Starting 5?
- Thread starter Nikolizzle
- Start date
I see things a little differently with regards to the young guys. I'm hoping we work towards more of a spread offense which emphasizes ball movement rather than isolation and try to overwhelm other teams with athleticism and smothering team defense. I also haven't given up yet on the idea of McLemore and Williams as starters in the league. It's been baby steps for both of them, but I've always been willing to hang my hat on young talent and potential so I'm leaning toward a younger lineup in the future. This season looks like something of a holding pattern with the Rudy Gay contract killing our cap space for the time being and limiting our ability to improve the roster. So I'll give you three possible lineups -- one with the players we have right now, one with who I think should start the season, and just for fun a possible direction for next season and beyond.
(1) The guys we have now:
PG Collison
SG McLemore
SF Gay
PF Cousins
C Thompson
Collison and McCallum are the only PGs under contract and I don't think McCallum is ready yet. Collison was brought in to steady the ship with veteran leadership. Even if he's destined to resume backup duties in the future, right now he's the starter. We could go either way with Stauskas or McLemore. I went with McLemore for several reasons -- he does have seniority, he won't operate with the ball in his hands very much (which is more important for my third lineup but I want to establish the groundwork early), and I think Stauskas' skillset makes him more likely to be productive off the bench than McLemore. Both guys are key for us though. Gay is obviously the starter at SF. Cousins is PF or C and I went with Thompson over Evans for the other big spot because he's more versatile offensively and a bigger body on defense. Also I swapped positions because I like Cousins at PF with a full-size PF/C next to him. Also Thompson in this scenario is really just a placeholder for...
(2) What I would prefer:
PG Collison
SG McLemore
SF Gay
PF Cousins
C Sanders
I know there's already a report that we have no interest in Larry Sanders, but if it's my lineup I'm trading Jason Thompson and Jason Terry for Larry Sanders ASAP and giving us an actual chance to win some games this season (I keed
). McCallum, Stauskas, Williams, Landry, and Evans still round out the bench and I'd bring in Moreland on a minimum deal as the "in case of emergency" last big on the bench. Evans and Landry get the bulk of the bench minutes at PF with Cousins sliding over to C when Sanders comes out. This is the first step in the progression toward defensive respectability. McLemore has to defend his position better than he did last season or his spot is going to be in jeopardy.
(3) What happens next?
PG Rondo
SG McLemore
SF Williams or Gay
PF Cousins
C Sanders
This is where I probably lose a lot of people. Doesn't Rondo want to sign with a contender? Derrick Williams possibly replacing Rudy Gay? Rondo is a free agent we may actually have a decent shot at considering how loaded the PG position is right now. Once you rule out all the teams with substantial investments in their current PG (LAC, OKC, TOR, NO, GS, CHI, MEM, PHO, WAS, BRK, CLE, SA) and the teams who are capped out (MIA, DEN, IND) the possible destinations start to get pretty thin. Minnesota, Portland, and Charlotte have pretty good young PGs already they probably want to keep. Boston and Orlando just invested money and picks in the position (Smart, Bradley, Payton, Ridnour). Atlanta, Philly, Milwaukee, and Utah don't look like contenders any time soon. That leaves only 5 teams -- Dallas, New York, LA, Houston, and Detroit -- as the main competition. New York and LA have money to spend and aging superstars. Houston and possibly Dallas are the only teams that are playoff ready. This is why I'd like to see a Larry Sanders trade happen this off-season. That front court could be one of the best in the game and a full season of these guys playing together should make it pretty clear to the rest of the league that we're a young team with a lot of potential.
Collison slides over to backup PG obviously. McCallum is either retained as injury depth or gone in free agency. Williams over Gay is one of those wait and see kind of decisions that are dependent on how this season plays out, but as I said at the beginning of this post, I want to see us open up the offense and bringing in a lead guard like Rondo would limit the opportunities Rudy Gay has to utilize his isolation game regardless. It's not that I don't think Gay could work in a lineup with Rondo and Cousins -- I'd just prefer to space the floor more to create lanes for Rondo to drive and dish and spread those shots out among several players. I think Williams can become as good from three as Gay (.342 for his career) in time and he'll also be a lot cheaper to re-sign. We'll see. We may have to keep Gay to lure Rondo anyway.
If we do get a draft pick next year, there's four solid wing players in the mid-lottery who could probably step in and get backup SF minutes: Stanley Johnson, Rondae Hollis-Jefferson, Justise Winslow, and Kelly Oubre. One of those guys will still be on the board in the 8-10 range. Lower than that and we lose the pick so it doesn't matter.
Also I change my mind on these roster adjustments every year so don't hold me to any of this.
(1) The guys we have now:
PG Collison
SG McLemore
SF Gay
PF Cousins
C Thompson
Collison and McCallum are the only PGs under contract and I don't think McCallum is ready yet. Collison was brought in to steady the ship with veteran leadership. Even if he's destined to resume backup duties in the future, right now he's the starter. We could go either way with Stauskas or McLemore. I went with McLemore for several reasons -- he does have seniority, he won't operate with the ball in his hands very much (which is more important for my third lineup but I want to establish the groundwork early), and I think Stauskas' skillset makes him more likely to be productive off the bench than McLemore. Both guys are key for us though. Gay is obviously the starter at SF. Cousins is PF or C and I went with Thompson over Evans for the other big spot because he's more versatile offensively and a bigger body on defense. Also I swapped positions because I like Cousins at PF with a full-size PF/C next to him. Also Thompson in this scenario is really just a placeholder for...
(2) What I would prefer:
PG Collison
SG McLemore
SF Gay
PF Cousins
C Sanders
I know there's already a report that we have no interest in Larry Sanders, but if it's my lineup I'm trading Jason Thompson and Jason Terry for Larry Sanders ASAP and giving us an actual chance to win some games this season (I keed
). McCallum, Stauskas, Williams, Landry, and Evans still round out the bench and I'd bring in Moreland on a minimum deal as the "in case of emergency" last big on the bench. Evans and Landry get the bulk of the bench minutes at PF with Cousins sliding over to C when Sanders comes out. This is the first step in the progression toward defensive respectability. McLemore has to defend his position better than he did last season or his spot is going to be in jeopardy.(3) What happens next?
PG Rondo
SG McLemore
SF Williams or Gay
PF Cousins
C Sanders
This is where I probably lose a lot of people. Doesn't Rondo want to sign with a contender? Derrick Williams possibly replacing Rudy Gay? Rondo is a free agent we may actually have a decent shot at considering how loaded the PG position is right now. Once you rule out all the teams with substantial investments in their current PG (LAC, OKC, TOR, NO, GS, CHI, MEM, PHO, WAS, BRK, CLE, SA) and the teams who are capped out (MIA, DEN, IND) the possible destinations start to get pretty thin. Minnesota, Portland, and Charlotte have pretty good young PGs already they probably want to keep. Boston and Orlando just invested money and picks in the position (Smart, Bradley, Payton, Ridnour). Atlanta, Philly, Milwaukee, and Utah don't look like contenders any time soon. That leaves only 5 teams -- Dallas, New York, LA, Houston, and Detroit -- as the main competition. New York and LA have money to spend and aging superstars. Houston and possibly Dallas are the only teams that are playoff ready. This is why I'd like to see a Larry Sanders trade happen this off-season. That front court could be one of the best in the game and a full season of these guys playing together should make it pretty clear to the rest of the league that we're a young team with a lot of potential.
Collison slides over to backup PG obviously. McCallum is either retained as injury depth or gone in free agency. Williams over Gay is one of those wait and see kind of decisions that are dependent on how this season plays out, but as I said at the beginning of this post, I want to see us open up the offense and bringing in a lead guard like Rondo would limit the opportunities Rudy Gay has to utilize his isolation game regardless. It's not that I don't think Gay could work in a lineup with Rondo and Cousins -- I'd just prefer to space the floor more to create lanes for Rondo to drive and dish and spread those shots out among several players. I think Williams can become as good from three as Gay (.342 for his career) in time and he'll also be a lot cheaper to re-sign. We'll see. We may have to keep Gay to lure Rondo anyway.
If we do get a draft pick next year, there's four solid wing players in the mid-lottery who could probably step in and get backup SF minutes: Stanley Johnson, Rondae Hollis-Jefferson, Justise Winslow, and Kelly Oubre. One of those guys will still be on the board in the 8-10 range. Lower than that and we lose the pick so it doesn't matter.
Also I change my mind on these roster adjustments every year so don't hold me to any of this.
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I see things a little differently with regards to the young guys. I'm hoping we work towards more of a spread offense which emphasizes ball movement rather than isolation and try to overwhelm other teams with athleticism and smothering team defense. I also haven't given up yet on the idea of McLemore and Williams as starters in the league. It's been baby steps for both of them, but I've always been willing to hang my hat on young talent and potential so I'm leaning toward a younger lineup in the future. This season looks like something of a holding pattern with the Rudy Gay contract killing our cap space for the time being and limiting our ability to improve the roster. So I'll give you three possible lineups -- one with the players we have right now, one with who I think should start the season, and just for fun a possible direction for next season and beyond.
(1) The guys we have now:
PG Collison
SG McLemore
SF Gay
PF Cousins
C Thompson
Collison and McCallum are the only PGs under contract and I don't think McCallum is ready yet. Collison was brought in to steady the ship with veteran leadership. Even if he's destined to resume backup duties in the future, right now he's the starter. We could go either way with Stauskas or McLemore. I went with McLemore for several reasons -- he does have seniority, he won't operate with the ball in his hands very much (which is more important for my third lineup but I want to establish the groundwork early), and I think Stauskas' skillset makes him more likely to be productive off the bench than McLemore. Both guys are key for us though. Gay is obviously the starter at SF. Cousins is PF or C and I went with Thompson over Evans for the other big spot because he's more versatile offensively and a bigger body on defense. Also I swapped positions because I like Cousins at PF with a full-size PF/C next to him. Also Thompson in this scenario is really just a placeholder for...
(2) What I would prefer:
PG Collison
SG McLemore
SF Gay
PF Cousins
C Sanders
I know there's already a report that we have no interest in Larry Sanders, but if it's my lineup I'm trading Jason Thompson and Jason Terry for Larry Sanders ASAP and giving us an actual chance to win some games this season (I keed ). McCallum, Stauskas, Williams, Landry, and Evans still round out the bench and I'd bring in Moreland on a minimum deal as the "in case of emergency" last big on the bench. Evans and Landry get the bulk of the bench minutes at PF with Cousins sliding over to C when Sanders comes out. This is the first step in the progression toward defensive respectability. McLemore has to defend his position better than he did last season or his spot is going to be in jeopardy.
(3) What happens next?
PG Rondo
SG McLemore
SF Williams or Gay
PF Cousins
C Sanders
This is where I probably lose a lot of people. Doesn't Rondo want to sign with a contender? Derrick Williams possibly replacing Rudy Gay? Rondo is a free agent we may actually have a decent shot at considering how loaded the PG position is right now. Once you rule out all the teams with substantial investments in their current PG (LAC, OKC, TOR, NO, GS, CHI, MEM, PHO, WAS, BRK, CLE, SA) and the teams who are capped out (MIA, DEN, IND) the possible destinations start to get pretty thin. Minnesota, Portland, and Charlotte have pretty good young PGs already they probably want to keep. Boston and Orlando just invested money and picks in the position (Smart, Bradley, Payton, Ridnour). Atlanta, Philly, Milwaukee, and Utah don't look like contenders any time soon. That leaves only 5 teams -- Dallas, New York, LA, Houston, and Detroit -- as the main competition. New York and LA have money to spend and aging superstars. Houston and possibly Dallas are the only teams that are playoff ready. This is why I'd like to see a Larry Sanders trade happen this off-season. That front court could be one of the best in the game and a full season of these guys playing together should make it pretty clear to the rest of the league that we're a young team with a lot of potential.
Collison slides over to backup PG obviously. McCallum is either retained as injury depth or gone in free agency. Williams over Gay is one of those wait and see kind of decisions that are dependent on how this season plays out, but as I said at the beginning of this post, I want to see us open up the offense and bringing in a lead guard like Rondo would limit the opportunities Rudy Gay has to utilize his isolation game regardless. It's not that I don't think Gay could work in a lineup with Rondo and Cousins -- I'd just prefer to space the floor more to create lanes for Rondo to drive and dish and spread those shots out among several players. I think Williams can become as good from three as Gay (.342 for his career) in time and he'll also be a lot cheaper to re-sign. We'll see. We may have to keep Gay to lure Rondo anyway.
If we do get a draft pick next year, there's four solid wing players in the mid-lottery who could probably step in and get backup SF minutes: Stanley Johnson, Rondae Hollis-Jefferson, Justise Winslow, and Kelly Oubre. One of those guys will still be on the board in the 8-10 range. Lower than that and we lose the pick so it doesn't matter.
Also I change my mind on these roster adjustments every year so don't hold me to any of this.
(1) The guys we have now:
PG Collison
SG McLemore
SF Gay
PF Cousins
C Thompson
Collison and McCallum are the only PGs under contract and I don't think McCallum is ready yet. Collison was brought in to steady the ship with veteran leadership. Even if he's destined to resume backup duties in the future, right now he's the starter. We could go either way with Stauskas or McLemore. I went with McLemore for several reasons -- he does have seniority, he won't operate with the ball in his hands very much (which is more important for my third lineup but I want to establish the groundwork early), and I think Stauskas' skillset makes him more likely to be productive off the bench than McLemore. Both guys are key for us though. Gay is obviously the starter at SF. Cousins is PF or C and I went with Thompson over Evans for the other big spot because he's more versatile offensively and a bigger body on defense. Also I swapped positions because I like Cousins at PF with a full-size PF/C next to him. Also Thompson in this scenario is really just a placeholder for...
(2) What I would prefer:
PG Collison
SG McLemore
SF Gay
PF Cousins
C Sanders
I know there's already a report that we have no interest in Larry Sanders, but if it's my lineup I'm trading Jason Thompson and Jason Terry for Larry Sanders ASAP and giving us an actual chance to win some games this season (I keed
). McCallum, Stauskas, Williams, Landry, and Evans still round out the bench and I'd bring in Moreland on a minimum deal as the "in case of emergency" last big on the bench. Evans and Landry get the bulk of the bench minutes at PF with Cousins sliding over to C when Sanders comes out. This is the first step in the progression toward defensive respectability. McLemore has to defend his position better than he did last season or his spot is going to be in jeopardy.(3) What happens next?
PG Rondo
SG McLemore
SF Williams or Gay
PF Cousins
C Sanders
This is where I probably lose a lot of people. Doesn't Rondo want to sign with a contender? Derrick Williams possibly replacing Rudy Gay? Rondo is a free agent we may actually have a decent shot at considering how loaded the PG position is right now. Once you rule out all the teams with substantial investments in their current PG (LAC, OKC, TOR, NO, GS, CHI, MEM, PHO, WAS, BRK, CLE, SA) and the teams who are capped out (MIA, DEN, IND) the possible destinations start to get pretty thin. Minnesota, Portland, and Charlotte have pretty good young PGs already they probably want to keep. Boston and Orlando just invested money and picks in the position (Smart, Bradley, Payton, Ridnour). Atlanta, Philly, Milwaukee, and Utah don't look like contenders any time soon. That leaves only 5 teams -- Dallas, New York, LA, Houston, and Detroit -- as the main competition. New York and LA have money to spend and aging superstars. Houston and possibly Dallas are the only teams that are playoff ready. This is why I'd like to see a Larry Sanders trade happen this off-season. That front court could be one of the best in the game and a full season of these guys playing together should make it pretty clear to the rest of the league that we're a young team with a lot of potential.
Collison slides over to backup PG obviously. McCallum is either retained as injury depth or gone in free agency. Williams over Gay is one of those wait and see kind of decisions that are dependent on how this season plays out, but as I said at the beginning of this post, I want to see us open up the offense and bringing in a lead guard like Rondo would limit the opportunities Rudy Gay has to utilize his isolation game regardless. It's not that I don't think Gay could work in a lineup with Rondo and Cousins -- I'd just prefer to space the floor more to create lanes for Rondo to drive and dish and spread those shots out among several players. I think Williams can become as good from three as Gay (.342 for his career) in time and he'll also be a lot cheaper to re-sign. We'll see. We may have to keep Gay to lure Rondo anyway.
If we do get a draft pick next year, there's four solid wing players in the mid-lottery who could probably step in and get backup SF minutes: Stanley Johnson, Rondae Hollis-Jefferson, Justise Winslow, and Kelly Oubre. One of those guys will still be on the board in the 8-10 range. Lower than that and we lose the pick so it doesn't matter.
Also I change my mind on these roster adjustments every year so don't hold me to any of this.
Nice plan.