A Look Ahead: 2015-16 Storylines

[Upstate]

-Syracuse, UConn, Michigan, Gonzaga, Texas, Washington, Texas A&M in the Battle 4 Atlantis tournament. Stacked field.
-Possibility of going 10-deep, which we'll surely see cut down somehow.
-Thomas Bryant, is he at SU or not?
-Who starts at the 5?
-NCAA fallout (which should be announced this week).

 

[NineOneSeven]

*eats popcorn*

 

[two3zone]

There is 0% chance of going 10 deep, I'd be shocked if we went 8.

 

[cuseattle]

-Syracuse, UConn, Michigan, Gonzaga, Texas, Washington, Texas A&M in the Battle 4 Atlantis tournament. Stacked field.
-Possibility of going 10-deep, which we'll surely see cut down somehow.
-Thomas Bryant, is he at SU or not?
-Who starts at the 5?
-NCAA fallout (which should be announced this week).

I am also curious about next year's final four storylines.

 

[br801]

There is 0% chance of going 10 deep, I'd be shocked if we went 8.

I hear the walk-on situation next year looks real strong and JB is thinking about going 15-deep and employing a three-platoon system.

 

[RF2044]

There is 0% chance of going 10 deep, I'd be shocked if we went 8.

Joseph, Cooney, Gbinije, Roberson, McCullough are locks.

Coleman, Richardson, Diagne will definitely play [obviously, not sure how well Coleman bounces back].

Bryant would be in the mix, only if he came here. That COULD actually substitute Diagne out of the primary rotation [although maybe not].

So I think you're right. 8-9 players, Max. Better depth than this year, though--especially if we land Bryant, Coleman is capable, and Richardson lives up to the McD's hype and can be a steady contributor.

 

[RandygoCuse]

Do we think someone will transfer, and if so, who? My guess is Johnson. I have absolutely no inside information to base this on.

 

[RF2044]

Do we think someone will transfer, and if so, who? My guess is Johnson. I have absolutely no inside information to base this on.

I didn't include either Johnson or Patterson in the listing above. In part because they have been recruited over, haven't produced this year, and are both likely transfer candidates. Would love it if one [or both] stuck around and carved out a niche, but I don't see that happening.

 

[RandygoCuse]

I didn't include either Johnson or Patterson in the listing above. In part because they have been recruited over, haven't produced this year, and are both likely transfer candidates. Would love it if one [or both] stuck around and carved out a niche, but I don't see that happening.

I think Patterson is more likely of the two to carve out a niche, but I agree it wouldn't be much more than that. I can't see him starting. Maybe become a defensive stopper off the bench.

 

[Jasoncuse]

If G does return, what are the chances of BJ and Buss getting important minutes? Slim, right?

So SU vs UConn in round 1 of the BOA, I'm assuming. That HAS to be done.

 

[Jasoncuse]

Is Lydon going to have ready to contribute? I know he's needed strength and bulk, but is his shooting enough to get him some minutes?

 

[cuseclappy]

I have seen a couple people mention "If G stays"... I love the season MG has put together, but where is he really going?

 

[creatorsgam]

I have seen a couple people mention "If G stays"... I love the season MG has put together, but where is he really going?

Per Syracusefan posters, his potential destinations are as follows: NBA, Europe, transfer to another school for his grad work, or in a professional field outside of basketball. Oh, and it is possible he returns to Syracuse next year.

Selfishly I hope he returns. More importantly, I hope he makes a decision that he is happy with and sets him up for the brightest future.

 

[jekelish]

Is Lydon going to have ready to contribute? I know he's needed strength and bulk, but is his shooting enough to get him some minutes?

Lydon's athletic enough and skilled enough to contribute right away, but it really is just a matter of bulking up. That said, he's up over 200 pounds now, which is around where Hakim and Damone Brown were when they started contributing, and Lydon has a similar build...but obviously, a different game, since he's much more perimeter oriented and is concentrating on playing SF, and not PF.

 

[Cusefan0307]

We are really going to have a logjam at the forward spot next year if McCullough returns. Can he and Roberson play together? Will McCullough be the starting center? Is G or Joseph the main point guard? Does Bryant even want to come here if McCullough is still here? Do we go with a big lineup for defensive reasons? If that happens G starts at the Point. Is Franklin Howard a RS candidate? He will be in all reality the fifth guard? Lydon is less of a RS candidate because he is already on his fifth year of high school.

Joseph
Cooney
Gbinije
Roberson
McCullough

Richardson
Coleman
Bryant
Diagne
Howard
Lydon
Okoboh

Patterson
Johnson

 

[HOFCeluck]

Is cmac big enough to play center for us?

 

[Consigliere]

Don't see CMac at the 5 unless there is no other viable option. His frame and game are more suited to a 4 at the next level and getting to the NBA while improving his draft stock while proving he is healthy has to be his main motivation for coming back. Best case for next year's rotation is

PG - Joseph with added maturity and experience. His flaws are fixable and I still see solid upside
SG - Cooney
SF - Gbinijie
PF - McCullough
C - Bryant

Roberson subs in at the 4
Coleman at the 5 or McCullough slides over and Roberson comes in
3-man rotation at the wing with G, Cooney and Richardson
Back up PG TBD - Ideally Joseph is solid and Howard can give us 5 minutes a half, but if needed G can continue to be a stopgap with Patterson continuing in his current role if he stays.

Lydon, Obokoh, and BJ are longshots to see significant time IMO but at least two of the three along with a greater contribution from Howard are the X factors.

EDIT: Forgot Diagne. He may be the forgotten man here.
Need to rethink this if indeed Bryant arrives. Obviously that means someone is gone. If no Bryant, best case is Coleman at the 5 unless he can't answer the bell leaving CMac as the only option

 

[Upstate]

There is 0% chance of going 10 deep, I'd be shocked if we went 8.

While I don't expect it, I wouldn't be surprised if 3 or 4 of the incoming freshman are ready to contribute, even if they don't. Also depends on schollies, of course.

 

[gilardino]

MG not going to another school, if he leaves he leaves and is done with school

 

[two3zone]

While I don't expect it, I wouldn't be surprised if 3 or 4 of the incoming freshman are ready to contribute, even if they don't. Also depends on schollies, of course.

Sure they can be ready to contribute but if there are trusted or more talented players in front if them they're not going to play. I'm sure we can all name 20 players who were ready but didn't play. This is the way JB coaches, it's never changed. Richardson could be the best player on the team, but 0% chance he starts or gets more minutes than G or Cooney.

 

[Upstate]

Sure they can be ready to contribute but if there are trusted or more talented players in front if them they're not going to play. I'm sure we can all name 20 players who were ready but didn't play. This is the way JB coaches, it's never changed. Richardson could be the best player on the team, but 0% chance he starts or gets more minutes than G or Cooney.

If he can contribute, he'll play. That goes with nearly all players Boeheim has ever coached. I'm with you, though, I don't think he'll start. But if JB has 9-10 guys on the roster that can give productive minutes, I wouldn't put it past him doing that (even though the past says he wouldn't, there may not have been this much expected depth on an SU team)

 

[Cusefan0307]

Let's be honest here. It's guaranteed to happen. If Diagne or Bryant start, don't be surprised if they are the token starter. I can totally see them screwing up JB having enough, CMAC moving the the 5, with Roberson to the four. Also I think Mali plays the super sub off the bench ala Joseph or Waiters. Coleman's the wild card in all of this.

 

[two3zone]

If he can contribute, he'll play. That goes with nearly all players Boeheim has ever coached. I'm with you, though, I don't think he'll start. But if JB has 9-10 guys on the roster that can give productive minutes, I wouldn't put it past him doing that (even though the past says he wouldn't, there may not have been this much expected depth on an SU team)

There's just not enough minutes to go around for 9 or 10, and it's expecting every recruit to be a home run.

Next year at guard I'm assuming Joseph, Richardson, and Cooney (throw in G running the point as well) getting the minutes. That doesn't leave much for Howard nor Buss (if he stays)

Center you have Chinoso, Coleman, and Diange (throw in McCullough for minutes as well). One of those guys is going to be an odd man out, if Diange can't figure out the zone in the middle then he'll be regulated to the 4.

At the 3 and 4 you have G, Roberson, McCullough and Diange. Diange isn't going to come in and just take the minutes at the 4. There are two guys in front if him. If he doesn't play the 5 a lot he won't see the floor. As hot and cold as Robeson is I think it's fair to say that McCullough and Roberson have that locked down because I'm sure G and Richardson (assuming he gets minutes at the three) have the minutes there.

I think it's safe to assume that Richardson is the prize out of this class so far, for him to get 15-25 minutes a game he is going to have to do it when Cooney or Joseph are out of the game and G is playing point for Joseph.

I've left out Lydon and Howard because there are just SOOOO many guys in front of them, I've left out BJ as well, if he's not getting run this year he's not going to next year. From the way it breaks down it looks like 7 but could possibly be 8. I've seen JB go 9 one year out of the last 10 (probably longer than that) and that was before big east schedule started.

 

[two3zone]

Let's be honest here. It's guaranteed to happen. If Diagne or Bryant start, don't be surprised if they are the token starter. I can totally see them screwing up JB having enough, CMAC moving the the 5, with Roberson to the four. Also I think Mali plays the super sub off the bench ala Joseph or Waiters. Coleman's the wild card in all of this.

The only issue I see with that is McCullough at the 5. He's good in a pinch but could you see him enduring what Rak does for 20-30 minutes a game?

 

[Cusefan0307]

The only issue I see with that is McCullough at the 5. He's good in a pinch but could you see him enduring what Rak does for 20-30 minutes a game?

With an improved Roberson? Possibly. I'm just going with the assumption one of the freshman (and it's usually a big) will be a token starter and get replaced fairly early in the game to make room for Mali or whatever other high profile player we have coming off the bench.