First round picks | Page 2 | Syracusefan.com

First round picks

two3zone said:
Boeheim says Battle can’t play PG; his father disagrees


Sigh... Maybe there isn't tension but to be quite honest if I'm Battle or his family I'm wondering why he's not at least given a chance. Probably can't be worse than Gillon or Howard. At least try something new because what's going on isn't working...
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If I recall, Frank Howard and MCW played mostly off the ball in high school. That didn't stop us from playing them at PG in college. Gbinije was never a point guard until we put him there. I hope Boeheim is just talking about right today, and not for down the road with these comments.

Battle can handle the ball and pass. I think he can develop into a point guard, or at least a two guard who can play point. Guys who were two guard like Rautins and Devendorf ran some point for us later in their careers.
 
OrangeDW said:
If I recall, Frank Howard and MCW played mostly off the ball in high school. That didn't stop us from playing them at PG in college. Gbinije was never a point guard until we put him there. I hope Boeheim is just talking about right today, and not for down the road with these comments.

Battle can handle the ball and pass. I think he can develop into a point guard, or at least a two guard who can play point. Guys who were two guard like Rautins and Devendorf ran some point for us later in their careers.
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The problem this year is that Battle is the only 2 guard on the roster; so why move him to point?
 
We have talented guys. It's guard play and defense like we've been saying all year - things we are traditionally very good/excellent at have been huge struggles.

And I'm not sure Lydon leaves after this year. He still needs more strength to develop into an NBA rotation player, he gets pushed around a bit on the interior. I'd love to know what scouts actually think about him right now and not just ESPN/Draft Express. I'd have to guess late first round. Will that be good enough for him or is he willing to wait for more guaranteed money? He could definitely shoot up into the lottery with a monster junior year. Considering he didn't even give the draft a thought last spring with his draft prospects similar to what they are right now, I think he's back.

I'd be shocked if Battle leaves. He's gotten noticeably better and more confident throughout the season. Great explosiveness and his stroke is better than expected. But he's had like 3 legitimately very good games and has been a solid contributor the rest of the time - who's he passing to jump into the first round?
 
Cuse'91 said:
The problem this year is that Battle is the only 2 guard on the roster; so why move him to point?
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Agreed, for now. I'm thinking for next year. For next year, we'll have to see how the roster fills out. But it's hard to see how we find a freshman PG that's starter material at this point and with the 5th year guys, who knows?
 
raf4488 said:
And I'm not sure Lydon leaves after this year. He still needs more strength to develop into an NBA rotation player, he gets pushed around a bit on the interior.
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Every single player that has left Syracuse since Melo needed to "work on something". What you've posted is totally off base when it comes to the NBA draft for the past 20 years.
 
two3zone said:
If Lydon and Battle are first round picks, how is this team 11-9?

The simple answers are:

We don't have a point guard.

We don't play defense well enough.

We don't give the guys we need to have the ball the ball enough.

We don't run an offense properly.

Our defense is wretched.

Maybe these guys aren't really first round picks.


Any others?
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Agree. Look at the individuals.

We have a high percentage of guys whose deficiencies outweigh their proficiencies.

Lydon - only guy who might be a positive. Excellent offensive game with room to improve. Ok but often outmuscled on boards, slow on d.

AW - arguably the worst defensive player in cuse history. Can shoot if open. Hurts us in every facet aside from shooting open threes. Turnover prone.

Frank - I'm searching to think of anything he does well. He has flashes of talent but is clearly not smart enough. Terrible at fast break. Turnover prone.

Gillon - small guard whose quickness could be an assett but he often shoots when he should pass or picks up his dribble. Can get in the passing lanes but is too easy to shoot over. Terrible at fast break. Turnover prone.

TT - ok on offense. Ran our best fast break of the year by himself lol. Doesn't fight hard enough on boards. Terrible on d.

Battle - best athlete. Potential to be good at the top o the zone but for every steal or deflection, he gives up a three. Only guy who can get to the rim but doesn't do it enough. Fast on the fast break but not a great finisher. Turnover prone.

Robey - Our best defensive forward/big? Unless he is boarding big time, he doesn't really have anything else in his game.

DC - Can defensive board but can't defend the high post or the baseline. whatever he gives us on offense is offset these glaring defensive liabilities. Turnover prone.
 
two3zone said:
If Lydon and Battle are first round picks, how is this team 11-9?

The simple answers are:

We don't have a point guard.

We don't play defense well enough.

We don't give the guys we need to have the ball the ball enough.

We don't run an offense properly.

Our defense is wretched.

Maybe these guys aren't really first round picks.


Any others?
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The main reasons this team is 11-9 is because with the exception of a handful of games, the defense is a sh!tshow and the rebounding is subpar on both ends.
 
Sorry I ignored the title of the thread. Since draft is based on potential I don't think there's any real correlation to team success. Didn't UK have an NIT year recently?
 
Malachi did way more than Battle.
Malachi was awesome at the B4A.
Malachi could drive on wing defenders.

Battle has been awesome in conference play but he isn't in Malachi's league yet.
 
Alsacs said:
Malachi did way more than Battle.
Malachi was awesome at the B4A.
Malachi could drive on wing defenders.

Battle has been awesome in conference play but he isn't in Malachi's league yet.
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But give me Battle over Richardson on defensive intensity alone...
 
Alsacs said:
Malachi did way more than Battle.
Malachi was awesome at the B4A.
Malachi could drive on wing defenders.

Battle has been awesome in conference play but he isn't in Malachi's league yet.
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Really? MR was known for his outside shooting and yet he shot 35% from three and Battle is at 42%. Battle has much more of an ability to get to the hole than MR. People forget that MR had a pretty serious stretch of mediocrity prior to the explosion in the NCAA tourney. But forget all that, it's about their longer run potential and in that regard Battle has much more upside imo.
 
bpo57 said:
Really? MR was known for his outside shooting and yet he shot 35% from three and Battle is at 42%. Battle has much more of an ability to get to the hole than MR. People forget that MR had a pretty serious stretch of mediocrity prior to the explosion in the NCAA tourney. But forget all that, it's about their longer run potential and in that regard Battle has much more upside imo.
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When we beat good teams Mal was a key to it.
Battle has been a stud in conference play. Mal struggled in conference play.
We were the good team when G, Mal and Lydon were on.
 
Battle and Mali are not really close in terms of upside. Battle has it. Both he and Lydon are goners.
 
There is no way Battle is a first rounder, and the longer this team sinks into oblivion, the more Lydon's stock drops.
 
Alsacs said:
King Mal played the wing exclusively.
Battle has been up top.
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King Mal can't get on the floor with one of the worst teams in the NBA. He'll have a very marginal career at best.
 
Every year we go through this. Who definitely won't go, then they do, and who definitely won't be a 1st rounder and they are. It's crazy to me to talk with absolute's on this topic.
 
raf4488 said:
We have talented guys. It's guard play and defense like we've been saying all year - things we are traditionally very good/excellent at have been huge struggles.

And I'm not sure Lydon leaves after this year. He still needs more strength to develop into an NBA rotation player, he gets pushed around a bit on the interior. I'd love to know what scouts actually think about him right now and not just ESPN/Draft Express. I'd have to guess late first round. Will that be good enough for him or is he willing to wait for more guaranteed money? He could definitely shoot up into the lottery with a monster junior year. Considering he didn't even give the draft a thought last spring with his draft prospects similar to what they are right now, I think he's back.

I'd be shocked if Battle leaves. He's gotten noticeably better and more confident throughout the season. Great explosiveness and his stroke is better than expected. But he's had like 3 legitimately very good games and has been a solid contributor the rest of the time - who's he passing to jump into the first round?
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I think Lyndon's improved his stock considerably these past 2 games. He has his shortcomings for sure, but he's shown he can put the team on his back offensively.
 
bpo57 said:
That didn't seem to factor into your draft assessment of MR did it?
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His stock rose because of the Final Four, this team will be lucky to get into the Nit, most people didn't see his stock rising that much.
 
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