Coach Adelman, now in his second year, is crystal clear on his rotation philosophy: he’s absolutely not a fan of going beyond 10 men in a 24-minute half. Why? Because, as he puts it, “It gets really junky.” He thinks jamming an 11th man into his sub pattern totally throws off the rhythm of how he rotates his starters. And honestly, who wants a junky rotation, right?
The Rhythm Killer: Why 11 Just Doesn’t Flow
Adelman pretty much said it straight: when you hit 11 guys, “there’s gotta be a reason for it.” He admits it happens sometimes, especially if players are on minute restrictions. But for the most part, he’s not having it. “Nobody flows well with 11,” he explained. Even teams that run deeper rotations rarely do it all in the first half. It just messes with everything. It’s not just about getting guys minutes, it’s about making sure your starters aren’t sitting on the bench for what feels like an hour before they get back in. You’re protecting them on two fronts: their overall minutes and how long they’re cooling off on the sidelines.
The Toughest Equation: Balancing Minutes and Morale
This rotation puzzle is something Adelman and his staff tackle every single year. It’s an equation, he calls it, and it’s way harder than people give it credit for. He knows it’s tough on the guys. Starters, naturally, don’t want to come out of the game. But they also don’t want to sit there forever once they do. Finding that perfect balance, that sweet spot where you have a good flow to your team every single night, that’s the real challenge. It’s truly one of the hardest things in the game that most fans probably don’t even realize.
This rotation philosophy is a constant battle for coaches, and Adelman’s insight gives us a real peek behind the curtain. It’s not just about who plays, but *how* they play together, and keeping that flow is key as the season progresses. What do you think, is 10 the magic number for a smooth squad, or should coaches be willing to go deeper?
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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