Looking at Next Year's Rotation

[Cusefan0307]

Not to quibble, but we're not going to ever play Lampkin and MacLeod together, so that takes 10 minutes off from your post for the 5 position.

Freeman should play 30 minutes, I agree. But he's a freshman big who will likely face foul trouble, and also need to be encouraged to play close to the rim and not just float at the 3 point line, like Donte Greene did. That may involve some time on the bench.

You might not think there's time for any more players, but Red obviously does, or he wouldn't be out there looking for a couple more guys.

No, we agree that we will get more players. The difference is I believe that guy will be bench fodder based on who we are looking at.

 

[MikeSU02]

Want to know why people are disagreeing about what position(s) we need more help? Because we have zero stars. Zero Aces, in Ted Lasso parlance.

There’s an episode of Ted Lasso where Jamie Tartt gets shipped out and he knows he only has 1 ace left (with Dani Rojas), but he was counting on 2 (Jamie being the other).

Right now Cuse has zero. Donnie won’t be Melo. JJ isn’t all of a sudden going to become Devin Booker. Chris Bell is still super narrow in his skills. Westry won’t do an impression of Dwyane Wade. Guys not good at defense won’t become all world.

Maybe our the chemistry points get better, maybe we have guys playing natural positions that helps, maybe Red gets a little better.

You aren’t having multiple calls with Kadary if you think you’re good to go. Or chasing Leffew. Or any of the other guys if you are set.

We lost our most talented player, our mvp and three out of four of our top PER guys (the one still here is McLeod).

 

[FrancoPizza]

Want to know why people are disagreeing about what position(s) we need more help? Because we have zero stars. Zero Aces, in Ted Lasso parlance.

There’s an episode of Ted Lasso where Jamie Tartt gets shipped out and he knows he only has 1 ace left (with Dani Rojas), but he was counting on 2 (Jamie being the other).

Right now Cuse has zero. Donnie won’t be Melo. JJ isn’t all of a sudden going to become Devin Booker. Chris Bell is still super narrow in his skills. Westry won’t do an impression of Dwyane Wade. Guys not good at defense won’t become all world.

Maybe our the chemistry points get better, maybe we have guys playing natural positions that helps, maybe Red gets a little better.

You aren’t having multiple calls with Kadary if you think you’re good to go. Or chasing Leffew. Or any of the other guys if you are set.

We lost our most talented player, our mvp and three out of four of our top PER guys (the one still here is McLeod).

To be candid I don't feel we had any aces last year, either. We had a few dudes who believed they were stars but didn't walk the walk.

Chemistry can raise the ceiling on a team's success to an extent when all the parts gel, but I don't think it raises the floor. Losing can bring out bad attitudes and finger pointing even amongst the best of us. For one I can't wait for the annual discussion of how many games we'll have to win in the ACC tournament next year.

 

[Sherman20]

All I know is that Donnie Freeman is going to be really good. I know he’ll only be a freshman but we shouldn’t sleep on him. If Starling and Bell make big leaps and fill in the holes in their games, and Chance is healthy and Carlos makes the transition to a higher level, we could be a solid tournament team. A bunch of question marks, but I think most of them could end up positively for this team.

 

[MikeSU02]

All I know is that Donnie Freeman is going to be really good. I know he’ll only be a freshman but we shouldn’t sleep on him. If Starling and Bell make big leaps and fill in the holes in their games, and Chance is healthy and Carlos makes the transition to a higher level, we could be a solid tournament team. A bunch of question marks, but I think most of them could end up positively for this team.

So if every single thing breaks to the best possible way, we'll be in the tournament?

Won't happen.

 

[hoopsupstate]

I think we have less holes to fill than what we had coming back last year. We had Judah and no one else with hardly any experience. Bell was up and down during his freshman season.

 

[jordoo]

The big difference between this coming season and last is that we will have a 5 to play the 5 and a 4 to play the 4. That can and should be a net positive. We also added an actual 1 which we haven't had.

Overall I can see what the staff was trying to do and I like the concept. However I would feel better about it if we had landed Leffew and a lot better about it if we had landed Kadary.

As others have mentioned we are asking a lot.
-We are asking that JJ, Bell or both not only improve but become break out stars.
-We are asking that Freeman is the do it all forward that doesn't have freshman issues.
-We are asking that Moore is ready to go as a freshman and shoots high 30's from 3.
-We are asking that not only is Chance healthy but he's a lock down defender and a Kadary type playmaker.
-We are asking that Carlos can make a seamless transition to ACC level PG.
Some of those things will happen, if half of them do I'd be ecstatic.

Again there are still players out there and I expect we add 2 more guys. We can reevaluate after that. I can envision Red's plan, I like it, but we have missed on an important part of the plan so far.

 

[Cuse House]

Roster feels better balanced than last year. Maturity shouldn’t be an issue with this group. Still doesn’t look like a tournament team on paper, too many unknowns at this point. We could really be a solid squad or be a complete disaster.

 

[djcon57]

I think we have less holes to fill than what we had coming back last year. We had Judah and no one else with hardly any experience. Bell was up and down during his freshman season.

JJ started at ND.

 

[Niastri]

The big difference between this coming season and last is that we will have a 5 to play the 5 and a 4 to play the 4. That can and should be a net positive. We also added an actual 1 which we haven't had.

Overall I can see what the staff was trying to do and I like the concept. However I would feel better about it if we had landed Leffew and a lot better about it if we had landed Kadary.

As others have mentioned we are asking a lot.
-We are asking that JJ, Bell or both not only improve but become break out stars.
-We are asking that Freeman is the do it all forward that doesn't have freshman issues.
-We are asking that Moore is ready to go as a freshman and shoots high 30's from 3.
-We are asking that not only is Chance healthy but he's a lock down defender and a Kadary type playmaker.
-We are asking that Carlos can make a seamless transition to ACC level PG.
Some of those things will happen, if half of them do I'd be ecstatic.

Again there are still players out there and I expect we add 2 more guys. We can reevaluate after that. I can envision Red's plan, I like it, but we have missed on an important part of the plan so far.

If all those things happen, we're an elite team. Last year, we won 20 games against a very tough schedule with a first year coach and a roster damaged by injuries and bad behavior. We couldn't defend or rebound at all by the end of the year... And yet we outscored a few teams at the end anyway.

If Bell or Starling become "breakout stars" that would be huge. Most teams don't have a star... We have two candidates even if you're pessimistic.

Freeman being as good as his high school ratings suggest isn't a long shot. He isn't being asked to be "the man." We have a bunch of juniors and fifth year seniors to take on the load. It works allow his talent to develop slowly through the season.

Moore is probably the tenth guy in the rotation, even if we don't get any more transfers. If he beats out Cuffe, Carlos, Westry, or heaven forbid Starling, that's a good thing. (Or it indicates the roster completely collapsed).

Chance Westry is a serious wild card, I agree. But we aren't really relying on him. We have Carlos, Starling and Cuffe that duplicate his skills, if not his potential impact.

Similarly, if Carlos doesn't adapt to high major ball very well, we still have known quantities Starling and Cuffe, as well as high upside players in Westry and Moore to cover for him. I think at the least he'll be effective at end of game situations and if we need him to help break a press.

Again, a lot can go wrong and we can still have a good season... If everything goes right, we could have a great season.

 

[baggerbob]

If all those things happen, we're an elite team. Last year, we won 20 games against a very tough schedule with a first year coach and a roster damaged by injuries and bad behavior. We couldn't defend or rebound at all by the end of the year... And yet we outscored a few teams at the end anyway.

If Bell or Starling become "breakout stars" that would be huge. Most teams don't have a star... We have two candidates even if you're pessimistic.

Freeman being as good as his high school ratings suggest isn't a long shot. He isn't being asked to be "the man." We have a bunch of juniors and fifth year seniors to take on the load. It works allow his talent to develop slowly through the season.

Moore is probably the tenth guy in the rotation, even if we don't get any more transfers. If he beats out Cuffe, Carlos, Westry, or heaven forbid Starling, that's a good thing. (Or it indicates the roster completely collapsed).

Chance Westry is a serious wild card, I agree. But we aren't really relying on him. We have Carlos, Starling and Cuffe that duplicate his skills, if not his potential impact.

Similarly, if Carlos doesn't adapt to high major ball very well, we still have known quantities Starling and Cuffe, as well as high upside players in Westry and Moore to cover for him. I think at the least he'll be effective at end of game situations and if we need him to help break a press.

Again, a lot can go wrong and we can still have a good season... If everything goes right, we could have a great season.

You make too much sense for all the doomsayers on this board.
Defense and rebounding will be this teams calling card next year.
Last year with all the injuries, and Benny being a no show left Red with 6 players.
He couldn't bench players for not playing the way he wanted.
If he has 10 who can give him decent minutes, there will be players who find a seat on the bench this year.

 

[djcon57]

Defense and rebounding will be this teams calling card next year..

I'll take that bet.

if we are good next year, it will be us outscoring people in high scoring track meets. (which fwiw is why I'd love another shooter)

 

[Niastri]

I'll take that bet.

if we are good next year, it will be us outscoring people in high scoring track meets. (which fwiw is why I'd love another shooter)

I, too, worry about the defense.

 

[tbonezone]

are the frosh donnie freeman and elijah moore rooming together ?

 

[Sudano]

All I know is that Donnie Freeman is going to be really good. I know he’ll only be a freshman but we shouldn’t sleep on him. If Starling and Bell make big leaps and fill in the holes in their games, and Chance is healthy and Carlos makes the transition to a higher level, we could be a solid tournament team. A bunch of question marks, but I think most of them could end up positively for this team.

Alot of ifs in that post. If I had more money I'd be rich.

 

[IthacaMatt]

So if every single thing breaks to the best possible way, we'll be in the tournament?

Won't happen.

If "every single thing breaks to the best possible way", this will be a Sweet 16 team. But we don't have the full roster yet. We are painfully thin up front.

But none of these guys have to become "stars" for us to have a very good season. Just remember back to our 1999-2000 team. We had 5 guys average in double figures and none of them were stars. We won the Big East and were a Sweet 16 team.

 

[MSOrange]

If "every single thing breaks to the best possible way", this will be a Sweet 16 team. But we don't have the full roster yet. We are painfully thin up front.

But none of these guys have to become "stars" for us to have a very good season. Just remember back to our 1999-2000 team. We had 5 guys average in double figures and none of them were stars. We won the Big East and were a Sweet 16 team.

We've lost Lampkin in case you haven't read the recruiting board so probably worse than painfully thin.

 

[OttoinGrotto]

The big difference between this coming season and last is that we will have a 5 to play the 5

 

[MikeSU02]

If "every single thing breaks to the best possible way", this will be a Sweet 16 team. But we don't have the full roster yet. We are painfully thin up front.

But none of these guys have to become "stars" for us to have a very good season. Just remember back to our 1999-2000 team. We had 5 guys average in double figures and none of them were stars. We won the Big East and were a Sweet 16 team.

You are comparing this team to that team. Ya, it ain’t close.

 

[IthacaMatt]

You are comparing this team to that team. Ya, it ain’t close.

The point is that you don't have to have stars to have a good team. I would rather have balance, so winning and losing doesn't come down to whether or not 1 guy has a bad game.

 

[MikeSU02]

The point is that you don't have to have stars to have a good team. I would rather have balance, so winning and losing doesn't come down to whether or not 1 guy has a bad game.

Yes you do. Are you kidding me? This is off the charts copium.

 

[IthacaMatt]

We've lost Lampkin in case you haven't read the recruiting board so probably worse than painfully thin.

Yeah, I didn't know that.
That kind of blows up the whole thing.
Without a big body center, this roster is weak.
We were already weak up front with only 3 forwards.
This is a disaster. Damn.

P.S. - I'm going to say it right now; this kid flipping might cost him his job.