Who starts?

[whatisacenter]

People sleeping on Podz again...

Again? In his second year? lol

I think a lot of us don’t like a Steph/podz backcourt definitely.

[DonaldSanders]

Again? In his second year? lol

I think a lot of us don’t like a Steph/podz backcourt definitely.

I'd be surprised if Steve goes with Podz starting to open the year. I think he knows the old formula is to have a 3&D guy next to Steph, which Melton is. Podz is a great swiss army knife but that makes him a great 6th man. We also lack a true backup PG, and he will be helping with those duties as a playmaker with Kyle Anderson.

Curry
Melton
Wiggins
Dray
TJD

or possibly

Curry
Melton
Wiggins
Kuminga
Dray

If Kerr is going full Kerr. But I think he'll go with Podz & JK as the top guys off the bench both playing 30mpg.

[CDM_Stats]

I like these rotations, except maybe for that which begins at 3 minutes left in the first quarter. That's the only lineup that lacks Steph but also doesn't have three proven top level defensive players. Perhaps the assumption is that that lineup mostly will face similar mixes of starters and rotation players at that time in most games. Or maybe you have more confidence in Moody than I have, but he hasn't quite shown me enough yet (not his fault, perhaps, but nonetheless).

If they are hoping for a playoff spot in a tough West, I would find a way to get Melton a few more minutes than you have allotted in the first part of the season, if he is healthy. He is a proven defender and his 3 point shooting hovers close to 40%. Then see which among the young guys really is taking a step up, particularly on the defensive end, and then perhaps remix.

There's probably a way around it, but I like having a chunk of time where younger/less appreciated players can step up. That would be Podz, Moody and JK's time to step up while having a spacer in Hield and a good floor guy like SloMo there. Moody is one of the more underappreciated guys in the league - per minute, he's brought more +/- impact than JK, yet he's always fighting for minutes. Good to great off-ball defender, excellent rebounder for a wing (above average for a forward). His usage is one of the more baffling things about Kerr, and that says a lot because there are plenty of choices

I like Melton too, but he's a 3&D guy with some handles. Ironically if the team makes it in the playoffs, he'll be way more important, but regular season.. he's more of a luxury. System is designed to tolerate bad on-ball defenders (see #1 defense with Jordan Poole at POA) and his off-ball defense is slightly above average per metrics. I think somewhere in the 24-28mpg is about right for him, unless he develops an offensive game inside the arc somehow. Not much of a playmaker or finisher.. funny enough, he profiles a lot like Moody - an above average role player that can shoot well enough to stay on the court for 20+ minutes and hustles like hell

That all makes sense to me-- particularly because Moody and JK are at the point where they need to step up. One thing that makes that a least somewhat more likely is if the coach is showing confidence in your ability to step up, enough so that you can rely on your place in the rotation and just go out and play, even if there are some bumps in the road. I'm less down on Kerr than many on this board seem to be, but his weaknesses have to do with being somewhat conservative/risk averse, and that's the kind of thing he seems to find hardest to do.

IMO Kerr got comfortable letting the stars fix their mistakes and carry the team, but we just havent had an actual new star since KD joined and left. He then lets psuedo stars play w/o correction (ie Kuminga/Poole's defense and off-ball play) or plays veterans out of their ideal situations (Klay/Wiggins). Worst thing is, he acknowledges it with his words after the game, but doesnt ever seem to pull the trigger in game. We'll see.. but I dont think Kerr's good for this kind of team. Requires a coach who adapt as the game goes on, and he's been very unwilling to historically due to past success

[all left]

There's probably a way around it, but I like having a chunk of time where younger/less appreciated players can step up. That would be Podz, Moody and JK's time to step up while having a spacer in Hield and a good floor guy like SloMo there. Moody is one of the more underappreciated guys in the league - per minute, he's brought more +/- impact than JK, yet he's always fighting for minutes. Good to great off-ball defender, excellent rebounder for a wing (above average for a forward). His usage is one of the more baffling things about Kerr, and that says a lot because there are plenty of choices

I like Melton too, but he's a 3&D guy with some handles. Ironically if the team makes it in the playoffs, he'll be way more important, but regular season.. he's more of a luxury. System is designed to tolerate bad on-ball defenders (see #1 defense with Jordan Poole at POA) and his off-ball defense is slightly above average per metrics. I think somewhere in the 24-28mpg is about right for him, unless he develops an offensive game inside the arc somehow. Not much of a playmaker or finisher.. funny enough, he profiles a lot like Moody - an above average role player that can shoot well enough to stay on the court for 20+ minutes and hustles like hell

That all makes sense to me-- particularly because Moody and JK are at the point where they need to step up. One thing that makes that a least somewhat more likely is if the coach is showing confidence in your ability to step up, enough so that you can rely on your place in the rotation and just go out and play, even if there are some bumps in the road. I'm less down on Kerr than many on this board seem to be, but his weaknesses have to do with being somewhat conservative/risk averse, and that's the kind of thing he seems to find hardest to do.

IMO Kerr got comfortable letting the stars fix their mistakes and carry the team, but we just havent had an actual new star since KD joined and left. He then lets psuedo stars play w/o correction (ie Kuminga/Poole's defense and off-ball play) or plays veterans out of their ideal situations (Klay/Wiggins). Worst thing is, he acknowledges it with his words after the game, but doesnt ever seem to pull the trigger in game. We'll see.. but I dont think Kerr's good for this kind of team. Requires a coach who adapt as the game goes on, and he's been very unwilling to historically due to past success

I think the in-game coaching fell off the last couple of years, including rotations. Maybe things will improve with Stotts and Stackhouse on the bench. Both will, I think, provide stronger voices for in-game coaching purposes than there have been since Mike Brown left (I was not a Kenny Atkinson fan).

[TB]

Dream scenario is that we could start Steph/Wiggins/Kuminga/Dray/Loon. That would mean Kuminga is able to space the floor well enough, and Wiggins/Loon are back to their peak capabilities.

But, even if that doesn't happen, this team has a lot of depth and lineup options that can work. My biggest concern is Kerr falling in love with Steph/Podz/Melton/Buddy combos were 3 (or all!) are playing a lot of minutes together (and even then its a better scenario than some of the small ball options in past years). Or where Dray is our main center with only Kyle as the backup there. Essentially just small ball all the time to fit Kuminga in at the 4 and to get Melton/Buddy/Kyle their minutes.

I guess overall I really want Wiggins/Kuminga/Loon (or Trayce) to look great so we can stay a bit bigger/athletic more often. But at least the other options that I'm "concerned" about still include good players. Melton/Kyle/Buddy were great pickups.. so if they are forced minutes it's not like a Maggette or Oubre or Wiseman situation going on.

[SpreeS]

People sleeping on Podz again...

Again? In his second year? lol

I think a lot of us don’t like a Steph/podz backcourt definitely.

i like a lot this backcourt

Curry/Podz no Klay 694min +14.96 nrtg
Curry/Podz/Klay 285min -15.56 nrtg

[whatisacenter]

People sleeping on Podz again...

Again? In his second year? lol

I think a lot of us don’t like a Steph/podz backcourt definitely.

i like a lot this backcourt

Curry/Podz no Klay 694min +14.96 nrtg
Curry/Podz/Klay 285min -15.56 nrtg

I meant to say defensively….not that it probably makes a difference in your reply.

[Crazy-Canuck]

Bobby Marks:

Steph
Melton
Wiggins
Kuminga
Dray

X-factor is wiggins. If he plays like he can play, the dubs could contend.

[cpower]

Curry
Melton (big upgrade over Klay)
Wiggins (or Anderson for playmaking)
Kuminga (at this point just have to play him because we are not trading him)
Dray
Melton is two way he has to start. If Kuminga can play 3 then i like him to start over Wiggins。We are missing two way players..Anderson should finish the game too we just have too many good but not great players

[cladden]

Steph
Wiggins
Kuminga
Dray
TJD

Bigball!

[Onus]

Steph
Wiggins
Kuminga
Dray
TJD

Bigball!

Post instead of tjd and it might work.

[EvanZ]

Steph/Melton/Moody/Wiggins/Draymond is probably the best lineup.

[Crazy-Canuck]

Read on Twitter

So, who fits.

[CDM_Stats]

Read on Twitter

So, who fits.

Its the right words, but will he follow through? Kerr always seems to be more terrified of being offensively challenged than defensively.. until that changes, its going to be problematic. I think Buddy Hield's usage will tell us a lot about how much Kerr is really willing to bend on that

[watch1958]

Read on Twitter

So, who fits.

It’s the right words, but will he follow through? Kerr always seems to be more terrified of being offensively challenged than defensively.. until that changes, it’s going to be problematic. I think Buddy Hield's usage will tell us a lot about how much Kerr is really willing to bend on that

Yeah, too much defense and too little offense isn’t a big concern for me.

Maybe I will reconsider if they start losing games 105-102, but I’m not expecting it.

[Crazy-Canuck]

Read on Twitter

Message since camp started:

We want to shoot 3's.
We want pieces to fit.
We want to defend.

Talk is cheap. Your move Steve.

It's what I noticed last year with regards to dray and wiggs. Both guys weren't put in their best roles because they needed prioritize and hide the weaknesses of the other players.

[Crazy-Canuck]

Read on Twitter

[SpreeS]

Read on Twitter

So, who fits.

Its the right words, but will he follow through? Kerr always seems to be more terrified of being offensively challenged than defensively.. until that changes, its going to be problematic. I think Buddy Hield's usage will tell us a lot about how much Kerr is really willing to bend on that

No it isnt. There is no second unit in today nba. Now we have starting, mix and finishing untils. Last two seasons Kerr went with two units at the beginning of seasons and didn’t work both times. Later he started to use mix units.

[CDM_Stats]

Ah, so in your mind, the 2nd 5 has to be entirely different than the 1st 5? I wouldn't see it that way because it infers something that he's actually never done

[lars_rosenberg]

Read on Twitter

I think the issue Kerr is referring to here is that he would like to play Dray mostly at 4 because playing center is physically taxing and he wants to preserve Dray's energy for the whole season (and hopefully the playoffs), but this means one out of Kuminga and Wiggins will probably have to be out of the starting lineup, unless we try Wiggins at SG, but we have so many guards that it would pose other issues.
TJD and Looney will fight for the starting center spot in my opinion, but Dray will also play some minutes there, so the minutes split will be something like 20 TJD, 20 Loon, 8 Dray.
I think at the 2 spot Kerr will try different options during the season. Melton is the one that makes the most sense as a starter as I think we need Podz to play with the bench to provide some playmaking. It's also possible that Curry and Podz start together then stagger their minutes with the bench though.
Once again, Moody seems to be the odd man out as I think we need Buddy's offense off the bench and that's already 4 guards with heavy rotation minutes. It leaves him fighting for scraps with Payton.
He may get some minutes at the 3, but with Wiggins and Kuminga already sharing duties at small forward, I don't see much space left. It's likely that Kyle will get minutes at the 4 as we need playmaking off the bench, so I don't see Kuminga playing much 4 unless Dray starts at 5, which seems unlikely from what Kerr said in the interview.

However all this depth is good in my opinion, as we know there will be injuries and rest needed.
This looks like the deepest roster since before KD joined, even if we probably lack some top level talent to really contend.