coach AI deployment of SGs

[kingcanute99]

A few times now I've seen AI coaches (in GM-only mode) make very strange deployments of Klay Thompson - putting him as a super 6th man rather than a starter, even when alternate SGs were relatively weak (2-star players who should be 8th or 9th men - like replacement-level 3-and-D types).

The most recent time I got annoyed and traded him for Jrue Holiday (thinking it was something about Klay's profile that had him as a 6th man) and it immediately put Jrue as 6th man.

I tried changing PGs in case there was some sort of chemistry thing (traded Rubio for De'Aaron Fox) and that changed nothing.

What is the AI thinking? Just trying to get my hands around the logic so that I can give my coach a team he'll get the most out of.....

Any thoughts welcome,

[Gary Gorski]

Well the AI is doing exactly what you are saying - it's using Thompson in the 6th man role because there is so much offense already in the starting lineup. I'm willing to bet it would have had Thompson or Holiday or whoever closing out the game though. If the bench is weak offensively it does make sense to let Thompson be the anchor there and get his shots while not having to compete with Steph and KD

[pdandy]

Although I like this feature, I don't think all coaches should default to using the super 6th man rotation. I think it should be another preference on the coach.
I also would like to disable/enable this as setting for my own auto-managed rotation.

Secondly, not all super 6th men are willing to come off the bench. Player attitude should play part in this. Just because I give you the majority of the minutes doesn't mean you wouldn't bristle at the fact that you aren't a starter. There should still be a chance for a player to be disgruntled if they don't get to start; AI should also know how to adjust in these situations - whether they end up giving in to the star player, trade him, or stand pat.

Finally, I noticed that in the playoffs, these super 6th men get lesser minutes than they should. I think it is because the rest of the starting 5 get much more minutes. Thus we don't need the super 6th man's scoring even more. This is not how things work IRL. Usually rotations tighten up in the postseason and the coach goes more with the people he trusts. This means super 6th men get even more minutes during the postseason.

I would actually be ok with this rotation setting being default if the super sub played starter level minutes. Right now, it seems like their mpg is always handicapped in regular and postseason due to them being treated as a bench player.

[Gary Gorski]

All coaches do not default to it in the game. The other items are interesting points and I will have to see how to further incorporate them into the game