I agree that if it turns out to be best for the team for Hayward (or Brown or Tatum) to play off the bench, they should play off the bench. They can still get their minutes and their touches, just start off the bench.
Couldn't agree more. Kemba's lack of size, and Kanter's lack of rim protection, mean that the middle three starters have to carve out a lot of defensive space. I guess because of that I'm leaning toward Hayward as sixth man.
Question then is - do you start Smart (logical, and that's what they wound up doing last season), or do you replace Marcus Morris (which they also did last season), which would mean probably Ojeleye starting.
Smart is very versatile, and you could bring him in early, keeping Kemba in and running him off the ball; but you could do the same with Hayward, and I think on the whole that it would work best to start Smart.
If you're matching up against bigger players, especially a second big or a swing who can score, you are asking a lot of Jayson Tatum; Marcus Morris weighs 235, so it made sense to give him some starts. Morris is gone, so to fill that role you might need to start someone else. Options:
1) Ojeleye has a lot going for him in this role; weighs 241 with outstanding lower body, covers a lot of ground. Also could use consistent minutes to get his outside shot in order, as Scott Morrison has advocated. Lousy rebounder himself, but the team actually rebounded a little better with him in the game, +0.5% (boxes out religiously).
2) Timelord might not be ready for primetime (Primetimelord?) but he'll get plenty of bench minutes this season, and might even wind up a starter. Pairing him with Kanter theoretically helps to make up for Enes' deficiencies in rim protection, and TL has the speed to cover out to the arc. On offense this pairing has the negative potential to clog the lane - unless Kanter becomes a 3-pt threat, something the coaching staff have already hinted at.
3) Poirier is apparently the closest thing to a replacement for Aron Baynes, because of his size. Two seasons ago, Baynes became the regular starter in two-big lineups for Boston, so it seems possible that we'll see something similar with Poirier. But as a starter? First of all, if you pair him with Kanter you again have the issue of clogging the lane, and again one solution is for Kanter to become at least a part-time 3-pt threat. I can't say I've got a good handle on Vincent's game; the highlight vids I've seen are about 85% him being the roll man, getting to the rim, and dunking. Good hands to catch a pass; oddly in the vids I saw he dunked a lot with his left while blocking shots with his right.
The thing about on court units, I don't think it is good to have Brown, Tatum, and Hayward on the court at the same time.
I do. But as starters, I'm less enthusiastic, and more in line with what you're thinking.
They all do too much of the same things.
I don't go along with this. Jaylen can guard quick wings ("shooting guards"), while having a size advantage on offense; Tatum has to be guarded by someone mobile and long; if he's your "4" he's constantly dictating his matchup, taking him out of the paint. That gives Hayward space to operate, create off the dribble, dissect double-teams with the pass, hit Jayson or Jaylen spotting up or in position to exploit a mismatch.
I also don't consider any of these guys as role players...
Nor do I, including Marcus Smart. Having said that, of course, I remind you of Red Auerbach's comment, which still applies today: "Everybody is a role-player."
Now someone like Ojeleye is a role player as it Theis, RWill, Poirier. These guys are going to have to play a lot, or more then ideal, maybe even start.
You might mean "less than ideal"?
In any case, your point is well taken - the big question is, does Boston start two bigs, a big and good-sized swing, or a big and Jayson Tatum?
But whether they start or come off the bench, they still are what they are.
Again, point taken. But having said that, all four of the guys you mention are still quite young, and "what they are" is very much subject to change.