optimal amount of time to maximize his energy while still maximizing what the other player(s) gives. And maybe he is playing with the optimal cast by being the glue between the starters and the next lineup. AND maybe in the game of matchups it gives us the best chance to dominate for the whole game.
It is not a zero sum game, and if you think you can do better than Mark Pope at tweeking the lineup please give thoughtful reasons about the downstream effects of you proposals. I'm happy to learn.
As it stands, your proposal might be best suited in a team that plays alot of isolation one on one because it presumes (or lacks any thoughtful dicussion about) the tradeoffs.