Predicting Brooklyn Nets playoff rotation post-Ben Simmons trade

Predicting Brooklyn Nets playoff rotation post-Ben Simmons trade: The Nets have a serious bench dilemma to figure out.

Off the bat, Bruce Brown needs to be the surefire sixth man for the Brooklyn Nets. A multi-positional threat with frontcourt skills at the size and quickness of a guard, Brown is a dynamic threat in any lineup.

Need him to pick up the tough defensive assignments? He’ll do it with no questions asked. Is your squad on a cold streak? Brown can go get you a bucket. Having trouble on the glass? He’ll be down low with the trees, poking the ball loose and fighting for boards.

If the Nets opt to deploy a small-ball lineup, Brown is the perfect player to slide into the starting lineup over Aldridge. He very well may be part of the closing lineup as well.

Additionally, forward James Johnson brings some added muscle and lineup versatility to an offensively powerful Nets squad. Though he’s not a big-time bucket getter, Johnson doesn’t need to be.

He’s a tough competitor and enforcer who can step out on the perimeter and keep up with shifty players or use his strength to combat forward/bigs down low. Johnson can switch, fight through screens, pass in a team construct and chase loose balls when needed.

The biggest head-scratcher comes with the competition between Claxton and Drummond. Since the All-Star Break, Claxton has posted the third-highest Net Rating on the Nets. He’s an effective rim protector with incredible bounce and mobility at the five-spot. He’s not the rebounder that Drummond is – no one really is – but he should probably play the most minutes of the bigs despite his lack of playoff experience.

Last up in the rotation is a final guard spot with three contending players. Signed this past offseason to be a crucial member of the rotation, Patty Mills has been streaky for Brooklyn as of late. He’s shooting lights out from three-point land on the year, but is prone to a lull and can sometimes get exposed by bigger guards.

That’s partly why the Nets signed Goran Dragic from the buyout market – insurance. A crafty guard whose impact has mostly been felt as a playmaker, Dragic is only slightly larger and not nearly as feisty of a defender as Mills. In the argument between the two, I lean toward giving Mills those minutes for his championship experience, unselfish nature, and history of coming up big in key moments.

Rookie Cam Thomas has defied all expectations after being picked 27th overall in the most recent NBA Draft. Given this team’s championship aspirations, I’d expect the Nets to remain cautious and keep him out of the playoff rotation. However, Thomas will likely be Nash’s ‘Break Glass In Case of an Emergency’ play if the Nets find themselves in hot water.

With all things considered, I’d project the Nets playoff rotation to look something like this:

PG: Kyrie Irving (35+ mins), Patty Mills (12-18 mins)

SG: Seth Curry (30 mins),

SF: Kevin Durant (35+ mins), Bruce Brown (22-27+ mins)

PF: Ben Simmons (28-32 mins), James Johnson (12-17 mins)

C: LaMarcus Aldridge (15-20 mins), Nic Claxton (18-22 mins), Andre Drummond (16-22 mins)