Starting 2 and 3..

[TD 21]

Depending on Whites development I wonder if they don’t run with Murray, White, DD, Bert, and LMA by mid season. Sadly probably gives them best spacing/defense combo.

They go 6’4, 6’5, 6’7, 6’10, and 6’11.

If Ginobili retires, White can't start, because they need his play making off the bench. If Ginobili doesn't retire, White is probably out of the rotation altogether. Though like Bertans, through match-ups, injury and rest, he probably still plays somewhat significant minutes throughout the season.

Spurs won't pay Bertans 7 millions per year to be a deep bench guy. The same way they didn't acquire Cunningham for cents to be the starting SF.

It will either be:

Murray, Mills/Bellinelli, DeRozan, Aldridge, Gasol.

Or

Murray, Mills/Bellinelli, DeRozan, Gay, Aldridge.

With

Murray, DeRozan, Gay, Aldridge, Gasol as an early 2000's throwback darkhorse.

People are reading too much into Bertans salary. He was an RFA, who was generating interest. They also probably upped the average annual value to keep the term down.

Cunningham has been a part time starting SF the past 3 seasons. Salary doesn't determine who starts/plays, fit/politics do.

[palangi]

Metu is a PF that can play Center, more than he can play SF, tbh.

I agree for the most part. But I do wonder

[Spursfanfromafar]

What are you guys expecting?

DeRozan playing the 3 seems like the best fit, but who does that leave at the 2? Mills again? Really don't want Rudy Gay at SF, that's a nightmare since they're already going to be using 2 traditional bigs in the frontcourt..

Murray, Derozan, Gay, Bertans, Aldridge.

Mills, White, Belinelli, Cunningham, Poetl

Forbes, Manu, Walker, Gasol, Blossomgame

[tbdog]

If White is healthy I think he wins the starting two. Gasol starts with LMA. Makes sense having Gay off the bench. Although I think Mills and White work better than Beli and Mills.

[raybies]

umm...

I think we will see this to start the season

Murray/Mills/DeRozan/LMA/Gasol

I think Mills will continue to start to help Murray develop and kind of act as the training wheels until he doesn't need them. Also the same reason you'd put Bertans in for spacing Pop would probably consider Gasol a spacer too, unfortunately. Also having two bigs really helps cover DD's defensive deficiencies. More rim protection. Also having Mills start and Gasol clears room for some minutes to Poetl and White, Forbes or to a lesser extent Walker.

Bench would be:

White/Ginobili/Belinelli/Gay/Poetl

It will be interesting tho. Go big and Poetl see's minutes go small ball and Bertans see's minutes. 7 mill is a lot to play a 10/11 man in the rotation tho. But team needs will dictate lineups and was the case last year. Losing Tony opens up some minutes. The wild card is Manu. If he leaves, Bertans will have his minutes.

On a side note, I'd like to see Metu get Brandon Paul's spot. August 1st and Paul's contract becomes guaranteed. So that's the next bit of news I guess. But if you want to let Metu get a year of exp on Austin's expense I guess that's good. Just think Metu is solid and would like to see him with the squad.

[Roscoe P. Coltrane]

Murray/Mills/White
Forbes/Ginobili/walker
DeRozan/Belinelli/Cunningham
Aldridge/Gay/Bertans
Gasol/Poeltl
I see the Spurs using a lot of 3 gaurd lineups.

[L.I.T]

Spurs top line talent looks good: Murray/Derozan/LMA, followed by White/Gay. And that looks like a reasonable starting lineup, if lacking in spacing and that all important mythical 'killer instinct.'

They have young guys to develop: Aforementioned Murray/White + Poetl/Walker/Metu. I guess Bertans and Paul.

Second tier plug and play vets: Manu/Beli/Gasol/Mills. Which, I guess, can be put together to make a solid bench with the young guns or pieces of the above hypothetical starting line up.

It's just neither the starting lineup they can create nor the bench they can scrabble together works with each other. It's a bizarre roster, that has decent top shelf talent, decent development talent, and solid vets, but none of them seemingly click outside. Weaknesses aren't offset and there are more gaps than anything else.

[marinoman]

---

We still have an unbalanced roster and 2 contracts, 1 more move please.

i wanted to keep Forbes cause I truly thought that meant goodbye patty. Why do we have 2 gary neals, question is should we even have 1

[DPG21920]

I”m being lazy; does anyone know how many minutes DD played at SF vs SG last year?

[Fusternino]

As long as Forbes/Mills are never on the floor together and no guard is at the 3 other than Manu/DDR I'll be fine, especially after last season.

[FkLA]

I”m being lazy; does anyone know how many minutes DD played at SF vs SG last year?

2,323:54 at SG
1,141:36 at SF

[marinoman]

2,323:54 at SG
1,141:36 at SF

I counted 2,312:38 at sg but let’s go with your guess

[raybies]

Ideally, White is the perfect player to start at the two. He's a playmaker, who can shoot, who plays good d and he can share PG duties with Murray. I think eventually that's who will be starting by the end of the season

[DPG21920]

So double the minutes at SG but many here want him to play the 3?

[raybies]

So double the minutes at SG but many here want him to play the 3?

well it's just a label really... the game has evolved into positionless basketball. He's a wing. He'll play a wing spot.

[marinoman]

So double the minutes at SG but many here want him to play the 3?

The league is going smaller and smaller, we have an unbalanced roster, pop played alot of 3 guard lineups
It’s a bit what we expect not necessarily what we want

[DAF86]

The league is going smaller an smaller, we have an unbalanced roster, pop played alot of 3 guard lineups
It’s a bit what we expect not necessarily what we want

The league isn't going smaller. They are going away from the traditional two bigs lineups, but the wings and point guards are getting taller and taller by the minute.

[DAF86]

We really need a 3 and D guy.

[timvp]

I”m being lazy; does anyone know how many minutes DD played at SF vs SG last year?

Approximately 60% at shooting guard, 40% at small forward. So it's not a stretch to play him minutes at SF, really. With the construction of this roster, there's no question he'll be forced into playing long stretch at SF -- even if he doesn't start at SF.

[marinoman]

The league isn't going smaller. They are going away from the traditional two bigs lineups, but the wings and point guards are getting taller and taller by the minute.

Maybe so but i saw in the west finals warriors go super small and rockets responded with less Capela

[DPG21920]

Approximately 60% at shooting guard, 40% at small forward. So it's not a stretch to play him minutes at SF, really. With the construction of this roster, there's no question he'll be forced into playing long stretch at SF -- even if he doesn't start at SF.

You comfortable with that?

[alpha_HaZE]

Not sure who would be starting but am stoked to see DJ, DDR, Gay, and LA on the floor! And it's intiguing to think of all the possibilities for which the fifth players would be; Lonnie, Beli, Pau, Cunnigham, Davis, as longs as they can shoot the open three and play passable defense, our offense would be too good and we will have a fighting chance against anyone.

[alpha_HaZE]

Also, I feel that Kawhi might be a better player overall than DDR, but DerMar Derosan is A) more durable, Kawhi has missed 1 out of every four games! B) Has one of the BEST assist to turnover ratio in the entire league, Kawhi on the other hand has struggled sharing the ball. Come to think about it, Kawhi is more Kobe like than we thought. I am excited to see DDR and LA together. I don't think DeMar ever had a big pick n pop guy like LA. And C) Der Mar has improved each and every summer, and this summer he has a chip on his shoulder. Remember Steve Nash when the Mavs traded him to PHO, because he wasn't the guy, and he became a beast!

[sasaint]

You comfortable with that?

Clearly not optimal unless he suddenly becomes a better defender by several orders of magnitude. Most SFs will feast on his D.

Pop has to see the problem. He has to be looking offload a guard or two to get a true SF.

[kobyz]

Tank for Barrett and you have yours starter!