After watching that first practice vid, I think Frazier/Pat/Crabbe/Vonleh/Leonard would be my favorite summer league lineup. Unless maybe Montero is as good as his scouting report makes him sound...
Reading these starting lineups is depressing. The opponents D game plan will be very simple, double team Lillard.
I think it's hilarious that Meyers was once seen as a waste of space (*raises hand*) and now is considered our center of the future. Oh how things change...
PG: Lillard SG: CJ SF: Aminu PF: Leonard C: Plumbee With this lineup we would play Leonard at PF, because he can stretch the floor just like Alridge did, which would keep the spacing and the flow of the offense similar to last year. We would have shooters at the perimeter, and Aminu has good defense.
No question this should be our starting line up from day 1. Our young keeper core is Dame CJ Vonleh and Meyers. They all offer huge upside skill and offense. We have to speed up their development. Ed Davis Aminu and Plumlee are great high motor energy players but with no upside. That's why we got them for decent prices. I hate the word tank but no question we play in the West we will be in the lottery but just continue to develop, play hard and the basketball Gods will be on our side when the ping pong ball fall. This years draft Stanley Johnson was taken 8th and Justice Winslow was taken 10! 2016-17 line up Leonard Vonleh Lottery pick SF B.Simmons/J.Brown CJ Dame Aminu Ed Davis Plumlee Offer great energy and D
Waiting to see if "Project Patty" shows himself ready to play, but if so, I think we would be well-served by seeing this: Dame/Frazier Pat/CJ Aminu/Crabbe Leonard/Vonleh Plumlee/Davis BC's posts in the Leonard thread suggest that Nards and Plums could both be 15 ppg guys, and I think with 30 mpg off the bench, CJ could as well. Were that to materialize (and Dame provide the expected 22-24), we wouldn't need a whole lot more from the other guys to make that a decent team.
We didn't sign Aminu and Davis at their rates to come off the bench imo. Dame - Henderson - Aminu - Davis - Leonard 6th man CJ 789 Plumlee, Frazier, Crabbe
Yeah I like the idea of one of Plumlee or Ed Davis starting and the other a backup with them not playing together. Neither one can play outside the paint on offense. I'll be curious how many minutes we play CJ. If he is playing 35-40mpg then we can start him and stagger his rest with Dame. If he is playing 25-30 minutes I'd bring him off the bench at times for Dame and at times along side him. If we try to play 10 guys and fast break often it would be better to play our top players under 30mpg.
I think the coach will experiment with a 4-quarter small ball lineup Lillard CJ Henderson Aminu Davis Word is that Aminu is most effective in the 4 spot Henderson/Aminu/Davis may be our 4 best defenders
Yeah I expect to see a lot of Aminu at the 4. He's would be our Draymond Green with much more athleticism but a worse jump shot.
PG: Lillard || Frazier SG: McCollum || Connaughton SF: Aminu || Henderson PF: Leonard || Davis || Vonleh C: Kanter || Plumlee || Kaman
In some ways I really do hope the Blazers basically say, "Ok Dame you're starting. The rest of you.... ready.... GO!" Obviously Kanter would start if he doesn't get matched but I hope they don't fuck around with Meyers. This should be a year when he plays A LOT. I also hope that Crabbe gets a legit shot too. The other thing I see happening is the same problem with Vonleh getting lost on the bench as he had in Charlotte. I'm not opposed to a rotating starter system based upon who is currently busting their ass the most, who is hot and of course injuries.
The only reason why fans want Dame & CJ starting together is because they were on the team last year and it's called favoritism. It will be Dame & Henderson starting.
If we do get Kanter, I'm assuming the starters would be Dame/Hendo/Rouq/Ed/Enes. That gives a decent amount of offensive firepower coming off the bench with Frazier/CJ/Crabbe/Nards/Plums. Still, I hope Pat comes out and shocks the world in SL and preseason and becomes our surprise starter at the 2. Hendo being relegated to 3rd string would be a wonderful sign moving forward.
