Starting Lineup Changes NBA Teams Should Think About
Basketball geeks like ourselves know by now that starting lineups are not the end-all, be-all of an NBA team's existence. Overall playing time and heavily-leaned-upon closing units are more critical barometers for identity, direction and success than opening-tip arrangements.
But...starting fives are hardly throwaway combinations. Teams don't roll out five random players to begin games (not even the Washington Wizards). Nor are they deploying units with the hope or expectation these groups will not place among their most effective lineups.
So, while starting quintets needn't be non-negotiable lifelines, they are meant to reflect a team's best or near-best effort.
Put another way: Starting lineups still matter. And because they still matter, it's worth pondering adjustments for those that are not quite working.
Bad results will not necessarily earn entry into this space. A team like the Portland Trail Blazers is both rebuilding and dealing with a surplus of key injuries (Anfernee Simons, Scoot Henderson). They could think about pulling Matisse Thybulle (or Malcolm Brogdon) for Toumani Camara in the interim. But their current group—Brogdon, Thybulle, Deandre Ayton, Jerami Grant, Shaedon Sharpe—hits the right mark relative to their direction and available personnel.
Claiming that one-third or more of the entire league needs to tweak its starting five is preposterous. I won't do that here. This exercise will be separated into five different groupings that sort squads based on why they should consider a change and how urgent or necessary some fiddling might be.
Are They Optimizing Their Starting 5 Amid Injuries?
1 of 5
Memphis Grizzlies
Current Starting Five: Marcus Smart, Desmond Bane, Ziaire Williams, Jaren Jackson Jr., Bismack Biyombo/David Roddy/Xavier Tillman Sr.
Between the absences of Steven Adams (season-ending right knee surgery), Brandon Clarke (left Achilles injury) and Ja Morant (25-game suspension), the Grizzlies aren't working with too many options. Smart, Bane and Jackson are must-starts, and Memphis is already tinkering with the second-big spot.
Beginning games with Jackson as the only big should probably be more on the table. Rather than plugging in Tillman, Biyombo or a limited shooter like Roddy, the Grizzlies have the capacity to try out Luke Kennard or John Konchar.
Using one of them in Williams' stead and inserting a healthy Santi Aldama alongside Jackson is another possibility.
Phoenix Suns
Current Starting Five: Devin Booker, Grayson Allen, Josh Okogie, Kevin Durant, Jusuf Nurkić*
(*Note: Phoenix started Eric Gordon and Keita Bates-Diop in its past two games without Booker and Bradley Beal.)
The absences of Booker and Bradley Beal (yet to play this season) have thrown the Suns' opening unit for a series of loops. Head coach Frank Vogel has already used three different starting fives in addition to experimenting with the overarching rotation.
Beal's eventual return takes care of some guesswork. Phoenix has three locks with him, Booker and Durant. The other two spots should be up for grabs, including Nurkić's claim to the 5.
And if the center slot is non-negotiable, the Suns should probably lean into three-point volume with Gordon over Okogie or Bates-Diop, defensive concessions be damned.
Sacramento Kings
Current Starting Five: Davion Mitchell, Kevin Huerter, Keegan Murray, Harrison Barnes, Domantas Sabonis
De'Aaron Fox will rejoin the starting lineup after he recovers from a moderate right ankle sprain. In the meantime, Sacramento has decided to fill his spot with Davion Mitchell. I'm not a fan.
Mitchell shrinks the floor, and it shows. The temporary starting five is getting trucked by 16 points per 100 possessions, with an offensive rating that checks in south of 93.
Pulling Mitchell for Malik Monk or even Chris Duarte is the smarter move. It'll come at the expense of defense, but the Kings have built their roster around thermonuclear offense. There's no point deviating from that identity.
It's Too Early, but They're on the Radar
2 of 5
Golden State Warriors
Current Starting Five: Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson, Andrew Wiggins, Draymond Green, Kevon Looney
Breaking up one of the NBA's most effective five-man combos from last year comes across as dramatic so early into the season.
This group outscored opponents by 22.1 points per 100 possessions in 2022-23. It has earned more time to iron out the wrinkles, especially when Green wasn't immediately available to begin 2023-24.
At the same time, though, we can't just ignore their minus-13.7 net rating through 100-plus possessions this year. If the numbers don't start to turn, the Warriors have to at least consider what a starting five without the struggling Wiggins looks like.
L.A. Clippers
Current Starting Five: Russell Westbrook, James Harden, Paul George, Kawhi Leonard, Ivica Zubac
Rolling out all four of George, Harden, Leonard and Westbrook to begin games panders too much toward locker room dynamics. Maybe that's the right call. The Clippers can use early hooks to stagger their most ball-dominant players.
Still, demoting Westbrook to the second unit feels cleaner. It's harder to stagger properly when everyone you want to separate is opening games, and coming off the bench should maximize the time he gets to spend on-ball.
Failing that, starting Terance Mann (once healthy) should prove too tempting. He can lighten the perimeter defensive workloads for George and Leonard, and his offensive impact isn't predicated on getting a certain amount of touches.
It's Worth Considering: The West
3 of 5
Dallas Mavericks
Current Starting Five: Luka Dončić, Kyrie Irving, Derrick Jones Jr., Grant Williams, Dereck Lively
A scorching-hot start may leave the Mavericks reticent to make a change, but it shouldn't.
Irving's absence with a left foot sprain has limited the early-season sample, but this quintet is getting outscored by 15.6 points per 100 possessions while notching an offensive rating below 104.
Dončić and Irving aren't going anywhere. Williams has been too on-fire to think about benching. Lively is already providing vertical spacing and defensive energy.
I would look at moving Jones to the bench. He's been good to start the year, but a more proven floor-spacer who commands defensive attention—preferably Josh Green—feels like the way to go.
Los Angeles Lakers
Current Starting Five: D'Angelo Russell, Austin Reaves, Cam Reddish/Taurean Prince, LeBron James, Anthony Davis
LeBron, Davis and—despite his initial struggles—Reaves all register as starting-lineup locks. But the Lakers shouldn't hesitate to mix it up from there.
Color me shocked that the starting five with Prince has struggled so much on offense, but sliding Reddish into this spot while Prince dealt with left knee soreness didn't look great on the defense.
I'm left to wonder whether L.A. should consider moving Russell to the bench and starting Gabe Vincent (when healthy). They can also contemplate steering into the Christian Wood experience from the opening jump, with either DLo or Vincent alongside LeBron, Davis and Reaves.
San Antonio Spurs
Current Starting Five: Jeremy Sochan, Devin Vassell, Keldon Johnson, Victor Wembanyama, Zach Collins
Urging the Spurs to make a change rings hollow when they're not all-in on the here and now. Then again, they have been incredibly frisky and competitive while using a starting five that has an offensive rating in the 0th percentile.
Making room for Tre Jones should loom as a potential priority. A healthy Vassell and Wembanyama are starting no matter what. Throw Zach Collins in there, as well; he's a perfect Wemby complement.
That leaves Sochan or Johnson to come off the bench. The former offers more playmaking and preserves the Sochan-at-point-guard experiment, but his defensive malleability would be missed. That's still probably the route I'd go, particularly given how well the Jones, Vassell, Johnson, Wemby and Collins unit has fared in limited action.
It's Worth Considering: The East
4 of 5
Indiana Pacers
Current Starting Five: Tyrese Haliburton, Bennedict Mathurin, Bruce Brown, Obi Toppin, Myles Turner
Diplomacy likely prevents the Pacers from demoting Mathurin after a less-than-encouraging performance out of the gate. And there's little point suggesting they bench Haliburton, Brown or Turner.
That leaves Toppin, which is fitting because Indy's second frontline spot is among its biggest long-term question marks. Aaron Nesmith is a no-brainer candidate, but the Pacers may not want to play that small. Jalen Smith emerges almost by default if that's the case, though he is 7-of-11 from deep to begin the season.
Possible combinations get more interesting if Indy is open to bringing Mathurin off the bench. Putting both Nesmith and Buddy Hield in the starting five isn't very future-focused, but it may be the most effective lineup the Pacers can feasibly deploy.
Going back to Hield could also technically open the door for Jarace Walker to start with him, but Indy doesn't seem like it's in a rush to get the rookie court time.
Milwaukee Bucks
Current Starting Five: Damian Lillard, Malik Beasley, Khris Middleton, Giannis Antetokounmpo, Brook Lopez
Four of these names are etched in stone. And for his part, Beasley is shooting the ball well enough to maintain his hold on the fifth spot.
But with the Bucks off to a shaky defensive start, I'd be more interested in MarJon Beauchamp or Jae Crowder getting the nod, if only to see what transpires. Feel free to nominate Pat Connaughton, too—if, and only if, he's nailing his threes.
Philadelphia 76ers
Current Starting Five: Tyrese Maxey, De'Anthony Melton, Kelly Oubre Jr., Tobias Harris, Joel Embiid
Jettisoning P.J. Tucker as part of the James Harden trade created a starting-lineup vacancy. Plugging it with Oubre has some merit. He's played really well, and head coach Nick Nurse can move him around defensively.
Once things settle, though, Robert Covington has my vote to take that spot. Philly's bench could use Oubre's shot-of-adrenaline cadence, and RoCo gives more defensive disruption without nuking your floor balance—in theory, anyway.
Nicolas Batum is another option here now that he's back with the Sixers. The second unit could use his vision and connectivity, but even at 34, he's better equipped to handle tougher perimeter assignments than Oubre or Covington.
Just Make the Change Already
5 of 5
Chicago Bulls
Current Starting Five: Coby White, Zach LaVine, Torrey Craig, DeMar DeRozan, Nikola Vučević
Patrick Williams has already been yanked from the Bulls starting five for Craig, but the changes shouldn't stop there.
Chicago has always seemed reluctant to start Alex Caruso. The energy he expends on defense isn't conducive to a high-minutes role, and bringing him off the bench makes it easier to monitor his minutes.
That's a reasonable stance. It doesn't preclude the Bulls from implementing changes. They need to open up the floor just as much as they need to reinvigorate the defense. Subbing out Coby White—who's shooting just 23.7 percent from deep—for Jevon Carter would do both.
Detroit Pistons
Current Starting Five: Killian Hayes, Cade Cunningham, Ausar Thompson, Isaiah Stewart, Jalen Duren
I'm not here to pile on the "What's happening with Jaden Ivey in Detroit is weird!" onslaught. The Pistons should play him more, if only because they have so much draft equity invested in him.
Until their direction proves otherwise, he is no worse than the fourth most important player on the roster. That he has logged just 14 possessions alongside Cunningham, Duren and Thompson is uncomfortable at best, malpractice at worst.
Anyway, the Pistons do not need to start Ivey. I probably would, but that's besides the point. The current starting five is struggling to score and canning under 32 percent of their triples.
Hayes has the size to defend and switch, but Detroit should be prioritizing an offensive upgrade. Is that Ivey? Marcus Sasser? Bojan Bogdanović or Monte Morris once they're both healthy? The Pistons are better off trying all of them rather than remaining married to what they field now.
Utah Jazz
Current Starting Five: Jordan Clarkson, Talen Horton-Tucker, Lauri Markkanen, John Collins, Walker Kessler
Just start Keyonte George!
Some will interpret this to mean the Jazz have to bench Clarkson. Playing both him and George when Markkanen is your primary wing gets dicey on the defensive end.
I honestly don't care. Utah can bring Collins off the bench to keep Horton-Tucker in the fold if it's that concerned.
Whether that matters is debatable. This team isn't built to be much better than a bottom-sevenish defense. Getting more reps for George against higher-end competition and alongside Markkanen and Kessler should top the to-do list.
Unless otherwise noted, stats courtesy of NBA.com, Basketball Reference, Stathead or Cleaning the Glass and accurate entering games on Monday, Nov. 6. Salary information via Spotrac.
Dan Favale covers the NBA for Bleacher Report. Follow him on Twitter (@danfavale), and subscribe to the Hardwood Knocks podcast, co-hosted by Bleacher Report's Grant Hughes.
