This unorthodox bench lineup could be pure fun for Spurs

Team Defense that Allows the Most Freedom

When it comes to building a championship contender, defensive depth is of the utmost importance. And while the Spurs likely won’t be coming close to a championship this coming season, one of the main appeals of this bench lineup is just that. This group’s defensive efforts will undoubtedly be led by Sidy Cissoko on the perimeter and Charles Bassey as a rim-protecting force around the bucket. Still, Branham, Johnson, and Mamukelashvili shouldn’t necessarily be discounted entirely.

The sheer size of the rest of the players in this lineup will allow Branham to stick to smaller guards and use his size more to his advantage as opposed to having to guard up a lineup. Meanwhile, Bassey’s presence around the bucket could allow Mamukelashvili to act as a secondary help defender rather than a primary rim-protecting center. Lastly, Cissoko’s presence should allow Keldon Johnson to face more favorable matchups on the perimeter and use his strength and motor to his advantage.

In essence, the combination of Cissoko and Bassey should allow the three less defensive-minded players more freedom to take risks, face less daunting matchups, and generally play more to their strengths. So long as Branham, Johnson, and Mamukelashvili can stay disciplined and stick to the fundamentals on that end of the floor, their defensive floor as a unit could be higher than it may appear on paper.