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[QUOTE="Ghost, post: 2017235, member: 581"]
Unexpected departures have hurt us quite a bit - I doubt anyone argues that.  If Mal comes back we're probably a better defensive squad, hopefully more cohesive on offense, but is our guard play strong enough even with that?  I'm not sure - we still have the issue of Joseph departing for Creighton, and a Frank Howard that seems to have regressed in every aspect except shooting.

Obviously we're considerably better with a first round pick hanging out as our shooting guard, but do we still have a bunch of ill fitting parts?  Lydon is still too slow to play the 3 or 4 in this zone.  White probably isn't on the roster.  What to do with Thompson and Coleman - play them and you got a crap zone again, and maybe Mali just ends up playing the 3 again anyway and we have the same crap guard situation.  Who knows.....we would score a lot more though (I think).

No matter what this year would turn a bit on whether Howard could play point guard - would Mali take away enough pressure to ease him in better before his confidence was destroyed, or whatever produced his crap play?  Would Battle have been able to ease into his role?  Who knows.  Maybe having Mali's swagger would have produced a more resilient bunch - the current group seems ready to roll over and play dead at the sound of a whistle.  Which isn't ideal on a basketball court.

Ron Patterson or Kaleb Joseph might be better PG options right now.  That's kind of scary, eh?
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