Maliq Brown to Duke

[shandeezy7]

Yep. I don't get the consternation some people have with him visiting there. If Duke is signing guys that weren't going to start at Syracuse out of the portal I think that's a great look for SU! And the thought he can play SF at Duke is kinda laughable. It took 2 centers getting hurt and a PF getting kicked off the team to start at SU this season. He played admirably. If he'd rather be the 10th or 11th man at Duke than the 6th man at Syracuse so be it.

I haven't read the whole thread, but are there actually people that have suggested he could play the 3? That's...a take.

 

[dasher]

Nah. If he goes to Duke he's dead to me and he was my favorite player. I'll never root for success for anyone in that program. DEAD.

Terrible look for Syracuse. Absolutely awful.

Why? A kid that couldn't start here left to go to Duke. How is that all that bad a look for us? It would be one thing if a starter of ours left to go sit the bench there. But that isn't what is happening. I don't think he will end up at Duke either. He has to want to start at this point. But maybe not.

 

[UpstateSM]

Not sure what you're looking for then. I'm not suggesting that we got the best guys who are in the portal, but it's clear that Red is trying to assemble a team where guys are playing their natural position rather than what's happened the last several years.

It is hard for me to agree with the second half of this post when it looks like we won't have a true point guard on the roster. Leffew is a combo and the closest thing to a PG after him is a kid whose knees haven't held up since high school.

 

[CardiacCuse]

if brown decides to go to duke to be a backup over staying at the cuse and having to fight for minutes?


ay yay yay...really no other way to spin it than Maliq doesnt like the Orange and its program, imo...he would then be leaving not over playing time...but other reasons.


if he goes somewhere to start, I get it. but leaving to be a backup?!??! wow...that'd be rough

plus Duke has to be the easiest team to hate in the sport...uggh

 

[tbonezone]

if brown decides to go to duke to be a backup over staying at the cuse

well he gets to play in the tourney . something we can't give him .

 

[chugg21]

Only read the last page and see multiple people saying Maliq wouldn't be a starter for us next year? That's wild. Led our team in Blocks, Rebounds and Steals this year. 1 less assist then JJ had on the year. Shot 70% from the floor. Is this people just trying to make themselves feel better? Our team has been mediocre for years now and we're trying to tell ourselves that the best player on our team who has decided to leave would go from best player on the team to the bench his JR year? Lol.

 

[Cuse181]

Why? A kid that couldn't start here left to go to Duke. How is that all that bad a look for us? It would be one thing if a starter of ours left to go sit the bench there. But that isn't what is happening. I don't think he will end up at Duke either. He has to want to start at this point. But maybe not.

From NBA level PF to not even good enough to start. The spin cycle we go through with every single transfer is amazing.

 

[pearl31]

Only read the last page and see multiple people saying Maliq wouldn't be a starter for us next year? That's wild. Led our team in Blocks, Rebounds and Steals this year. 1 less assist then JJ had on the year. Shot 70% from the floor. Is this people just trying to make themselves feel better? Our team has been mediocre for years now and we're trying to tell ourselves that the best player on our team who has decided to leave would go from best player on the team to the bench his JR year? Lol.

At which position would you have him start?

 

[chugg21]

At which position would you have him start?

1 of the 2 forward spots and figure it out. Have a preference for actual good basketball players then theoretical ones or pretending we have guys with NBA skill sets and have to worry about spacing the floor. We started 2 guards last year that couldn't shoot and still don't have any and now we're worried about if we have a spot for our best actual basketball player to start? How many Chris Bell box scores should I post where he had about 4 points and barely if any rebounds, steals, assists and blocks?

 

[UpstateSM]

At which position would you have him start?

Where ever he wants

 

[pearl31]

lol ok

 

[SWC75]

Almost all college players are going to be lacking something. Each gives you certain strengths and weaknesses. It's the coach's job to fit them together. Maliq can't be a low-post center on defense. Lampkin can't block shots or make steals. Naheem can't over space, etc. etc. That doesn't mean they aren't good players.

I wanted Maliq to be used in the high post on offense and defense with Naheem behind him. Maliq could be the guys who disrupts up front in the zone with Naheem protecting the rim behind him. And the offense could go through Maliq the way it used to with Marek, with Maliq feeding the post or getting it back out for open three pointers. Instead we've got Lampkin with his back-to-the basket game, which would probably put Naheem on the bench.

 

[dasher]

if brown decides to go to duke to be a backup over staying at the cuse and having to fight for minutes?


ay yay yay...really no other way to spin it than Maliq doesnt like the Orange and its program, imo...he would then be leaving not over playing time...but other reasons.


if he goes somewhere to start, I get it. but leaving to be a backup?!??! wow...that'd be rough

plus Duke has to be the easiest team to hate in the sport...uggh

No question in my mind that he was unhappy with the vibe from the team this past year. I would have hoped that some of those players are gone would have been helpful in keeping him here. It clearly wasn't.

 

[Melancer46]

I get your point but that has nothing to do with how defensive ratings are calculated. My point is that if he was such a liability at center, it would have show up in some of his metrics vs the other players on the team.

It absolutely has a lot to do with how defensive ratings are calculated. It's very teammate dependent and tends to favor big men, particularly big men that rack up steals like he does. As the only big man with a pulse on our team, it shouldn't be a surprise that he was our highest rated defender (also to be clear, he was hands down our best defender in conference play anyways; I'm not trying to argue that he wasn't).

Before all of our other size perished off the planet, our defensive rating was better when Maliq was on the bench than it was with him on the court. It only flipped the other way after he became the only playable guy with any size on the team.

 

[DoctahLexus]

Delusional to think that the preseason #1 team with a boatload of 5 star freshman coming in could find more minutes for him than an NIT bubble team with one. He is leaving for reasons other than guaranteed playing time.

And if we can't chirp one of our own for transferring to freaking duke then what the hell are we even doing here? Dude is dead to me for even considering it.

 

[tbonezone]

i'd say hands down maliq was the best/most improved player on the team last season.
and i'm sorry but losing him to the portal reflects badly on red's coaching . the other dudes...i get. but red dropped the ball here imo. and i just don't see yet where we're better next year.

 

[Cheriehoop]

No question in my mind that he was unhappy with the vibe from the team this past year. I would have hoped that some of those players are gone would have been helpful in keeping him here. It clearly wasn't.

He lost his closest friend on the team that he knew from middle school, JT, and saw how his season went and then lost his recruiter, GMac, too. He knew he had to adjust to new teammates, and after being a starter for over the last half of the season he knew that his role would probably be reduced and changed. Lots of adjustments for an upperclassman who it appears was getting lucrative offers from other programs. Had to be difficult. Relationships do matter.

 

[djcon57]

It absolutely has a lot to do with how defensive ratings are calculated. It's very teammate dependent and tends to favor big men, particularly big men that rack up steals like he does. As the only big man with a pulse on our team, it shouldn't be a surprise that he was our highest rated defender (also to be clear, he was hands down our best defender in conference play anyways; I'm not trying to argue that he wasn't).

Before all of our other size perished off the planet, our defensive rating was better when Maliq was on the bench than it was with him on the court. It only flipped the other way after he became the only playable guy with any size on the team.

I feel like all the comments glossing over his steals sound like the old guys in Moneyball talking about walks. I do get your point though. The defensive rating being better with Maliq on bench? That’s pretty shocking. How did you find those numbers?

 

[Owens guy]

Duke has many NBA scouts probably at every game. Malik will get a lot more exposure playing 20 minutes a game at Duke and is likely being promised to be used in a way to highlight his strengths.

I hate to see him go to Duke but I can see why he is considering it.

 

[dasher]

Duke has many NBA scouts probably at every game. Malik will get a lot more exposure playing 20 minutes a game at Duke and is likely being promised to be used in a way to highlight his strengths.

I hate to see him go to Duke but I can see why he is considering it.

NBA? He can't start at Syracuse or Duke and we are talking about the NBA. At what position does he play in the NBA? If he wants a "better" degree? Fine. If he wants to play at a more successful program without the drama? Fine. But NBA. I sure hope that isn't his thinking.

 

[Cusefan0307]

Why? A kid that couldn't start here left to go to Duke. How is that all that bad a look for us? It would be one thing if a starter of ours left to go sit the bench there. But that isn't what is happening. I don't think he will end up at Duke either. He has to want to start at this point. But maybe not.

I’m sure this is what the staff is selling, but it sure sounds like damage control.

 

[dasher]

I’m sure this is what the staff is selling, but it sure sounds like damage control.

It isn't damage control. They would loved to have him stay. They won't lose sleep over him leaving.

 

[RF2044]

No question in my mind that he was unhappy with the vibe from the team this past year. I would have hoped that some of those players are gone would have been helpful in keeping him here. It clearly wasn't.

Exactly. Last year was a grind, on both the coaches and the players due to a group of malcontents on the squad. They weren't bad kids, just passive aggressive about following direction from the new HC.

Brown wasn't in that group. He is extremely coachable, a fantastic student, and a high-character locker room guy who just produces. Despite some opinions undervaluing his capabilities, the advanced metrics on both offense and defense demonstrate his value. Did he have limitations? Sure -- most college players do. But he was a high end performer.

And after the grind of the season, he lost a friend to the portal [Taylor], GMac left, etc.

I think it has less to do with Maliq being afraid to compete for PT with Freeman, and more to do with a variety of factors that added up. Death by a thousand cuts.

Too bad. But I like what Red has done to pivot in the portal.

 

[baggerbob]

There is more than one way to make defense work as a system.

We aren’t elite.

Lampkin won’t stop an Edey or Clingan either.

The coaches landed someone they could get. Not their ideal get.

And, again, if you think coming off the bench for the pre-season #1 is the same as coming off the bench for Cuse, I don’t know what to tell you. It’s apples and palm trees comparison.

Freeman should grow on defense as the season progresses. That should make us better at the end of the year.
Bell is athletic enough to become a good defender, and if he wants to play in the NBA he needs to do that.

 

[Cusefan0307]

If he ends up at Duke I’m not sold he wouldn’t start. They could put him at the 4, Flagg at the 3, and Ngonba/Maluach at center.