RealGM

Assuming the Raptors don’t go with full line changes, we can expect a starter or two staggered with the bench, and a couple bench guys as early subs. How would you prefer those lineups to look, and what 10 guys should be the main rotation? Here’s mine:

1st lineup:
CMB/Barnes/Ingram/Ochai/Quickley
2nd lineup:
Poeltl/Barrett/Dick/Walter/Shead

I like the idea of having 1 of Scottie or Poeltl on the floor at all times for the defense and structure. Right now I’m skeptical of Mogbo and Mamu outside of short stints as they give up a lot on one end or the other, and the Raptors’ depth looks suited for playing small & fast.

For an early sub it almost has to be Agbaji for RJ, followed by possibly CMB for Scottie?

Run IQ/Ochai/Ingram/CMB/Poeltl for some of the 1st.

Then start the 2nd with Shead/RJ/Walter/Scottie/Manu or something like that.

Hard to find minutes for all of Walter/Dick/Ochai and both Mogbo/Manu

Mamu
CMB
Scottie
Dick
Walter

IQ
Ochai
RJ
BI
Jakob

I like the idea of CMB spelling Barnes in the respective lineups. I see the two of them being somewhat similar in their defensive role.

I agree with others, it is going to be hard to find minutes for all of Walter / Dick / Ochai / Battle / Mogbo

YogurtProducer wrote:For an early sub it almost has to be Agbaji for RJ, followed by possibly CMB for Scottie?

Run IQ/Ochai/Ingram/CMB/Poeltl for some of the 1st.

Then start the 2nd with Shead/RJ/Walter/Scottie/Manu or something like that.

Hard to find minutes for all of Walter/Dick/Ochai and both Mogbo/Manu

This would be my preferred sub pattern as well. RJ out first to let him get more minutes beating up on bench units and float our bench offense. I think Barnes has to be paired with Mamu for the time being because I could see CMB running into foul trouble trying to act as an anchor big in a lineup with Mamu (who isn’t good defensively). While I think CMB has high upside defensive potential I don’t think asking him to hold down the entire front court as a rookie is going to work.

I assume the starters will be Yak, Barnes, BI, RJ & IQ.

Then I can see mixing the starters with bench players.

I think a mixed lineup of Yak, Barnes, Dick, Agbaji & IQ makes a lot of sense. Good mix of D, and shooting. If Dick is struggling, then they can sub in Battle.

Then another lineup could be led by BI & RJ (who would carry the scoring load together) with 2 of CMB/Mamu/Mogbo in the front court and 1 of Shead/Walter in the backcourt.

Quick/Dick/Ingram/Scottie/Jak

Shead/Jakobe/RJ/CMB/Mamu

Edit: I did mine wrong. These are just the starter and bench lines for me.

My starting points are:

- Assume Jak, Scottie, Ingram, RJ and IQ are starting
- Assume Jak, Ingram and IQ are limited to about 30 MPG (to protect the health of the latter two) and will mostly be playing in starter or starter heavy transition lineups

I'd be running essentially two/three major bench lineups, one around Scottie and one around RJ, where you'd sometimes have an extra shooter in IQ or Ingram there but usually not. If you mostly have two starters as your big minutes guys, bench lineups should be about one of them buying the other one rest.

Other note would be we have three bench wings that are essentially interchangeable in Gradey, Ochai and Ja'Kobe, depending on what you want.

First is a big lineup, where Scottie and RJ are basically interchangeable.

Mamu-CMB-Scottie/RJ-Ja'Kobe-Shead

Second is a small ball look, best around Scottie, but might work for RJ if the opposing bench is really small, which could be pretty defensively nightmarish:

CMB-Scottie/RJ-Ochai-Ja'Kobe-Shead

Third is an all-offence look around Scottie or RJ:

Mamu-Scottie/RJ-Ochai-Gradey-Ja'Kobe

I’d start

Shead,
IQ,
BI,
Scotty
Jak

I’d stagger the subs to lean into using IQ and and SB and CMB and Poeltl and to and extant RJ when he’s in to handle and initiate the offense.

And play jkobe, Ochai and CMB off the bench. And that’s all who’s get meaningful minutes. With Gradey and RJ I’d love to get that value in a front court player. They’d be useful with injuries but they give up more defensively than other options and if we do want to win, we don’t have the shooting to be weak defensively. I love a Gradey that’s a plus defender. I think Jkobe is more well rounded and needs the time.

I’m not sure about the full lineups, but I’d try to keep 2+ of BI, Scottie, RJ, and IQ on the court at (almost) all times.

If they all start, I’d likely sub RJ out fairly early, with everything else depending on matchups and flow.