It's a very good sign when you see a rising talented player working out hard 3 month before the season starts. He's set up for a breakout season
with word he's the likely starter, i'll be watching both the team defense and his long range shooting. if those carry over from the playoffs, it will be great. if not, we'll be looking at prince or vando for the starting spot and have rui be a heavy minute bench guy. i do like where pete shows that rui uses the jumpstop to great effect. especially at his size, being able to stop momentum and go straight up really makes his shot more reliable, and that makes him a tough cover. really think he can be a peak marcus morris type.
Do you think it's better for him and the team to start? I think there's more value for both if he comes from the bench (and still playing more minutes than the starter). If he continues that playoff form, he can have a run at 6th man of the year. I also think you want Vando there at the start to match the biggest star on the opponent. If he comes from the bench, he won't catch that guy on the court as often and hinders his main value to our team
I'll chime in on both at once... I'm not entering the season expecting him to pick up where he left off. I don't think those % numbers are sustainable for him for 82. If he has it in him, I'd rather him save it for the 16. I think the pace of playoff basketball is more his jam. However, I'm not expecting a huge drop off. I think the playoffs served as him introducing himself to the world. Role meets opportunity. He and Handy did great things together and it looks like securing the bag this summer hasn't slowed down his willingness to work and learn. I think Vando might make more sense for regular season games but I still start Rui because I want the continuity. I want injuries to be the only reason there's any deviation from our starting 5. You don't get Denver level continuity playing lineup yo-yo. The biggest issue not starting Rui for me is it gets clunky by bringing him off the bench. Gabe is first off the bench. Followed by Prince. Vando as the second forward and then Max as the second guard. You start having to cram those minutes in some places you're not maximizing your dollar if Vando starts. It's possible, just not ideal in how I see the minutes and roles breaking down. Defensively, you have AD covering the big. AR covering the guard or wing. It's going to depend on how engaged Rui and Bron will be, not worried about Rui if there is size on the other side. DLO is DLO, we know what to expect there.
I think Rui will be fine either starting or coming off the bench. I’m in agreement that against the good teams, I would rather see Vando start to suppress the big time scorers from the get go. I’m sure Ham will figure it out- he never puts out questionable lineups.
rui seems pretty media-conscious, in a different way than kuz but similar spirit, imo. i say that as someone who never minded kuz's media interaction because it was clear to me he put in the work on the court.
Good to see them traveling the world with Handy, putting in the work, bonding, and developing some chemistry. Expecting big things from both of them this year.
Handy mentioned that and definitely looks like it next to Rui. Not great that the two guys on the training staff have bigger leg muscles than Vando though. Gotta stop skipping leg day.
Are you saying that going by what you see visually in the photo? Or did you see Handy's tweet about a week ago that seemed to actually be saying that. I was going to post that then, but started reading replies and it more seemed kind of impossible at his age. And god knows did not want to be "mocked" here over it.
