So Who Is The First Portaler?

[Melancer46]

I don't think it is so much about the minutes but about the starting slots. If Bell is back to go along with Freeman and Brown those will more than likely be the starters next year from the tea leaves. So bringing in a quality big man to eat up those minutes but not to start will be very difficult. The quality really drops off in the portal when you don't have starting spots open.

Exactly this. Most likely we're either going to limit ourselves in terms of who we can bring in or we're going to make one of the current core guys unhappy. Tricky situation here.

 

[djcon57]

The important thing is we need to get our first portal guy so I can guarantee final 4

 

[baggerbob]

I don't think it is so much about the minutes but about the starting slots. If Bell is back to go along with Freeman and Brown those will more than likely be the starters next year from the tea leaves. So bringing in a quality big man to eat up those minutes but not to start will be very difficult. The quality really drops off in the portal when you don't have starting spots open.

Unless Bell gets some kind of handle, plays defense and rebounds, he should come off the bench.
A good to great team can't afford to start a one dimensional player.

 

[djcon57]

I’d also like to state I hate college basketball as well - posted on a hardcore niche message board about Syracuse University basketball

 

[AZOrange]

I think he also graduates in May. I could be wrong

Retiring

 

[two3zone]

The important thing is we need to get our first portal guy so I can guarantee final 4

Book those final four rooms.

 

[phil77]

Unless Bell gets some kind of handle, plays defense and rebounds, he should come off the bench.
A good to great team can't afford to start a one dimensional player.

But he wont if he comes back it will be as a starter.

 

[grepal]

Unless Bell gets some kind of handle, plays defense and rebounds, he should come off the bench.
A good to great team can't afford to start a one dimensional player.

His game got better as the year wore on. Still a lot of work to do but we need someone who can shoot.

 

[OttoinGrotto]

Unless Bell gets some kind of handle, plays defense and rebounds, he should come off the bench.
A good to great team can't afford to start a one dimensional player.

He's going to continue to improve.

 

[SWC75]

Losing talented players is like having teeth pulled. But they will be replaced by other talented players. The bottom line, is - if someone doesn't want to play for us, I don't want them here.

 

[Zelda Zonk]

Just because we have Brown/Freeman doesn’t mean Red isn’t shopping the portal for a 5 man. There are ways things can work out.

 

[Digger]

Heard Judah’s current plan is to go pro

 

[4evaOrange]

I would like to announce my transfer…..I will be attending Dukes fanbase as my girlfriend is a Duke fan and has commanded me.

 

[Cuse117]

Lotta odd concern over Bell returning as a starter in my opinion. He’s clearly the 2nd most important player to get back as I see it. He has an Elite skill (3 point shooting), is sneaky athletic also, and most importantly a lot of the deficiencies he had this past season can be improved with simply increased effort (rebounding and defense etc). He has 8 months to work on his game too, look how many players we have seen in the past make monster leaps in just one off season.

The real problem is if the deficiencies don’t improve then the staff needs to be quick to not give token starting spots like we have seen in the past here.

 

[swish7]

Love what Red is doing... get rid of the problems and start fresh.

Not just the problems, but the players whom aren't good enough as well.

That said, I'm a bit surprised the 'problem kids' played as much as they did.

 

[realorange]

Yeah JJ is the weak link in that lineup unless he’s scores about 18 a game on 40% from 3. The PG better be an elite defender.

So others can improve over the summer and JJ can't??

 

[realorange]

Heard Judah’s current plan is to go pro
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He'll find a good spot overseas.

 

[Fly Rodder]

So others can improve over the summer and JJ can't??

No, every player improves with time. It’s like the law of gravity or something.

 

[Dcuse]

Not just the problems, but the players whom aren't good enough as well.

That said, I'm a bit surprised the 'problem kids' played as much as they did.

We don't win 20 games if we don't play the " problem kids."

 

[Red2003]

We don't win 20 games if we don't play the " problem kids."

It's worse than that though. The good eggs would have to play 40 mins a game with walkons while getting blown out by 45. They could get hurt or wonder why their coach is screwing them over and start rethinking next year (I'm mainly talking about Brown).

Some people just want to say "told you so" about the culture and the locker room, which is fine we get it.

Split the season into 3rds:

10-3 start: Autry's plan was reasonably working. Young guys were learning and depth. Lost to 3 teams on the road that made the tourney. Nothing to be too pissed about with all Sophs.
4-5 Middle: Injuries and then Wake blowup. Plan derails Benny is booted. Plan changes.
6-4 Finish: Survival mode with 7 live bodies. 2 losses to Clemson, which was a nitemare matchup for our small Frontcourt + Ga Tech implosion.

 

[Cuse181]

It's worse than that though. The good eggs would have to play 40 mins a game with walkons while getting blown out by 45. They could get hurt or wonder why their coach is screwing them over and start rethinking next year (I'm mainly talking about Brown).

Some people just want to say "told you so" about the culture and the locker room, which is fine we get it.

Split the season into 3rds:

10-3 start: Autry's plan was reasonably working. Young guys were learning and depth. Lost to 3 teams on the road that made the tourney. Nothing to be too pissed about with all Sophs.
4-5 Middle: Injuries and then Wake blowup. Plan derails Benny is booted. Plan changes.
6-4 Finish: Survival mode with 7 live bodies. 2 losses to Clemson, which was a nitemare matchup for our small Frontcourt + Ga Tech implosion.

Crazy thought: you replace the problems kids like you’re doing this year. Insane, I know.

 

[kingtidge]

Not just the problems, but the players whom aren't good enough as well.

That said, I'm a bit surprised the 'problem kids' played as much as they did.

It is what it is.

You can't bench your marquee players for walk-ons and:

1. be competitive

2. expect donors to pony up for NIL for players that you don't play

If they're problems, you need to move them out and get new marquee players.

There are big money and marketing implications in all this now...

e.g.

 

[swish7]

We don't win 20 games if we don't play the " problem kids."

In my first year, I'd rather be 10-20 establishing my system with good kids, than 20-10 and (still not in the dance) with the problem kids. Playing problem kids is a bad precedent.

 

[swish7]

It is what it is.

You can't bench your marquee players for walk-ons and:

1. be competitive

2. expect donors to pony up for NIL for players that you don't play

If they're problems, you need to move them out and get new marquee players.

There are big money and marketing implications in all this now...

e.g.

You are probably right.

The money changes everything, I guess.

 

[OttoinGrotto]

In my first year, I'd rather be 10-20 establishing my system with good kids, than 20-10 and not in the dance with the problem kids.

That assumes knowing ahead of time that things were going to be a problem.

I don't think anybody could have known that.