HALLELUKA: Luka Clinches All-NBA 1st team. 4th in 5 years

[mavsluvr]

Well, I'd submit that the starting lineup isn't nearly as big of a deal to the team as it is to fans. I mean, it's contributing to the slow starts, which is concerning, obviously. Other than that, I'm not sure it's a big deal at all, and I don't think it's clear that the combo of players is THE reason for the slow starts, personally. I think that the team isn't running their offensive system (in so far as there is one) very well yet. A subjective argument can be made that changing the starting lineup might prolong that problem rather than solve it. 

This is such a good point. I am always a little bemused, for example, when I hear demands to "bench Powell." That has already happened, as a practical matter. Yes, he's on the court for the first few possessions, but he plays backup minutes, and may or may not be part of the closing lineup. Maybe shuffling the deck for the first five minutes of the games would help a little, maybe not. But, considering the alternative options available, I wouldn't bank on it being particularly transformative.  

And, I do think Kidd's rotations (apart from the starting lineup) have been BONKERS. Seemingly random, in many ways. I do get the sense that there is a crap ton of experimentation going on with player combos once the subs start coming in. 

So, I see where that "sandbox" idea is coming from, to an extent. But, is he learning from this, like Carlisle always did early season, or his he just randomly trying things, nearing panic? Too early to tell, imo.

I think this is the sixty-four-thousand dollar question. Is this experimentation phase "real," in the sense that it produces a better mousetrap? Or is it just one more piece of hype that we're falling for? Agree that it's too early to answer that.