Apart from Ennis, losing which player would have the greatest impact on this team's fortunes?

[br801]

Just my two cents, assuming playing Obokoh remains off the table...

1. Cooney: Losing his outside threat would impact the offensive games of everyone else, and scoring points would become a grind. His disruptive activity at the top of the zone would also be missed. Come March, guard play is paramount, and it's generally what determines how far you advance.
   
2. Christmas: He has been an emerging offensive force in the middle in Coleman's absence, and is still improving defensively. It's hard to imagine Keita consistently playing 30+ minutes a night, staying out of foul trouble and not wearing down.
3. Keita: He does a lot of things that will never show up in a box score and runs the defense better than Christmas. Take him away, and it's hard to imagine Christmas being able to play as aggressively and effectively for 30+ minutes a night.
4. Grant: He's the X-factor in this offense with his offensive rebounding and his developing mid-range game, but Roberson, though raw, could potentially bring similar skills to the table this season. Grant's freakish athleticism would make him the most logical candidate to get minutes at the 5 if either Christmas or Keita were to go down.
5. Fair: There is no doubt CJ is the most experienced and skilled all-around player on the team right now, but Roberson has the talent to produce solid scoring and rebounding numbers if he were forced into extended minutes, just as Grant did as a freshman.
6. Gbinije: He's very solid defensively and seems to be growing more confident with his offense. He would also be a logical candidate to pick up some minutes at the 3 if either Grant or Fair were to go down. If Gbinije were not available, I believe Patterson has shown enough to warrant limited minutes behind Cooney.
7. Roberson: He has all the tools to be a good one, but JB could get by playing Grant and Fair for almost 40 minutes a night (he's essentially doing that now).

 

[Lawrinson14]

terrible thread topic.

 

[690West]

 

[br801]

terrible thread topic.

It's not like this stuff hasn't crossed everyone's mind.

 

[OrangeYaGladi]

so you think CJ fair is the team's 6th most important player? lol

 

[br801]

so you think CJ fair is the team's 6th most important player? lol

Nah, I never said that. I was just imagining what the team's NCAAT ceiling might look like if you subtracted any of these guys from the current mix. I certainly would not have Christmas or Keita as high if Coleman were still playing. Essentially, I was thinking about the extent to which each player has a closely comparable replacement.

 

[moqui]

this team is so thin, losing any of the top 4 would be disastrous, and losing any of the next three would be nearly as bad.

 

[two3zone]

In order.


Cooney
Christmas
Fair
Grant


This is not my rank in the quality if the player, just importance.

 

[cliftonparksufan]

terrible thread topic.

I agree. We need one year to prove our worth. Please let it be this year. I vote to nuke this topic and I'm not even superstitious.

 

[HoustonCuse]

Let's face it, losing any starter would be catastrophic.

 

[br801]

this team is so thin, losing any of the top 4 would be disastrous, and losing any of the next three would be nearly as bad.

Yes, losing anyone greatly changes the dynamic. That's why I couldn't understand those who felt losing Coleman for the season didn't matter.

 

[CU44SE]

Ummmm, can we nuke this thread please?

 

[Pat Kelly]

Cooney single-handedly won us a few games earlier this year, when his shot is off, our team looks pretty mortal out there.

 

[JarHeadJim]

Bruno Mars is on our roster?

 

[JarHeadJim]

Ummmm, can we nuke this thread please?

I bet I could get it Nuked!!!

 

[Mano22]

This is an awful thread, but the answer is CJ 100% not close.

 

[orangefan13]

Dwayne Coleman obvious awnser
ALthough Michael Carter Gbinije would be a huge loss also.