This is a good point. Avoiding the wear and tear of a long season makes a difference. But there’s also a balance that needs to be struck with achieving maximum team chemistry or coordination. Last season Geno seems exactly to have hit a sweet spot between these two aspects. An 8-player rotation may be easier to manage to achieve this balance than a 10-player rotation.
Last season, Geno raised the question, who would stand up when Paige was on the bench? The ‘big three’ eventually solved this problem which allowed Geno to keep Paige’s average minutes under 30. The fact that Sarah could start from day one was key to this. But kids like that are rare, Paige-rare. The formula will be different this season in one way or another, and this may make a 10-player rotation more attractive for various reasons. For example, pressing more may address the need to have Azzi or Sarah on the floor for 30+ minutes. A ferocious, piranha-style press could alleviate the need to have both NPoY candidates on the floor so much. This is why going to 10 from 8 is more complicated than simply adding 2. Lots of considerations.
