Projected NBA starting lineups

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Pinwheel1 said:
I would argue that at 35, he is not our best defender...... Camara is. I would also argue that at 35, they need to limit his minutes during the regular season. He has played 70+ games once in the regular season. So I am not sure how durable he is. But that doesn't mean he is not valuable to this young team playing 25 minutes a game.
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Sorry. That’s why I was saying. Two different things in my post 1) Jrue should start if he’s here and 2) Camara should start as an all nba defender.
 
julius said:
Center is their weakest position in the starting 5 and same with backup center.

I think Grant off the bench helps a lot more than him starting will..
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Don’t be surprised if Tumani gets minutes at center…….EVERY NIGHT! When people were all excited about us letting Ayton walk, I don’t think they were thinking BIG picture. It’s neat and all to say yeah addition by subtraction and all that shit, but that’s a GIANT hole to fill like him or not
 
THE HCP said:
Don’t be surprised if Tumani gets minutes at center…….EVERY NIGHT! When people were all excited about us letting Ayton walk, I don’t think they were thinking BIG picture. It’s neat and all to say yeah addition by subtraction and all that shit, but that’s a GIANT hole to fill like him or not
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That wouldn't surprise me. For me it's his offensive skillset that limits him as a SG.
 
julius said:
That wouldn't surprise me. For me it's his offensive skillset that limits him as a SG.
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Man, he is one of those Batum guys that can play everywhere. Love him. Actually would really love a lineup out there with him and Martisse together. Shit throw out Jrue as well…… we might not be able to score, but the other team wouldn’t either.
 
THE HCP said:
How’s that been working out for ya’? Would love to know how many times that’s been posted on a basketball forum over the last 5 years?
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I’m saying we’re already one of the injured teams lol dude was never going to be worth anything on the court
 
SlyPokerDog said:
We're not making the playoffs.

You start Scoot.

Starting Jrue does nothing for developing our younger players or his trade value.

Same as Grant.
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I think Joe and Chauncey are only on the same page as you with that last point. I think they'll start Jrue. I think they're planning on making the playoffs. I think the only way Scoot starts is if he beats out Shaedon for the job.

All of that said I'm with you on all of the points you made. I hope we don't abandon the re-build for a slim chance at the playoffs and I really hope the starting lineup is Scoot, Shaedon, Tou, Deni and Clingan.

Let them grow. I think the time for tanking has passed and we should see how our young core with really good vets coming off the bench can fair... get close to the playoffs like OKC did a few years back and move on from there. I also hope I'm wrong that Joe and Chauncey see this stuff different than you and I do.
 
SlyPokerDog said:
We're not making the playoffs.

You start Scoot.

Starting Jrue does nothing for developing our younger players or his trade value.

Same as Grant.
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I’m quite sure at this point, the message from Joe and CB is (and I haven’t heard a thing, just my opinion) that they are DONE with the losing. Put the players on the floor that are going to bring it 150% on BOTH ends! This will be interesting.
 
THE HCP said:
I’m quite sure at this point, the message from Joe and CB is (and I haven’t heard a thing, just my opinion) that they are DONE with the losing. Put the players on the floor that are going to bring it 150% on BOTH ends! This will be interesting.
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If Scoot isn't ready to move into the starting lineup, then drafting him was a mistake, and we need to move on.
 
I really wonder whether Jrue still has enough left (contract notwithstanding) to justify starting over either Scoot or Sharpe.

I hope Thybulle gets decent 4th-guard minutes.

I wonder whether Rupert or Murray will be higher on the depth chart

Do we all assume that if healthy, RW3 will start over Clingan?
 
THE HCP said:
Don’t be surprised if Tumani gets minutes at center…….EVERY NIGHT! When people were all excited about us letting Ayton walk, I don’t think they were thinking BIG picture. It’s neat and all to say yeah addition by subtraction and all that shit, but that’s a GIANT hole to fill like him or not
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People said the same about JJ Hickson and Hassan Whiteside.

If rather give Jabari Walker the minutes at center of we want to bring back someone from last year. He only got a two way.
 
SlyPokerDog said:
We're not making the playoffs.

You start Scoot.

Starting Jrue does nothing for developing our younger players or his trade value.

Same as Grant.
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Jrue is guaranteed a starting spot.

Scoot might have a chance to start along side him but he needs to beat out both Grant and Sharpe.
 
This is the lineup I think gives the Blazers the best chance to win -

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If Scoot outplays Holiday for the starting spot, that's great. But in my opinion, the starting spot needs to be earned. No one should be given a starting spot because of their draft position or their salary. Development should not come at the sacrifice of wins this season. This is the season the Blazers start to build a winning culture.
 

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SharpesTriumph said:
Jrue is guaranteed a starting spot.

Scoot might have a chance to start along side him but he needs to beat out both Grant and Sharpe.
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Again, IMO, Scoot needs to start. Jrue is not our long-term answer at PG.

Now, if it's a close game and we're trying to win, Jrue should be on the floor instead of Scoot in the 4th quarter.
 
julius said:
Hes not even 22 ffs.
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And? This has been a bad team where young players have seized their opportunities and gained starting spots. See Camara and Sharpe for examples. Scoot was sold as one of, if not the most, NBA-ready players in his draft. Remember, at the time he was drafted, the one position the Blazers had covered was point guard. We had needs in 4 other positions. If he's not starting this year, IMO, there is a problem.

The Blazers already have a difficult decision to make with Sharpe, do we offer him a contract based on production or potential? I'm fine with overpaying for potential, but again, IMO, you can't do that with both of your guard spots.

I know it's not the same GM, but we've seen what happens when you pay big contracts based on potential. We saw that with Meyers Leonard, and I would argue we saw that with CJ and Evan Turner.
 
SlyPokerDog said:
And? This has been a bad team where young players have seized their opportunities and gained starting spots. See Camara and Sharpe for examples. Scoot was sold as one of, if not the most, NBA-ready players in his draft. Remember, at the time he was drafted, the one position the Blazers had covered was point guard. We had needs in 4 other positions. If he's not starting this year, IMO, there is a problem.

The Blazers already have a difficult decision to make with Sharpe, do we offer him a contract based on production or potential? I'm fine with overpaying for potential, but again, IMO, you can't do that with both of your guard spots.

I know it's not the same GM, but we've seen what happens when you pay big contracts based on potential. We saw that with Meyers Leonard, and I would argue we saw that with CJ and Evan Turner.
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And so they should give up on him if he's not 100% the starter?
 
julius said:
And so they should give up on him if he's not 100% the starter?
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If he can't make the starting lineup in a rebuilding non-playoff team, which is what I think the Blazers are this season, then we have to move in a different direction.
 
SlyPokerDog said:
If he can't make the starting lineup in a rebuilding non-playoff team, which is what I think the Blazers are this season, then we have to move in a different direction.
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That is massively short sighted.
 
julius said:
That is massively short sighted.
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is it?

I just went back to the 2018 draft (because that's as far back as the graphic went at BBREF) and looked at PG's drafted in the top half of the lottery, and what they did in their first 3 seasons in terms of games played/games started:

Doncic - started 199 of 199 games
Trae Young - started 204 of 204 games
Collin Sexton (8th pick) - started 197 of 207 games (95%)

Ja Morant - started 187 of 187 games
Darius Garland - started 181 of 181 games

Lamelo Ball - started 142 of 162 games (88%)
Killian Hayes - started 114 of 168 games (68%)
Haliburton (12th pick) - started 153 of 191 games (80%)

Jalen Green (not a PG) - started all games he played
Josh Giddey - started all games he played

Scoot - started 42 of 128 games (33%)
Anthony Black - started 43 of 147 games (29%)

obviously, this is undoubtedly an arbitrary gauge. There is the Chauncey factor working for (or against) Scoot. There was the roster constipation due to the Simons obstruction. And you can go further down in draft slots and find lots of examples like Scoot. In this case, Scoot being drafted so high is working against him. For instance, Dyson Daniels, who was drafted 8th in the Sharpe draft, only started 27 of his 120 games in his first 2 seasons. But he started all 76 of his games in his 3rd seasons and made 1st team All-NBA on defense. Pretty unlikely Scoot will make any All-NBA teams this coming season

Personally, I agree with you that it's too early to give up on Scoot. Maybe that will change as the season unfolds if he struggles. It's also true that Scoot has been a major disappointment when gauged against his pre-draft hype and his status as a 3rd pick. I remember people saying that if it had been a 'normal' draft without a Wemby, Scoot would have been a #1 pick. He was being compared to Derrick Rose and Westbrook. Yikes!

being a 3rd pick, Scoot is getting paid: 10.7M - 13.6M -->24.3M. That's around MLE territory. It's not egregious, but it is a consideration

but the Blazers did make two big moves in the off-season...they brought in two veteran PG's. Now, maybe that's the front office signalling that they have little confidence in Scoot; kind of looks like that. Or maybe, it was more circumstances that didn't have a lot to do with Scoot. An opportunity to upgrade from Simons to Jrue. And of course, the feel-good Dame signing. Probably a little of both scenarios.
 
Anfernee Simons slowed down Scoot’s ability to grow as a player. He is now gone and they brought in Jrue. I feel for the kid. He has massive amounts of talent.
 
THE HCP said:
Anfernee Simons slowed down Scoot’s ability to grow as a player. He is now gone and they brought in Jrue. I feel for the kid. He has massive amounts of talent.
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I honestly don't think Jrue expects to start. That cannot be why he's here. If that is why he's here, then the team is being short-sighted.
 
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