If SU were an NBA Franchise

[BludOrange]

If Bryant comes, I think he gets the "token" start and then 22yr old Dajuan comes in at the 5 after a minute or two into the game.
CMac at the 4.
And a 3 headed backcourt of G, Cooney and Malachi, with G being the one to bring the ball up.

Roberson will be first non center off the bench, spelling either CMac or Richardson. I think if he goes in for Richardson, CMac moves to the 3 and JB let's him shoot from outside. Joseph or Patterson will be next off the bench depending on who develops their game more over the summer. Early in the season, Lydon, BJ and Diagne will be given small chances to earn more minutes by hitting shots. If they can't, they will see a lot of pine come league play. We all know JB uses a short bench, but BJ or Lydon may get extra chances at some run if our offense is bad for a few games in a row.

 

[Full_Rebar]

Richardson doesn't play PG and I highly highly doubt he'll play SF. If you project 35mpg for Cooney, you're saying Malachi gets 5mpg? I don't think so

Not saying that all. If he is the shooter that he appears to be, and can play solid defense, I think he and Cooney play minutes together at the top and G handles the point on offense for parts of games.

What I am saying is I don't see a time-share at SG where Cooney goes from 37 mpg to anything below 30.

 

[HoustonCuse]

I can see Roberson not starting...but ONLY if Thomas Bryant comes to Syracuse, and depending on what happens with the PG position. If Gbinije stays at SF, and Bryant comes, then I don't see any way the starting front line isn't Gbinije/McCullough/Bryant.

I don't see it because playing Mike G at forward in this case replaces a strength with a strength and leaves a glaring weakness (Joseph) on the floor. In this scenario, Mike would have to start as a guard and you get Roberson on the floor. Roberson who will be our #1 rebounder and is positioned to be a soph Jerami Grant at worst next year. Plus this line up gives you just about the biggest zone in recent history when Richardson is in at the 2.

 

[Brooky03]

Not saying that all. If he is the shooter that he appears to be, and can play solid defense, I think he and Cooney play minutes together at the top and G handles the point on offense for parts of games.

What I am saying is I don't see a time-share at SG where Cooney goes from 37 mpg to anything below 30.

ah I'm with you now. I still think Cooney will be in the high 20's for minutes. But I see where you're coming from.

 

[Halfmooncuse]

Would you can the coach? Since he is the GM that recruited these guys tells them how to play and determines who and how long they play. IMO he wasted RAK for three years. Yeah I know he made a miraculous improvement in his last year. BS. He was a Mickey D player who we only played/got to see play in his last year. Before that he was found morte in JBs dog house instead of being allowed to excel on the court. It seems like all of SU players except a few chosen go throught the same course. Christ half of the current team play like they are scared to death of getting yanked.i

 

[Orange4]

If you want the best 5 players on the court that give you the best chance to win, you start: Gbinje, Cooney, Roberson,Mccullough and either Coleman or Bryant. I also think that the battle for the 2 guard between Richardson and Cooney is going to be a lot closer than people think and aren't giving Richardson enough of a look and credit.

 

[pfister1]

As you are thinking about your lineups for next year, here is how freshman who were McDonald's All Americans have been used in their freshman campaigns under JB:

DC Jr. Started 20 of 24 games before in an injury impacted season
Xmas Started 35 of 37 games
MCW 0 starts
Fab Started 24 of 33 games
Flynn Started 35 of 35 games
Greene Started 35 of 35 games
Devo Started 30 of 35 games
Melo Started 35 of 35 games
JDub Started 29 of 29 games
Autry Started 30 of 31 games
McRae 0 starts
Owens Started 38 of 38 games
DC Sr. Started 38 of 38 games
Stevie 0 starts
Walker 0 starts (He may be the only MCD's AA who never started a college game anywhere)
Brown Started 30 of 31 games
Pearl Started 32 of 32 games
Bruin 0 starts

History would suggest that Malachi Richardson will get a lot of run, but that history looks like its going to have to clash with JB's love of Shaky Potatoes. Remember also that Thomas Bryant is a McD's AA.

 

[Madbiker]

This year the team depth was painfully thin. Next year there is more depth but to me it's a lot of parts that don't fit together quite right. There's an obvious problem at PG unless Joseph makes a major jump both defensively and offensively. He not only needs to shoot better and get a stronger handle but has to develop the instincts of a PG. He only played the position as a senior in HS. He doesn't penetrate hardly at all to create shots for others. That leads to the temptation to put G at PG but he certainly seems to be more productive at the 3 being on the receiving end of things. Chris M and Roberson both are best at the 4...neither has the perimeter game of a 3 (at least now). Our highest rated recruit, McD AA Malachi Richardson is a SG -- same position as Cooney. This guy is 190 lbs so I don't expect to see him at the 3 next year, he'll get abused just like BJ. So how much run does he get behind Cooney? If Bryant comes he probably starts at C. If not it's Diagne and DC2 who hasn't played in 2 years. Who knows what to expect from DC2. Will he be able to play at all? If he plays, can he play extended minutes or is it an Amare situation where he can only play 15 minutes a game? If Bryant doesn't come here, that's a pretty scary center situation. Will Lydon play given the number of forwards ahead of him? The guy doesn't often score more than 10-12 points a game in HS so how is he is going to do a whole lot next year? Howard? Another guy who is not a true PG. Maybe he's a find. Maybe he's Buss2. JB and the staff are going to have a lot to sort out. It could take another year of roster changes to get a roster that meshes better.

 

[dasher]

I would be tempted to blow up the roster and bring in 13 guys next year. I'm a little bit concerned about how the pieces are going to fit together next year. I think the roster has the potential to be another offensive cluster F.

The lack of a true point/lead guard is going to be a problem...I think Joseph needs to take a huge step forward or we may have a lower ceiling than people are going to be happy with.

I also think there are too many minutes committed to guys at positions where our most talented (or most likely to make a contribution next season) recruits play. As of now it looks like the most likely source of immediate help is Richardson and then maybe Howard. They can play the 2 or 3, probably more 2 than 3. People have said Howard can play point, but my guess is that if he does, it will be down the road and not as a frosh. The Kaleb Joseph freshman experience tells me not to expect anything at lead guard from anyone in the incoming class.

Cooney can play the 2. He can not play the 1 or 3. G can play the 1, 2 or 3 but should be at the 2 or 3 and not the 1. That means two of our biggest returning minutes guys are at the two positions where the guys most likely to add offense could help out. Does anyone really see Cooney or G's minuets being significantly reduced next season in order to get Richardson, much less Howard, minutes?

Same thing on the interior. CMac, Roberson and DCII returning. CMac and Roberson should both be playing the 4. Roberson's offensive game is presently too limited for him to play the 3 effectively IMO. We can not play next season with limited shooters at the 1 and 3 simultaneously. I don't see Chris' offensive game opening up if the lane is clogged with defenders because we don't have enough outside shooting to draw defenders away from the paint.

I know guys will take steps forward, but not sure I'm seeing how it will round into a cohesive offensive unit.

at what point would you have given up on rak?

 

[kirbivore]

When I saw the thread title I thought you were going to compare the program to an NBA team. The answer is Portland Trail Blazers. The only game in town that also has 1 title and has a history of being competitive.

 

[IthacaMatt]

Here's how I see next season shaking out.

You have to start with Cooney and Silent G.

I think Gbinije is going to be back, although I understand arguments why he would leave to play pro in Europe. I think he is going to continue as our "jack of all trades".

I also think that at least 1 guy is going to leave, which gives us room to take Thomas Bryant to complete the incoming class.

I look at Cooney and see a guy who is a good but not great player. He is too streaky from 3. He is a terrific hustle guy and plays pretty good defense, though.

Cooney averaged 37 minutes a game this year, and G averaged 35. Those both need to go down a bit.

Roberson and McCullough both averaged about 28 minutes a game, and Kaleb played 27. Roberson's minutes were inflated by McCullough's absence through injury, but he is very likely to see some solid time at F next year.

Among the incoming frosh, I think Mali Richardson will be a rotation player because he's probably going to be our next best "pure" shooter after Cooney, and I think Cooney's form and percentage would improve if he's not playing the entire game every night. The question is whether he has any kind of handle that he could be the secondary ball handler out there.

I think Bryant will be our starting center and he will roughly split time with Coleman, who will be treated gingerly by the staff and be kept to limited minutes. I also think Diange could see time at center. He's 6-9 245, so that's beefy enough to be able to defend the post, IMO. It will between him and Chino for 3rd center minutes, if Coleman is healthy enough to play. If Coleman's injury lingers, then definitely both of these guys will play, just because of foul trouble that always hits inexperienced big men.

I don't think Lydon will play any more than BJ played this year - he's another string bean forward with the ability to shoot from 3, but probably not the strength to defend or rebound at this level yet.

Turning to the guards, we need a point guard, but Frank Howard is not really a point guard, he's a big combo guard. So unless his handle is really, really solid, I see him having a hard time breaking the rotation next year. He has not played PG for Paul VI, his high school team, this season. He has been a wing guard who takes the big shot for them.

I never "root" for players to transfer, but I have a hard time seeing any future PT for B.J. and for Ron Patterson. They've both had 2 seasons now and haven't really broken through, although Ron is not a bad defender and has some good instincts on the offensive end. I could see either or both leaving. Ron is in the way of Frank Howard, so I kind of see him moving on. B.J. is not going to ever be a regular for us. He is still sooo skinny.

So what's the rotation?

C: Bryant 20, Coleman 15 (?), Diange / Chino (5-15 each, depending on Coleman's health)

F: McCullough (30), Roberson (20), Gbinije (15), Diange (scraps)

G: Cooney (32), Mali Richardson (15), Joseph (20), Gbinije (18) Howard (early season scraps)