Nets projected lineup and rotations heading into 2023-24 season
Brooklyn Nets starting shooting guard: Spencer Dinwiddie
Let’s say Ben Simmons returns to All-Star form or is at least back to a level that necessitates a spot in the starting five. That shouldn’t diminish Spencer Dinwiddie’s role too much. His assist numbers will naturally decrease, but he will still be a central offensive force due to his ability to create off of drives and pressure the rim.
Simmons is a tremendous open-court playmaker who loves to set up teammates, but even at his peak, he was limited as a halfcourt scorer. Set defenses will sag off of Simmons and ignore him away from the rim. He doesn’t pose any pull-up threat, which means plenty of halfcourt possessions will cycle around to Dinwiddie catching and attacking or initiating from the top of the key.
Dinwiddie is comfortable in pick-and-roll actions and he’s one of the few Nets who is truly comfortable creating his own shot. Dinwiddie’s mid-range pull-up is a staple of the Nets’ offense and while he’s not a great 3-point shooter, he takes enough to keep defenders honest.
Part of the awkward fit with Simmons in Philadelphia was always the absence of another point guard to unlock him as a screener and off-ball cutter in the halfcourt. It’s fair to be skeptical about Simmons embracing that role, but he looked willing to embrace new skills next to Irving and Durant early last season. A full-capacity Simmons screening, rolling, and operating out of the dunker’s spot while Dinwiddie and Mikal Bridges pace the halfcourt offense could pay serious dividends.
Everything with the Simmons hypothetical is a huge if, but it’s an exciting if. And, either way, Dinwiddie will be of critical importance.
Primary backup shooting guard: Mikal Bridges
The Nets will spend plenty of time with three, four, even five wings on the floor. In those instances, Bridges will be the de facto shooting guard due to his ability to, well, shoot. He’s also going to receive plenty of ball-handling reps working out of pick-and-rolls and creating his own looks in the mid-range.
Last season was a real breakout moment for Bridges, who transformed his reputation from 3-and-D specialist in Phoenix to mid-range savant and primary scorer in Brooklyn. The Nets will try him at different spots all over the floor.
Other players who could receive minutes at shooting guard: Dennis Smith Jr., Cam Thomas, Lonnie Walker IV
The Nets made Dennis Smith Jr. a priority signing over the summer. He figures to scrap his way to minutes as one of the best on-ball guard defenders in the NBA. A former top-10 pick and nuclear athlete who was forced to reinvent himself mid-career, Smith’s story is one of perseverance and hard work. Vaughn is going to like him a lot.
As for Cam Thomas, Vaughn’s opinions on the LSU product is well documented. Perhaps too well documented. Thomas is a tremendous self-creator who can hit tough shots from anywhere on the floor, but he has yet to translate his talent to consistently winning basketball. He needs to learn how to play within a team context if he wants to stick.