Karate Diop wrote:So... It needs to be asked... Does Spencer stay with the team knowing that he'll never be a starter with Kyrie around?
Should the Nets entertain moving him? Or would you rather overpay Spencer in hope that by doing so he'll play?
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Count me in the "viable question" camp. Spencer signed his contract knowing he should plan on the supersub role. But EC Player of the Week honors and a consistent All-Star level of play should make everyone involved with the team re-evaluate roles. A player as confident as he is does not rip the league a new one, and NOT think about becoming a permanent starter.
I do think the original question is a bit of a fallacy in logic, though. Dinwiddie may indeed force Kenny's hand, and request to either start or be traded. I do NOT however think that that means it's either Kyrie or him starting. Caris would be the likely fall guy in this scenario.
The main reason I saw CLV as a better starting option than Spencer was that I figured LeVert would become our primary perimeter stopper. He's not even close, at least not yet, in fact Spencer is the one doing work on that end. Absent an emergence of lockdown D upon his return, I really don't think Caris can assume he's got the starting nod under lock and key over Dinwiddie. He can run a bench unit just as well as Spence can; in fact, you could make a reasonable case that he has looked better this season when he's NOT on the floor with Kyrie, so shifting him to the 2nd unit would be a natural transition.
It's not the way we envisioned the team at the start of the season, but smart teams review what works, and adjust plans accordingly. Caris will get the opportunity to retain his position once he's healthy (assuming Kyrie is back by then as well
). If nothing else, this new level of play from Spence will force all of our perimeter players to step up their game, and know that their jobs are not slump-proof.
Some people really have a way with words. Other people... not... have... way.
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