and1GS wrote:wco81 wrote:and1GS wrote:I think it's asking a lot to have (basically) 3 second year guys and 3 rookies on the main roster with aspirations of being a title favorite/title contender. Especially if we're expecting to load manage our big 3, I'd hope we would only have two of those slots given to rookies.
I guess where I'm coming from is there's no need to rush our rookies. We can stash Gui and bring Baldwin/Rollins along slowly like we did with Moody. And given we used part of the MLE, I wouldn't mind if we left slot 15 open for a buyout guy later in the year. So I'm hoping we go vet leadership with our last couple roster slots.
Kerr was fine with playing some rookies but in the playoffs, he really cut their minutes.
For instance, he played Lee before the rookies and only when Lee had a really horrible stretch, I think vs. Memphis, he put in Moody.
OPJ was shaking on defense, gave up too many blow bys. But I guess Kerr trusted OPJ to get key rebounds and hit clutch shots over Kuminga, who probably would have done better not giving up blow bys.
I guess we'll see. Pretty much he will have to play them more this upcoming season but in playoffs, he may cut their minutes again, unless they really show improvement.
I think you're hitting the nail on the head. The way Bob is building this team, Kerr has no choice but to give the young guys a healthy stream of minutes all season then incorporate them into the playoff rotation. Rather than benching Kuminga majority of the season and burying Moody for nearly the full year. Not complaining, that's just how it was.
It's a gamble, but when you've used as much draft capital as we have on these guys you have to play them in their second full seasons.
I guess worst case we have a clear top 6-7 for a playoff rotation (depending on if you count Donte), then just need one more consistent player for the standard 8 man playoff rotation. Kerr obviously dips lower than that, but I feel it's a given that at least one of our young guys will be playoff ready this year. Fair gamble IMO.
From my "calculations" (lol), with the current roster, Moody and Kuminga would get around 20 minutes per game, which I think is adequate.
They obviously get more if there are injuries or the vets are rested.
Moody would have to play mostly, if not always, as a SF, because we are very well covered at the guards positions with Steph, Klay, Poole, DiVincenzo and potentially Rollins (which would be behind in the pecking order, but still a body to potentially give minutes to) or Weatherspoon (if he makes the roster).
Otoh we only have Wiggins as SF.
Kuminga has the backup PF role secured unless we get a very good vet in FA, but I doubt that's even the plan.
A center who can be an insurance for Wiseman is what we really need.
Porter and Bjelica used to cover the non-Looney, non-Dray minutes at the 5, but we lost both so action is due.
