RealGM

imo the permanent starters should be

Kemba / Lamb / Batum / Kaminsky / Zeller

i love MKG but you just can't have a non threat in your starting lineup in today's NBA.

Sessions / Belinelli / MKG / Marv / Plumlee off the bench

i think that's more balanced. Lamb needs to be starting. we need people who can score in the starting lineup point blank period.

If you think we need a change because our starters aren't getting it done, I suggest you look at the stats and ask how the bench is doing.

There needs to be a coaching change!


Sent from my iPhone using RealGM Forums

While I do think MKG would be better off the bench for us. our SLU isn't really the problem. We need a better bench. And rotations that make sense at end of games.

The Swarm's bench is better.

A couple of random observations:

1. The two greatest predictors of whether or not a player will start are how much they are paid & what slot they were drafted in. It's hard for a coach to sell a guy picked 2nd making 12m a year that he's going to be benched for a journeyman drafted in the teens making half that. It's a hard sell for management & ownership too.

2. MKG is the *only* core starter drafted by this team that didn't come off the bench his first year. Kemba, Cody, Frank, etc. all came off the bench for plenty of games during their first year on the team. Not MKG. He started from day 1.

3. Since MKG's offense is as weak as it is he will have the maximum team impact when surrounded by scorers and when he is guarding the other team's best players. Generally that's difficult to do when coming off the bench.

4. Trade value for starters is higher than it is for backups in most cases.

I think there needs to be changes. too, to strengthen the bench. But you don't put Frank at the 4 because he can't defend that position. My changes:

Kemba, Lamb (I like that idea) Batum, Marvin, Zeller

Notes: Slide Batum to the 3 and orient the offense through him, allowing Kemba to operate off the ball. Lamb and Marvin add spacing. Length at the 2 and 3 would offer good perimeter defense, though toughness is lacking overall and rim protection is weak. Defending the PnR would improve, however.

Rotation: Roberts, Belinelli, MKG, [really should have another wing here - Graham?] Wood, Kaminski, Plumlee

Reserves: O'Bryant, Graham, Weber, Sessions (after injury)

The Hornets have a nice collection of 'fit' players, but a dearth of 'dynamic' players. Kemba, (maybe) Batum - he's such a matchup nightmare when the offense flows through him, and Kaminski (once he gets out of his head) have swag. Another playmaker is desperately needed in the rotation. Maybe one of the new kids, Weber or Wood, will offer some dynamic play. Wood certainly likes to get in the mess and doesn't look like the Big Leagues is too big for him. Weber? Who knows? But we can dream, can't we? I don't have much faith in Sessions to make the kind of dynamic impact the team needs, especially after his recent injury.

As it stands, Charlotte lacks a dynamic reserve lead guard. And it needs to get Zeller healthy. But otherwise it's a pretty good squad. Minor tweaking is all that's really needed, and that only to strengthen the bench.