Donnie Freeman injures foot

[Cusefan0307]

Losing Freeman to another school is bad. He has a lot of untapped potential and still put up good numbers this year. His defense was not good, but you can say that for every single player on the friggin roster.

 

[Irt4su]

Losing freeman would be horrible on many levels. No other way to spin it. He must be kept if all it comes down to is money. Even if he doesn’t reach his potential next year.

 

[elimunelson]

Losing freeman would be horrible on many levels. No other way to spin it. He must be kept if all it comes down to is money. Even if he doesn’t reach his potential next year.

I’m indifferent. Potential yes but I didn’t see the next Derek Coleman either.

If he wants to go he will go. Money isn’t gonna convince him esp if someone is willing to offer as much and a better run program

 

[billsin01]

Losing Freeman to another school is bad. He has a lot of untapped potential and still put up good numbers this year. His defense was not good, but you can say that for every single player on the friggin roster.

Defense is as much a systemic problem as it is an individual problem. Do we know how long that foot was bothering freeman? I was a little underwhelmed by his raw athleticism really from the jump. Just didn’t seem to get off the ground all that well.

The length and skill is there, definitely not down on him, just wondering if maybe he wasn’t all season, which also could have impacted his defense a bit? Not sure.

 

[Cusefan0307]

Defense is as much a systemic problem as it is an individual problem. Do we know how long that foot was bothering freeman? I was a little underwhelmed by his raw athleticism really from the jump. Just didn’t seem to get off the ground all that well.

The length and skill is there, definitely not down on him, just wondering if maybe he wasn’t all season, which also could have impacted his defense a bit? Not sure.

Looked like he was limping all season to me.

 

[IthacaMatt]

He would play well in stretches and then get taken out of the game due to Red's bizarre substitution patterns.

Sometimes bizarre substitutions when he was playing well offensively, I agree; but sometimes he took him out for lack of effort and toughness on defense.

 

[kcsu]

Donnie is a stud and was by what i saw limping for most of the games he played. I hope that he stays

 

[IthacaMatt]

Donnie is a stud and was by what i saw limping for most of the games he played. I hope that he stays

I hope he stays, too, but he was hardly a "stud" for us last year. He's talented for sure, but his points and rebounds were practically by accident. I can't remember him posting up or dunking once this past season, to be honest. Eddie was far more of a stud for us, in terms of his game. Eddie played some bully-ball, at least on offense.

 

[Niastri]

Freeman would be nice to have back but he was the worst defender on a horrible defensive team. If another school wants to give him a huge check go ahead. Does anyone at KSU think Coleman was worth the money or Townsend at Arizona? Power forwards not named Cooper Flagg or Broome didn’t have much affect on winning this season. Guards and wings win in today’s game. Eddie got two shots last night. Post players get taken out of games. Get guards and two way wings.

This is insane. Freeman’s upside is a three level scoring small forward that happens to be 6’10 and pulls down 10 rebounds a game.

His defense might be solved by good coaching, but even in his 14 games here, his defensive instincts got better. He has potential as a shotblocker as well although no natural instincts for it.

If he reaches his potential, he’s the difference between being a bubble team and a 4 seed in the Tournament. Or a 4 seed and a 1 seed…

That’s part of what you’re paying for. Even if you ignore his potential, and assume Freeman never gets better, what is a 14 and 8 guy who can hit a three worth in the market?

 

[OCESIP]

This is insane. Freeman’s upside is a three level scoring small forward that happens to be 6’10 and pulls down 10 rebounds a game.

His defense might be solved by good coaching, but even in his 14 games here, his defensive instincts got better. He has potential as a shotblocker as well although no natural instincts for it.

If he reaches his potential, he’s the difference between being a bubble team and a 4 seed in the Tournament. Or a 4 seed and a 1 seed…

That’s part of what you’re paying for. Even if you ignore his potential, and assume Freeman never gets better, what is a 14 and 8 guy who can hit a three worth in the market?

The challenge with NIL is you never know what the "market" might be until the bidding war starts. Regardless of what $$ value SU might believe is reasonable, there will be a LOT of programs out there who can afford to overspend. SU just isn't in that category, and never will be. It will always be a question of finding value with a limited budget. Being a mid level spender will generally equate to mid level success.

 

[Scooch]

Losing Freeman to another school is bad. He has a lot of untapped potential and still put up good numbers this year. His defense was not good, but you can say that for every single player on the friggin roster.

Yup. Practically every P5 school in the country would love to have Freeman. They'll be salivating if he goes into the portal.

I mean, can you imagine the raucous celebration here if we acquired a sophomore who was a 13/8 player as a frosh, and was a 5 star recruit outta HS?!?! We'd be calling-a-doctor-after-4-hours excited.

If we don't retain him it is a bright, flashing warning sign that this staff is incapable.

 

[Cusefan0307]

I hope he stays, too, but he was hardly a "stud" for us last year. He's talented for sure, but his points and rebounds were practically by accident. I can't remember him posting up or dunking once this past season, to be honest. Eddie was far more of a stud for us, in terms of his game. Eddie played some bully-ball, at least on offense.

If he put up 13 and 8 by accident then imagine what he can do if healthy and another year older. Lampkin is 5 years older and put up 11 and 9.

 

[OrangeXtreme]

Yup. Practically every P5 school in the country would love to have Freeman. They'll be salivating if he goes into the portal.

I mean, can you imagine the raucous celebration here if we acquired a sophomore who was a 13/8 player as a frosh, and was a 5 star recruit outta HS?!?! We'd be calling-a-doctor-after-4-hours excited.

If we don't retain him it is a bright, flashing warning sign that this staff is incapable.

When the Freeman bidding war gets into "Juan Soto" territory, how much will SU offer?

 

[Scooch]

When the Freeman bidding war gets into "Juan Soto" territory, how much will SU offer?

Well the key is to keep him from entering the portal to begin with, right?

The best-run pro sports franchises don't let their young stars go to free agency. They sign them to extensions long before the hit they market.

Of course, I'm not sure SU realizes they sponsor a pro sports team now. So we may botch it.

 

[Red2003]

This is insane. Freeman’s upside is a three level scoring small forward that happens to be 6’10 and pulls down 10 rebounds a game.

His defense might be solved by good coaching, but even in his 14 games here, his defensive instincts got better. He has potential as a shotblocker as well although no natural instincts for it.

If he reaches his potential, he’s the difference between being a bubble team and a 4 seed in the Tournament. Or a 4 seed and a 1 seed…

That’s part of what you’re paying for. Even if you ignore his potential, and assume Freeman never gets better, what is a 14 and 8 guy who can hit a three worth in the market?

Keep this in mind. He was still this good with a back court that was completely inept for most of the season. No help from the 3 at all either. Bell did nothing on the boards and didn't make a 3 for a month and yet still he was making plays. If he wants to stay and names a price we must pay him. No one else on this team.

We cannot have 3 years in a row with our best player getting sniped with a bag.

 

[Cusefan0307]

The challenge with NIL is you never know what the "market" might be until the bidding war starts. Regardless of what $$ value SU might believe is reasonable, there will be a LOT of programs out there who can afford to overspend. SU just isn't in that category, and never will be. It will always be a question of finding value with a limited budget. Being a mid level spender will generally equate to mid level success.

There’s still an element a bunch of people are missing. Sure Fran improved NIL in football, but that wasn’t the only reason he attracted talent. He’s just better at relationships than most. I am not sure we are on the basketball side.

 

[OrangeXtreme]

Well the key is to keep him from entering the portal to begin with, right?

The best-run pro sports franchises don't let their young stars go to free agency. They sign them to extensions long before the hit they market.

Of course, I'm not sure SU realizes they sponsor a pro sports team now. So we may botch it.

What's that magic number?

600k?

750k?

1 Mil?

I'm sure Freeman has already been contacted and has a number in mind.

 

[Scooch]

What's that magic number?

600k?

750k?

1 Mil?

I'm sure Freeman has already been contacted and has a number in mind.

Not my job, my man.

We hired a GM to figure this stuff out.

Do or do not, Alex. There is no try.

(p.s. I suspect it's well over a million bucks and we'd be stupid not to pay that)

 

[Cusefan0307]

What's that magic number?

600k?

750k?

1 Mil?

I'm sure Freeman has already been contacted and has a number in mind.

We paid Lampkin 800-900k or whatever. Those numbers you just gave are chump change for Donnie if you do a comparison to ability. Especially if we have more money like a bunch of us have been told.

 

[kcsu]

Well the key is to keep him from entering the portal to begin with, right?

The best-run pro sports franchises don't let their young stars go to free agency. They sign them to extensions long before the hit they market.

Of course, I'm not sure SU realizes they sponsor a pro sports team now. So we may botch it.

Of course he is gone if he enters the portal

 

[Bulldog04]

He came here for 150k. He had offers of $400k plus. He wanted to play for Red. One season in let’s see what happens and how he feels. Everyone wants him to return. 10 games in he said he wanted to come back. Again let’s see how he feels. I expect SU to pay up

 

[malpearl31]

Yup, compared Donnie Freeman to Benny Williams I have seen it all now. Well done everyone, well done.

Donnie averaged 13.4 ppg and 7.9 rpg this year.

If you take Benny’s last 2 seasons at SU, and add together his per game averages from each season, you get 12.6 ppg and 8.0 rpg.

 

[RyanCuse44]

He came here for 150k. He had offers of $400k plus. He wanted to play for Red. One season in let’s see what happens and how he feels. Everyone wants him to return. 10 games in he said he wanted to come back. Again let’s see how he feels. I expect SU to pay up

They may want to pay up but does he want to stay here and deal with the same staff who hasn't helped improve his game much.

 

[Cusefan0307]

They may want to pay up but does he want to stay here and deal with the same staff who hasn't helped improve his game much.

I get what you’re saying, but he basically missed the entire conference season. There was a reasonable chance he ended up being our best player had he not been injured.

 

[Scooch]

We paid Lampkin 800-900k or whatever. Those numbers you just gave are chump change for Donnie if you do a comparison to ability. Especially if we have more money like a bunch of us have been told.

This may be our first huge test to see if the money really is there.

If we start hearing from insiders that SU had some self-imposed, low-ball "cap" on what they'd pay Freeman, and they let him walk when he wanted, say, $250K more, then we'll know all the "we have the money" assurances have been hot air.