Alan Griffin transfers to Syracuse.

[two3zone]

Anybody that believe this guy is an upgrade over Hughes and that we're a top 15 team needs to be checked into a mental facility.

 

[UpstateSM]

Anybody that believe this guy is an upgrade over Hughes and that we're a top 15 team needs to be checked into a mental facility.

You can tell the future? Or you just disagree with advanced metrics in general?

 

[jdubs30]

Really surprised by the takes that our offense will be better w griffin than it would have been with eli. I could see it being better because others improve but not because we have griffin instead of eli.

It’s all about the improvements. Yes, if JG3, Buddy, Marek, QG and Sidibe (Nov-Jan Sidibe) all make NO improvements, we are clearly a worse team than last year. I’m going on the assumption that at least some of those guys improve and that Kadary can give us more than Goodine/Carey/HoWash did.

Griffin does a few things better than Eli, but also remember Eli was a junior who sat out a year and Griff was only a sophomore last year. Eli is the better player but I think the team itself will be better.

 

[two3zone]

You can tell the future? Or you just disagree with advanced metrics in general?

I'll make a bet with you that we will not be top 15 at any point and Griffin will not be better than Hughes this coming year.

 

[jdubs30]

I'll make a bet with you that we will not be top 15 at any point and Griffin will not be better than Hughes this coming year.

It’s more likely we are better team than last year. But I don’t think we’ll be top 15 nor will Griffin be better than Eli...

 

[721Comstock]

It’s all about the improvements. Yes, if JG3, Buddy, Marek, QG and Sidibe (Nov-Jan Sidibe) all make NO improvements, we are clearly a worse team than last year. I’m going on the assumption that at least some of those guys improve and that Kadary can give us more than Goodine/Carey/HoWash did.

Griffin does a few things better than Eli, but also remember Eli was a junior who sat out a year and Griff was only a sophomore last year. Eli is the better player but I think the team itself will be better.

Yeah, I think that’s the part that some people struggle with -
The concept that while Griffin clearly wont be as good overall as Eli was, that his addition, along with Kadary (and maybe a pinch of JBA?), plus improvements from the returnees, means that it is indeed possible for Griffin < Eli,
yet next years team > this years team.

If nothing else, late season CDB, Q, and Marek have me excited for what those guys can do if they can return playing at that level to start the year.

 

[CardiacCuse]

is newton just a total non-entity?

 

[jdubs30]

Yeah, I think that’s the part that some people struggle with -
The concept that while Griffin clearly wont be as good overall as Eli was, that his addition, along with Kadary (and maybe a pinch of JBA?), plus improvements from the returnees, means that it is indeed possible for Griffin < Eli,
yet next years team > this years team.

If nothing else, late season CDB, Q, and Marek have me excited for what those guys can do if they can return playing at that level.

Exactly. I don’t think I’ve seen anyone say that Griffin will be better than Eli; I think when people see others saying the team will be better they assume they mean Griffin is better than Eli was is clearly not the case

 

[jdubs30]

is newton just a total non-entity?

I think for this year yes.

JG3, Buddy, Griffiin, Marek, Sidibe

bench: QG, Kadary, 3rd center

 

[two3zone]

is newton just a total non-entity?

I'm assuming Marek, Gurrier, Braswell, Griffin all may be ahead of him for minutes.

He and Kadary can probably jump Braswell. But I'm sure there wont be many minutes for them either.

 

[MSOrange]

Exactly. I don’t think I’ve seen anyone say that Griffin will be better than Eli; I think when people see others saying the team will be better they assume they mean Griffin is better than Eli was is clearly not the case

Tomcat did in couple posts.

 

[721Comstock]

is newton just a total non-entity?

TBD.

is maybe our deepest position, with Marek, Q, Griffin as the likely major minutes rotation, and Bras (and maybe JBA) and maybe even some Kadary mixed in
=‘s
Will be very hard for Woody to crack the rotation.

He’d need to come in and be like Frosh CJ Fair, where he just does everything so well and is a great glue guy, that he forces JB to play him.

But given what’s been said about his off-ball efense (no D) and utter lack of rebounding, it’s not likely he can do that.

KrisJo barely played as a Frosh, and Woody reminds me a bit of him, so that’s my expectation for him.
“Break Glass In Case of Six Overtimes”.

 

[cuse10]

is newton just a total non-entity?

People think Richmond is an All-American and have seemingly forgotten about Braswell. Braswell was a depth piece who has health issues. Newton probably has the inside track on him for minutes.

 

[DoctorBombay]

is newton just a total non-entity?

I'm gonna play Dr. Phil for a second and use one of his sayings:
"The best predictor of future behavior, is past behavior".
Frankly, I don't see Woody getting much time. I think JB reverts to form, ie; "past behavior", and the Frosh, with Kadary perhaps being the exception for more PT because he's a PG, will not see that much floor time except in blowouts and/or OOC games. Again, I'll believe it, when I see it.

 

[sutomcat]

Tomcat did in couple posts.

I said he would be an upgrade in some areas and he will. He will not be as good in some other areas. I said that too.

Elijah was a really good player for us. This is not meant to denigrate him. But he wasn't at All American levels in all areas. He wasn't really efficient scoring (42% FG, 34% 3 PT%), wasn't a great rebounder and wasn't a great defender.

We will miss his leadership, his passing ability and his ability to make big plays on offense. But Griffin is pretty good too.

 

[two3zone]

I said he would be an upgrade in some areas and he will. He will not be as good in some other areas. I said that too.

Elijah was a really good player for us. This is not meant to denigrate him. But he wasn't at All American levels in all areas. He wasn't really efficient scoring (42% FG, 34% 3 PT%), wasn't a great rebounder and wasn't a great defender.

We will miss his leadership, his passing ability and his ability to make big plays on offense. But Griffin is pretty good too.

He was either our best or second best defender.

 

[jdubs30]

He was either our best or second best defender.

That doesn’t mean he was good...

 

[sutomcat]

That doesn’t mean he was good...

Agree. I don't know where two3zone is coming up with his determination. Marek was by far our best defender in my mind, at least at forward. He was simply pretty good.

I don't think we had another defender who I would classify as above average. To my eyes, it was the worst defensive team in the JB era. I will say Elijah showed marked improvement late in the season, when he finally sometimes would rotate back and knock an interior pass to his guy away. He even drew a couple of charges late in the season.

If he came back for his senior season, I think he would have evolved into a good defender in the zone.

And then if you consider defensive rebounding as part of defense, which I do, you have to give Elijah some demerits here. That is one area on defense where I think Alan will do better than Elijah.

Rating players on defense is really hard. I don't think there are any good metrics or objective ways to do it properly. This is just my opinion and I could be wrong. Just saying what I think...

 

[Capt. Tuttle]

When Joe loses his job to Dior? Interesting strategy you've got there.

You mean when he slides over to the 2 guard spot?

 

[CuseFaninVT]

You mean when he slides over to the 2 guard spot?

5'10" 2G? Sure.

 

[Briancuse]

We were just listed 13th in the country a couple of posts earlier in this thread.

Griffin has a lot of talent and will thrive in the Syracuse system, where he will get playing time and freedom he never had at Illinois. If you believe in statistics, and you should, our offense is going to be outstanding next season, and our defense should be a little better.

Don’t make the mistake of thinking everyone has the same level of basketball knowledge that you do. Elijah was a very good player for us but Alan is going to be an upgrade. He is going to shoot it significantly better from the outside, he is going to finish inside significantly better, he is going to rebounder significantly better and turn it over much less. He won’t get as many assists but we have Joe and Marek and Kooky to do that.

I like Griffin alot but we are talking about replacing the best player in the conference last year. And the ncaa still has to grant this waiver. I do think they grant it but I'm not betting my paycheck on it. I think this team can be better but so will the rest of the acct. Top 15 is a huge reach.

 

[HOFCeluck]

Kadary Richmond is a guy a love but I don’t see him having a huge impact in 2021.

I was prepared for a top 25 team in 17 and 19. I’m gonna have to see it to believe it.

 

[two3zone]

That doesn’t mean he was good...

He also was in the system for 3 years. Expecting Griffin to come out playing better defense than Hughes doesnt make too much sense. Not many guys have come here and played great defense out of the gate.

 

[Sherman20]

We were just listed 13th in the country a couple of posts earlier in this thread.

Griffin has a lot of talent and will thrive in the Syracuse system, where he will get playing time and freedom he never had at Illinois. If you believe in statistics, and you should, our offense is going to be outstanding next season, and our defense should be a little better.

Don’t make the mistake of thinking everyone has the same level of basketball knowledge that you do. Elijah was a very good player for us but Alan is going to be an upgrade. He is going to shoot it significantly better from the outside, he is going to finish inside significantly better, he is going to rebounder significantly better and turn it over much less. He won’t get as many assists but we have Joe and Marek and Kooky to do that.

You think Griffin is gonna be better than Elijah? I think he’ll be good but I’d be very surprised by that.

 

[Sherman20]

Kadary Richmond is a guy a love but I don’t see him having a huge impact in 2021.

I was prepared for a top 25 team in 17 and 19. I’m gonna have to see it to believe it.

I think there’s a chance Kadary gets as much playing time as Girard, maybe more. Not that JG3 is bad, but KR seems like he will be much more dynamic.