What is craft acting? Fellow THERMONI, Beer a Evert, I and Belly
coming at you with a reaction podcast, mini pod whatever. We haven't done
one of the even a while. We have an interview up later this week
I think Wednesday, and then Grant will be back for a podcast that drops
on Friday. So very excited about that. We're trying to get you guys
a third episode per week when I have the time. Won't guarantee that all
during the off season, but let's get to it, you know the drill.
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us continue to grow the community. Going to be reacting to an article I've
not seen yet posted on bleacher Report, So it's not It is not one
that Grant nor I have written, although we did a trades one. Maybe
I should go through that. However, it is called the weakest link in
every nba team's projected starting five for next season. So I've not seen it
yet. We're going to go through it, see what I disagree with,
see which teams we need to spend the most time on, just to see
how things are shaping up. These could of course changed, and I'll talk
about any disagreements in the lineup projections, let alone the weakest links. So
let's go throw this up on the screen here for anyone watching on YouTube.
There's a fancy new thing that I built where it should look like I don't.
I hope you can at least read it, but it should look,
you know, like a more cooler background instead of the screen taking up so
much room on your actual screen, you can see the share a little bit
more. I don't really like using obs. I just I didn't enjoy my
experience there. That's a cleaner look. You can split up the screens with
stream Yard doesn't let you do it as cleanly. Useless information, but you
can go check it out on YouTube. So we begin the weakest link in
every NBA team starting lineup, the Atlanta Hawks projected DeAndre Hunter, with projected
starters of Trey Young, Dejan Day, Murray, DeAndre Hunter, Sadiq Bank,
Clink Cappela. I think i'd probably agree with this starting five. I
don't know who Atlanta would start. It would be the Sadiq Bay spot.
That's up for debate. Do they go small right away with Bogdanovich, But
I think you need his creation off the bench. You're not going to play
out Congo next to Clink Cappela. I don't think you'd give this spot to
AJ Griffin. Maybe Jalen john Kin gets in there regardless. I think this
is the wrong, wrong answer. DeAndre Hunter a weaker shooter than we think.
But I just think Sadiq Bay has not shown enough consistency on the defensive
end to think that he wouldn't be the wink Week link here, and you're
gonna need defense from that spot a great deal. So unless you really just
believe in Sadique Bay's offense, I think he's the weakest link. The Boston
Celtics. Whoever starts at the five that's interesting. Projected starters Derek White,
Jalen Brown, Jason Tatum, Christops Porzingis, and then i Al Horford or
Robert Williams the third. This is probably right, but you could make a
case that there's a weak link in Derek White as the actual starting point guard.
He is a good connective passer and a good playmaker overall. Is he
someone who can take you and run you through your sets? Do you trust
Jason Tatum or do that more? And if you need someone to do that,
there's Jalen Brown become a weaker link. And if Porzingis isn't as available,
is he a winkly week linked? Is he compromised your defensive versatility at
all? There are a ton of answers here. I think whoever plays the
five is probably the right one. But there might be a case for Derek
White, who's a fantastic player. I just don't know. Is he going
to give them what they need on the offensive end? That's an interesting one.
That team is so polarizing and he can't wait to do their there look
ahead the Brooklyn Nets Dorian Finney Smith projected starting five of Spencer Dinwoodie mcaal Bridges,
Cam Johnson, Rian Phinny Smith or Royce O'Neill and Nick Claxton. I
guess this is the right answer. It's not Nick Claxton. He's expanded his
offense enough and there's so much shooting around him, plus his defense. Is
it Spencer Dinwoody just because he's not a good enough creator to try and drive
the entire offense. He's probably gonna be at that point guard spot. You're
surrounded by Michael Bridges. Let's just call him a net even defender. I
guess you trust his author dribble creation more than Dorian Finney Smith. But what
DFS does on defense? Why would we make him the weak link? If
it's Royce O'Neill and you're bringing DFS off the bench, I think this becomes
easier. I'm gonna go with Spencer Dinwoody here, just because, again with
the nets need advantage, creation is supposed to come from that spot, even
though you have Michael Bridges and the fact that he I guess he provides some,
but it's below average relative to the point guard spot. Most likely.
I guess you could be viewing this as well. Do you need that kind
of ball skill from Dorian Phinney Smith on the wings, and that's why he's
the week link. I just if you're considering him the day facto four or
three, I'm gonna go with Spencer Dinwoody here. That's a tough one,
though I could under I could see the case for him or DFS slash who
ever starts at the four. The Charlotte Hornets Brandon Miller in parentheticals for now
projected starting five of Lamello, Terry Rosier, Brandon Miller, Miles Bridges,
and Mark Williams. Notably, PJ. Washington is not signed as we're recording
this or as I'm recording this. This is an interesting pick. I think
that has to be the answer, but there is a chance. I'm just
gonna say. I mean, you could say maybe Mark Williams, but he
came a long way by the end of last season, looking at his defensive
reads, block and jumpers, rim protection, got better tested out his midie
on the offensive end, I think he could be super complimentary on that.
Leould see him set maybe some more physical screens. I'll be more quick as
a decision maker going downhill needs enough spacing around him to make that impact.
I think you could probably make the case Miles Bridges has to serve the balance
of the thirty game suspension. There's ten games left for pleading no contest to
felony domestic violence. You could like he's been gone. Is he the weak
link? I think you can also make a case for a Terry Rozier just
if his shooting falls off. He did seem to settle down once they put
him in the proper role last season, and so this isn't the lineup with
he'll be tasked with creating. Bredon mill is probably the right answer. I
think they're probably gonna ask him to do some things on ball offensively, since
you only really have Bridges in the mellow here, and so that could be
an issue for him as a rookie. Is he gonna be able to generate
the type of on ball separation or even give you anything on the ball.
If PJ. Washington is playing and he's in this lineup, I want I
guess the pick is Terry Rozier, But I don't love the idea of Bridges
being your day Facto three either. I'm not gonna lie. I think this
is probably the right pick, though. Chicago Bulls Patrick Williams is this spicy
projected starting five for Chicago. I'm all over the place here Alex Caruso,
zach Lavine, Demarderos, and Patrick Williams in the Klavukovich I think I might
go in to Kola Vukovic here. Is he going to give you? He's
not going to give you enough for in protection, even if you don't think
there's gonna be any sort of regression as he goes into his mid thirties,
really fine offensive player. Yes, the low volume from Patrick Williams and Alex
Cruiser can help you for a team that was so elite defensively last year.
But they were so elite defensively not really because if anything they did from the
big man spot, it just kind of started with their ball pressure, a
lot of their wing defense and then sort of protecting the rim that way.
And Patrick Williams is a fairly prominent part of that, as is Alex Caruso,
demard Rose. And unless he regresses not a week lak zach Lavine,
I finally believe he's probably become underrated. I think the answer is honestly voots
here, just because you have to think of what he's going to how much
is he going to give you as a shooter on offense, will the threes
go down in a really good clip? And then how much is he going
to potentially compromise your defense? And this team needed rim protection. That's not
someone they're going to give him. If you just believe that Patrick Williams is
an offensive zero, I get why you would include him though. Moving on
to the Cavaliers, Max Struce projected starting five of Darius Garland, Donovan Mitchell,
Max Struce, Evan Mobley, and Jared Allen. This is the right
answer. I guess you could make a case for Jaron Allen just does he
shrank their offensive spacing? But at that point, it's he's giving you so
much defensively and it's part of the reason why Evan Mobley can be allowed to
roam. Does that really make him a weak link? Because you could just
turn around and say the same thing about Mobley. I do think he's ready
for more grabbing ghost stuff and even slowing things down and being able to attack
that way. But he's not spacing the floor either, And so I think
you just look at it and you have to say, Okay, Maxter's clearly
the worst player, and that's maybe the best way to approach this exercise.
Dallas Mavericks, Dwight Powell. Dwight Powell's telling the Mavericks projected starters lukadan Ji,
Kyrie Irving, Tim Hardaway Junior, Grant Williams, and Dwight Powell.
I think I would agree with this starting five. We've had some really,
I haven't quippled about the starting five inclusions much here. I don't think they
would start Rashaun Holmes. I don't think you're gonna look at starting Maxi Kleiba
right off the bat. Do you look at just because you want wing defense
starting a Josh Green? I mean maybe, but then you're just you're so
small at that point, and you don't want Grant Williams playing the five right
off the bat. Maybe he comes off the bench. That's something that you
could look at. Or is Tim Hardaway Junior coming off the bench, and
that's when you look at kind of slotting in Josh Green for the wings defense.
Regardless, if Dwight Palell's in the starting five, it's probably him.
I guess you could in theory make a case for Tim Hardaway Junior specifically on
the defensive end, but he's going to be an important shooter. When you're
looking at this makeup the week link does probably come from the front corner.
It will be the four or the five spot. Dwight Powell probably the right
answer with this starting five. If you're looking at Josh Green being subbed in
for Grant Williams or even Tim Hardaway Junior, I don't I don't think that
changes it at all. Moving on to the Denver Nuggets, Kent Tavia's called
bell Pope, but really no one that's high praise, and yeah, that's
probably the right answer. I think Jamal Murray KCP, Michael Porter Junior,
Aaron Gordon, Nicole Yokich. It's not going to be Murray or Yokich.
I think Aaron Gordon can be sometimes two low volume on the offensive end.
Put he had some really really high moments in the playoffs, and he's just
so important to what you do defensively. I think you could make a case
for Michael Porter Jr. His offense does sort of ebb and flow, But
if any of the defensive progression he made in the playoffs, like consistently defending,
sort of translates into the regular season, I know he had some rough
stints as we got later into the playoffs, that winds up being huge again.
I think you just a fault too. Who's technically the worst player of
this group? That's KCP. But this is probably the best starting five in
basketball. Maybe Phoenix could come pretty close to it as we get there.
Certainly the best starting five we've seen Detroity Wiseman, Detroit Pistons, James Wiseman.
Excuse me, the projected starters here are Kaig Cunningham, Jade and Ivy
or Sar Thompson, Boyan Vadanovich, and James Wiseman. Jalen during not being
here is really weird. Why is ja? I mean, James Wiseman is
the right answer? If it's this, why wouldn't it be Jalen Durant.
I'm just trying to see if there was any of a There was no none
of a reason. It was really given here. If it's not Jalen Duran
I would love to know Monty Williams is doing. And I could also see
it being a situation where we're looking at not even Boyan Magdonovitch, but is
he coming off the bench or is there a star Thompson coming off the bench.
So that you can see the like the dual big setup where it might
be I would imagine Isaiah Stewart with I would say Jail and Durn I would
be I'd be if it's Wiseman, and if it's it won't be Wiseman and
during. So I disagree with this starting five And I purposely haven't dug into
any research on whether teams have come out and said X y Z about it.
So maybe this is based off of but I don't see a link anywhere.
It's something I have not seen just yet. The answer is right,
but I just don't think he's there. And if you're slotting in Jail and
Duran, I think the weak link becomes or Sara Thompson, who's going to
be a terrific defender, And I do believe just looking at the speed at
which he's able to get off jumpers, I believe in the development of that,
But just right off the bat offensively, I think it's probably going to
be a struggle for him. Although this and does this lineup specifically, we
really only have if we're being on this one plus shooter with Boyan Madonovitch,
that could make it difficult for him to operate. So I think the answer
is Osa Thompson because you're going to wind up starting Jail and Dur instead of
Wiseman. And you might even start if you plug in Isaiah Stewart and Boyon
Madonovitch's spot, or even a Star Thompson spot. So if you plug him
in in Boyon spot, the answer is still or Star Thompson. And if
you just plug him in our Star Thompson spot, I think it would then
become Yeah, it could it be Jay and Ivy over a Stewart or even
I guess you want to say, and how Durn is too important defensively,
then then it's a discussion there. I guess I'd probably default to Stewart.
I just believe in Ivy now that much after being fairly low on him.
But it would have to be Stewart or Ivy in that situation. But I
think the right starting five I feel like, is this starting five with Duran
in place of Wiseman, and then Osa Thompson is your weakest link. You
have some real shooting coming off the bench. Then though, by the way,
Monte Morris, Alec Burks and Joe Harris, like you could really that's
that's a lot of space. And then even if Stewart's coming off the bench,
you know he can get off a three here and there. Actually really
like that the Golden State Warriors, Kavon Looney unless Chris Paul starts projected starters
Steph Clay, Andrew Wiggins, Draymond Green, Cavon Looney. Yes, but
I mean, are are we just sure that like Klay Thompson kind of the
way he closed the season not on the strongest note. Could it be him?
And you know what you're at least gonna get from Kevon Looney defensively and
the reason he's going to make offensively again the worst player here, it's Kevon
Looney. So you call him the weak link. But when you're trying to
look at weak points to attack, Clay Thompson is kind of easier to attack
on the defensive end this time, and he's just not as quick on offensive.
He's asked to do anything with the ball. You trust his shooting,
but it feels like they are more highs and lows, and it feels like
he has more variants in his performances than at Kavan Looney would be from night
tonight and so I would just leave open the possibility that the answer here's lay
Thompson. If you're gonna go with that variability, he could maybe also say
Wiggins, but he's become more of a studying force over the past couple of
years. The Houston Rockets Dylan Brooks projected starters Fred Van Vleet, Jalen Green,
Dylan Brooks, Jabari Smith Junior and Alpa and Shangoon. I think this
is the right starting five. They'll probably bring Am and Thompson off the bench
just because I think that will give him the most maybe not spacing around him,
but the chance to operate with the ball in his hands. Then if
you were going to have Green and Van Fleet and even Jabari Smith with him,
and yeah, it's Dylan Brooks and Shangoon. By the way, all
these players around him are just decidedly like they could. They could be pluses
on offense, and I don't think Dylan Brooks will be. I'm expecting a
huge year from Jabari Smith Junior, by the way. So yes, if
you wanted to pivot to an alternative, I think it would have to be
Shangoon if you're worried about his defense. But I just don't even think he's
nearly as detrimental on defense as Dylan Brooks can be on the offensive end.
Now, if you just plugg Dylan Brooks into a role where he has to
keep the ball moving or fire away, maybe he can attack the occasional clothes
out and he doesn't fancy himself like this, you know, smaller Carmelo Anthony
or whatever, or sometimes thinking he's like Damian Lillard or something. Then yeah,
there might be more of a debate here, but he's the clear answer.
I can't. I'm trying to talk to myself into another one. I
can't. I can't. You would have to be really low on Jabari and
just the way he progressed like incrementally, and how he closed the season,
and even what he did in brief summer league action. I don't know why
you would projected starters for the Pacers Tyrese Haliburt and Bruce Brown, Buddy Healed,
Obie Toppin, and Miles Turner with Obie Toppin as the weak link.
This is interesting because if you want to start kind of the traditional four sized
player, I would go with Obie over Jalen Smith or even Isaiah Jackson.
Don't even think that would be in a consideration. But you do have Benn
Nick Mathern here. I guess he's less likely to start because Bruce Brown is
not a pure three, and we're just gonna assume that Buddy Hell doesn't come
off the bench, so this gets all sorts of messy. This is the
right answer for this starting five, without question. I'm just trying to think
based off how the Pacers played, is there a chance that we could see
Aaron Nie Smith sneak in here instead of Obie? And then would they be
willing to start that small for you know, for that like for that many
games in a season, like to rely on that it's sort of their every
night starting five. I honestly don't know, just because the Bruce Brown calculus
kind of changes things for me. If it's this starting five, the answer
is absolutely Obie topping. Otherwise I think you'd go with it would probably still
be Obie because he would be the four, you know, if you wanted
to start bigger. I guess you could make a case if Nie Smith is
put in for Buddy healed, and I don't think they would do it for
Bruce Brown, like because you bring him off the bench. When Nemhart is
there, and then if mathin I'm trying to figure out a way would it
even be if you want to fit Mathroin into this, you pull Buddy Healed
and go that route. The answer is still Obie Topping. And if you
want to start ultra small, you would put Mathron and Nie Smith in and
then go with Brown those two Haliburton and Turner, and then I would think
Nie Smith is the we glink there. The Pacers can do all sorts of
things. It does feel a little weird that Obie Topping could go from barely
playing with the Knicks Twode and starting with the Indiana Pacers. I guess I
didn't give much consideration to what they're starting five would be based off this makeup.
I kind of assumed that we would see Mathren graduate into that, and
I know that they weren't. They weren't above starting small. Last year we
saw like Nemhard, Nie Smith Healed to play a bunch of minutes together,
and so I would think you would favor that set up again, wouldn't you?
And so at that point you might as well go with Mathren instead of
Topping. And then maybe you still like, do you bring Buddy Healed off
the bench. This is like an impossible one answer. I'm spending way too
much time on the pacers. I think you rip Obie out and then probably
throw. I might go with Mathren and Nie Smith and put Buddy Healed and
topping on the bench here. I'm like I might even like starting them hard.
I'm kind of looking at this just for like defensive reasons too. Would
you start him instead of me Smith and go small that way? I'm gonna
predict that Aaron N. Smith starts, and then it's kind of by defall
the weak link because there are a lot of questions about him on offense.
You're not gonna ask him to do anything with the ball, but is he
going to continue to give enough shooting kind of as an off ball accessory?
And so, yeah, I don't feel confident and I just don't. I'll
be shocked kind of if Obi starts, unless they've been something out there that
says he will. The Los Angeles Clippers Marcus Morris, Russell Westbrook, Paul
George Kawhi, Leonard Marcus Morrison of vich Zubots. Yeah, that's the right
answer. Marcus Morris is pretty bad last year. If they're sticking with this
five. Could you see them start even smaller and throwing Terrence Man and which
case I think Russell Westbrook becomes the weakest link. So yeah, I think
this is the right answers, not much an argument. Could James Harden be
involved in this? And then and then who who do we choose? We'll
cross that bridge when we when we get to it. The Lass Angels,
Lakers with Ruby Hatchimura projected starting five De'angelo Russell, Austin Reeves, Lebron,
James Ruey, Hatchimore and Anthony Davis. I did see a report this just
it was a notification on my phone. I wasn't reading that Jackson Hayes could
start this. Just commitment to trying to make it like Anthony Davis is in
the five is honestly hysterical. I don't think Jackson hazel starts the anteloill be
him if he does. If it's Ruey or if it's Vanderbilt here, I
think there'll probably be answers just because Russell has a lower floor than Vanderbilt,
for sure, but like Vanderbilt can provide you nothing on offense to the point
that he's a detriment Delo can do the same thing on defense, but just
as someone who might be able to initiate and maybe and not maybe, you
know that Vanderbilt is not going to do that. I think with Ruey,
though, he would be considered the weakest link until we just know that the
offensive performances he had in the playoffs translate to more of a normalcy in the
regular season. Could you bring Delo off the bench and then start Dave Vincent?
Don't think that changes the answer here, so it would be really But
if you want to start Vanderbilt instead, I'm sure some people can make the
case for Delo. I think it would probably still be Vanderbilt, to be
honest with you. Memphis Grizzlies, John Conchar, So we're doing this without
John Moran since he'll be suspending for the first twenty five games, Marcus Smart,
Desmond Bain, John Conchar, Jaren Jackson Junior, and Steven Adams.
Yeah, I mean that's the answer. And then when this starting five has
John Moran, I think Steven Adams is probably the weak link just because he's
done. Aside from the offensive rebounding, he's not gonna give you a ton
on offense. He's a smart offensive player. I guess you can make the
case no, because you've John Moran. If you're looking at Marcus Smart to
be like this true wing defender rather than someone who plugs all these different holes
and guards up and can switch a ton like if you need him to be
the Dylan Rooks type guy during the regular season. I just I can't bring
myself to pick that one. So, yeah, it's John conchar for now.
It'll be Steven Adams when this team is at full strength that heat,
Kevin Love, projected starters, Tyler Hero, Josh Richardson, Jimmy Butler,
Kevin Love, and bam at a bio. Yeah, this is probably the
right answer. It's not Tyler Hero. I don't know. You could say,
like maybe it's Josh Churchison, but I don't. I feel like I
know Josh church doesn't had a rough go of it when he was in for
the like hot second that he was in Philly, but like he was fine.
I thought he was fine for Boston. I thought he ended up being
fine for San Antonio and New Orleans this year, and so I loved that
signing, especially in the middle. I think he gives you more than people
think and so with Kevin Love, yeah, rebounding, passing, shooting,
I think he could potentially hurt your defense. And Josh Churchison, I don't
think he's gonna hurt you at either end of the floor, even if he
doesn't necessarily elevate you. The Milwaukee Bucks Grayson Allen. They're projected starting five
is Drew Holiday, Grayson Allen, Chris Middleton, Joanna's attend to coopom Brook
Lopez. This is the right answer. I would fuck around with the starting
five and I would test out. I think Jake Crowder is too big for
the spot, but I would consider Pat Connaughton. I would consider trying a
leak Beasley out. I mean, why not, just if he can really
get off threes, and I guess great graysound. I guess Graysound was better
than him last season. I do think Beasley as a higher ceiling as a
high volume shooter, but Allen's probably gonna give you more defensively, even though
Beasley should have the tools to do that. So I would consider it.
But either way, the fifth is just going to be the weak point.
No more West Matthews to consider in this spot. That's a that's a little
sad RP to that tenure. Maybe mar John bow Champ sneaks in here,
but now I think this is the right starting five. And even if it's
not, whoever you thought in that fifth spot is going to be the right
pick. The Minnesota Timberwolves Woo Mike Conley, Mike Conley, Auntie Edwards,
Jade McDaniel's, Connethy Towns and Rudy Gobert speaking of what could be the best
starting five in basketball? Are we sure it's I'm high on the Wolves.
I'm not sure if the clip will be up, but if you listen the
podcast where I talked about the Wolves, I'm extremely high on the Wolves.
Do you like, couldn't it be Rudy Gobert is basically what I'm going It's
not gonna be Aunt Edwards. It's not I know about Towns and what he
does on defense, but he's such a transcendent offensive player. Gobert's defense felt
like it's sort of waxed and waned a lot last season, and if he
is sort of diminished in any capacity from I think you have to ask yourself
this, who is adversely impacted more by the dual big setup? And the
answer is probably Rudy Gobert over Karl Anthony Towns. So I understand that Mike
Conley is the oldest, theoretically the worst, the most volume player here,
but his importance as just like sort of a connector someone who's not going to
get absolutely torched on the defensive end, still just being this high IQ player.
You could maybe make the case for Rudy, But there's if the ant.
If your answer is Rudy Gobert and Mike Conley is your weakest link,
I think you're in a pretty good spot. When you're looking at your starting
lineup New Orleans Pelicans. You ownis Valanciunist. I wish the Pelicans would have
really diversified their five rotation projected starters. CJ McCollum, Brandon Ingram, Trey
Murphy, Zion Williamson, and Jonas valanc Tunis. This is the right answer
depending on how you If you wait their ability, then I get it.
You can consider Zion there. I really want to see the Pelicans get the
lineup this year where Herb Jones is playing in Jannas valon Tunis is place.
I don't know if Zion is gonna give you enough defense there. How much
you want to play in the five. That lineup just screams all sorts of
awesome to me. And I also wouldn't mind if you're really trying to launch
up the defense in that situation, We'll hold thee Alvarado give you enough shooting
or would Diyson Daniels give you enough shooting or scoring or offensive impact whatsoever to
try that. I mean, that's the like, that lineup isn't even that
small. If you go Dison Daniels, Herb Jones, Trey Murphy, Brandon
Ingram and Zion. I don't really know what that looks like, but that
might be my favorite quirky lineup for New Orleans to try out. Right answer
here though, for sure, just Jona jound Tunis is not going to give
you enough on the defense, and his peak on offense is just it's not
it's like a stretchy ish five, like he just doesn't have that. He
has the efficiency, but he doesn't have the volume to necessarily prop it up
and you know, get defense to respect him in the way they're gonna go
after a Miles Turner or even a Brook Lopez. Still a really good player
that Pelicans full strength have a really great starting five the New York Knicks.
RJ. Barrett, I'm prepared to go to war here projected starters Brunson,
Grimes, Barrett Randall, Mitchell Robinson. Yeah, why is Mitch's defense is?
It can't be Julius. We all know how I feel about Julius Randall,
but it's not going to be random unless he goes. He had the
MP campaign and then that follow up and he makes all NBA last year too,
So does he have a drop off again? So let's make clear it's
not Brunson. They told him, you want to prepare to say it won't
be Grimes is just sort of I don't think he's gonna have enough offensive responsibility
to nuke you there. And we know he's this defensive try hard, a
little bit undersized if you want him defending wings. So I don't think he
could be Brunson. I don't think Grimes will have a prominent enough role for
it to be him. Mitchell Robinson's defense is so important. I guess in
fury, like how do we define wink week link here in a vacuum,
I guess RJ. Barrett's the worst player. Mitchell Robinson's floor on offense is
just so low. Is he gonna shoot forty eight percent from the free throw
line or not? Can you do anything aside from catching Finnish at the basket
grab some offensive rebounds. I'm gonna say no, just because if we're doing
this relative to their positions, I think there's a case for Julius Randall because
he limits so much of what you can do. Why is RJ Barrett in
in such a herky jerky spot? In part because he's playing with Julius Randall
and Jalen Brunson a lot at the same time and edition of Less Basing with
Mitchell Robinson there the answer. The answer is probably RJ. Barrett. I'm
like really getting ahead of myself here. I would love to see different sorts
of lineups with RJ, and I would consider to maybe getting him those lineups.
If you feel like you need to start him for diplomatic reasons, then
can you give him the quick hook and throwing Josh Hart or maybe even a
Donte di Vincenzo in his spot. Let's move on to the Oklahoma City Thunder.
The week link is lut Dort. They're projected starting five is Josh Giddy,
Shay Gil, Just Alexander, Jale Williams, Lue Dort, and Chet
Holmgren. Yeah. I mean it's not Shay, it's not Jal Williams,
who's just so plug and play. Josh Kid got a lot better last year
and to the point where you shot on thirty three percent from three, but
he had really extended pockets where he was shooting the ball better. He's definitely
not as hesitant there. It gives you a lot of defense, rebounding,
excellent passing. Blue Dort's a great defender, but he's so up and down
on the offensive end. So, yes, this is the right answer.
I guess unless you feel that Chet Homegern's gonna be a rookie, they're gonna
have him play a lot of five. It looks like is he able to
contribute? Leave it dent right off the bat? Blue Dort's most likely the
correct answer, though the magic with Gary Harris, the projected starting five of
faults Harris, Wagner, Ben Caro, Window, Carter Jr. I probably
agree with this. Would they consider starting Anthony Black and Gary Harris's space?
That would really destroy their shooting, But up there their ball handling at a
little bit. I don't know if you need extra ball handling when you have
Bank Carrow, Franz Wagner, Marquel folt Here. I just want to leave
open the door that it could be a Mark el Foltz. He's become a
very serviceable offensive player and a very good playmaker. Just the absence of a
consistent perimeter jumper, and how that changes the way defenses defend you and what
that can do to their half court offense can really submarine them. So it's
Hammer Harris. I would probably lean. I'd probably lean Harris. I think,
well, yeah, just markol Folts defense, and I think you're going
to trust him at least as a ball handler. So yes, Harris is
going to be the right answer here with the possibility though that it's that it's
faults Philadelphia seventy six ers, PJ. Tucker, I don't know projected thirty
five of Harden, Maxie Tobias Harris, PJ. Tucker and Joel embiide this
is the right answer in a vacuum. But if James Harden is still on
this team and he goes full when he wanted out and was in Houston and
then also was in Brooklyn, he comes your weekly so I just want I
just want to throw that out there. Otherwise he has PG Tucker because he's
so low volume on the offensive end, and then just older overall, is
there any defensive slippage Phoenix Suns. Whichever non max player starts Brady Beale,
Devin Booker, Josh a Kogi or Kata Bates, Diop, Eric Gordon or
Utah want an Abby than Kevin Rant DeAndre and so it's not Beal, it's
not Booker, it's not the Rant. I just want to say that if
it's a Kogi, yes, If it's Kadabates the Upp, I'd probably say
yes, unless you're just shooting the lights on the ball. If it's Eric
Gorn or Utah want an Abby. We need to see what DeAndre and just
looks like on defense and kind of offense first, because there was some drop
off on defense and then just his offensive shnanigans where there's just too much finesse
and bailing out. I'm just it's obvious that it has to be one of
the other, like whoever they start in that fifth spot. But the gap
of effectiveness, especially if you maybe look at well some of the catchalls for
DeAndre might be a little inflated. But if you're just looking at it,
okay, who can you count on from a night to night basis, there's
a chance that there's less of a variants in the performance of this fifth starter
than there is some DeAndre And that is all all I'm saying. Portland Trailblazers
Shaden Sharp projected starting five, Damian Lillard, Amfrey Simon, Shaden Sharp,
Jeremy Grant. Use of Nurkicch No, I'm ready to go full use of
Nurkicch here. Just I don't care. I mean, it's we know Dame,
if he's still there, he will play. It's I know Shaden Sharp
is young, but he can hit some really tough shots when he gets going
downhill. I think he's going to be an impactful defender. It's use of
nurkich for me. I just this is not the center that's going to be
able to anchor even close to a league average defense for them. And I
do think his offense becomes the redundance, not the word, but just not
as useful when you have Lillard and Simon's and Sharp and even Grant on the
floor here. This is not a unit that you want to run stuff through
for him, and I don't trust him enough as a screener to say if
you want to use him to create separation for everybody else, that's just not.
You know, you could any of their bigs. I would argue that
you could slot in here, and the answer is going to be them.
I'm just ready to go full blowing them out on the use of Nurkics experience,
and that's not you could throw. I don't even have a lot of
other bigs on this roster. So yeah, look, there's not I'm not
even saying there's a good alternative, but the five spot is going to be
a week link here. Just start small, Let's get some noss little in
there, maybe some of Tise Tablon, and we'll we'll run it that way.
It's it's a nurkicch for me. It could be sharp, I get
it. I'm just going Nurkis. I need to lean into it. It's
the belief the Sacramento Kings and Harrison Barnes projected starting five of Fox Hurder,
Barnes, Kegan Murray, and Sabonis. This is really a hat tip to
Kegan Murray. H Barnes had did not start the year. Great last season,
but he finished pretty strong and gave them a good two eight equilibrium for
actually most of the year. It's not Fox, it's not Sabonis, it's
probably not Hurter. There can be some variants in his shooting, but like
you know what you're getting from him. I guess Barnes just being older,
and if Kegan Murray kind of just has that floor game in addition that we've
seen during his I think it was two Summer Leaue appearances this year in addition
to what we know with him as a shooter, can he hold up a
little bit more defensively this year? I think I can get on board with
this pick. It's it's probably Barnes or Herder. If you're trying to think
of who has the lowest ceiling this ceiling this season, excuse me while looking
at these players, which might be the best way to look at it.
When you're dealing with four like five, I would say, good players,
It's okay, Well, who's the lowest ceiling next season? And it'd be
Barns or Hurder. There the Spurs, Jeremy Sowing, Oh this hurts my
soul, Trey Jones, Devin Missel, Kelden Johnson, Jeremy sow and Victor
Wemban Yama. If I was the Spurs, I would consider bringing Keldon Johnson
off the bench in this scenario and then seeing, okay, like do we
start? I guess you wouldn't start Malachi Brandam. It just feels like you're
gonna run into some weird positional overlap at some point. I'd rather see Zach
Collins next to Wemby, to be honest with you. And so if the
answer is then if this is the five, it has to be Jeremy Sowen.
But I'll leave open the door that's Johnson because I'm that high and Jeremy
Sowen, and I think that because of what he showed when they put the
ball in his hands and then kind of just had the best player, the
best defender on a really good team type of vibe from him, I would
leave open the door that. Okay, his ceiling is higher than Keldon Johnson
Johnson's even now, but I do think that the Spurs should consider starting Kelden
Ducks, starting Zach Collins over Keldon Johnson. Then the week link would be
Zach Collins there. So Jeremy, you're gonna be First of all, your
hair is just always on point, and you're gonna be a fantastic NBA player.
Might already be there. You're probably the pick with this five. I
would leave open the door for Keldon Johnson. I won't consider Wemby. I'm
just all in on the Wemby train. The Raptors Dennis Shrewder in the projected
starting five of Shrewder, O Gianna, Nobi, Scottie Barnes, Pascal Siakam,
and Jacca Peurdle. Okay, so no, it's not Dennis Shrewder at
Jacob Peurdle. This is someone who doesn't hit enough free throws to be on
the court during crunch time, and he's gonna need more space to be effective
as a screener and a roller, and the Raptors cannot give it to him.
And I think he's he's not the worst player of this group. That
would be Dennis Shrewder, But when you're kind of looking at the makeup of
the roster, it feels like he's going to be the one that suffers the
most here. And so maybe he comes in and he's just like a super
stingy rim protector. He's making some really smart passes for them, and he's
maybe he's finishing well and they find ways to generate space. I don't know
what else you do as a starting five, because I don't think you're going
to bring Scottie Barnes off the bench, and unless you trust him to run
point guard now with him in siakam and throw Gary Tren Jr. In here
just a hope that you get some more shooting on the court. That is
bad. The spacing on this team is so bad. Who is the O
Gianoby's the closest thing to an above average shooter that you have in this lineup?
That's wild. I would consider a starting Gary Trent junior over shooter.
They they won't. They won't want to see how Darko Royakovic like decides to
field this team. But it's like in terms of raw talent shooter, but
the makeup of this I think Yaka Pearle ends up being a terrible fit on
offense and not doing enough on the defensive. And again the limitations of Kenny
close games I think matters. The Jazz Ohi Baji projected starters Jordan Clarkson,
Ochak Baji, Larry Market and John cons and Walker Kessler, we had to
leave open the door for maybe a John Collins, like we just all assume
is shooting is going to get better, and if this team can figure out
how to use him as a screener more than Atlanta did, and look,
OCHI has a real two way shops. This is not This is someone who
can really sling it, put the ball on the floor a little bit on
offense, even though they don't really necessarily need him to. I do think
you can also say that Jordan Clarkson might be the answer because you're tasking him
with being sort of your de facto point guard and you don't get enough playmaking
out of any of these spots right now. I don't know if that makes
him the weak link just because it's he's playing the one and so is it
his responsibility provide that or is it sort of a collective deficit and we don't
penalize him for it like himself. So there's a lot. I think there's
there's three potential answers here, Clarkson, Acbaji or Collins. I think I'm
just going to go with Clarkson because I don't know if you need what he
brings as much in this lineup and what you're going to start him as I
guess he improved of the past or last year, so I understand it we
plently need to default to John Collins until he proves more of what he can
do. I think a Baji just when they started playing him, he looked
like a real NBA player. And this is someone who I don't really know
who to compare him to, but it feels like he's going to be the
member of a starting five that's a really good team, like a contender where
it's three in D plus more type of contributor, and so everyone wants those
three ind wings, but he's the three in D plus a little bit more,
maybe even a lot of bit more. But I understand why you would
gravitate towards him. The Washington Wizards Corey Kissbert projected starting five of Tayas Jones,
Jordan Poole, Corey Kissbert, Kyle Kuzma, and Daniel Gafford. Yeah,
I don't know, Like you're not going to start Gallo or Shamid or
Delon Wright, Denny Avdya not being in here is weird. I know that
he can stand to get more touches if he is leading the bench. But
I just kind of wonder you have so much offense with Kuzma and Pool.
I know you probably want shooting and Kissburt has been a little bit better defensively
than his reputation coming in the league two years ago, and you want to
have Denny Avdya with the ball in his hands more so it probably makes sense
to not start him. Jordan Pools the answer for me right now though,
when looking just because you don't know where you're gonna get from tonight tonight,
and is he gonna play within himself, within his role or when he's freelancing,
is it's just going to be an absolute tank job. So Corey Kissbert,
of these five, I guess Gaffer technically right belowest ceiling, but I
think I would go with I'm gonna go with Jordan Pool. I just he
was so bad last year. I know we averaged twenty points per game,
that's what everyone likes to look at. But he's the weak link for Washington
for now. He is so bad defensively and you're not like you're not getting
a ton of defense out of this line up, which is why might also
argue maybe you do start Denny Afy and just kind of deal with it.
You can stagger his minutes just to get that extra defense in there that does
it. Here until next time, and as always remembers, subscribe and shout
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