The Optimal Starting Lineup
Point Guard: Brandon Knight
Shooting Guard: Devin Booker
Small Forward: Josh Jackson
Power Forward: Trevor Ariza
Center: Deandre Ayton
Not only is this starting lineup the one that I am hoping to see, I also do believe that based on the depth of the roster, this is the absolute, most optimal starting lineup new Head Coach Igor Kokoskov can throw out on any given night keeping the team as competitive as possible.
The form and function of this starting lineup is such that not only are there five capable scorers (and actually, four capable 3-point shooters save for Josh Jackson unless he can improve upon that this offseason) which is something that the team also struggled with last season, as well as two very solid defensive players to help lock down the opponent’s best two scorers.
Granted, Ariza and Jackson won’t be able to stop the Golden State Warriors or Houston Rockets (or the Boston Celtics or Toronto Raptors, for that matter), but for so many other teams who really only have two scorers at most and a weaker roster around them, those two in the starting lineup playing solid defense will keep the team in more games than they have in years – so long as the starters are hitting their shots.