MAVS NEWS:

[F Gump]

Interesting

Maybe since there's no backup PG available  (Exum or Williams), they want to bring DLo off the bench.

This is about wanting both PJW and Flagg in the starting lineup. You could see this coming in June, subject only to Flagg's ability to handle the ball under pressure. But he's shown that's not an issue, and his size and ability to run and attack the basket are huge challenges for the other team. 

PJW has been great, even better than last year. I think they expect their bigger lineup will put pressure on the opponents to adapt to it and make lineup changes, rather than the other way around. 

I think DAR also made the question easy. IMO he played himself out of realistic consideration for a possible starting role (his defense was horrendous early on, making the whole defense porous as a result, though it looked to me like it began to improve a bit in later games). 

But I think the roles and minutes at PG will be VERY fluid as they try to find their way for the first month. I think BW is 100% ready to go, and may play as many minutes or more than DAR because he defends and he is smart with his shot selection. They like him a LOT. Exum (once he's healthy) may be used at SG more than PG depending on Max's ability to play well. DAR may be in the same boat. When Kyrie returns, who knows?

If the question becomes "we have too many good guards" then is that a problem? 

On whether Flagg can do the job of PG - it's not going to look like the way Luka plays it, but this is stuff Flagg has been doing since he was 15. Flagg is already a good ball handler, that's not an issue, and no he won't crumble if he's pressured. But they will LITERALLY have almost anyone bringing the ball up the floor, and almost anyone initiating the offense, and it will "flow" from one player to another - no rigid need for only this person or that to be The Ball Handler or The Shooter or The Dunker. The offense won't be static. 

The main question for the offense imo will be shot selection and whether they can hit the good shots when they get them (because I think they will get great shots all the time, if they work at it).