Phx-Suns.Net

I think this is a good idea. Here’s what I’m thinking.

We start the game with Beal on the bench. Four minutes in, he comes in for Book or KD. Four minutes after that, the other starter comes out and the one who went out before comes back in. By the end of the quarter they’ve played eight minutes each, and we’ve had two of them on the floor the entire time — including against the other team’s second unit, which are minutes we should really clean up. And Beal has spent his time on the floor as the #2 option, instead of the #3 option, where I don’t think we get the most out of him (or the #1 option, where we also don’t get the most out of him).

Do similar things in the second and third quarters. Break out Big 3 lineups situationally, but for the most part you stick to two at a time, so after three quarters they’ve played about 24 minutes each.

In the 4th quarter, you do whatever you have to do to win. If you use all three of the Big 3 for the whole quarter, that’s 36 minutes each. Most of the time you’ll use them less than that.

Sign me up!

Assuming they’re all healthy…. Should be good for 26-30 games they’ll play together. I can dig.

Sorry, Cap. Your idea isn't controversial enough to spark an argument. It's just a good, reasonable idea. I'd like to engage with some negativity and unresolvable conflict, but all I've got is "yeah, but it doesn't have to be that way."

Kryptonic wrote: ↑

Wed Jul 31, 2024 6:33 am

Assuming they’re all healthy…. Should be good for 26-30 games they’ll play together. I can dig.

I hope it’ll be more than 26-30 games!

Thanks for making this thread. I am strongly in favor of this plan, which probably means it won't happen. My guess is they'll do the exact inverse of what you suggest; that is, they WILL start Beal, but they'll sub him out after about 4 min so they can bring him back at the end of the 1st quarter when Booker comes out. Which I guess will be okay, but honestly they should just make Beal the super 6th man and have him stomp the entire NBA's bench backcourts every night. Sigh.

Mori Chu wrote: ↑

Wed Jul 31, 2024 9:38 am

Thanks for making this thread. I am strongly in favor of this plan, which probably means it won't happen. My guess is they'll do the exact inverse of what you suggest; that is, they WILL start Beal, but they'll sub him out after about 4 min so they can bring him back at the end of the 1st quarter when Booker comes out. Which I guess will be okay, but honestly they should just make Beal the super 6th man and have him stomp the entire NBA's bench backcourts every night. Sigh.

Then does KD play the whole quarter? Or do they leave Book or Beal alone out there when KD goes to the bench?

I’m less concerned with keeping 2 on the court at all times now that we have a pg. Just make sure Tyus Jones is out there if 2 of the big 3 are on the bench.

Split T wrote: ↑

Wed Jul 31, 2024 12:29 pm

I’m less concerned with keeping 2 on the court at all times now that we have a pg. Just make sure Tyus Jones is out there if 2 of the big 3 are on the bench.

Don’t you think Tyus (or Monte or whoever) would rather have two big scorers to work with than one? Neither of them is much of a scorer themselves.

Regardless of who starts, I do think Bud needs to be really intentional about who is in the second unit. Our reserves don't make a great scoring team together.

Morris / Beal / O'Neale / <Not KD> / Plumlee

I think that group needs another guy who can make the offense flow. Booker, KD, Jones, Nurkic, or Ighodaro if he pans out.

Cap wrote: ↑

Wed Jul 31, 2024 12:39 pm

Split T wrote: ↑

Wed Jul 31, 2024 12:29 pm

I’m less concerned with keeping 2 on the court at all times now that we have a pg. Just make sure Tyus Jones is out there if 2 of the big 3 are on the bench.

Don’t you think Tyus (or Monte or whoever) would rather have two big scorers to work with than one? Neither of them is much of a scorer themselves.

Sure, I just wouldn’t worry too much about it in the regular season. Playoffs I can see making sure 2 of the 3 are always out there.

How big do we think the difference is between Jones and Morris?

1-2 of the Big 3 on the court at ALL times.

pickle wrote: ↑

Wed Jul 31, 2024 1:11 pm

How big do we think the difference is between Jones and Morris?

I'm thinking and hoping not too big.

pickle wrote: ↑

Wed Jul 31, 2024 1:11 pm

How big do we think the difference is between Jones and Morris?

I hope they both turn out great, but my sense is that Jones is much better, especially at running the offense and passing. Jones has been one of the most accurate passers in the league for years now. Morris is also talented but doesn't jump off the stat sheet in quite the same way. I think you'll see a drop-off and a different offensive flow when Jones is resting, a bit more like last year's offense and more isos and more distributed ball handling.

They are 1 and 2 all time in career A/TO ratio

So if we do go with this plan, we start Tyus, Book, KD, Nurk and… who’s our fifth starter? Grayson? Royce? Bol?

Grayson

Cap wrote: ↑

Wed Jul 31, 2024 3:05 pm

So if we do go with this plan, we start Tyus, Book, KD, Nurk and… who’s our fifth starter? Grayson? Royce? Bol?

Undisclosed future PF?

I think the vibes are pretty strong the starting 5 is Jones-Beal-Booker-KD- Nurkic
The main thing is for Bud to a) get that line-up gelling and b) staggering the rest for Beal-Book-Kd through the middle of the game so we aren’t seeing those horrible no offense line-ups that we saw last season too much. It looks like there are enough options to make that happen, so I’m interested to watch how he manages those rotations.