Scenario: We don't make any trades and start season with current roster. Who should start and how should rotation go? My recommendation below is built to consider wining games, but also developing our youth. After each player are the avg minutes I'd have each play. 1 - Francis (36) 2 - Mobley (35) 3 - Rice (28) 4 - Taylor (28) 5 - Ming (26) 1st sub: Griffin (28; 18-PF/10-C) 2nd sub: Norris (20) 3rd sub: Cato (12) 4th sub: Nachbar (SF-12) 5th sub: Thomas (PF-2; SF-8) 6th sub: Torres (SG - 5) The rotation will be situationally dependent and as the season matures, I'd hope Yao, EG and Boki could handle more minutes. If Boki can play SG, maybe he could get a few more minutes there. I know some of u might wonder why Ming only gets 26 mins in this rotation. I'd do this, to let him get his feet wet and to build his confidence given the team and his competition. Against Shaq, Mutombo, etc. I might limit his minutes depending on fouls and how he was doing. By mid-season hopefully he would be ready for more minutes. Any way, these are just my thoughts. Anyone with a different opinion or better idea plug it in. Cheers, Shark
The only big change I would do is start Cato. But that would only be at the beginning of the season, and if Ming wasn't ready. After a while, I would expect Ming to start, depending on how ready he is and actually how much better he is than Cato. But for the whole season, I like the rotation.
RC, That makes sense, it would allow Ming to play against the opponent's bench for some of his minutes and hopefully begin building his game and cofidence. He may also benefit by spending more time on the court with Mooch and less Mobes...to get him involved in the offense more.
i dont think u can SET a specific rotation, it depends on how things go and how people are playing. If one player is on a hot streak, then the coach will play him more. if one player is cold the coach will play him less, if we need a player to match up on another player, he will play more. There is no way that a coach can set amount of minutes before the game much less the season.
NJ, Scenario assumed no changes in curret roster. However, if we sign-in-trade, then we'll have to factor what players leave (MoT for example).
That sounds like a good rotation Shark. Like RC said I would start Cato for the beginning of the season until Ming forces him out. Unfortunately, KT probably wouldn't be happy w/ only 10min. but what are you gonna do?
EG, Agree. That's why these are averages for mins and sub rotation. Obviously, if someone is hot, gets in foul trouble or is injured--the rotation priority would change. This is not an absolute...only a template.
StyleZ, You're right. I really wish that KT got more mins...he earned them last yr. I would really rather have EG start, with KT in reserve...I'm not sold on MoT, but I'm not management.
Rudy plays matchups...period Cato and Rice will start along with KT, Francis, & Cat, at least until MoT comes back from suspension/injury. At which point MoT will be starting. As for the rotation , just look at the matchups with the different teams each night and you can guess what Rudy will do.
EG 1 I agree with your post! Rudy is going to judge his players on the Training Camp and Preseason. He wont overplay Yao ( Ming is his first name) as he will be coming off a rough Summer and won't be rested. He will bring Yao along slowly as he adapts to the NBA Game but don't be surprised if he starts in the first home game! Nachbar the same way, don't be surprised if this new star shines by mid season.
I know him personally, so I call him Ming .... do you believe me? No? Didn't think so. I keep forgetting that fact.
I know this won't happen, but in my opinion... 1 - Francis (32-PG SG-8) 2 - Mobley (40) 3 - Griffin (SF-14 PF-14) 4 - Taylor (26) 5 - Ming (26) 1st sub: Norris (16) 2nd sub: Cato (22) 3rd sub: Nachbar (SF-20) 4th sub: Thomas (SF-14; PF-8) I just don't see any benefit playing Rice. All he's going to do is hurt the development of Eddie and Nachbar. Unless he's able to show he can hit his three point shot at around 40% early on in this season, I think he should just be permanently placed on the bench. We don't have the time to wait for him to find his shot.
Dennis, While KT deserves to start during Mo's 5-game suspension, I wouldn't be surprised to see EG start if trng camp & preseason go well. As for match-ups, I think we'll be initiating the match-up problems for other teams. While Cato might start initial games, I can't see Rudy keeping Ming out of starting line-up for half a season--unless he's a flop. Ming is gonna create match-up difficulties for other teams. If EG is ready, he will also. We have enough talent on this team to drive the match-ups...make teams adjust to our talent. However, I do agree that if someone is killing us, Rudy will adjust and our team is deep enough to do it this year. All, I understand that this is not a checklist game. My rotation is based on a season long avg, not counting injuries or trades. Just a think piece, not an absolute by any means.
What about Tmo???? Seriously, I think he'll prove himself as good as any other option at SF (this season, anyway). I still say Rice is finished.
DC, The reports are Rice is looking strong again. While I agree he will inhibit the growth of younger players. His experience should help develop them also. I'd probably reduce his minutes to 20, if Boki is ready and use him as a hired gun off the bench. However, I just feel if he's close to the old Rice, he'll give Steve, Mobes more space in the lane and take pressure off Ming. If he's not, I agree w/u wholeheartedly. In fact, I'd give his mins to EG, KT & Boki depending on the opponent.
TMo is the odd man out and should only get garbage minutes. He should not cut into any of Kenny or Griffin's playing time. And unless Nachbar does really bad, TMo shouldn't cut into his time either. After all, there was a reason Terrence was a 2nd round pick and Nachbar was a mid-first rounder. I just don't see much potential in Morris.
Tmo, He'll either make team as injured reserve, 11-12th guy or not at all. Don't see many minutes coming his way--unless he has a break-out camp or someone gets hurt. Just my opinion.
Yeah, the reports are encouraging. I just hope that Rudy reserves the right to make adjustments early on in the season if people aren't performing. If Rice is sucking it up, they should just tell him "sorry, we can do more productive things with those minutes like bring up our younger players. There's the bench. Cry about it all you want." Well, maybe not be that harsh about it, but you get the idea. If Rice does manage to play the full season, you can pretty much count on not seeing a whole lot of Nachbar next year. But, I don't think Rice will make it through the first month of next season. When you have foot problems like he does, you usually never recover from it.
I completely agree. If EG is improved as he appears to be, he very well may supplant KT as the starter. Now if Rudy and company are trying to showcase KT well that may be a different story.... EG & Ming are major matchup problem for other team.... Ming will get all the time he can handle. I like Ming's chances against lesser( backup ) centers at least in the beginning of the season. You are right , if Ming outplayes Cato, he will start.
