The NBA offseason is far from over, but there are still plenty of potential on-court lineups that are tantalizing. Here are five we can't wait to see.
While many NBA teams are clearly far from their final product, plenty of teams seem to be content with what they've done — or haven't done — this offseason and are gearing up for the season ahead.
There's more talent than ever in the NBA, and players of all different sizes have more range in their game than was even manageable a mere two decades ago. With this blend of diverse talent, there are endless intriguing lineup combinations worth hypothesizing about.
Small ball lineups, point center lineups, five-out lineups, lineups with multiple bigs, lineups with multiple point guards, and lineups with zero point guards (almost). You name it, there's a team that could try it.
Can Kevin Durant play center? What about point guard? What about Bruce Brown? Can Victor Wemabnyama be a point center? Can Chet Holmgren? What role can't Franz Wagner play?
The ideas and options are truly endless, and the most entertaining part of this exercise is recognizing how many of these potential lineups could easily be turned into another interesting one by just swapping out one player.
There are certainly plenty of other options we could've discussed here, but these five stood out to us.
Lastly, it's worth noting that the Portland Trail Blazers, Los Angeles Clippers, Miami Heat, and Philadelphia 76ers were intentionally excluded from this exercise given the likelihood that at least some of them will be making big trades that dramatically shake up their respective rosters.
5. Does anyone have more offensive firepower than the Phoenix Suns?
Hypothetical Lineup: Devin Booker, Bradley Beal, Eric Gordon, Kevin Durant, Keita Baites-Diop
Ever since Mat Ishbia bought the Phoenix Suns you could argue he's had one driving ethos in all the moves he has made: get players who can get buckets. This lineup epitomizes that and yes, disregards defense entirely. Because who needs defense when you know no one can stop your team?
Okay, the Suns will definitely need defense at some point, but they should absolutely try this lineup out. Booker and Durant are two of the best isolation players in the league, who are comfortable scoring from beyond the arc, midrange, and at the rim.
If a team has two defenders well equipped to slow them down? No problem, just let Beal attack.
Even if teams figure out how to slow those three down — with rim protection or great defensive rotations — their teammates will likely be left open.
That means Gordon, a career 37 percent 3-point shooter, or Baites-Diop, who shot 39 percent from deep last season.
The Suns would truly be telling every opponent to pick their poison with this lineup, and every team in the league should fear it.
4. The Spurs have nothing to lose next season, so why wouldn't they try any and every lineup combination you can think of?
Hypothetical Lineup: Keldon Johnson, Malaki Branham, Devin Vassell, Jeremy Sochan, Victor Wembanyama
Is the theory of this lineup essentially just putting all the Spurs' good young players on the floor together? Yes, but why shouldn't they do this?
Even after winning the Wembanyama sweepstakes, the Spurs are likely looking at another season of missing the playoffs. This isn't like when they got Tim Duncan, it's more like when the Cleveland Cavaliers got LeBron James and the Dallas Mavericks got Luka Doncic.
They're going to be fun, and have some great nights against good teams, but the talent simply won't be there to win enough games to contend for a playoff spot.
So, let's have some fun. Make Wembanyama the point center, let him grab the rebounds and push the ball immediately, hunting for every transition opportunity there is.
In the halfcourt, have him run pick-and-rolls with Sochan, or do a dribble-handoff with Vassell or Branham. Try it all and see what works and what doesn't!
On defense, have Wemby anchor, with Sochan given permission to follow his instincts and roam to help the rest of his teammates switching.
Find out if there is a future where five of your core young pieces share the court together because the last time the Spurs had something close to that, they started a dynasty.
3. How much longer can the Orlando Magic stay under the radar?
Hypothetical Lineup: Anthony Black, Jett Howard, Franz Wagner, Paolo Banchero, Wendell Carter Jr.
Ever since the Warriors first found success with their death lineup that optimized their basketball IQ, defensive versatility, and unmatchable floor spacing — teams around the league have tried to replicate it.
Some came pretty close — like the Houston Rockets who pushed them to seven games in the 2018 Western Conference Finals.
Others have failed, entirely. Like the Raptors, who in their quest for athleticism and defensive versatility seem to have forgotten the importance of having players who can dribble and shoot.
The Orlando Magic, however, may be on the verge of building one of the most versatile rosters we've ever seen and this lineup is their strongest example.
The shortest player is rookie, Black, who's 6-7. The so-called center in this lineup, Carter Jr., is 6-10. One could argue there is not a five-man unit in the rest of the league better equipped to play a switch-everything defensive scheme.
On offense, all five players can shoot — Black was 30 percent in college last season and Banchero 30 percent in his rookie season but you expect them to improve.
All five players have incredible basketball intelligence, especially for their age.
Any two players could hypothetically work together in pick-and-roll, pick-and-pop, or dribble-handoffs.
The possibilities with this unit are endless, and it might be what takes the Magic from a fun league pass team to one that any team would want to avoid in the playoffs.
2. Could the Oklahoma City Thunder finally be back in the NBA playoffs?
Hypothetical Lineup: Josh Giddey, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Vasilije Micic, Chet Holmgren, Jaylin Williams
The Thunder have not made the playoff's since the 19-20 NBA season. Then, they were powered by a three-point guard lineup of Chris Paul, Dennis Schroder, and Gilgeous-Alexander.
Three seasons later, the Thunder could be back in the playoff and once again, a three-point guard lineup could be their recipe for success.
NBA teams of course generate offensive advantages and opportunities in a variety of ways, but the pick-and-roll still reigns supreme. With this lineup, the Thunder will have three incredibly skilled pick-and-roll players on the floor at once in Giddey, Gilgeous-Alexander, and Micic.
Using Holmgren and Williams, two skilled, nimble, and athletic bigs who can finish at the rim or stretch the floor as the screeners with these three will be a nightmare for opposing teams to figure out how to defend.
Drop coverage? Okay, all three guards will dominate with their pull-up guy or attack and throw a lob.
Switching? That's fine, just pull the ball back and isolate or exploit the size mismatch down low.
Blitz? Ballhandlers will stay patient and find Williams or Holmgren in a scenario where they can attack 4-on-3.
The Thunder snuck their way into the play-in last season, and this lineup could be what helps them finally make the breakthrough.
1. Could the Indiana Pacers surprise the entire Eastern Conference next season?
Hypothetical Lineup: Tyrese Haliburton, Buddy Hield, Bennedict Mathurin, Bruce Brown, Jarace Walker
The Pacers missed out on the play-in last season, finishing 11th with a record of 35-47. But there was plenty to be excited about.
Most notably, Hailburton and Mathurin looked awesome together. Haliburton averaged 20 and 10 and looks bound for stardom at one level or another and Mathurin averaged nearly 20 points per game as a rookie.
Add in Hield's relentless and accurate 3-point shooting and you've got defenses on the back foot.
Now, add NBA champion Brown who flashed elite off-the-bounce creation and shooting for the Nuggets last season. Before that, he showcased his ability as a versatile screening threat in an undersized big role for the once star-laden Brooklyn Nets.
Also, Brown might not even be necessary for that. Pacers rookie, Walker, was arguably the best short-roll prospect in this year's draft class. He thrives in the short roll, has great athleticism, and a feel for the game that might actually make Rick Carlisle smile.
On the defensive end, Walker is a modern small-ball five. He's athletic and has great instincts to allow him to switch onto the perimeter and protect the wing. He's also sturdy, allowing him to bang down low with opposing centers with ease.
This Pacers lineup is young and loaded with superior basketball intellect, it could be what gets them back into the playoffs and truly put Haliburton on the map as a star.
