I know a starting lineup of Brunson, Fournier, Barrett, Randle and Mitch doesn’t seem exciting, but Brunson is a big upgrade over either Walker or Burks. And overall it’s a big physical lineup that a lot of teams will have trouble with. And our bench is going to be fast and good. I think Quickley, Rose, Reddish, Obi and Hatenstein is a mobile lineup that will give a lots of second strings big trouble.

I think Miles Bridges is deplorable and what he did was heinous. I was very clear that my suggestion is amoral. But history indicates he’s not going to jail, he’ll play next year, and if he plays well people will cheer him. It’s disgusting, but that’s what is going to happen.

Collectively, we are very good at denial. You have swallowed your disdain for someone just as bad, if not worse, than Miles Bridges before. It’s just not acceptable to do it right away. First you have to say you never would, then you have to talk about how awful it is to have him on your side. It’s morality theater.

But eventually, when he strikes out the side in the 9th, you’re going to cheer that wife beater. And when he’s tearing it up on the court and leading your team to an unexpected 4th seed, you’re going to find a way to accept having that rapist on your team. And that’s just the truth.

Have a great holiday, everyone. And if I’m banned when I get back, go Knicks.

The other thing that’ll be pretty interesting is watching Hartenstein and Obi play off each other. Granted it’s a small sample, but Hartenstein has shot 40.7% on about 80 3PA between the G-league and NBA, and perhaps even better is that someone has let him shoot 80 3PA — assuming the Knicks will at least try to stretch him out to the line, that’ll finally open up PNR possibilities for Obi. And Hartenstein is such a great passer out of the post that it’ll really play well with Obi’s off-ball cutting.

I guess Mitch is coming back, but I would not be sad at all to see a 50/50 split between Hartenstein and Mitch.

Brunson, Rose, McBride
IQ, Fournier,
RJ, Grimes, Cam
Randle, Obi, Taj
Mitch, Hart, Sims

I think you gotta start IQ over Fournier for defensive reasons. But the starting line up’s success is going to be very dependent on Randle regaining his form (and 3 point shooting touch) and RJ regaining his 3 point touch as well. That bench unit though…

If it’s a sign and trade with Dallas and one of Fournier or Randle goes…then it’s a whole other ball game.

Personally I hope we trade Fournier and Rose and give Deuce a shot as our backup. If Thibs wasn’t our coach that would be possible but unfortunately I just don’t see it happening (yet another reason why I didn’t want Thibs to be hired, but I digress…)

The mystery man in all of this is Cam. Will Thibs give him a shot to earn significant rotation minutes? Will he give him a chance to start? If you put him in the starting lineup instead of Fournier or Grimes and move RJ to the 2, that’s a pretty good defensive lineup and Brunson’s O might go well with Randle, RJ and Cam on the perimeter and Mitch in the PnR and/or dunker’s spot. But it probably won’t happen so long as we keep the same head coach.

Or maybe there’s more moves ahead and all of this is moot.

Team:
PG – Brunson, DRose;
SG – Quick, Fournier;
SF – RJ, Grimes;
PF – KD, vet min (LaMarcus? Otto Porter?);
C – Mitch, Hartenstein;