(07-09-2022, 09:32 PM)DanSchwartzgan Wrote: Interesting take. That would explain Kidd's comment about having a lot of offense coming off the bench. So Wood is the PnR big who doesn't start but gets more minutes than the starter. Maxi is a big wing standing in the corner. THJ can play the third wing and we are still a little shy on bench creation. 10-15 Powell/Bertans/Green/Frank/Pinson/Hardy
I would think Kidd's bias is to start where he left off. But it's been decided that Powell fell too short and must be replaced due to lack of rebounding and defense - hence all the post-playoff clarity of how they see their biggest need - and McGee is being added to address that need. Dinwiddie starts because they want 2 creators at a time on the floor, Brunson left, and that's that.
Plus, the DFS-Bullock pairing was incredibly effective, they need that defensive core, so many other changes already, it wasn't broke, so leave it alone -- I think that's how a coach would think.
Re Wood, he's being told defense and winning, both have been aired to the public as being emphasized to him quite a bit already. We are also hearing that Wood is going to be penciled in for a lighter load to save him for the playoffs. In that vein, I think there's a bit of goal-setting here for Wood, where he has to play in a way to help the defense and to win, and then he gets more minutes and maybe even a starting job ...just the same as if he's a draft pick with promising traits coming on board.
And yes, all of that fits very easily with the idea that there's a lot of offense coming off the bench (Wood, Maxi, Bertans, THJ, maybe more). Also notice how saying "we have a lot of offense coming off the bench" underlines the message that "offense-only" bigs and wings will have to come off the bench, since they need their wings and bigs to provide the stops that their creators aren't great at getting (and the creators are going to set up everyone to get good shots). I suspect that behind closed doors, it's more plainly said that "If you want more minutes, I need better defense -- we can play you more if you can give us excellent defense too."
"we are still a little shy on bench creation"... With the loss of JB, and wanting 2 to play at a time, I'd say they are a LOT shy. I think all 3 of Green, Franky, and Hardy are closer to getting minutes at wing than as a creator. To me, their big need seems like it would be more "3rd creator" than "3rd 2-way wing" since that sets up the rest of the roster to do what they can do best.