Playoff Rotation

[Chris_Sanders]

So Jon Bloom (Suns announcer) stated today that Monty will go for 9 players for his playoff rotation with 1 other that could spot fill in. He called it 9.5 players. He also stated with certainty that Cam Payne and Landy Shamet will be in that 9 along with Ross. He thinks this grouping will get most of the minutes down the stretch to get chemistry

So right now that would be:

Ayton
Durant
CP3
Booker
Payne
Shamet
Ross

So that leaves just 3 spots (but really 2) open out of these players:

Okogie
Craig
Lee
Bismack
Landale
Wainwright
Warren
Bazley

Okogie played 41 minutes against the Clippers. He seems like a lock. Bismack is probably the next in line.

 

[Mainstreet]

I don't see how the Suns don't play Craig, Okogie and Lee.

They will need a backup center but that could vary on matchups but Monty probably trusts Biz the most.

Maybe the Suns play Craig at small ball center?

 

[95pro]

So Jon Bloom (Suns announcer) stated today that Monty will go for 9 players for his playoff rotation with 1 other that could spot fill in. He called it 9.5 players. He also stated with certainty that Cam Payne and Landy Shamet will be in that 9 along with Ross. He thinks this grouping will get most of the minutes down the stretch to get chemistry

So right now that would be:

Ayton
Durant
CP3
Booker
Payne
Shamet
Ross

So that leaves just 3 spots (but really 2) open out of these players:

Okogie
Craig
Lee
Bismack
Landale
Wainwright
Warren
Bazley

Okogie played 41 minutes against the Clippers. He seems like a lock. Bismack is probably the next in line.

So right now that would be:

Ayton
Durant
CP3
Booker
Craig

Payne
Ross
Warren
Biz
Okogie

Payne is a wild card for several reasons. First would be his health, we are not sure exactly what happened to that foot. He came back and re-injured it, he's been out for a while now. Second even if he is healthy, he's no longer flying under the radar, his play is just so up and down. But fully healthy he's our best guard coming off the bench.

Personally i just dont see how Shamet fits with Ross on the roster now, only issue is long term. Ross is a rental, Shamet still under contract for a couple of years.
I'd play Ross over Shamet right now.

Ish and Baz just dont have any offensive punch, if i had to choose i'd choose Baz over ish just because he is longer and quicker on defense.

Shamet and Lee should battle it out with Okogie, those three are in a dead heat imo and for different reasons.

Landale just doesn't have it against elite comp.

 

[Chris_Sanders]

I agree with you on Shamet but Bloom said it is a lock that Shamet is in that group so I am sure he has had these convos with Monty directly.

 

[Raindog]

I don't doubt that this is correct. And the fact that Payne and Shamet could both potentially come back in subpar condition and yet still be getting 15-20 mins of playoff PT per game when there are better options tells you all you need to know about Monty.

 

[Cheesebeef]

I agree with you on Shamet but Bloom said it is a lock that Shamet is in that group so I am sure he has had these convos with Monty directly.

Just hard headed stubbornness.

 

[Proximo]

I don't see how the Suns don't play Craig, Okogie and Lee.

They will need a backup center but that could vary on matchups but Monty probably trusts Biz the most.

Maybe the Suns play Craig at small ball center?

Monty has never gone with an 8 man rotation in the playoffs either. I expect at least 9, more likely 10.

To me I think it should be Payne, Ross, Warren, Craig, and Landale, with Okogie starting.

Ross was probably promised a rotation position in order for us to sign him, so to me it likely means Lee will be left out. Lee is the better catch and shoot guy, but Ross is better at creating his shot - which is more valuable in the postseason.

 

[Mainstreet]

I don't doubt that this is correct. And the fact that Payne and Shamet could both potentially come back in subpar condition and yet still be getting 15-20 mins of playoff PT per game when there are better options tells you all you need to know about Monty.

Backup point guard could turn into backup point guard by committee if Payne doesn't return to form. It could be Shamet, Okogie, Ross, Booker and Durant all taking turns.

 

[Proximo]

So right now that would be:

Ayton
Durant
CP3
Booker
Craig

Payne
Ross
Warren
Biz
Okogie

Payne is a wild card for several reasons. First would be his health, we are not sure exactly what happened to that foot. He came back and re-injured it, he's been out for a while now. Second even if he is healthy, he's no longer flying under the radar, his play is just so up and down. But fully healthy he's our best guard coming off the bench.

Personally i just dont see how Shamet fits with Ross on the roster now, only issue is long term. Ross is a rental, Shamet still under contract for a couple of years.
I'd play Ross over Shamet right now.

Ish and Baz just dont have any offensive punch, if i had to choose i'd choose Baz over ish just because he is longer and quicker on defense.

Shamet and Lee should battle it out with Okogie, those three are in a dead heat imo and for different reasons.

Landale just doesn't have it against elite comp.

Shamet does play defense well, but he is too inconsistent offensively. I'm not buying he will be in the rotation till I see it - and if he is we have an issue with Monty. Lee has been awful as of late and is not good at anything but catch and shoot 3's - but boy was he good at that earlier this year, which is why I don't completely count him out.

Landale and Biz is a bit of a conundrum. Landale is far better offensively, and Biz is far better defensively. I could see it go either way, but personally I side with Landale, and it may just come down to Biz being so awful at free throw shooting that he is a liability in a close game. I could easily see them swapped depending on matchups in the playoff series.

 

[Proximo]

Backup point guard could turn into backup point guard by committee if Payne doesn't return to form. It could be Shamet, Okogie, Ross, Booker and Durant all taking turns.

It's possible that our point guard rotation could be, CP3, Book, Durant. We will just have to see how Monty wants to do it.

 

[Mainstreet]

Monty has never gone with an 8 man rotation in the playoffs either. I expect at least 9, more likely 10.

To me I think it should be Payne, Ross, Warren, Craig, and Landale, with Okogie starting.

Ross was probably promised a rotation position in order for us to sign him, so to me it likely means Lee will be left out. Lee is the better catch and shoot guy, but Ross is better at creating his shot - which is more valuable in the postseason.

I expect Ross will play a prominent role in the Suns rotation as well. Still, I think Damion Lee will get an opportunity.
Sometimes I wish Lee would stick to shooting threes.

 

[Mainstreet]

It's possible that our point guard rotation could be, CP3, Book, Durant. We will just have to see how Monty wants to do it.

Yeah, if Payne doesn't return to form, Monty likes veterans handling the ball as we saw with Aaron Holiday in the playoffs.

 

[Chris_Sanders]

Monty has never gone with an 8 man rotation in the playoffs either. I expect at least 9, more likely 10.

To me I think it should be Payne, Ross, Warren, Craig, and Landale, with Okogie starting.

Ross was probably promised a rotation position in order for us to sign him, so to me it likely means Lee will be left out. Lee is the better catch and shoot guy, but Ross is better at creating his shot - which is more valuable in the postseason.

It says 9. Six spots are taken already

 

[SirStefan32]

How I see it:

We have the big four:
KD
Booker
Ayton
Paul

Then we have the fifth starter and the first guy off the bench:ifth starter, and first guy off the bench:
Okogie
Craig

Ross was brought in after Ishbia and Monty talked to him about his role, so he has to have some kind of a role.

Someone will have to back up Ayton, so Biz or Jock will play some minutes. I suppose the Suns may go "small" against some opponents, so this might be the half in nine and a half players.

That leaves two spots. I am assuming Payne is the backup point guard, unless the Suns want to go with Booker and KD together while CP3 is on the bench. This might actually be doable, but thinking about it, staggering it that way is a little awkward.

I am skeptical of Shamet, but Monty loves him, and honestly, he is not a terrible defender, so I am guessing he is in.

So... KD, Book, Ayton, CP3, Okogie, Craig, Ross, Shamet, Payne are the nine, and Biz/ Jock are the "half."

 

[BirdGangThing]

So Jon Bloom (Suns announcer) stated today that Monty will go for 9 players for his playoff rotation with 1 other that could spot fill in. He called it 9.5 players. He also stated with certainty that Cam Payne and Landy Shamet will be in that 9 along with Ross. He thinks this grouping will get most of the minutes down the stretch to get chemistry

So right now that would be:

Ayton
Durant
CP3
Booker
Payne
Shamet
Ross

So that leaves just 3 spots (but really 2) open out of these players:

Okogie
Craig
Lee
Bismack
Landale
Wainwright
Warren
Bazley

Okogie played 41 minutes against the Clippers. He seems like a lock. Bismack is probably the next in line.

So Craig or Warren? I'd think both would make the rotation

 

[Chris_Sanders]

I think one is on the outs unless Shamet is the now the .5 guy, which I would support

 

[Chaplin]

I think one is on the outs unless Shamet is the now the .5 guy, which I would support

The .5 guy is almost certainly the combo of Jock and Biz.

 

[Ouchie-Z-Clown]

So Jon Bloom (Suns announcer) stated today that Monty will go for 9 players for his playoff rotation with 1 other that could spot fill in. He called it 9.5 players. He also stated with certainty that Cam Payne and Landy Shamet will be in that 9 along with Ross. He thinks this grouping will get most of the minutes down the stretch to get chemistry

So right now that would be:

Ayton
Durant
CP3
Booker
Payne
Shamet
Ross

So that leaves just 3 spots (but really 2) open out of these players:

Okogie
Craig
Lee
Bismack
Landale
Wainwright
Warren
Bazley

Okogie played 41 minutes against the Clippers. He seems like a lock. Bismack is probably the next in line.

I think it’s okogie and Craig with biz being the .5

 

[Phrazbit]

I think Craig will start, so he's in.

I think Okogie has more than earned a role, probably the first wing off the bench.

I think Ross, Lee and Shamet will probably need to make an impact on their first shift if they want to see a second or 3rd on a given night.

Biz will be situational. There are a lot of playoff teams who will spread the court too much for Biz to be helpful, we saw it happen last year to McGee.

Ish, Warren and Bazley will hardly see the court.

 

[Hoop Head]

Monty may be stubborn but I seriously doubt he's got his playoff rotation already figured out 2 months before the playoffs start and before even seeing what KD looks like here. It doesn't make sense, especially to tell someone else not on the coaching staff what the plan is.

I wouldn't put much stock in this 9.5 player already figured out stuff at least until Flex confirms it. Then I'll get on board.

 

[JCSunsfan]

Fun discussion but way premature.

 

[BirdGangThing]

Monty may be stubborn but I seriously doubt he's got his playoff rotation already figured out 2 months before the playoffs start and before even seeing what KD looks like here. It doesn't make sense, especially to tell someone else not on the coaching staff what the plan is.

I wouldn't put much stock in this 9.5 player already figured out stuff at least until Flex confirms it. Then I'll get on board.

Monti basically told the bench to look to the left and to the right of them. Then he said one of the people you see will not be playing in the playoffs

 

[JCSunsfan]

Monti basically told the bench to look to the left and to the right of them. Then he said one of the people you see will not be playing in the playoffs

And so it is with every NBA coach in the playoffs.

 

[Carolinacacti]

If Suns have someone get hurt they at least have players on the bench that score now.

 

[Hoop Head]

Monti basically told the bench to look to the left and to the right of them. Then he said one of the people you see will not be playing in the playoffs

Got a source for that quote?