Several points: First, BMK improved in his time here and he improved defensively. Just because his minutes didn't increase doesn't mean he didn't improve. The hardest position to learn defensively in the zone is the center.
I don't know -- I mean, I agree to a point. I'm sure JB or anyone who follows the program would agree that Baye was better as a senior than he was as a frosh. However, I would think if a player truly improved there would be some sort of statistical data to prove it. I mean, if you look at basic stats -- his per game numbers are remarkably similar. If you prefer per/40 numbers, they're still pretty flat and his steals/blocks numbers actually go down. And with minutes -- you could certainly give him a pass as a soph as Fab is taking off, but by the time he's a junior and senior, he's competing with DC2, who was really struggling, and Rak who was still absolutely in learn mode. If Baye took his decent frosh and soph years and came back significantly better as a junior and senior, I'd argue at least the minutes should have gone up a bit. Even to 20 mpg.
So I would agree in theory that I'd take Jr/Sr Baye over Fr/So Baye, but it's tough to argue that he wasn't effective as a frosh but somehow was pretty effective as a jr./sr.
How that applies to Chino, i'm not sure. If he's a Baye-type player who hustles, plays good position defense, can battle on the boards. Then great, I'll take 15 solid mpg from him. But I just feel like it's tough to go from 89 total minutes in a season to being a 15 mpg guy.
Secondly, it is very rare for JB to go without a real center. And I count RJ and Rak as centers even though JB put them out at PF at times.
Agreed, but it's not as if we're talking about an even remotely typical roster. When's the last time that the only two viable big men we had were a guy who's been injured, out of shape and generally ineffective for his entire career and a third-year guy who, despite that, isn't even close to beating out the first guy? I think JB is saying his prayers each night hoping he can get at least 35 mpg combined out of those two guys in big games, but I think we're a long way from knowing whether or not that's a real possibility.
Third, the hoped for usage of Chino is not to be the go-to guy at the end, but instead is allow JB to have DC2 at the end of games. I agree Chino has a ways to go to get JB's trust for PT in big games, but then, so do Roberson or Lydon when it comes to the backup center duties.
I think we're all aware Chino won't be the go-to guy at the end. Ever. But Roberson has logged over 900 minutes in his career and Lydon is a kid who will almost certainly log more minutes -- in general -- than Chino. At this point, JB hasn't really committed that much to Chino in exhibition games -- 26 minutes total in the two games. Doesn't feel like a stretch that JB would be more confident in a lineup with those two than with Chino.
Again, could be wrong and generally hope I am, but if I were betting on it, I'd say 15 mpg is going to be well north of where Chino ends up this year.
