Originally Posted by
CDu
Yeah, the first three are a given. After that, anything could happen. I wouldn't be surprised if Thomas starts (given that he has the most experience of the remaining players). He'd be the guy I'd expect to start at the 4, but it all depends on who gets the start at the 5 spot. Those two spots may wind up being very fluid throughout the year, with lots of players getting starts and the minutes being distributed widely.
I do think the most important player development is going to be that of Smith. He's going to have to prove he can play 35 minutes per game and be a constant presence on both ends of the floor. We can't afford for him to get into any foul trouble or disappear for large stretches, because he can't be subbed.
Smith is also going to have the responsibility of handling the quickest player on the opposing team every night for major minutes. That's a big burden to carry. Hopefully he's ready for it. He showed flashes of the ability last year, but struggled for long stretches as well.
If he can step up and be an impact player for 35 minutes per game, we may be able to survive the lack of depth at guard (assuming no injuries to Scheyer, Smith, or Singler). But that's a big key to the season. If Smith is unable to handle that enormous increase in responsibility, it's likely to be a tough year.