Predict the Opening Day Starting Line Up and Rotation

#1
Well, summer league is almost in the books and Free Agency has slowed down to a dribble.

Let's try to predict what our Opening Day Starting Line up and Rotation will be, including any predicted FA pickups or trades.

Here's what I'm predicting will happen opening day.

PF: Harry Giles / Bagley / ZBo
SF: Justin Jackson / Temple/ Sampson
C: WCS / KK / Skal
SG: Bogdan Bogdanovic / Buddy Hield / Shumpert
PG: D'Arron Fox / FA PG / Mason

Sixth Man: Buddy Hield

I think Giles will start over Bagley at PF, because he has been in Joeger's system for a year now.

In 10-20 games, Bagley will move into the starting lineup displacing WCS from the starting lineup at some point in the season.
 
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#4
Here’s my rotation. Not sure about the starters:
Fox, Bogi, Buddy
JJ, Temple/Shumpert, Sampson
WCS, Giles, Bagley

Kosta will also get some minutes, but not ahead of the other three. Same for Skal; but he needs to earn his minutes this year.
 
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#8
I have no real idea. It's really hard to know who the coaching staff/FO trust to have on the floor. Is Giles this guy we see in summer league or is not quite ready for real minutes? Same goes for Jackson. Are the Kings willing to put Bogdan at the 3 if it means getting the best guys on the court?

If I was choosing I would probably go with:
PG: Fox/Mason (hopefully a FA addition)
SG: Hield/Bogdan/Temple
SF: Bogdan/Jackson/Shumpert
PF: Giles?(This is the hardest spot)/Bagley/Z-Bo/Skal
C: WCS/Kosta/Giles

If I'm guessing what it's going to be I'd guess:
PG: Fox
SG: Bogdan
SF: Temple
PF: Bagley
C: WCS

I'm torn on Z-Bo. I like him and he still has skill but we have so many young guys with talent that I would love nothing more than to see him pushed out of the rotation by the young guys. I'm sure that will be tough because he is Joerger's guy but I hope it turns out that way. Skal and Jackson are probably the biggest question marks. I really like Skal's skill level, but I have doubts about his understanding and feel for the game. He seemed to improve with consistent minutes though so we'll see.
 
#13
Well, summer league is almost in the books and Free Agency has slowed down to a dribble.

Let's try to predict what our Opening Day Starting Line up and Rotation will be, including any predicted FA pickups or trades.

Here's what I'm predicting will happen opening day.

PF: Harry Giles / Bagley / ZBo
SF: Justin Jackson / Temple/ Sampson
C: WCS / KK / Skal
SG: Bogdan Bogdanovic / Buddy Hield / Shumpert
PG: D'Arron Fox / FA PG / Mason

Sixth Man: Buddy Hield

I think Giles will start over Bagley at PF, because he has been in Joeger's system for a year now.

In 10-20 games, Bagley will move into the starting lineup displacing WCS from the starting lineup at some point in the season.
This is what I think will happen, almost exactly, except I think WCS plays well, and it takes Bagley longer to force his way into the lineup (probably second half of the season when we are out of contention). I see a minutes breakdown as follows, and I do think a midseason trade of KK or WCS will open minutes for Skal. I don't think there are regular minutes in the first half of the season for Shumpert, Zbo, Skal, Sampson or Mason (if we sign another PG).

PG- Fox- 30; Vet PG or Mason- 18
SG- Bogi- 18; Buddy- 30
SF- JJ- 24; Bogie- 12; Temple 12
PF/C- WCS- 30, Giles- 24, Bagley- 24, KK- 18
 
#17
Joerger said on the telecast the other day that he didn't start Fox from day one because of how taxing the 82 game season can be on young guys. Based on that I don't see him starting either Giles or Bagley off the bat. Here's my guess:

Fox/Mason
Bogdan/Buddy
Temple/JJ
ZBo/Bagley/KK
WCS/Giles/KK

I think ZBo/KK minutes decline after the first month and one or both gets moved/benched before the deadline. I hope Giles forces his way into the starting lineup as quickly as he can.
 
#18
Joerger said on the telecast the other day that he didn't start Fox from day one because of how taxing the 82 game season can be on young guys. Based on that I don't see him starting either Giles or Bagley off the bat. Here's my guess:

Fox/Mason
Bogdan/Buddy
Temple/JJ
ZBo/Bagley/KK
WCS/Giles/KK

I think ZBo/KK minutes decline after the first month and one or both gets moved/benched before the deadline. I hope Giles forces his way into the starting lineup as quickly as he can.
Most realistic one put out.
 

gunks

Hall of Famer
#24
Giles ain't starting over Bagley. And Bagley ain't starting over Zbo.

PG: Fox
SG: Bogdan
SF: Temple
PF: Zbo
C: Willie

See you all at the deadline! :p
Easy this. Maaaaaaybe JJ at the 3 instead of Temple if his good play continues into preseason.

Joerger gonna make the kids earn it. Z-bo kills me, but otherwise I have no problems with this approach!
 
#27
I think the Kings are done with the big targets of FA and will instead overpay for Patrick McCaw. Golden State won't match as any offer the Kings make will cost them double due to the luxury tax.

He is young enough to develop with the core, has the length and athleticism to run with the young guys, has shown flashes of his defensive ability and is the slasher that we don't have. He didn't shoot a great clip last season but then again nobody went into a game against GS worrying about their inside scoring so perhaps he gets better looks in our line up rather than theirs. Is he going to make the Kings better instantly, not really, but I see more potential there than with Sampson or Hayes.

Day One Lineup:

PG: Fox / Mason
SG: Bogdanovic / Hield / Shumpert
SF: Jackson / McCaw / Temple
PF: Giles / Bagley / Skal / ZBo
C: WCS / KK

I agree that the lineup will change in the first 20 games moving Bagley into a starting role.
 
#28
I think the Kings are done with the big targets of FA and will instead overpay for Patrick McCaw. Golden State won't match as any offer the Kings make will cost them double due to the luxury tax.

He is young enough to develop with the core, has the length and athleticism to run with the young guys, has shown flashes of his defensive ability and is the slasher that we don't have. He didn't shoot a great clip last season but then again nobody went into a game against GS worrying about their inside scoring so perhaps he gets better looks in our line up rather than theirs. Is he going to make the Kings better instantly, not really, but I see more potential there than with Sampson or Hayes.

Day One Lineup:

PG: Fox / Mason
SG: Bogdanovic / Hield / Shumpert
SF: Jackson / McCaw / Temple
PF: Giles / Bagley / Skal / ZBo
C: WCS / KK

I agree that the lineup will change in the first 20 games moving Bagley into a starting role.
Patrick McCaw has good potential. But if the Kings go for him, I hope it's because they are convinced that he can defend (vitually) all SFs. I think he may be more of a SG. What we don't need is another player the size of Bogie, Temple and Shumpert who can't effectively guard the 6-8 to 6-10 wings that seem to be the hot ticket these days.
 
#30
I don't know what the starting lineup will look like but I think Giles will get more play than some people think.

Joerger complained a lot last year post game about the lack of toughness from the team. If there's one thing that we've found out in just over a week of summer league play, Giles doesn't have a problem with toughness. I think he gets more burn out there than we might think, despite his wild play from time to time.