The Rotation (2020-2021)

[fifteenth]

So I would say Kamm's love for the 2 bigs is a reason why this conversation keeps ongoing. He was all in on Vucevic last year next to KP. In reality 2 7 foot bigs means one of KP/big are chasing around a PF outside. Now Powell is not Vucevic or Adams or anything like that. He is a hybrid and yet the problem is not only does he have 1 leg, he has never been able to get his outside shot going. Yes he does well in the PnR for both himself, Luka and the offense but then so does KP in the 5 spot.

I am saying that Rick has had ample opportunity to pair a non-shooting big next to KP one way or another and has opted not to do so. From my count of lineups he started a non-shooting big all of 1 time since the Powell injury. One time. Rick had Boban, WCS (sometimes) and MKG at his disposal last year and chose never to start them (save 1 Boban start) next to KP. On the entire roster the Mavs have only 3 non-shooters: Powell, WCS & Boban.

Further, when Rick runs out of players due to injury we see him go smaller, not bigger. Boban was playing great so in theory he could have ran out Boban and Maxi together in the playoffs. Boban would have played the Powell role. Instead he went ultra-small with 6'0 Trey Burke at the 2, THJ at 3, DFS at 4 and Maxi at the 5. If Rick didn't invent the 3 guard lineup he certainly popularized it. I don't see any reason or evidence we have before us that Rick is going to all of a sudden going "bigger" with a non-shooting big next to KP, especially considering we are likely getting 70% of what Powell was before.

The discussoin got kicked up again because of Dan's post. 

The argument that Rick didn't go with Boban, WCS or MKG with KP doesn't suggest that he wouldn't go with Powell because he has gone with Powell with KP.

This whole exercise has been based on "if Powell is healthy", so of course, if he's not, then there's that.

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Want another voice?

Nick and Isaac: 

(IF all healthy!)

They think Luka, JRich, THJ, KP are locks.

They think Powell gets the nod for the 5th starter but Powell, DFS and James Johnson could all be used as starters situationally based on matchups.