Wolves Regular Season Rotation

[Lipoli390]

With the season opener approaching, I thought it was a good time for a thread on the Wolves rotation in the opener against Detroit and beyond. Two questions. (1) What do you think the rotation will be (prediction), and (2) what do you think it should be (preferred)? I'll take a first shot at answering those questions. My rotation lists begin with the starters and then list the rotation players off the bench in rough order of minutes.

PREDICTION - I'm predicting the following 11-player rotation to start the season:
Starters:
1. Russell
2. Beasley
3. Okogie
4. Layman
5. KAT
Bench:
6. Rubio
7. Culver
8. H-Gomez
9. Edwards
10. RHJ
11. Naz Reid

PREFERRED - This would be my preferred rotation to start the season:

1. Russell
2. Beasley
3. Culver
4. RHJ
5. KAT
6. Rubio
7. Nowell
8. Okogie
9. H-Gomez or Layman
10. Naz Reid

[AbeVigodaLive]

I'm calling it now... Beasley would enjoy (and thrive) playing with Rubio instead of Russell.

I like heat check sharpshooters (and analytical pariahs) off the bench... and there should only be so many shot hunting spots available with Russell and Towns on the court.

[Coolbreeze44]

With the season opener approaching, I thought it was a good time for a thread on the Wolves rotation in the opener against Detroit and beyond. Two questions. (1) What do you think the rotation will be (prediction), and (2) what do you think it should be (expectation)? I'll take a first shot at answering those questions. My rotation lists begin with the starters and then list the rotation players off the bench in rough order of minutes.

PREDICTION - I'm predicting the following 11-player rotation to start the season:
Starters:
1. Russell
2. Beasley
3. Okogie
4. Layman
5. KAT
Bench:
6. Rubio
7. Culver
8. H-Gomez
9. Edwards
10. RHJ
11. Naz Reid

EXPECTATION - This would be my preferred rotation to start the season:

1. Russell
2. Beasley
3. Culver
4. RHJ
5. KAT
6. Rubio
7. Nowell
8. Okogie
9. H-Gomez or Layman
10. Naz Reid

Lip, you would prefer Edwards not be in the rotation? He is going to be one of the first guys off the bench and he will be starting by mid-year. I think you're predicted starting lineup is probably right for the beginning of the season. Rubio and Edwards will be the first off the bench. Here would be my preferred lineup:

1. Russell
2. Edwards
3. Layman
4. RHJ
5. KAT
6. Rubio
7. Beasley
8. Culver
9. Okogie
10. Nowell

[thedoper]

I would be fine with start RHJ or Culver. I dont think Id start both of them yet. Layman deserves playing time too. The only player I could honestly care less about on this team is Juancho. Because of Rubio, Nowell and McLaughlin can kiss any playing time goodbye. Its nice to have NBA caliber players in the rotation but I cant see how it will translate to wins. I think your predicted 11 man rotation will be close, which seems insane because we clearly dont have the talent to justifiably be playing 11. Maybe Josh or Naz play at such a level to make other teams over value them.

1.Russel
2.Beas
3. Layman
4. RHJ
5. KAT
6. Rubio
7. Edwards
8. Culver
9. Okogie
10. Naz

Nowell as the deep bench guy to come on for scoring punch.

Trade Juancho, let KAT flip to the 4 sometimes if Naz looks good.

[Q12543 [enjin:6621299]]

Prediction - Same as Lip.

Preferred #1:
PG - DLO
SG - Culver
SF - Layman
PF - RHJ
C - KAT
Bench: Rubio, Beasley, Edwards, Okogie, Reid

Preferred #2: 7 SOL
PG - Rubio
SG - Beasley
SF - Edwards
PF - Okogie
C - KAT

Preferred #3: 5-out
PG - DLO
SG - Beasley
SF - Nowell
PF - Juancho
C - KAT

Preferred #4: Single Possession Lockdown
PG - Rubio
SG - Culver
SF - Okogie
PF - RHJ
C - Davis

Preffered #5: Unorganized Chaos
PG - Vanderbilt
SG - Beasley
SF - Okogie
PF - RHJ
C - Reid

[FNG]

I can't remember when there has been this much uncertainty about rotation going into the season. Seems like that's due to 2 factors: 1) abbreviated preseason 2) great depth, but no players who really stand out right now other than our two max guys. I am heartened by all the positive comments about Nowell, but since all I've seen of him has been some unimpressive outings at Target Center, I'm not able to include him in my rotation. I also still think that despite starting D-Lo at PG the two games he was healthy, Ryan will recognize the offense ran better with Rubio, and even better with Culver, at the point. I think Ryan will want Rubio's steadiness out there with ha relatively young roster.

PREDICTION:
Starter:
Rubio
Russell
Culver
Layman
KAT
Bench:
Beasley
Okogie
Edwards
Juancho
Reid
RHJ

EXPECTATION, START OF SEASON:
Starter:
Rubio
D-Lo
Culver
RHJ
KAT
Bench:
Beasley
Edwards
Okogie
Reid
Layman
Juancho

EXPECTATION (After about 10 games):
Rubio
Russell
Edwards
RHJ
KAT
BENCH:
Beasley
Culver
Okogie
Reid
Layman
Juancho

PIPE DREAM: (by mid-season):
Starter:
Rubio
Russell
Edwards
RHJ
KAT

Bench:
Beasley
Culver
Okogie
Reid
Nowell
Vando or McDaniels (whoever looks better in G League)

[Q12543 [enjin:6621299]]

When it comes to our "depth", I feel like we are deep in the sense that our 10th-13th men may be better than a lot of other teams' 10-13 men. Guys like Nowell, Reid, RHJ for example - players that may not see the rotation unless someone else gets hurt or sick.

I feel I know what we can get from KAT and Rubio, both of whom I consider clear-cut plus players. Both have major flaws, but they each have a body of work in my opinion which says they help more than hurt.

Everyone after those two until we get to the JMac/Nowell/RHJ grouping I'm not so sure about.

DLO - Skilled, no doubt. Still not convinced he makes enough winning plays on both ends of the court. Not unconvinced either, so being open-minded.
Edwards - A big negative right now despite the flashes, but could eventually be a big positive. I don't think it happens this season.
Culver - Loved what I saw, but it was only 3 games.
Juancho - Think he should be at end of bench but won't be.
Okogie - Has he plateaued? Does he take another step forward? Play more in control? Make 3s? No clue
Layman - Solid rotation player I guess. Doesn't hurt or help a ton.
Beasley - Bark is louder than his bite. Should be a 7th or 8th man vs. starting SG in my opinion. Not a good defender despite his best efforts.
Davis - Solid vet, but has the game passed him by (did not play that well last year).

So I don't really see us as being deep when I'm debating in my own head whether Nowell is a better all-around player than Josh Okogie or Malik Beasley. And that's not because I think Nowell is suddenly a starting caliber wing. It's because I'm not sure the others are!

[AbeVigodaLive]

When it comes to our "depth", I feel like we are deep in the sense that our 10th-13th men may be better than a lot of other teams' 10-13 men. Guys like Nowell, Reid, RHJ for example - players that may not see the rotation unless someone else gets hurt or sick.

I feel I know what we can get from KAT and Rubio, both of whom I consider clear-cut plus players. Both have major flaws, but they each have a body of work in my opinion which says they help more than hurt.

Everyone after those two until we get to the JMac/Nowell/RHJ grouping I'm not so sure about.

DLO - Skilled, no doubt. Still not convinced he makes enough winning plays on both ends of the court. Not unconvinced either, so being open-minded.
Edwards - A big negative right now despite the flashes, but could eventually be a big positive. I don't think it happens this season.
Culver - Loved what I saw, but it was only 3 games.
Juancho - Think he should be at end of bench but won't be.
Okogie - Has he plateaued? Does he take another step forward? Play more in control? Make 3s? No clue
Layman - Solid rotation player I guess. Doesn't hurt or help a ton.
Beasley - Bark is louder than his bite. Should be a 7th or 8th man vs. starting SG in my opinion. Not a good defender despite his best efforts.
Davis - Solid vet, but has the game passed him by (did not play that well last year).

So I don't really see us as being deep when I'm debating in my own head whether Nowell is a better all-around player than Josh Okogie or Malik Beasley. And that's not because I think Nowell is suddenly a starting caliber wing. It's because I'm not sure the others are!

That's the rub.

Compare all those guys to rotation guys on other playoff teams in the West. Which Wolves deserve a spot?

[FNG]

When it comes to our "depth", I feel like we are deep in the sense that our 10th-13th men may be better than a lot of other teams' 10-13 men. Guys like Nowell, Reid, RHJ for example - players that may not see the rotation unless someone else gets hurt or sick.

I feel I know what we can get from KAT and Rubio, both of whom I consider clear-cut plus players. Both have major flaws, but they each have a body of work in my opinion which says they help more than hurt.

Everyone after those two until we get to the JMac/Nowell/RHJ grouping I'm not so sure about.

DLO - Skilled, no doubt. Still not convinced he makes enough winning plays on both ends of the court. Not unconvinced either, so being open-minded.
Edwards - A big negative right now despite the flashes, but could eventually be a big positive. I don't think it happens this season.
Culver - Loved what I saw, but it was only 3 games.
Juancho - Think he should be at end of bench but won't be.
Okogie - Has he plateaued? Does he take another step forward? Play more in control? Make 3s? No clue
Layman - Solid rotation player I guess. Doesn't hurt or help a ton.
Beasley - Bark is louder than his bite. Should be a 7th or 8th man vs. starting SG in my opinion. Not a good defender despite his best efforts.
Davis - Solid vet, but has the game passed him by (did not play that well last year).

So I don't really see us as being deep when I'm debating in my own head whether Nowell is a better all-around player than Josh Okogie or Malik Beasley. And that's not because I think Nowell is suddenly a starting caliber wing. It's because I'm not sure the others are!

That's the rub.

Compare all those guys to rotation guys on other playoff teams in the West. Which Wolves deserve a spot?

Yeah, that's fair- I guess I don't know either. That's the mystery of having so many guys in the early stages of their careers, when players either make a big leap or stall or even go backward. We'll just have to see.

Part of me wonders if Ryan offered rest to a not-very-injured D-Lo last night to facilitate more minutes for Culver at PG. Culver was adequate there last year as a rookie, and we should expect improvement this year, and the offense seemed to run well last night when he was running the point. I hope that Ryan wants D-Lo to get almost all his minutes at the 2, and since a logjam of PGs and wings likely keeps J-Mac in Iowa, Culver may have to step up and play the point. He said a number of times last year that he was comfortable there and likes playing PG. If I get further into my pipe dream and our young guys all reach their ceilings quickly, just imagine a young, athletic lineup like:

Culver
D-Lo
Edwards
Vando or McDaniel
KAT

Wouldn't that be fun...

[khans2k5 [enjin:6608728]]

Prediction:
Garbage lineup from the pre-season

D Lo
Beasley
Okogie
Layman
Towns

Ricky
Culver
Edwards
Hernangomez
RHJ
Naz or Davis (not sure if he's gonna stay on the team)

What it should be:

D Lo
Culver
Layman
RHJ
Towns

Ricky
Beasley
Edwards
Naz or Ed Davis

If Edwards plays like he did against the Mavs more consistently I would actually put him in the starting lineup over Culver but for now I'll take Culvers defense that is desperately needed next to D Lo.