TDL Archived: The 2nd Rnd Pick Yankee Swap

[F Gump]

I think we have three bigs in Powell, Maxi and Wood...three wings in Green, Reggie and THJ and two ball handlers.  There is plenty of depth behind every position except ball handler.  My guess is that is the position where we add a buyout guy.

Might they be able to address this internally? While I'd certainly be glad to see them add more talent, they might have ways to go even if they add no one.

YOU HAVE

Bigs - Powell, Maxi and Wood
Wings - Green, Reggie and THJ
Playmaker - Luka, Kyrie, _____ (hole to fill)

SOLUTIONS - in no particular order

A

Bigs - Powell, Maxi and Wood McGee
Wings - Green, Reggie and THJ Maxi
Playmaker - Luka, Ky, Green

This works if, like v suggested, McGee has just been out of shape all year and saving his body for a long playoff run (or trying to figure out his role, and how to play it). As crappy as he looked before, his play the last couple of games (and especially vs LAC) looked astonishingly like the guy we hoped they had signed. He was a big long agile presence, making plays. Could we start to see more of that?

In that case, McGee is your 3rd big, bumping Maxi to one of the 3 wings, bumping Green to one of 3 playmakers. None of this means that Maxi can't play big, or that Green can't play wing, but only that some of their minutes will be used to be that 3rd guy.

It also requires that Green is able to be the 3rd playmaker, when a 3rd is needed. He shows signs of that.

B

Bigs - Powell, Maxi and Wood
Wings - Green, Reggie and THJ
Playmaker - Luka, Ky, Hardy

This is the simplest tweak. We simply decide that Hardy can be, and is, ready to be that 3rd playmaker.

C

Bigs - Powell, Maxi Wood   (1/2 a slot to McGee)
...Swing - Maxi
Wings - Green, Reggie and THJ
...Swing - Green
Playmaker - Luka, Ky  (1/2 a slot to Hardy)

In this scenario, your 9th man minutes are split between McGee and Hardy, depending on what is needed that game. But most of the need is covered by using Maxi and Green in a way where they sop up minutes from 2 different places.

With Luka being able to play anywhere from 1-4, this allows plenty of players and flexibility.