For a decade now, Purdue has been touted as a program that gets, develops and highlights big men. It's one of the premier destinations in college basketball for guys who play the four and five positions, and that probably isn't going to change anytime soon.After the Boilermakers played four games in Canada in July, though, there is one potential lineup possibility that is really intriguing. Purdue may have two 7-footers (Daniel Jacobsen and Sinan Huan) and a 6-foot-11 forward (Raleigh Burgess), but is there a chance that all three are on the bench at the same time?It may not happen often, but there's potential for one guard-heavy lineup that is especially intriguing. We won't know for a few months whether Matt Painter puts this five-man group on the floor at the same time, but we can always speculate.Before diving in, this is not a starting lineup projection. Rather, this is one rotation that Purdue could utilize in various games throughout the season.The lineupPurdue Boilermakers guard Gicarri Harris (24) shoots a three-point field goal. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters ConnectG — Luke Ertel (freshman)G — Antione West Jr. (redshirt freshman)G — Gicarri Harris (junior)G/F — Jack Benter (redshirt sophomore)F — Caden Pierce (redshirt senior)Although Benter played the four for a majority of last season, this is essentially a four-guard lineup. It puts the ball in the hands of freshman Luke Ertel to run the offense. It's a group that can get out and transition and push the tempo. It's also a lineup with capable three-point shooters and guys who can finish at the rim.Though the third guy isn't in this starting lineup, Painter mentioned in an interview with Jon Rothstein that with Ertel, West and Omer Mayer, Purdue has the potential to play three point guards at the same time. During a practice early in the summer, he also mentioned that Pierce played the five while at Princeton, though he acknowledged that it doesn't mean he'd ever do that in West Lafayette.Still, those were interesting tidbits from different conversations with the head coach.What would it look like if Painter rolled this lineup out during a game at some point during the 2026-27 season? Here are a few quick thoughts on what it would mean for the offense, defense, and perhaps most importantly, the rebounding.A run-and-gun style of offenseMt. Vernon Marauders guard Luke Ertel (12) passes the ball. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters ConnectPurdue would push the tempo offensively with this lineup, getting three-point shots up quickly and taking advantage of one-on-one matchups. Ertel, West and Harris all demonstrated that they can take opponents off the dribble and get to the basket, a feature that's been absent from the Boilers' offense recently.This isn't a style Purdue would want to play for 40 minutes, but it could utilize this lineup for stretches of the game. It would be most beneficial if the Boilers were trying to accomplish two things:Create extra possessions for their offense at a particular stage in the gameWants to wear down its opponent by moving at a faster paceUnder Painter, this hasn't really been Purdue's offensive approach. Last season, the Boilers ranked 330th in adjusted tempo. A "run-and-shoot" system would be a bit of a culture shock in West Lafayette.We also saw in Canada that this is a team that will shoot several threes in every game. Although they don't have any official college stats, West knocked down plenty of triples in Canada and Ertel was the winner of the three-point contest in the State Farm Slam Dunk and 3-Point Championships. Benter was a 40% shooter from deep, Harris connected at a 35.5% clip, and Pierce's career mark at Princeton was 32.7%.This group could play fast, get to the basket and knock down threes. It wouldn't be a traditional Purdue approach, but it would an exciting offense to watch.Heavy defensive pressurePurdue Boilermakers guard Jack Benter (14) defends. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters ConnectPurdue's guards did an excellent job defending the perimeter in Canada. No, that's not exactly the best measure of talent, but the Boilermakers were able to force several turnovers and get into transition for easy buckets. The combination of Ertel, West and Harris might be this team's strongest collection of perimeter defenders.West was particularly dominant with his on-ball defense and Harris did an excellent job complementing him off the basketball. Ertel was a healthy mix of both. That trio is capable of causing problems around the three-point line.The issue, defensively, is that there's no rim protection and very little size in the post. Benter and Pierce would have to battle to keep bigger fours and fives out of the painted area, but Purdue could also address this by doubling the post, which is already a primary feature of its defense.With West, Harris and Ertel on the floor, it would be difficult for teams to get dribble penetration into the paint. It would force opposing guards to make solid entry passes into their bigs. This lineup could also essentially switch all five positions if necessary.Ideally, Purdue would like to have Jacobsen or Burgess on the floor to provide a stronger post presence and at least some sort of rim protection. This may not be the strongest defensive lineup from positions one through five, but it would be able to steal some possessions throughout the game.What about rebounding?Princeton Tigers forward Caden Pierce (12) battles for a rebound. | USA TODAY SportsPainter's biggest concern entering the 2026-27 campaign is rebounding. Purdue struggled with it during the Canada trip and is hopeful that theNCAA approves Enzo Shahrvin's eligibility to help address the issue this season.The lineup of Ertel, West, Harris, Benter and Pierce obviously isn't the best at crashing the boards. The Boilers are giving up significant size. At 6-foot-7 and 6-foot-6, respectively, Pierce and Benter would be the two tallest guys on the floor for the Boilers.Purdue is probably going to give up some rebounds with this lineup. Here's the counter to that, though: if you're struggling on the glass anyway, why not try to wear down your opponent by sprinting down the floor offensively and turning up the pressure defensively? The Boilers could tire some of their opponents, which could offset the rebounding discrepancy late in games.Pierce is already Purdue's best rebounder and Benter always finds his way to the basketball. Plus, Ertel and West are solid on the glass for their positions. The Boilermakers may not be losing that much on the boards, anyway.If the Boilers do utilize this lineup and attempt more shots from three, this lineup could find itself in better shape to chase down some of those long rebounds. That would create second-chance opportunities and a chance to continue to wear down opponents with a fresh shot clock.No, this isn't Purdue's best rebounding lineup, but right now, it's still searching for that. Final thoughtPurdue Boilermakers head coach Matt Painter yells to his team. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters ConnectWe've become so accustomed to Purdue utilizing the post with big men that this concept seems foreign, especially with Jacobsen, Burgess and Huan on the roster. If Shahrvin is cleared, that only adds depth and physicality to the frontcourt.While this may not be the type of lineup we see frequently throughout the season, it would be a fun experiment. This group would play fast offensively and create turnovers on the defensive end. The lack of rim protection and the rebounding woes are the biggest problems if Painter ever rolled out this lineup.But Purdue will try to find production from everywhere on the floor. If Painter believes this group can provide an advantage, even for limited minutes, he'll put those five guys on the court together.Get top Boilermakers stories, expert analysis, and can't-miss moments straight to your inbox for free by signing up for the Purdue Boilermakers on SI newsletter!Add us as a preferred source on GoogleFollow