sabonis, but I think Ellis absolutely earned a starting role to begin next season.
Yeah, one thing I really like with picking up DDR is I think we might be able to dial back the Domas minutes to where we can get him to the playoffs healthier and more well-rested. Just absurd the minutes load he's had to endure the last 2 years because we just crumble when he's not on the floor. But a DDR-esq playmaker now; hey maybe we can get away with Domas at 32-33 MPG rather than 35-37. That adds up a ton over the course of a season
Well so far all the results indicate that four of the five starters are obvious. The only question is at SG.
My vote was for Huerter. With Carter on the shelf indefinitely, there's less of a concern of imbalancing the defensive players, so moving Ellis to the bench is less problematic. Monk stays the Super-6th. Huerter, if he's still around, gets a bone thrown to him, since he won't be in the closing lineup.
My vote was for Huerter. With Carter on the shelf indefinitely, there's less of a concern of imbalancing the defensive players, so moving Ellis to the bench is less problematic. Monk stays the Super-6th. Huerter, if he's still around, gets a bone thrown to him, since he won't be in the closing lineup.
As odd as it might sound, I think Monk is going to have to really work hard and produce a lot, in order to consistently be the closer over Keon.
Like you said, the team defense was so much better with him in there, that it can't be ignored late in games....just like it can't to start the game. Adding Derozan, who will obviously close games, could make it more of a squeeze to get Monk in there with him all the time.
Like you said, the team defense was so much better with him in there, that it can't be ignored late in games....just like it can't to start the game. Adding Derozan, who will obviously close games, could make it more of a squeeze to get Monk in there with him all the time.
I chose Huerter as one of the starting 5 just for if he is healthy again and is back to his high level work with Sabonis on the DHO it will give our opponents fits and should leave Derozan and Fox lots of options. Plus I also believe it’s going to let Murray have a opportunity to be more of a catch and shoot high level scorer.
If Huerter still doesn’t have it then we can quickly change corse. We need Monk coming off the bench for the offensive punch and with Lyles, Ellis and Len for backups that’s a very good 9 man rotation.
but we will see won’t we?
If Huerter still doesn’t have it then we can quickly change corse. We need Monk coming off the bench for the offensive punch and with Lyles, Ellis and Len for backups that’s a very good 9 man rotation.
but we will see won’t we?
I would go with Fox, Huerter, DDR, Keegan, and Domas. I also think that’s what it will be if Huerter isn’t dealt between now and then..or Keon lights training camp on fire offensively.
The space Huerter creates on DHO is why as long as he’s healthy, Brown will almost always go to him. Regardless of his defense or how well he’s shooting. He still draws that attention and creates space for Domas. Even if he’s bricking them teams don’t sag off him. So he’ll start and it’s looking a lot like he’ll be here. Probably due for a bounce back.
Keon will play a lot though. With the injury to Carter and Davion gone..he’ll probably play the same amount of minutes he would as a starter
The space Huerter creates on DHO is why as long as he’s healthy, Brown will almost always go to him. Regardless of his defense or how well he’s shooting. He still draws that attention and creates space for Domas. Even if he’s bricking them teams don’t sag off him. So he’ll start and it’s looking a lot like he’ll be here. Probably due for a bounce back.
Keon will play a lot though. With the injury to Carter and Davion gone..he’ll probably play the same amount of minutes he would as a starter
Keon does make a more sense as a 2/3 flex defender over Huerter, probably, as well.
Idk, Keon was so damn good to close last season and was an elite shooter on top of it. He's also shown a lot of really nice secondary type creation skills. Him starting does matter because him getting the first rotation in the first and 3rd quarter vs the other teams best guard is actually important in the game. That's 12-14 more minutes of Keon defending the guys you want him to defend.
Idk, Keon was so damn good to close last season and was an elite shooter on top of it. He's also shown a lot of really nice secondary type creation skills. Him starting does matter because him getting the first rotation in the first and 3rd quarter vs the other teams best guard is actually important in the game. That's 12-14 more minutes of Keon defending the guys you want him to defend.
For sure, but what I'm saying is if you bring Keon off the bench, he's guaranteed missing important minutes he could be defending D-Book, or Steph or Ja or Bane, etc because he's missing that rotation. To me, I want as much Keon as possible on those guys for the 35+ minutes they play every night. You're just removing 12-14+ MPG, every time, by not starting him.
I think I'd prefer Keon guarding the other teams best guards with Huerter guarding bench guards. Plus it should make Huerter's offense pop more since he'll be going against worse defenders.
I guess it'll just depend on how it all shakes out but something tells me Brown is going to prefer Keon's defense to start at the beginning of the season.
I guess it'll just depend on how it all shakes out but something tells me Brown is going to prefer Keon's defense to start at the beginning of the season.
Yes, but it's like 3-5 games with the top players not playing full minutes. I'm not in favor of taking a guy who has started over 96% of the games he has played for our team and pushing him out of the starting lineup to begin the next season in favor of a guy who has a half-season worth of minutes played in the NBA based on preseason. If you want to burn a bridge, that's how to do it. If Keon is going to take the starting spot from Huerter, he should grab it and wrest it away based on his play during the regular season, in direct competition with a healthy Huerter. If he wins it "fair and square" then he wins it. If you just hand it to Keon, you'll get a disgruntled Huerter who now has a dysfunctional relationship with management and has to be traded but in the meantime tanks his trade value by not playing hard. If Keon *takes* it, Huerter might understand. If it's handed to Keon, you've burned Huerter completely. May as well trade him now. (Not saying we aren't looking at that, BTW. But handing the starting spot to Keon to open the season is like lighting money on fire.)
Who knows. Shooting at that spot might be more important than it was before. If not, then defense will likely be more important. My guess is Brown now has 3 guys that will be pretty rock solid as far as role and opportunity. Everything else will likely shift back and forth depending on need during the game.
And it also coincided with the defensive strategy changing more to the strengths of the Kings guards. They played a lot more pressure on the ball. I'm interested to see what DC's role is now on the coaching staff. So far in summer league it sounds like that defensive turn might have been the franchise turning away from some of Jordi's philosophy and more towards Doug Christies later in the year. Doug's been adamant about his guys pressing so far in SL.