Poll: Who should be the starting PF

[soulman]

We should trade for PF.

[Boise To Boston]

I would do that in a heartbeat.  I think Toronto says no though.

Pascal Siakam

https://tradenba.com/trades/SJqMGi2-H

[Who]

I would do that in a heartbeat.  I think Toronto says no though.

Pascal Siakam

https://tradenba.com/trades/SJqMGi2-H

Me too. Siakam would do much more to improve this team than Tatum will. Just a much better fit. Too much redundancy / overlap on this team. Siakam brings different skills to the table.

[gouki88]

I would do that in a heartbeat.  I think Toronto says no though.

Pascal Siakam

https://tradenba.com/trades/SJqMGi2-H

Me too. Siakam would do much more to improve this team than Tatum will. Just a much better fit. Too much redundancy / overlap on this team. Siakam brings different skills to the table.

Too bad I can't imagine Toronto moving Siakam for Tatum straight up, let alone with OG. I think Toronto would have to move 2 of Lowry/Ibaka/Gasol before moving Siakam, and I don't see that happening

[RockinRyA]

Stevens doesn't want to start Hayward as, if there is a problem with his play in the first 20 games? He doesn't want the pressure/drama of demoting him. I really think this is in play. Last season was a disaster for the team including Hayward....remember?

A big difference between last years disaster and this year is last year you had a bunch of guys coming off an ECF run and felt they deserved starting roles and minutes. That fed into the drama and frustrations. We don't have that this year. Our bench guys that are "candidates" for a starting spot are all unproven players.

Smart is not at all unproven but he's one guy who won't complain with what role you give him.

[trickybilly]

I don't mind tinkering a lot here. But I don't like Hayward in that role at all

At the 4 and 5, I like any combo of, RWill, GWill, Theis, Kanter, Tacko. Tatum is so much more comfortable at the 3 (like Hayward, and Jaylen)

I don't know how I feel about that Tatum for Siakam and Anunoby trade.

[SparzWizard]

You paying Gordon Hayward a max contract. He needs to be in the starting lineup.

Probably gonna look like this:
Walker/Brown/Tatum/Hayward/Kanter

Flip-flop the 2-3-4 around. Keep the 1 and 5 at their place.

[KG Living Legend]

You paying Gordon Hayward a max contract. He needs to be in the starting lineup.

Probably gonna look like this:
Walker/Brown/Tatum/Hayward/Kanter

Flip-flop the 2-3-4 around. Keep the 1 and 5 at their place.

 I don't agree with that logic at all.. reports are the Hayward looks great and he's working his butt off hopefully that's the case I just want to play whoever's the best and responsible for winning the most games

[Th3M2n]

There is not a single chance in hell Hayward is not starting this year

[Hank Finkel]

You paying Gordon Hayward a max contract. He needs to be in the starting lineup.

Probably gonna look like this:
Walker/Brown/Tatum/Hayward/Kanter

Flip-flop the 2-3-4 around. Keep the 1 and 5 at their place.

 I don't agree with that logic at all.. reports are the Hayward looks great and he's working his butt off hopefully that's the case I just want to play whoever's the best and responsible for winning the most games

I think Smart is a better option than Brown in the starting lineup.  The other 4 are all offensive players.  Smart is defense first and he won’t get many shots with those guys on the floor, which is fine because you don't want him shooting anyway.

[Vermont Green]

There is no real clear choice for this.  That is the problem.  I don't think it should be Tatum though.  I wonder if Semi Ojeleye may improve enough to be the best option.  Don't get me wrong, I don't think he is a great option, we don't have a great option, (or even a good option) but he may end up being the best option.

I am assuming that Kanter will start at C so this is between Theis, Ojeleye, RWill, GWill, Poirier, and maybe Fall (he would be the C).  Based on track record, Ojeleye may be the best of this meager lot.  RWill, GWill, and Poirier have no NBA track record really.  Ojeleye at least has an NBA track record as does Theis, just not much of a track record. 

Overall is similar but Semi has probably shown a little more than Theis.  Semi has had moments when he played good D and made some shots.  If he can do that reasonably consistently, he will win the job and get 20'ish minutes a game (as will Theis likely).

[Green-18]

I think people are overthinking the PF spot in regard to this roster.  The Celtics were a solid defensive team with Irving, Brown, Tatum, Hayward, and Horford on the court.  Unfortunately, their offensive rating was absolutely atrocious.

As I mentioned earlier, the success of this group largely boils down to their ability to score at a high level.  Concerns about the PF spot will become more of an issue in a playoff series against teams like Milwaukee or Philly.  Stevens will make things work during the regular season.   

 

[td450]

I think people are overthinking the PF spot in regard to this roster.  The Celtics were a solid defensive team with Irving, Brown, Tatum, Hayward, and Horford on the court.  Unfortunately, their offensive rating was absolutely atrocious.

As I mentioned earlier, the success of this group largely boils down to their ability to score at a high level.  Concerns about the PF spot will become more of an issue in a playoff series against teams like Milwaukee or Philly.  Stevens will make things work during the regular season.

You can't have one volume scorer and make three other quality shooters happy. I understand we need to manage the process of rehabbing Gordon Hayward as an asset, but I just don't see how this works unless Stevens carefully spreads the starters out over the game so they aren't together except at the beginning and the ending 6 minutes. They may all start, but they can't primarily work together.

[Green-18]

I think people are overthinking the PF spot in regard to this roster.  The Celtics were a solid defensive team with Irving, Brown, Tatum, Hayward, and Horford on the court.  Unfortunately, their offensive rating was absolutely atrocious.

As I mentioned earlier, the success of this group largely boils down to their ability to score at a high level.  Concerns about the PF spot will become more of an issue in a playoff series against teams like Milwaukee or Philly.  Stevens will make things work during the regular season.

You can't have one volume scorer and make three other quality shooters happy. I understand we need to manage the process of rehabbing Gordon Hayward as an asset, but I just don't see how this works unless Stevens carefully spreads the starters out over the game so they aren't together except at the beginning and the ending 6 minutes. They may all start, but they can't primarily work together.

This largely depends on Hayward.  It can absolutely work if he returns to Utah form.  Gordon would act as the primary facilitator while the starting lineup plays together.  Other teams will struggle to deal with us if he's a consistent threat to score in the high pick & roll.  Kemba will have more of an opportunity to play off the ball at the beginning of game, and I expect him to flourish in these situations.

You are right about Stevens needing to carefully spread the minutes.  The good news is that our bench wont be filled with guys who are looking for their shots.  Not sure what the specific lineups will be, but I'd expect Smart to sub in for Hayward as the first substitution, or maybe we see a Smart/Theis for Brown/Hayward substitution.   

This would allow Hayward and Brown to play together to begin the 2nd quarter.  I liked the chemistry they were starting to build towards the end of last season.

[td450]

I think people are overthinking the PF spot in regard to this roster.  The Celtics were a solid defensive team with Irving, Brown, Tatum, Hayward, and Horford on the court.  Unfortunately, their offensive rating was absolutely atrocious.

As I mentioned earlier, the success of this group largely boils down to their ability to score at a high level.  Concerns about the PF spot will become more of an issue in a playoff series against teams like Milwaukee or Philly.  Stevens will make things work during the regular season.

You can't have one volume scorer and make three other quality shooters happy. I understand we need to manage the process of rehabbing Gordon Hayward as an asset, but I just don't see how this works unless Stevens carefully spreads the starters out over the game so they aren't together except at the beginning and the ending 6 minutes. They may all start, but they can't primarily work together.

This largely depends on Hayward.  It can absolutely work if he returns to Utah form.  Gordon would act as the primary facilitator while the starting lineup plays together.  Other teams will struggle to deal with us if he's a consistent threat to score in the high pick & roll.  Kemba will have more of an opportunity to play off the ball at the beginning of game, and I expect him to flourish in these situations.

You are right about Stevens needing to carefully spread the minutes.  The good news is that our bench wont be filled with guys who are looking for their shots.  Not sure what the specific lineups will be, but I'd expect Smart to sub in for Hayward as the first substitution, or maybe we see a Smart/Theis for Brown/Hayward substitution.   

This would allow Hayward and Brown to play together to begin the 2nd quarter.  I liked the chemistry they were starting to build towards the end of last season.

I agree that it would be good to pair off the shooters and spread them out and that Hayward and Brown seem to play together well.

I don't think it is a good idea to have a point like Kemba and three other volume shooters in at the same time longer term. Hayward can be a facilitator for the group, but there still just won't be enough shots to engage everyone.

It may be all right if they all know its just 12 minutes, and they will spend most of the game playing with just two shooters on the floor and they will get shots, but the four shooter group will require one or two players to not engage. Long term, it's not great.