At this point, I'd be happy if Saunders just played Amir Johnson at all. As a starter...off the bench...at any position...I don't care...JUST GET THE KID SOME MINUTES.

It appear unlikely at this point and maybe well into the future unless Saunders changes his thinking after AJ is fully healed.

This is not the first time that a writer has made the comment that AJ and Maxey will not be on the court at the same time.

The problem as I see it is this.

Maxey cannot play the #3, certainly not as well as Tay or Hayes. Maxey is also too short for the #5. So Maxey is a a one position player and that is the #4.

AJ is now almost 7 feet tall so Saunders is just not going to play him at the #3 and he also would be behind Tay and Hayes at the #3.

So you say why not play AJ at the #5? The answer is because he is too light and not strong enough to play the #5.

So therefore AJ sits and sits.

This is why I have suggested trading him for Bynum (who is averaging 11 points and 9 boards this year (3 games) in only 20 minutes a game. Bynum is a true center and he would get playing time.

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Amir hasn't completely recovered from his ankle injury. I think he'll get more burn once he's completely healed.

Where is he going to play? Not the #3 for reasons I have explained and not the #5 for reasons I have explained. At this point Saunders sees him as a #4 only and AJ will not play ahead of Dyess or Maxey which leaves him this year with garbage time only unless Dyess or Maxey get hurt which I hope that they don't.

Dyess has one year contract. He will not come back next year. Maxey will start in place of him and AJ will play behind Maxey coming in off the bench.

There is a possibility that AJ may get some burn at the #5 but we will have to see. All indications are that although he is certainly tall enough to play the #5, that he is not strong enough at this time in his career to play the #5 except in limited situations.

Buddha, Dyess was resigned for two additional years. Also, Sheed's minutes should be decreased, he can't average 35+ per game. AJ could play 4 with Dyess playing 5 for some stretches depending on matchups.

AJ is not going to play ahead of Maxey.

You have 96 minutes a game between the #4 and #5. Maxey will not be played at the #3.

So you have Maxey, Sheed, and Dyess dividing up 96 minutes.

Lowest minutes of the three combined unless extreme foul trouble is about 85 minutes a game, but more likely the way Maxey is playing it will be closer to 88 - 90. That leaves 6 minutes a game. Nazr got 4 of them last night at the #5.

I just don't see how AJ is going to get more than garbage minutes this year unless Dyess, Sheed or Maxey gets injured.

The only possibilities, which I think are both not very likely to occur is that AJ may get some of Dyess minutes or possibly Maxey if Maxey regresses in his game, which I doubt. His confidence and play level are both increasing with each game. If anything, I see his minutes going over 30 a game as
long as he dose not get into foul trouble in a particular game.

I'm not saying ahead. But if they cut Sheed's time down to 30 minutes it will free up some time for AJ. If Sheed plays 30, Dyess and Maxiell play 28 apiece, it will leave 10 min for AJ somewhere.

I think you are making the minutes fit your argument rather than the other way around.

Sheed at 32
Maxey at 32
Dyess at 26

That is 90 minutes and leaves 6 minutes for AJ and Nazr.

If if there are 10 minutes as you say and not 6 that will not be every game. They will not cut Sheed, Maxey or Dyess minutes in competitive games so that means to get to your numbers that they will cut their minutes in blowouts, which is when AJ will play during garbage time in blowouts or maybe for a few minutes here and there at the end of the second quarter if two or more of our bigs our in foul trouble.

I'm not trying to fit the minutes into my argument. This is how I think the minutes should be allocated. I know that Flip has other ideas and mine is more of a wishful thinking.

There is no good reason why Amir and Maxiell cannot play together. There is also no good reason why they both can't play minutes at PF separately. There is also no good reason why one of them can't play SF.

However, there is one BAD reason why all of the above can't take place...Flip Saunders. Fire Flip and our problems are solved.