01-07-2021, 02:00 PM
(01-07-2021, 01:46 PM)SleepingHero Wrote: I understand but we have a clear definition of a starter. The first 5 players to start the game are starters. Self explanatory. Playing "starter minutes" does not effectively mean you're a starter. It should also be said that denoting someone a starter or not doesn't necessarily run parallel to how big of an impact that player's role is (I.E JET, Manu, etc).
But if THJ is coming off the bench, he's not a starter and Carlisle dancing around it to either assuage THJ's ego or stop a headline is annoying.
And I really think this is the only reason Carlisle isn't saying the quiet part out loud. But at the end of the day it doesn't matter. Do we really think the people making roster choices (I.E dolling out contracts) can't see through that kind of speak? That just because the head coach said "He's still a starter!", that they will somehow be fooled into tossing THJ an extra 10-15 mil?
No. THJ's play, the 2nd units play, and because of this roster's construction, has necessitated THJ to move to the bench. If THJ balls out as a 6th man, he will get paid regardless. If THJ was playing well with the starters, then he wouldn't have been moved to the bench, and something else would've happened. Carlisle saying something factually untrue doesn't change any of this and it annoys me that he did that as if we are all dupes.
These are some interesting points, and THJ's ongoing role is a topic worth discussing.
As far as this particular statement goes, we might be overthinking it a little. It wasn't a prepared, carefully wordsmithed speech, just an off-the-cuff defense of his player. Honestly, I think it was an attempt to refute the idea that the change somehow meant that Tim was not playing well with the starters. He was on the floor at the end of the game, alongside the other starters.