Our Projected Depth Chart

[closg00]

I just received this Wiz Examiner email with George Panagakos's projected depth-chart, so why-not keep the hoops discussion going. Big log-jam at SF if we keep both Jeffers & Owen's, & we really could us another Stretch-4, Dray is the only tall shooter we have.

Projected Starters:
C - JaVale McGee
PF - Andray Blatche
SF - Rashard Lewis
SG - Jordan Crawford
PG - John Wall

Reserves:
C - Kevin Seraphin
PF - Trevor Booker
SF - Jan Vesely*, Chris Singleton*
SG - N/A
PG - Shelvin Mack*

*Rookies

Free agents Washington wants back:
C - Hamady N'Diaye
PF - N/A
SF - Othyus Jeffers, Larry Owens
SG - Nick Young
PG - N/A

Free agents unlikely to return:
C - N/A
PF - Yi Jianlian
SF - Josh Howard, Maurice Evans
SG - N/A
PG - Mustafa Shakur

Examiner.com http://www.examiner.com/washington-wiza ... z1Qu6VGBFe

[LyricalRico]

^ That SF rotation can only work IMO if Lewis' minutes are significantly reduced. They have to find a way to play Vesely so they can develop a top 6 pick, and Singleton's defense is going to make it difficult to keep him off the floor. But there are only 48 minutes at SF to go around. That's why I keep saying that they are going to at least try Vesely at PF so they can get him and Singleton substantial minutes.

[dangermouse]

Lewis gets around 24 minutes or so split between SF and PF. That leaves some minutes for the rooks. Isnt Lewis a tall shooter too? Having Blatche play C for stretches also frees up some time at PF for Ves.

If the season doesnt lose too many games I wouldnt mind getting a veteran C to backup McGee. If its significantly shortened, screw it, save the cash and just let Seraphin and Blatche play C behind McGee.

[7-Day Dray]

Yeah I think Lewis should start because he's one of our only shooters. We need guys to space the floor. But his minutes should be reduced. So that Vesely and Singleton can develop, but I think Vesely will play some PF, and Ican see Singleton doing the same thing.

And Jeffers and Owens can also play SG.

[nate33]

One of Vesely, Singleton or Booker is going to be squeezed from the rotation. The only way to avoid this is if Blatche bulks up enough to take Seraphin's minutes at backup center. That would free up more forward minutes for Booker and Vesely while providing some offensive skills at center to make up for the lack of skills at forward.

[Liverbird]

I'd like to see a minutes breakdown like this:

C - McGee (30) Blatche (10) Seraphin (8)
PF - Blatche (20) Lewis (10) Vesely (10) Booker (8)
SF - Singleton (24) Lewis (12) Vesely (12)
SG - Young (32) Crawford (16)
PG - Wall (32) Crawford (12) Mack (4)

We need to make sure that one of Singleton, McGee, Seraphin or Booker is on the floor at all times.

Rotate Vesely and Lewis at either forward position depending on the matchup.

[Hoopalotta]

I'd like to see a minutes breakdown like this:

C - McGee (30) Blatche (10) Seraphin (8)
PF - Blatche (20) Lewis (10) Vesely (10) Booker (8)
SF - Singleton (24) Lewis (12) Vesely (12)
SG - Young (32) Crawford (16)
PG - Wall (32) Crawford (12) Mack (4)

We need to make sure that one of Singleton, McGee, Seraphin or Booker is on the floor at all times.

Rotate Vesely and Lewis at either forward position depending on the matchup.

It's actually difficult to make the numbers work with those kinds of breakdowns as we have guys who play two different positions, but, ya' know, they can't ever be on the floor playing both positions at the same time.



You actually have to ratchet up the dork level by a notch and put it into a proper flow chart:

Code: Select all

 LINEUP
    |      1ST QUARTER       |      2ND QUARTER       |
TIME|2 1 0 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 |2 1 0 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 |
PG  |JW----------------------|------------------------|
SG  |NY----------------------|------------------------|
SF  |RL----------------------|------------------------|
PF  |AB----------------------|------------------------|
C   |JM----------------------|------------------------|
MINS: JW-36 NY-30 RL-28 AB-30 JM-30

Then you've got the plug the bench guys in and so forth. For example, here's point guard....

Code: Select all

 LINEUP
    |      1ST QUARTER       |      2ND QUARTER       |
TIME|2 1 0 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 |2 1 0 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 |
PG  |JW----------------JC----|------JW----------------|
SG  |NY----------------------|------------------------|
SF  |RL----------------------|------------------------|
PF  |AB----------------------|------------------------|
C   |JM----------------------|------------------------|
MINS: JW-36 NY-30 RL-28 AB-30 JM-30 JC-12

Simple enough, but now, how many minutes can we get Crawford at shooting guard with him playing the middle of the half and Nick Young presumably finishing the second quarter? That's just an example, but you get the idea.

It's full throttle geekery, but you see that it never quite works out like you want as player X just doesn't quite seem to ever get enough minutes because you can't justify bringing player Y back in for just three minutes and then having him sit again.

[nate33]

I'd like to see a minutes breakdown like this:

C - McGee (30) Blatche (10) Seraphin (8)
PF - Blatche (20) Lewis (10) Vesely (10) Booker (8)
SF - Singleton (24) Lewis (12) Vesely (12)
SG - Young (32) Crawford (16)
PG - Wall (32) Crawford (12) Mack (4)

We need to make sure that one of Singleton, McGee, Seraphin or Booker is on the floor at all times.

Rotate Vesely and Lewis at either forward position depending on the matchup.

It's actually difficult to make the numbers work with those kinds of breakdowns as we have guys who play two different positions, but, ya' know, they can't ever be on the floor playing both positions at the same time.



You actually have to ratchet up the dork level by a notch and put it into a proper flow chart:

Code: Select all

 LINEUP
    |      1ST QUARTER       |      2ND QUARTER       |
TIME|2 1 0 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 |2 1 0 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 |
PG  |JW----------------------|------------------------|
SG  |NY----------------------|------------------------|
SF  |RL----------------------|------------------------|
PF  |AB----------------------|------------------------|
C   |JM----------------------|------------------------|
MINS: JW-36 NY-30 RL-28 AB-30 JM-30

Then you've got the plug the bench guys in and so forth. For example, here's point guard....

Code: Select all

 LINEUP
    |      1ST QUARTER       |      2ND QUARTER       |
TIME|2 1 0 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 |2 1 0 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 |
PG  |JW----------------JC----|------JW----------------|
SG  |NY----------------------|------------------------|
SF  |RL----------------------|------------------------|
PF  |AB----------------------|------------------------|
C   |JM----------------------|------------------------|
MINS: JW-36 NY-30 RL-28 AB-30 JM-30 JC-12

Simple enough, but now, how many minutes can we get Crawford at shooting guard with him playing the middle of the half and Nick Young presumably finishing the second quarter? That's just an example, but you get the idea.

It's full throttle geekery, but you see that it never quite works out like you want as player X just doesn't quite seem to ever get enough minutes because you can't justify bringing player Y back in for just three minutes and then having him sit again.

It's also highly impractical to have an 11 man rotation. The average minutes played could conceivably work out as liverbird wishes, but its not going to happen on a game by game basis. Flip will probably work out an 8-man rotation with about 10 spare minutes available due to foul trouble or match-ups. The players who take those 10 extra minutes will probably vary on a game by game basis.

I figure our core 8-man rotation will involve Wall, Young and Crawford at guard, Lewis, Singleton and Booker at forward, and Mcgee and Blatche at center. (Blatche will start at PF but play a lot of minutes at center.

[LyricalRico]

I figure our core 8-man rotation will involve Wall, Young and Crawford at guard, Lewis, Singleton and Booker at forward, and Mcgee and Blatche at center. (Blatche will start at PF but play a lot of minutes at center.

What, no Vesely?! No way I can believe that our top 6 pick is only going to essentially be an emergency player. Thankfully there's no way that actually happens once Flip sees Vesely outplaying guys like Blatche and Lewis in practice.

[SUPERBALLMAN]

With our roster as is...

I actually like Blatche to start at center. I like the idea of going young and uptempo at this time. Energy and uptempo, humble and hungry.

#1 it keeps Blatche down low where he belongs. He's got the most well rounded game of our bigs, and his passing fromthe low post can be a weapon. Mcgee is best served off the bench for momentum boosting highlight plays, dunks and blocks. Seraphin is still green, and well suited for #3 for some toughness and fouls. Ndiaye is basically dleague and depth at this point.

At PF I give Vesely a chance to start, run the floor, defend and dunk with Blatche at C. Booker and Lewis as defensive and offensive backups respectively. Of course Blatche can also go here when Mcgee or Seraphin are at center.

SF I go Singleton. A Blatche, Vesely, Singleton frontline has good overall size, length, scoring, athleticism, rebounding, defense, speed. Lewis primary backup. Young also sees time here.

SG Young starts... Crawford top backup, Jeffers and Mack added depth.

PG Wall of course, backed by Crawford and Mack.

I believe that's 12. I'd love to pickup FAs C Aaron Gray, PG Ben Hansbrough, SF/SG Mo Evans to mix in to what we have as well!

[nate33]

I figure our core 8-man rotation will involve Wall, Young and Crawford at guard, Lewis, Singleton and Booker at forward, and Mcgee and Blatche at center. (Blatche will start at PF but play a lot of minutes at center.

What, no Vesely?! No way I can believe that our top 6 pick is only going to essentially be an emergency player. Thankfully there's no way that actually happens once Flip sees Vesely outplaying guys like Blatche and Lewis in practice.

He may be the #6 pick, but he won't be better than either Blatche or Lewis, not in his rookie year anyhow. I f he cracks the 8 man rotation, it'll be as a reserve, displacing either Booker or Singleton.

Another possibility is that we amnesty Lewis. That'll pit Vesely against Singleton for starting SF..

[hands11]

I'd like to see a minutes breakdown like this:

C - McGee (30) Blatche (10) Seraphin (8)
PF - Blatche (20) Lewis (10) Vesely (10) Booker (8)
SF - Singleton (24) Lewis (12) Vesely (12)
SG - Young (32) Crawford (16)
PG - Wall (32) Crawford (12) Mack (4)

We need to make sure that one of Singleton, McGee, Seraphin or Booker is on the floor at all times.

Rotate Vesely and Lewis at either forward position depending on the matchup.

I highly doubt Booker is getting 8 minutes off he bench behind all those players while Singleton is starting. To start the season Singleton is going to get scrap minutes here and there amounting to no more then probably 8-10 minutes a game. Vesely may get up to 16 minutes a game. But until either shows some NBA game, I dont see minutes like that being dished out. Booker will probably start at SF until Singleton proves his game. I don't see that happening in less then 15-20 games. Mack will back up at SG also but it will be a game by game thing. I also think Seraphin will get some minutes at PF.

But until we know the final roster, who knows.

[montestewart]

I'd be surprised if Booker got only 8 minutes a game too, but Singleton brings defensive skill that serves a teamwide need, and Vesely needs on court time to develop what could be a potent offensive weapon. Maybe a six man rotation upfront: Blatch 30/ McGee 30/ Rashard 24/ Vesely 20/ Singleton 20/ Booker 20. It's not the worst problem in the world to have, trying to find minutes for a lot of young, talented, developing players.

[doclinkin]

I'm more interested in match-ups and line-up synergy than minutes for players. I want to have on court at all times:

One or more playmakers. Bail-out scorers.
One long allpurpose outside defender, to force misses.
One or more tough interior defenders, rebounders, to deter drives and snatch contested boards.

It would be nice if we had a long-range sniper on court at all times, and a luxury to have a high percentage interior strong finisher. But I can compromise. Make do. We're still waiting on next draft, I think, for that 2nd superstar. Until then I'm happy to appreciate a more solid foundation and improved effort all around.

[MJG]

You can nitpick on the specifics, but I basically agree with nate. I think our returning rotation players (Wall, Young, Crawford, Lewis, Blatche, Booker, McGee) will regularly sop up 85% of the minutes, and the remaining 15% randomly shuffled about based on matchups, who is playing well recently, who is practicing the best, etc. Some nights, four guys will play 8-10 minutes each. Some nights, one guy might play 25, and a few others don't even get in the game.

Maybe after awhile, Vesely, Singleton, Seraphin, or someone else entirely winds up standing above the rest, but guessing that feels like a crap shoot right now.