Count me as worried about this team.
We are reconstructing the failed roles from last year. Kemba will move the ball more, and play more like Isaiah did than how Kyrie played, but he's still going to take the same number of shots. Even Kantner, who is nowhere near the player Horford is, will nonetheless probably take about the same number of shots.
The franchise will only go as far as Brown and Tatum take them, and the priority should be to carve out the necessary roles for them before anything else.
I fully expect Kemba to be the adult Kyrie never was, and adapt his style some to the team's needs. I thought it would be possible to start Brown, Tatum and Hayward, but we would have needed a 3 and D point guard taking 10-12 shots for that to work. Smart might have worked out. With Kemba, we will need to spread the minutes of the three wings out over the entire game, or there will not be enough shots.
We won't have Rozier, and we better not get Morris back, but that isn't enough to sort out the starters roles.
We'll see if Stevens has learned enough from last year to make this work. I find it annoying that Ainge looks like he hasn't learned anything.
Agree completely with bolded. Brown and Tatum both must start. Until one of Brown, Tatum or Hayward are traded for a Danny-level (excellent) return (big man one hopes).
I do think we can be patient if solving wing logjam through trade. But I'm also okay keeping Hayward off the bench for the rest of his C's contract. The salary thing is not a big deal at all due to the injury. (I mean the normal not bringing such a high cost player off the bench...is out the window....injury plus Tatum and Brown = bench super 6th man role for Hayward (in my humble opinion that's the best way to use him for the good of the team).
If they are hoping to trade Hayward, having him start and featuring him on offense is the best way to raise his value. Keeping him on the bench brings his value down.
I don't think Hayward will be traded. He is buddies with Kemba. And other reasons.
If solving wing logjam with a trade, it'll be one of Smart, Brown or Tatum headed out.
If Hayward has to start for whatever reason, then I'd bring Tatum off the bench and do the following:
Walker, Smart, Edwards
Brown, Smart, Langford
Hayward, Tatum, Semi
G. Williams, Tatum, Semi
Kanter (or best defender big on team)
Benching Tatum for G Will would be crazy, and I love Grant.
As Nick says, start all 3 wings, and bench Hayward early. Plus, we need a good passer in the starting lineup to offset Horford's departure
Yes you and Nick are surely right. I like the extra poundage of G Williams starting, considering he is also called a top shelf IQ with excellent passing. But he's probably too young to just hand a starting spot.
I think eventually he's kind of perfect there at PF as a starter. Starting one of Hayward or Tatum longterm at PF doesn't seem wise to me. Unless maybe next to a center like Steven Adams or Jokic or Tacko (a bigger Jokic...I kid).
I want to see Tatum with a high IQ to start the year. If not, no problem with
Kemba
Brown
Hayward
G. Williams
Kanter/Poirier/R. Williams
He'd get himself back to starting before too long....he has forever.
Topic: Celtics Roster Rotation (7/1) (Read 26029 times)