The Most Intriguing Lineup Combination For Each NBA Team In 2017–18
When the Golden State Warriors emerged onto the scene en route to a historic three-year run of dominance, they established the small-ball era- because of their success, the way we look at talent in the NBA has been altered drastically.
But with innovation comes obsoleteness- many traditional throwback archetypes of players have quickly become archaic. For example, nobody wants low-post scorers like Jahlil Okafor or Al Jefferson anymore. Andre Roberson is an excellent defender, but how long can he be on the court before the other team forces him to embarrass himself at the free throw line? On the flip side, Luc Richard Mbah a Moute is going to have a roster spot secured many years thanks to his great three-point shooting from the corner, and ability to defend multiple positions with success, serving as the perfect 3&D floor spacer.
As the NBA season nears and this unprecedentedly wild offseason comes to a close, it’s time to look at the best possible lineup combinations for fans of each team to watch.
Boston Celtics
Lineup: Kyrie Irving, Marcus Smart, Jaylen Brown, Jayson Tatum, Al Horford
This year’s Celtics team has very clear strengths and weaknesses- they’re going to score a lot of points and hit a ton of threes, but they will almost never win in the rebounding department, while also being without a single great rim protector. So, they should do what the Houston Rockets did last season- throw their weaknesses out the window, and focus on killing their opponents with what makes them great. Boston needs to run this lineup, featuring an elite scorer (Irving), defender (Smart), and athlete (Brown), along with a gifted scorer in Tatum and a great passing big-man like Horford. This group may not pull a ton of boards, but they will make you work on every possession and run up the score.
Brooklyn Nets
Lineup: D’Angelo Russell, Jeremy Lin, Caris Levert, Rondae Hollis-Jefferson, Jarrett Allen
Talk about small-ball! This lineup will definitely not be good defensively, but boy are they athletic- and they can score in bunches, too. Surrounding the backcourt of Russell and Lin with a very promising young player in Levert, a fantastic athlete in RHJ, and an athletic big like the rookie Allen would certainly be fun to watch.
New York Knicks
Lineup: Frank Ntilikina, Tim Hardaway Jr., Doug McDermott, Michael Beasley, Kristaps Porzingis
Kristaps Porzingis was born to be a stretch five. But for some reason, the Knicks will do everything in their power to keep him at the four- signing Joakim Noah and trading for Enes Kanter doesn’t leave any minutes in the middle available for the Latvian star. But if they surround him with four athletic shooters, good things will happen on both ends.
Philadelphia 76ers
Lineup: Markelle Fultz, JJ Redick, Robert Covington, Dario Saric, Ben Simmons
Obviously every lineup with Joel Embid in it will be electric- but The Process can’t be in all of the time. When he isn’t in the game, the Sixers need to experiment with Ben Simmons playing point-center: running the offense while manning the middle on the defensive end. The Sixers could run this offense through two bigs in Simmons and Dario Saric who are both brilliant passers, creating lots of looks for the three perimeter players.
Toronto Raptors
Lineup: Kyle Lowry, Norman Powell, CJ Miles, DeMar DeRozan, Serge Ibaka
It’s about time Toronto catches up with the rest of the league and goes small-ball without Jonas Valanciunas in the middle, instead a much better fit for the modern NBA like Ibaka. They don’t have to surround him with four guards at all times, but they should try it in spurts. This lineup has infinite creation and shooting, with some versatile defense as well. DeRozan at the four will be very interesting, but it might maximize his mid-range-reliant game.
Chicago Bulls
Lineup: Kris Dunn, Zach Lavine, Justin Holiday, Lauri Markkanen, Christiano Felico
The Bulls are going to be the worst team in the NBA- but they still can be a fun team to watch. Lavine’s freakish athleticism and high-flying play-style doesn’t always lead to success, but it certainly leads to entertainment. Dunn had a very disappointing rookie season, but it’s not inconceivable that he breaks out this season- it is unlikely, though. The duo of Markkanen and Felicio are a good fit inside, and the rookie Markkanen should get lots of shots.
Cleveland Cavaliers
Lineup: LeBron James, Kyle Korver, JR Smith, Channing Frye, Kevin Love
It became clear last season that LeBron James succeeds the most when surrounded by shooting- so, the Cavaliers made sure that they would have three non-shooters (Derrick Rose, Dwyane Wade, Tristan Thompson) as a part of their opening night starting lineup. But in this lineup with LBJ running the show surrounding by four great shooters, Cleveland would put up a ton of points whenever needed.
Detroit Pistons
Lineup: Avery Bradley, Luke Kennard, Stanley Johnson, Tobias Harris, Andre Drummond
The Reggie Jackson experiment has not worked out in Detroit, to say the least. He hasn’t played like a good point guard in quite some time now, and it’s time the Pistons look elsewhere for help at that position. One idea is to play two of their shooting guards together in Avery Bradley and Luke Kennard- neither can run an offense for an extended period of time, but they’re both more than capable ball-handlers.
Indiana Pacers
Lineup: Lance Stephenson, Victor Oladipo, Bojan Bogdanovic, TJ Leaf, Myles Turner
Could Indiana have possibly handled the Paul George trade any worse than they already did? Not only did they not get any noticeable young talent, but the centerpiece of the package was Victor Oladipo, whose four-year, $80M+ contract is paying him way too much money. But this five-man group provides athleticism, shooting, and most importantly, Lance Stephenson.
Milwaukee Bucks
Lineup: Giannis Antetokounmpo, Malcolm Brogdon, Khris Middleton, Jabari Parker, Thon Maker
There’s one word to describe this lineup: long. Aside from Brogdon, each player in this lineup has a huge wingspan for their position- but they don’t lack skill. Along with its freakish size, this lineup has shooting, scoring, athleticism and perimeter defense. While rebounding may be an issue, this group should run teams off the floor.
Atlanta Hawks
Lineup: Dennis Schroder, Tyler Dorsey, DeAndre Bembry, Taurean Prince, John Collins
Once a team expected to be in perpetual mediocrity, the Hawks have now shifted to a rebuild and have a bright future under new GM Travis Schlenk. And this season needs to be about maximizing the chance of getting a top pick- tanking. But it’s possible to tank and make progress at the same time- that’s what the Hawks can do, if they give their young, promising prospects more minutes than their veterans.
Charlotte Hornets
Lineup: Kemba Walker, Malik Monk, Jeremy Lamb, Nicolas Batum, Dwight Howard
Back in his days in Orlando, Dwight Howard once led the Magic to the NBA Finals thanks to a simple, yet brilliant game plan- surround Howard with four shooters and force the defense to pick their poison. Obviously Howard is not as good as he was then, and neither is his supporting cast- but in a very week Eastern Conference, riding that strategy should land Charlotte in the playoffs.
Miami Heat
Lineup: Goran Dragic, Dion Waiters, Justise Winslow, Bam Adebayo, Hassan Whiteside
After their historic second half that ended in disappointment, Miami went out and spent a lot of money in free agency, but not on anyone of true significance. They’re now stuck in the middle of the pack, with no way up or down- unless they find a stud in the NBA Draft. That’s what they hope rookie Bam Adebayo can be- a ferocious rebounder and defender, Adebayo projects to be a solid player, but they should be concerned about his fit with current Miami star Hassan Whiteside. While Whiteside is a very good player and Adebayo has the tools to become one, their styles of play are too similar- neither can step out and hit a jump shot, rendering them useless on offense when not in the pick and roll. Great players always find a way to make it work, but Miami should be pretty concerned about the fit of their front-court of the future.
Orlando Magic
Lineup: Elfrid Payton, Mario Hezonja, Jonathan Simmons, Aaron Gordon, Jonathan Isaac
Jonathan Isaac may have been listed as a combo-forward when he entered the Draft, but as the NBA continues to trend in the favor of athleticism, length and multi-positional defense, he will become the prototypical center in the next phase of basketball. And the Magic should realize this and do something they haven’t done in the last decade- be one step ahead of the competition. Surround Isaac with other athletic defenders, and watch what happens.
Washington Wizards
Lineup: John Wall, Bradley Beal, Kelly Oubre Jr., Otto Porter Jr., Markieff Morris
If they want to beat their ouster last year, the Boston Celtics, Washington needs to go ultra-small and play their five most skilled players. And make no mistake about it, this group would be so electric on offense that it would make up for their defensive shortcomings.
Denver Nuggets
Lineup: Jamal Murray, Gary Harris, Will Barton, Paul Millsap, Nikola Jokic
After bringing in Paul Millsap this summer, the Nuggets only have one hole to fill, and that is the point guard position. Emmanuel Mudiay has not impressed thus far, and Jameer Nelson is already 35 years old. To minimize this issue, they should often trot out this lineup- featuring no true point guard, but three guards who are more than capable of handling the ball- with two brilliant passing big-men in Millsap and Nikola Jokic inside to make it that much easier.
Minnesota Timberwolves
Lineup: Jeff Teague, Andrew Wiggins, Jimmy Butler, Taj Gibson, Karl Anthony-Towns
We’re going to see this lineup a lot- in fact, it’s their projected starting five. But here is why this group’s performance is going to be very interesting- the amount of talent in it is undeniable, but they are extremely flawed when it comes to shooting and perimeter defense. Towns is their only starter who is an above average defender for their position, and you can say the same for Jimmy Butler on the defensive end. Talent will likely win out, but this fit is not optimal, to say say the least.
Oklahoma City Thunder
Lineup: Russell Westbrook, Paul George, Carmelo Anthony, Patrick Patterson, Steven Adams
This five-man squad is also OKC’s projected starting five- and it’s hard to find anybody else worthy of plugging in, because like Minnesota, the Thunder don’t have any firepower off the bench. Andre Roberson will be their only good reserve, but even he is a complete liability on the offensive end. There is no question that OKC’s best players can compete with those of just about anybody else’s best, but they lack any quality backups.
Portland Trail Blazers
Lineup: Damian Lillard, CJ McCollum, Al Farouq-Aminu, Zach Collins, Jusuf Nurkic
The Blazers entered the Draft with three first-round picks in a wing-heavy class and a huge need for wing players. They proceeded to usee two picks to trade up for a big man, and then spent their other first-rounder on a big man- they only got shallower on the wing when they traded away Allen Crabbe and his massive contract to Brooklyn. Their trio of Lillard, McCollum and Nurkic was great in the second half of last season, but those guys need help- and are still stuck with Aminu, Evan Turner and Maurice Harkless as their primary wing players.
Utah Jazz
Lineup: Ricky Rubio, Donovan Mitchell, Rodney Hood, Joe Ingles, Rudy Gobert
The Jazz may have lost their best creator when Gordon Hayward departed for Boston, but do not fear- Utah will be back in the playoffs next season, with Rudy Gobert leading them there. They pulled off a phenomenal move when they traded up to the 13th pick last June to take Donovan Mitchell, the steal of the NBA Draft. He will become an elite 3 & D player for many years, and also possesses impressive ball-handling ability. He can help right away, though, as a versatile defender and capable shooter. With a fantastic distributor in Rubio and the fun duo of Hood and Ingles at the forward positions, the Jazz will still be a fun team to watch.
Golden State Warriors
Lineup: Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson, Kevin Durant, Draymond Green, Jordan Bell
As if the Warriors needed to get any better, this summer they added some valuable role players- most notably, rookie big Jordan Bell. A March Madness standout, he somehow fell into the second round on draft night. When the Warriors bought the 38th pick from the Chicago Bulls and grabbed him, it was the match made in heaven- Bell fits the Golden State mold- he’s a super-athletic big who can guard multiple positions and catch alley-oops. His fit into the lineup when playing with the core four will be seamless.
Los Angeles Clippers
Lineup: Patrick Beverley, Lou Williams, Sam Dekker, Blake Griffin, DeAndre Jordan
As soon as Blake Griffin steps back onto the court, the entire Clippers offensive game-plan should revolve around him- his scoring, playmaking and passing abilities make him a truly special player, and now that Chris Paul is out of the picture, he needs to receive more freedom with the ball. He should touch the ball pretty soon into each possession- most importantly, he can be a part of pick-and-rolls as either the roll-man or as the ball-handler with DeAndre Jordan cutting to the basket.
Los Angeles Lakers
Lineup: Lonzo Ball, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, Brandon Ingram, Larry Nance Jr., Julius Randle
This season should be all about developing youthful talent for the Lakers, so why not try out their five best young players together? They’ll likely give up a lot of points on defense, but they aren’t going to be a good team anyways- why not experiment? And on the offensive end, everything needs to be done to help Lonzo Ball and Brandon Ingram improve their games- those two are the future of the Lakers, and need to be groomed as such.
Phoenix Suns
Lineup: Tyler Ulis, Devin Booker, Josh Jackson, Marquese Chriss, Dragan Bender
If GM Ryan McDonough’s comments over the last few months are any indicator, the Suns are fully embracing the tank, doing everything they can to maximize the value of their draft picks as they wait for the Western Conference to not be a blood-bath. And this lineup with their five best prospects actually fits together perfectly, so hopefully we will see this group get a lot of run this year.
Sacramento Kings
Lineup: De’Aaron Fox, Buddy Hield, Bogdan Bogdanovic, Skal Labissiere, Willie Cauley-Stein
Sacramento could be executing the same plan as Phoenix, but unfortunately they are too short-sighted, and frankly, too dumb to understand it. Instead of giving their young talents the best chance to succeed, they wasted cap space on a bunch of veterans to take away their playing time. However, Kings fans should still be happy with where they are- it’s been a long time since they’ve had this much potential.
Dallas Mavericks
Lineup: Dennis Smith Jr., Seth Curry, Harrison Barnes, Dirk Nowitzki, Nerlens Noel
Dennis Smith Jr. has been called a dark-horse pick for the Rookie of the Year so many times that he’s become one of the favorites- and for good reason. He’s surrounded by players who will help him maximize his abilities- he has quite a few good shooters and scorer on the wings, one of the best stretch big-men of all time, and one of the league’s best rim-running lob-catchers. The Mavericks won’t be very good next season, but they will be very fun.
Houston Rockets
Lineup: Chris Paul, PJ Tucker, Trevor Ariza, Luc Richard Mbah a Moute, Clint Capela
Just imagine your favrorite team is playing against the Rockets, it’s a close game, you’re down by 2 with 15 seconds left and are inbounding the ball out of a timeout… and then you see this lineup. Game over. This group of five is so good defensively it’s almost unfair- as good as the Rockets were (and will be) on offense, they’ve put together a group of great defenders as well this offseason.
Memphis Grizzlies
Lineup: Mike Conley, Ben McLemore, Chandler Parsons, JaMychal Green, Marc Gasol
The Grizzlies have seemingly been trying for a decade to find reliable shooting on the wing. And after the debacle that was Chandler Parsons’ season (or lack thereof) last year, their latest project is former lottery pick Ben McLemore, who has the athletic ability and shooting stroke to succeed, but hasn’t developed any true basketball skills to put himself in a position to do so. But if Parsons gets healthy or McLemore puts it all together, Memphis will finally have what they’ve long been craving.
New Orleans Pelicans
Lineup: Jrue Holiday, Ian Clark, Dante Cunningham, Anthony Davis, DeMarcus Cousins
There was a very clear blueprint for the Pelicans coming into this summer- surround the monstrous duo of Davis and Cousins with the best shooters you possibly can. But GM Dell Demps decided instead to add no shooting, just Rajon Rondo and Tony Allen, two of the worst shooting guards in the entire NBA. But hopefully for the sake of the fans, they experiment with a lineup like this and realize that perimeter shooting is imperative when you have two dominant bigs, not optional.
San Antonio Spurs
Lineup: Patty Mills, Derrick White, Danny Green, Kawhi Leonard, LaMarcus Aldridge
LaMarcus Aldridge’s tenure in San Antonio has been a major disappointment thus far, partly due to his refusal to play center. But that needs to change now, because there is no other feasible path to success than going small. They will likely win close to 60 games just because they are the San Antonio Spurs, but this roster is so poorly constructed that it’s insane to think about how good they were last season. They are going to need some pleasant surprises this season, one of which can hopefully be rookie Derrick White, a combo-guard with a smooth stroke who should be able to help them out right off the bat, if they allow him to.
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