Great points, all. Like abeer, in a vacuum, I would prefer to start Smart over Rui. But including all real world considerations, I agree with pika's approach. Start Rui to open the season, close more often with Smart, and slowly lay the groundwork to be able to start Smart in the playoffs without any negative repercussions.
We have been looking for a point-of-attack defender, who on the offensive end, is a good enough shooter to keep the defense honest. Although Smart is a slightly below average shooter, he might be the best option for us that fits that criteria at this point, in terms of being 2-way capable point-of-attack defender. He shot well last season, so hopefully that is something that he improved, rather than it being an outlier. I think he should be regarding as the 5th starter, at this point, not Rui.
I'm just not getting the fixation on making Smart a starter. First, as has been mentioned many times now, Smart's main issue the last 2-3 seasons is staying healthy. We will absolutely need his POA specialty D in the playoffs, no question. But there are a LOT of minutes to eat up to get there like Pika has said. Bring him on as a defensive presence off the bench for 20-25 minutes a game regular season and get him acclimated. Continuity is huge and we have that with Reaves, Luka, Rui and Lebron. As has also been mentioned we made it up to third place in the west starting them and Hayes who is certainly not the talent level, scorer, defender or rebounder as a guy like Ayton who is a 15 plus points per game and 10 boards pg player. Our starting unit has a nice amount of fire power (100 points a game on paper), just sub in bench defenders who can also shoot to bolster around it. Right now we've got Gabe, Smart, LaRavia, Vando, and Klieber to do so. Plus Hayes to give us a different look and Thiero, Knecht and Bronny to further develop. There is a role for everyone we have, it's just up to JJ and the staff to fill it out wisely. At some point maybe we consolidate trade for a more traditional 3 and D larger wing for expirings and Knecht, but I'm good with what we have. The other consideration is why are you demoting Rui of all people? I've been critical of him at times, but he was arguably our best non-star player in last year's playoffs. He shot great at 40% from three, and he played pretty good defense. I wouldn't switch him out for a point guard and lose all that size, nor would I mess with him when he was one of our biggest bright points last post season and he's in a contract season. If anything the guy who I would sit for Smart would be AR who was disappointing in the playoffs and is looking for a huge payday. We've all talked about him taking on the Manu role in a perfect world. But again, I wouldn't do that at the start of the season at all. I want to see AR eating most of those minutes while Smart shows he can stay healthy and increase his minutes in the ramp up to postseason. In the playoffs AR playing more bench minutes and running the second unit's offense while bolstering the starters/closers D with Smart makes a ton more sense to me. Rui should be splitting minutes with LaRavia/Vando.
It's simple. Smart's job here is to defend the primary ballhandler/creator on the other team. That's where his value is maximized. The primary ballhandler/creator on the other time tends to start and close halves. You maximize Smart's value by aligning his minutes with the primary ballhandler/creator. Starters typically play the first 6 minutes or so of each half, and closers typically play the last 4 minutes or so of each half. 20 minutes total. If I'm giving Smart 20-25 minutes per game in the regular season, I want those 20-25 minutes oriented toward the best ballhandler/creator on the other team. If we're playing OKC, Smart's value is diminished if he's not coming in until the 6 minute mark of the 1st quarter. That's 6 minutes where we're asking Austin to be the primary defender on Shai, which isn't good. When Smart comes in the 6 minute mark sure he'll probably guard Shai some, but Shai will probably sub out after 2-3 minutes and now Smart is guarding...JDub? Not sure that really works depending on the other guys we have on the floor given we're so forward-heavy. Is he guarding Wallace, or Topic, or Caruso? That's really not the best use of his talents. I get the not wanting to "demote" Rui, but frankly Rui isn't a good enough player for that to be a reason to not make a lineup change that makes sense for the team. I think there's probably a mental element with Rui where he doesn't play as well off the bench, but I think a big part of the issue was also that our bench units were pretty lacking in playmaking before the Luka trade. Rui thrives when his offensive role is simplified. Spot up from the corner or the wing and make cuts when his defender turns his head and helps on a P&R. When we were throwing Rui out there in a bench unit with just one of DLo or Austin and no LeBron, we didn't consistently have a guy that could draw two defenders and create an advantage situation where Rui can do one of those two things. Now that we have Luka and Austin has improved, I'm hopeful that a bench unit with one of those two + Rui can function better.
Again, I’m not seeing the urgency to switch the starters. Integrating Smart from the bench just makes sense. Can he work his way into a closer? Sure! I think that’s more important anyway than who starts. Also why show your cards? If I’m JJ I’m not worried about a Smart on Shai matchup in the regular season. That’s one I save for later. He’ll still get minutes against him anyway. In addition I just don’t get why we want to bench Rui? That doesn’t help AR or Luka in that they have to move up to guard bigger players, also puts more strain on Lebron. Rui is getting better on D, especially on larger guys. Smart should sub in for AR. I don’t know what is hard to understand about that? TBH though I think all this discussion is purely academic at this point. I don’t see JJ or the staff starting Smart at the beginning of the season. He’ll have his work cut out for him integrating Ayton with the starters and that will clearly be priority. He came here to start and wants max time with Luka and Lebron. It’ll be easier just slotting him in with the starters from last year. Now if there are glaring problems maybe other things get tinkered with.
This makes sense. This is what I'm trying to say. Why bring Smart off the bench, to guard the Jose Alvarados and TJ McConnells of the world?
Rui would be much better as an eventual replacement for Lebron at the 4. But, we don't know when that is going to be. If Lebron is gone after this season, then I don't have a problem signing Rui to a nice contract and have him be our starting 4, getting maybe 18-20 points and 7 rebounds, with hopefully higher volume three-point shooting. That would be fine. Sort of an archetype power forward for Luka, in the PJ Washington/younger Maxi/Lebron role. But, I don't think Rui being in the front court with Lebron is ideal, unless AR is sent to the bench, or traded, which seems highly unlikely. Lakers just stocked about 1/3 of their roster with defensive players: Smart, Vanderbilt, Vincent, Thierro, Manon, and arguably LaRavia. It would be kind of weird to have all of these guys come off of the bench. Need some offense off of the bench too.
I agree with you that we want Smart guarding the stars, but that's in the playoffs. And he can still close halves. Yes, you don't get those first 6 minutes, but so what? You're rolling with your 5 better players, bringing some continuity and slowly ramp up Smart's minutes and intensity. He was 2 years not playing continuously, his body will feel the change. Also, why change 2 starters in the first day when you come from a 50 win season (and like 60 win post-Luka)? The season is sooo long, no need to rush things. We want to peak in April and May, not October Disagree on Rui. He's actually better on iso. Punishing small bodies on the block. He was never a good cutter although he has been developing there. He always plays better without 1 of the stars because he gets more touches. He likes the mid-post and work for a mid J on top of someone. Good luck on Rui getting 7 boards ahah But yeah I think he will benefit when Bron leaves. And if we are able to plug in a defensive stopper for Bron next year, be it LaRavia, Thiero or someone else, it's an interesting 5. Not top tier, but you're really competitive, even when Bron leaves for nothing.
Lol, true. But he's a career 6.3 boards per 36, playing a lot of 3. If Lebron leaves, Rui probably gets 36 or so minutes at the 4 if he re-signs. I don't think it's far fetched. But, yeah 6 boards is probably a more reasonable projection.
I see where you are coming from. And its not unprecedented for us to use our defensive stopper as our 6th man. Coop was an all-NBA defender as a 6th man. Byron was the starting shooting guard, but he wasnt a slouch on defense either though. Can't think of other examples from other teams at the top of my head though , but im sure there are some. Maybe that guy from Cleveland that played with Bron, idk. But Rui or AR don't equate to Byron on defense, but I could see the Coop/Smart type defensive stopper 6th man model.
I agree with the Rui take, but in no way can we demote Austin to the bench when he can easily be lured away by a different team next summer. JJ has his work cut out for him to implement the new guys while not upsetting last year’s starters(minus Hayes of course).
I agree with all sides on this. Team 6th Man Smart is the right real world considerations approach, continuity wise, coaching wise, and considering how Rui has reacted in the past. It's a long season. But by the end of it, Team Start Smart (assuming health) is the right lineup to be ready for the playoffs. Smart can still get 24-30 min even off the bench, and Rui could still get 30 min off the bench. It's not the minutes, it's just balancing the right lineups.
I think a last point of this discussion (was also listening to Andy from the Kam Brothers and Buha who want Smart starting too) is that I think everyone agrees our best lineup is with Smart instead of Rui*. That just doesn't mean it's our starting lineup on day 1 *They gave a great argument too that we want Luka and Bron guarding wings/forwards, so we need 2 to guard guards. If Smart is there, between AR and Rui it's easy to choose who you want guarding the 2nd guard
Yes, exactly. Defensively, much better for Luka to be guarding forwards as a helper, instead of guards as POA or chaser, which is why many want to start Smart. But even if JJ likely starts the season with Luka, Reaves, Rui, LeBron, Ayton for continuity, then outside of the initial minutes of each half, we would always want one of Smart or Vincent out there, and we would also always want a 2-guard defender out there next to them. Usually that will be Reaves, but when he sits, who else should play in the 2 slot defensively? We could play Smart and Vincent together, but that would be a LOT of minutes for them. I think the best candidate is Vando*. LaRavia is a possibility, although he seems better suited to guarding forwards as well. If Bronny makes a leap, it would be helpful if he is playable for even 5-10 min, but I'm not expecting that until much later this season or next season. * Just needs to be paired with Rui/Kleber at C so that there are 4 other shooters out there. This can be Rui small ball minutes at the end of 1st/3rd Q's and beginning of 2nd/4th Q's, or can be Kleber in the middle of quarters.
