JB Strategy change?...and why?

[SoBristol]

I don't see how we don't have a consistent 8 player rotation next year.

Guards--BT, MCW, Cooney
Forwards--Rak, CJ, James
Centers--Coleman, Baye

The 9th guy is a highly recruited forward [Grant] who will probably play MCW-type minutes next year behind a trio of experienced forwards. He'll get his feet wet and be ready to play a more prominent role starting when he's a sophomore.

If a couple of things fall into place [i.e., Rak / MCW making the sophomore "jump," CJ and BT emerging as consistent double figure scorers, etc.], next year's team could be loaded. Lots of depth, solid shooting, flexibility with guys capable of playing multiple positions, and tons of size.

Good chance for Grant to get a lot more than MCW minutes. Playing the 4th guard behind 3 real good combo-guards, as MCW did, is not going to lead to minutes.

CJ is going to play big minutes, but the other two guys ahead of Grant at forward aren't all-purpose forwards. Rak showed better at C than at F and still has to develop a shot and the ability to put the ball on the floor. Southerland is streaky -- getting better at ball-handling, but still a work in progress. Grant might fill a need.

As to the larger point (how deep will we go?), I agree we have depth. The question will be whether MCW and DC2 are ready to step up big, as Dion & Fab did this year. It is a lot to ask.

 

[Sgt Cuse]

I don't see how we don't have a consistent 8 player rotation next year.

Guards--BT, MCW, Cooney
Forwards--Rak, CJ, James
Centers--Coleman, Baye

The 9th guy is a highly recruited forward [Grant] who will probably play MCW-type minutes next year behind a trio of experienced forwards. He'll get his feet wet and be ready to play a more prominent role starting when he's a sophomore.

If a couple of things fall into place [i.e., Rak / MCW making the sophomore "jump," CJ and BT emerging as consistent double figure scorers, etc.], next year's team could be loaded. Lots of depth, solid shooting, flexibility with guys capable of playing multiple positions, and tons of size.

I agree with you with the exception of MCW. I don't think MCW needs to make much of a jump. I think he is already good and was just buried behind unusual depth last year.

A Rak "jump" at PF would be huge. I think it could be the key to being a title contender because I already expect decent things out of DC2. So being able to have DC2 and Rak out there with CJ/Dirty, SU would then be able to compete with anyone.

 

[Sgt Cuse]

Good chance for Grant to get a lot more than MCW minutes. Playing the 4th guard behind 3 real good combo-guards, as MCW did, is not going to lead to minutes.

CJ is going to play big minutes, but the other two guys ahead of Grant at forward aren't all-purpose forwards. Rak showed better at C than at F and still has to develop a shot and the ability to put the ball on the floor. Southerland is streaky -- getting better at ball-handling, but still a work in progress. Grant might fill a need.

As to the larger point (how deep will we go?), I agree we have depth. The question will be whether MCW and DC2 are ready to step up big, as Dion & Fab did this year. It is a lot to ask.

It will be interesting to see what happens at C. How many minutes DC2 can bring. And then who gets the backup time, or how it is distributed.

Like you said, Rak showed more at C but moving him over would eat up BMKs minutes. And it doesn't seem like a good idea to have Rak and BMK out on the floor at the same time, just not enough offense. Maybe Rak can get minutes similar to one of RJs years, a combo of starting at PF and then some at backup C.

 

[Cusefaninvirginia]

It will be interesting to see what happens at C. How many minutes DC2 can bring. And then who gets the backup time, or how it is distributed.

Like you said, Rak showed more at C but moving him over would eat up BMKs minutes. And it doesn't seem like a good idea to have Rak and BMK out on the floor at the same time, just not enough offense. Maybe Rak can get minutes similar to one of RJs years, a combo of starting at PF and then some at backup C.

Yeah, it would eat up a lot of BMK's minutes, but i think that's just the way it's going to have to be, since the only way around that is to have either DC or Rak playing a lot at the 4, which probably wouldn't be a good thing. Ideally, either DC will come in in good enough shape to play the 4, or Rak will take a huge step forward next year at the 4, creating a lot of minutes for BMK as the primary backup at C. But it seems far more likely that both DC and Rak will play really well at C AND both will struggle to play effective minutes at the 4. (I think DC given his size would struggle to defend out to the 3 pt line, and Rak looked very ineffective at the 4 offensively last year.) If that is the case, and if Grant is able to play effective minutes at the 3 next year, (which seems likely, especially given the way his older brother played at ND this past year really boding well), then the trio of Fair, Southerland and Grant should be able to handle most of the 80 minutes a game at the 3 and 4, leaving DC and Rak to split up the bulk of the 40 minutes at C, in which case BMK is the odd man out. But at least that way we don't have to play anyone at positions where they're liabilities at. But of course if Grant isn't ready to play, then BMK's minutes would go back up, since it would force Rak to play more at the 4 so Fair and Southerland can make up for Grant's minutes at the 3.

 

[Sgt Cuse]

But it seems far more likely that both DC and Rak will play really well at C AND both will struggle to play effective minutes at the 4.
then the trio of Fair, Southerland and Grant should be able to handle most of the 80 minutes a game at the 3 and 4, leaving DC and Rak to split up the bulk of the 40 minutes at C, in which case BMK is the odd man out. But at least that way we don't have to play anyone at positions where they're liabilities at. .

I think one of the keys to next season is Rak's improvement and ability to play the 4. If Rak can't do it, he will probably back up the center position and SU will have a much shorter bench.
I don't think JB will trust a frosh Grant for much. That would leave 3 guards, 2 centers, and two forwards plus the sparing use of J Grant and BMK.

I think it would be a lot like the '09-'10 rotation with Rak playing the part of RJ. Really only going 7 deep.

 

[Rossco123]

If Rak wants to play in the league I think that most agree that it will have to be at the 4. He has played all of his life at the 5.
What happens next year and beyond will depend on how much work Rak is willing to do to make the change to be a 4.
JB will use him where he will help the team WIN. You can bet that Rak and the staff will be very clear about where he is going to play and how much. It is in Rak's hands.

 

[SoBristol]

I think one of the keys to next season is Rak's improvement and ability to play the 4. If Rak can't do it, he will probably back up the center position and SU will have a much shorter bench.
I don't think JB will trust a frosh Grant for much. That would leave 3 guards, 2 centers, and two forwards plus the sparing use of J Grant and BMK.

I think it would be a lot like the '09-'10 rotation with Rak playing the part of RJ. Really only going 7 deep.

You don't think that Baye showed enough in the Boston regional (outplaying Rak) to deserve a spot in the rotation? He has been in the rotation for 2 years. Very unlikely that DC2 will play 25-30 minutes without foul trouble -- leaving a big need for Baye to contribute.

As for Grant, I wouldn't write him off. Boeheim will trust him if he handles, gets out on shooters, rebounds, and hits a few shots. It depends on what he brings by October. He has the bloodlines -- is he strong enough? The opportunity is there, unless both Southerland and Rak make major strides over the summer and return as all-around forwards.

And there is that word of caution -- predictions in May are so often wrong because players improve (or not). We have fresh evidence of that: projections last May about Dion (bad attitude, won't return), BT (will become a big scorer), Fab (a dud), Southerland (too flaky), Kris (lottery), Boeheim (won't go 8 or 9 deep) and Scoop (won't lead) were wildly wrong.

 

[Sgt Cuse]

You don't think that Baye showed enough in the Boston regional (outplaying Rak) to deserve a spot in the rotation? He has been in the rotation for 2 years. Very unlikely that DC2 will play 25-30 minutes without foul trouble -- leaving a big need for Baye to contribute.

As for Grant, I wouldn't write him off. Boeheim will trust him if he handles, gets out on shooters, rebounds, and hits a few shots. It depends on what he brings by October. He has the bloodlines -- is he strong enough? The opportunity is there, unless both Southerland and Rak make major strides over the summer and return as all-around forwards.

And there is that word of caution -- predictions in May are so often wrong because players improve (or not). We have fresh evidence of that: projections last May about Dion (bad attitude, won't return), BT (will become a big scorer), Fab (a dud), Southerland (too flaky), Kris (lottery), Boeheim (won't go 8 or 9 deep) and Scoop (won't lead) were wildly wrong.

I think BMK is good enough to play. That is part of the fear in Rak not making the jump. That Grant will be forced into more action and BMK would be getting less.

I don't think the opportunity is there for Grant. Not next year. There is at a minimum Dirty and CJ ahead of him. As Rosco mentions, JB and Rak both want Rak to be a pf, so Rak will be getting minutes there. I think/hope it will be a developmental year for Grant, kind of like what MCW went through.

Of course it is all speculation. I don't want the rotation c0ntracting back to 7 but could see how it could happen. On the positive side I could easily see 8+ the way RF mentions above. And would certainly prefer that happens.

 

[br801]

I think BMK is good enough to play. That is part of the fear in Rak not making the jump. That Grant will be forced into more action and BMK would be getting less.

I don't think the opportunity is there for Grant. Not next year. There is at a minimum Dirty and CJ ahead of him. As Rosco mentions, JB and Rak both want Rak to be a pf, so Rak will be getting minutes there. I think/hope it will be a developmental year for Grant, kind of like what MCW went through.

Of course it is all speculation. I don't want the rotation c0ntracting back to 7 but could see how it could happen. On the positive side I could easily see 8+ the way RF mentions above. And would certainly prefer that happens.

I pretty much agree with most of that. Grant, through no fault of his own, will likely be the odd man out once we reach conference play. He would have to steal minutes from CJ or James, and that won't likely happen for the reasons you cited.
If Coleman comes in as advertised, I think BMK will be more of a situational guy who sees big minutes in some games and sits for most of many others. I really liked what I saw of Rak at the end of the year and expect him to make a big move forward and see minutes at the 4 and 5.

The guard situation looks more predictable. I expect Triche and MCW will play most of the minutes with Cooney getting 12-15 minutes per game. That all adds up to a 7 or 8 man rotation against top opponents. It won't look like last season's distribution of minutes simply because the depth and experience levels are different.