So Pop said out loud that Zach Collins had won the starting center job. Can he go back now and say, “great job, I really meant it then, but now we have Wemby and things have changed”? Or is he stuck having given his word?
How does a Jones-Vassell-Johnson-Sochan-Wemby lineup look, with Collins the first big off the bench, Wemby sliding to PF whenever Collins is in the game, and Sochan taking the opposing team’s bulkiest big man so that Wemby isn’t banged around as much?
Or is it better to start Wemby AND Collins up front and bring either the team’s second-best player (Sochan) or it’s 2022-23 leading scorer (KJ) off the bench? Would KJ thrive getting to be a lead option, like he was in 2022-23, but off the bench, as opposed to a third or fourth option as a starter (assuming Sochan takes on a bigger role)? Would his defensive liabilities be less of an issue against opposing reserves, or more of an issue if he’s playing when the good defenders are sitting?
I think the goal at least the first season or two would be to keep Wemby healthy and ease him into the NBA game. For those reasons, I don't see the Spurs starting Wemby at C right off the bat where he will take the most beating. I think Collins at C next to Wemby is a pretty good fit due to both having the ability to stretch the floor.
Can Sochan start at the 3 if the Spurs are open to moving Keldon? Or do you ask Jeremy to come off the bench?
That’s how I see it. We need the Keldon/Vassell duo to hold things down offensively. Their production on offense will have a net positive impact on Wembys development. We don’t need Wemby to be pressured into carrying the load his first year.How does a Jones-Vassell-Johnson-Sochan-Wemby lineup look, with Collins the first big off the bench, Wemby sliding to PF whenever Collins is in the game, and Sochan taking the opposing team’s bulkiest big man so that Wemby isn’t banged around as much?
Branham off the bench you got scoring and Graham to lesser extent if he’s warm.
He’s your franchise and number 1 pick. He starts. Doesn’t need to play 40 but he needs to be the face from day 1.
Yes, I was saying they are unlikely to start him at Center.
its also possible he's a nominal starter alongside wemby but wont get full "starter minutes"
I think you start Zollins at first to take the most physical matchups. Eventually Wemby will be a starting center ... but I don't know if it will take a few weeks, a few months or a few years.
Right now, you could play each of Wemby, Sochan, Collins, and KJ 30-32 minutes, with the remaining spot minutes going to Bassey or Mamu or an acquisition or whatever. Which one between KJ and Sochan wouldn’t care about starting as long as they get minutes?
To me, Collins definitely starts. We don't want a lot of banging around on Wembanyama. It's not the huge smacks and aggressive Draymond , it's the constant pounding that will be the problem.
Collins is physical and gritty, despite looking like he's the villain in an 80s teen ski movie. He hits threes, hits jumpers from the FT line, can set picks and is getting better as a facilitator.
Johnson, Vassell start, giving two good three point shooters around Wembanyama. At this point, you start Jones. So three shooters from deep, pretty good defense, plus Wembanyama can pull from deep leaving Collins as a rebounder down low. It's a great set-up.
Sochan comes off the bench, the way he did for Baylor. I feel like Sochan is far more valuable coming off the bench than Keldon would be; so you're maximizing both. Long term solution? Perhaps not. But it'll work well for now.
Collins would have 100% been cemented as starting C if the Spurs hadn't won the lottery. As things stand I'd still pencil him in as the starter on opening night, but if the Spurs roster makes it more palatable to start Wemby at C after all, or they bring in someone like Lopez, then too bad. Cir stances are far different now than when Pop made that quote.
It’s hilarious how some people think sochan won’t start . He’s gonna start
Coming off the bench. Hilarious.
"Hey Shaq, I know we just drafted you first, but Greg Kite earned the starting job last year."
That's how ridiculous that is.
Also, as I've said, Baylor was a defending national champ who got bounced in the second round because they didn't start their best player. Let's not base the Spurs' future on another of Scott Drew's puzzling basketball decisions.
Collins isn't a traditional physical center, though he is courageous. He could be started on occasion to take a particularly physical matchup, and you know he's not afraid to go get in someone's face if they with Wemby. That dog in him may be the one trait that gets him starting next to Victor.
Wemby might allow you to run some ridiculous lineups. In addition to the three- or four-guard lineups you guys mention, you could do a Wemby Collins Sochan front line that could really mess with opposing defenses.
I'm so excited to see how Pop experiments with lineups. Wembanyama is literally a game-changer. Expect to see things you've never seen before.
Wemby will not play center for most or all of the season. From what I see, he is a power forward right now. I think the question is do we play with Sochan or Collins as the starting center. To be honest, I'm sure the organization is pumped about Collins. He can guard on the perimeter, he can shoot threes, he can beat smaller opponents on the block, and he is a decent rim protector. I think Poertl was better, but I don't think Collins was that much of a drop overall. Definitely, the Spurs are getting a return on his draft pedigree that Portland missed out on. It's not like the GSW got with Wiggins, but it's definitely something.
To me Zollins position in the starting lineup is secure because it protects VW’s health, not because Pop did a pinky promise two months ago. Jones or Sochan would start if I had to guess, and it depends on how Pop views the PG position. I don’t see Pop benching KJ or DV given their seniority.
But we’ll see.
Hilarious! That was good. I see Cobra Kai background player as well.
The 4 best players are Wemby, Sochan, Vassell, and Johnson. You really need to start them and make sure they get lots of time playing together as a group. The question becomes: Do you play Zollins or Jones with them? I think the team could easily do a beautiful game with enough playmaking between positions that Sochan can be "PG" without really being PG. And Zollins would allow Wemby to not get beat up right off the bat.
I really think Keldon and Tre need to go the bench, they start Zach, and upgrade the last PG spot in FA with a shooter. I could see the case for playing Graham more actually.
Alternatively they run the offense via Sochan as point forward and start Doug with the other 3.
Pop was specifically asked if he could see Collins starting next season alongside another big and he gave a stern look to the interviewer that asked him that question and responded " FOR SURE", almost as if they new they were getting VicYama all along and that Collins would start at center. That's why I started a thread a couple weeks ago led " Sochan may not start but will finish games". It only makes sense for now, not forever. Eventually VicYama will be starting at the Center position and Sochan will be starting at the Power Forward position, just not this year. Sochan being the 6th man is not a knock on his talent, it's just that Keldon has been with team longer and put in that work to earn a starting position for now. KJ is the only player on the current roster that can drive to the basket and draw fouls and that will only become more consistently. Sochan came of the bench at Baylor with no ego at all and was still looked at as their best player. It doesn't matter as much who start the games, but who finish the games. Coming off the bench, Sochan will average around the same amount of minutes as VicYama, only averaging less minutes than KJ, Vassell, and possibly Collins.
Yep. As I said upthread, Sochan came off the bench for Baylor. Literally just a year ago. I think Keldon would suck coming off the bench while playing off Wembanyama would maximize him. Just let Sochan be a wrecking ball off the bench for now.
Sochan came off the bench for Baylor. Baylor got upset in the second round of the NCAA tournament.
I wonder if anyone ever reads what I write.
I did read it. I really did. I understand the rationale for it with the Spurs, but trying to support it by using Baylor as an example is ridiculous when it was a massive, massive mistake that cost them their season. He starts, the game against the Tarheels doesn't go to overtime.
I am a Baylor fan, so maybe I'm just being a salty about it.
Sochan is way to damn valuable on defense not to start .
I like Collins but I like him coming off the bench I don’t see him as a starting center for a playoff team.
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