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what's everyone's best guess at rotation and minutes? or if you prefer, post the rotation you'd like to see.

without getting too deep into guys playing across multiple wing positions, here's my best guess at our 10-man rotation (if healthy)

pg: ball (30) / micic (18)*
sg: green (24) / mann (20) / ball (4)
sf: miller (32) / martin (16)
pf: miles (34) / grant (14)
c: williams (26) / richards (16) / grant (6)

total minutes
ball 34
miles 34
miller 32
williams 26
green 24
mann 20
grant 20
micic 18
martin 16

not in rotation without injuries
smith jr
curry**
gibson
salaun
simpson


9-man rotation is tougher. it means one of mann or martin probably get dropped from the rotation with miles playing more sf and grant and green and the other of mann/martin soaking up more minutes

* i could see micic playing a few minutes next to melo with melo off ball to take advantage of micic's ability to get rim pressure with melo's off ball shooting and secondary playmaking
** i could see a world where lee opts for 3pt shooting and has curry ahead of mann or martin

I think Lee's gonna love the hustle, defense and floor spacing of guys like Grant and Green. I could see them getting more minutes

Whatever lineup gets us a top 5 pick works for me. I'm loving the depth of the 2025 draft beyond Flagg. We need 1 more legit future piece before we start thinking playoffs.

full health:

Ball/Micic
Mann/Green
Miller/[Bridges]
Bridges/Grant/Salaun
Mark/Richards/[Grant]

I do want to see extended minutes of Ball/Miller/Bridges/Grant/Mark as well, but that does edge into guard minutes for Vasa and Mann

When Melo and Mark are out (because let's be real it's gonna happen at some point), I'd roll with:
Micic/Mann
Miller/Green
Bridges/Martin
Grant/Salaun
Richards/[Grant]/Taj

We really need another big

Oof. No help in the draft after a 21-61 season sure would be Peak Hornets.

LaMelo - Micic
Green - Mann
Miller - Martin
Miles - Grant
Mark - Richards

LaMelo will get around 33mins. Miles 35. Miller 35. Everyone else gets between 25 and 10. Saluan will be in Greensboro most of the year. All the other young players will be there too. Seth and Taj will be the veteran bench warmers. But I could see Seth getting in if Green or Mann struggle, or for some reason Lee decides he doesn't like Micic.

Wouldn't shock me if Richards starts the season either, Mark is probably way out of shape since he hasn't played in so long.

My guess at the player hierarchy.

Miller, main scoring option. Will play SG/SF. Maybe small lineups at PF.
Melo, second scoring option. Will PG/SG. Maybe small lineups at SF.
Miles, third scoring option. Will play PF/SF.
Grant, 6th man. Will play C/PF. Maybe SF in bigger lineups.
Mark, 4th best starter. Will only play C. May be on minutes limit.
Mann, 7th man, main bench scorer. Will play PG/SG.
Green, 5th starter (he starts over Mann because he's a better 3pt shooter). Will play SG/SF.
Martin, 8th man 3/D player. SF/SG.
Micic, 9th man backup PG. PG.
Richards, 10th man. Sometimes he doesn't play, Grant is the backup 5 for those games.

I still think Melo will be the leading scorer. Miller isn't there yet. Melo could avg 25 next season.

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Melo won't hit the minimum games requirement to be considered the leading scorer

Melo is definitely the leading scorer when healthy next season. We just need him to actually play.

If Miller somehow surpasses a healthy Melo as a scorer, we are set for years to come

What I would do (just focusing on depth chart for now)

PG: LaMelo / Micic
SG: Mann / Green (though playing time here could be even, I like Mann's fit next to LaMelo as an extra ball handler)
SF: Miller / Cody I guess? We have zero SF depth
PF: Miles / Grant / Salaun (sucks bc he's probably not NBA level talent this year at all, so likely in GBO)
C: Williams / Nick

If you look at our roster and depth, we have plenty of options at guard. Probably OK at PG even since Mann can offer some mins there too. But our front-court and wing depth is so bad. If we don't have Miller/Miles/Grant/Mark then we're depending on Cody/Salaun/Nick for big mins and that's frightening. We can sustain some injuries at guard since we have NSJ and Seth.

If this team plans to make an attempt at the playoffs, then they better go find another wing or PF who can actually contribute in 2024-25.

Rich4114 wrote:If this team plans to make an attempt at the playoffs, then they better go find another wing or PF who can actually contribute in 2024-25.

I think a lacking a C/PF that is capable of starting in Mark's absence, and at least pair with Mark for a few minutes a game is going to be the biggest thing holding us back, more than anything else.

Not that he's any type of savior, but if we're in a position to sort of compete this year, we could benefit a ton from someone like Kelly Olynyk

Let's just say we're healthy-ish and looking good, have an opportunity to trade Martin and a platoon of 2nds for him,

Melo (32) /Micic (16)
Mann (24) / Micic (8) / Green (16)
Miller (32) / Green (8) / Bridges (8)
Bridges (24) / Grant (24)
Mark (24) / Olynyk (24)

Is honestly a pretty nice top 9, we have the ability to stretch Grant, Green, Olynyk, Mann minutes to starter level if someone misses time, still have Richards, NSJ, Salaun to cover some 3rd string minutes

It's nothing amazing but at least you don't have a glaring hole in the rotation like Richards is now.

HornetJail wrote:

Rich4114 wrote:If this team plans to make an attempt at the playoffs, then they better go find another wing or PF who can actually contribute in 2024-25.

I think a lacking a C/PF that is capable of starting in Mark's absence, and at least pair with Mark for a few minutes a game is going to be the biggest thing holding us back, more than anything else.

Not that he's any type of savior, but if we're in a position to sort of compete this year, we could benefit a ton from someone like Kelly Olynyk

Yup, great example actually of the type of end of bench big that could play meaningful mins and keep things afloat. I'm not sure Taj will be able to offer that for us, but that's who will be called upon lol.

HornetJail wrote:Let's just say we're healthy-ish and looking good, have an opportunity to trade Martin and a platoon of 2nds for him,

Melo (32) /Micic (16)
Mann (24) / Micic (8) / Green (16)
Miller (32) / Green (8) / Bridges (8)
Bridges (24) / Grant (24)
Mark (24) / Olynyk (24)

Is honestly a pretty nice top 9, we have the ability to stretch Grant, Green, Olynyk, Mann minutes to starter level if someone misses time, still have Richards, NSJ, Salaun to cover some 3rd string minutes

It's nothing amazing but at least you don't have a glaring hole in the rotation like Richards is now.

Feels like Portland has one too many C's and zero aspirations of competing this year. Robert Williams would be a nice addition to the C rotation if we could move Nick for a wing.

I like the Time Lord as well, but he's another severely injury prone player. It's a risk I'd probably take for free but wouldn't pay a pick to get done.

Also versatile enough on D that if you need to play 3 or 4 minutes with Mark it's not even that big of an issue defensively (though totally pointless offensively)

HornetJail wrote:I like the Time Lord as well, but he's another severely injury prone player. It's a risk I'd probably take for free but wouldn't pay a pick to get done.

Also versatile enough on D that if you need to play 3 or 4 minutes with Mark it's not even that big of an issue defensively (though totally pointless offensively)

It would be a buy low move, but the type of thing we need at that position to keep rebounding/defense/shot blocking alive when Mark is either out or injured. If we want to keep Nick, that's fine too but I think we can move him to someone like Houston for a wing.

What I would like to see is...

PG:Micic/Mann
SG:LaMelo/Mann

Three guard rotation of guys who can all handle the ball and pass.

SF: Miller/Miles
PF: Miles/G.Williams

Three forward rotation with Miles being the guy who is capable of sliding between both spots.

C: Mark/Nick

Next in line to get a spot in order: Seth Curry, Cody Martin, Josh Green, Taj Gibson, Nick Smith, Tidjane Salaun, KJ Simpson

GoBobs wrote:What I would like to see is...

PG:Micic/Mann
SG:LaMelo/Mann

Three guard rotation of guys who can all handle the ball and pass.

SF: Miller/Miles
PF: Miles/G.Williams

Three forward rotation with Miles being the guy who is capable of sliding between both spots.

C: Mark/Nick

Next in line to get a spot in order: Seth Curry, Cody Martin, Josh Green, Taj Gibson, Nick Smith, Tidjane Salaun, KJ Simpson

Can't picture them not putting both Cody and Josh into the main rotation and Josh likely starts over Mann (though I'd start Mann).