re: Stein: Pels want Markkanen with TPE, Bulls want 1st round pick.

quote:

---

just don’t think you can really do that and expect to be a contender.

---

I'm not pitching "starting" lineups because it doesn't matter.

literally every contender has big and small ball lineups. It doesn't matter who starts; it matters who finishes and in what context-- what the other team is doing and what you can do to matchup with them.

Small teams are going to run JV off the floor. It happened in Memphis and it will happen here. The Griz mitigated this by benching him and playing Jaren Jackson Jr at 5 when he got healthy.

The Lakers are going to start Gasol or Howard. That doesn't change the fact that AD is going to play 5 in crunch time with Russ, Lebron and either Monk/Ellington/Nunn

Sometimes the Hawks run out Capela, and sometimes Collins is the small ball 5.

The Nets best lineup had Durant at the 5. But other times they started Jordan.

The Bucks ran out Giannis at the 5, but against big teams they had Lopez.

Today's NBA is about flexibility and ability to play a lot of ways.