With Media Day on Monday, the Brooklyn Nets will be able to speak in length about some of the things that will be pertinent to this upcoming season as the franchise strives to develop some of the younger players and hopefully make it to the playoffs at the same time.
While one of the matters to watch is what becomes of the battle for the starting point guard spot between Ben Simmons and Spencer Dinwiddie. By all indications, Simmons is healthy and should be ready to be a full participant in training camp.
Dinwiddie, last season’s starting point guard after the Kyrie Irving trade, presumably will be competing with Simmons for the position, but is there a possibility of Simmons and Dinwiddie starting together? Nets head coach Jacque Vaughn said last week that there was an ‘agreement’ between the coaching staff and Simmons that if he is playing at a high level, he will be the lead guard.
However, considering Simmons’ recent history, that could be a significant if. Vaughn also said that Dinwiddie is a better shooter, like most players, in a catch-and-shoot scenario as opposed to shooting off the dribble. That could indicate that if Dinwiddie loses out on the starting point guard battle that he could still be a starter, but as an off-guard.
In that situation, every player would slide down one spot so Mikal Bridges would be the small forward, Cam Johnson would be the power forward, and Nic Claxton would be the center. That would obviously relegate Dorian Finney-Smith, last season’s starting power forward, and Royce O’Neale to the bench.
It would be an interesting lineup to ponder as the amount of shooting on the floor would be similar and there would be more speed and ball-handling within the starting lineup at the expense of size and rim-protection. This could be something to watch out for with training camp starting on Tuesday.
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