Maliq Brown to Duke

[atlanticuse]

Why do people continue to insist Duke is our rival? Doesn't one team have to occasionally beat the other?

What happens if he’s the difference maker between win and loss, in a game that matters?
JGIII didn’t help our chances at the NCAAT, but multiple 20+ points losses (with Maliq on our team, obviously) hurt more.
Our margin of error is nearly zero.

 

[Hopkins16]

I really don't get all the "I'll root for this guy" stuff after they leave. Especially in this new era.

I don't blame the kids for doing what's best for them, but I'm only rooting for them when they play for Syracuse.

Do people just say it because they want to sound nice? It's such a bizarre concept.

I follow a lot of players when they are in high school and on the AAU circuit. There are certain guys I like very early on and root for, regardless of which college they attend. So, while I'm an SU fan, it doesn't stop me from rooting for individuals, even guys who leave SU. I guess I am not a typical rabid fan, but a fan of the overall game and players. I'm a big fan of Maliq and though it pained me greatly that he left, I understand why and will support him (along with Flagg, a guy I've watched for a couple of years and skills I really love). It's a variation of the Godfather situation where I wish them well but not against us and as long as they don't get in our way.

 

[CuseFaninVT]

Losing your MVP is always bad as a program. It happened, it's over. If he left for money, playing time, whatever, it's not good. Especially when he goes to Duke. That is awful. We decided that we couldn't offer him what Duke wanted (priority in $$$ or position or a combo), we made a choice.

Our front line is Lampkin, Donnie and Bell. If people here are happy with that, cool If people here are wary of that, cool. Put me staunchly in the latter.

Our guard situation is not good.

But losing Maliq isn't losing a role player. Whether we can improve with who we have next year remains to be seen. Hope so. Wouldn't bet on it.

And Duke was smart enough to entice our best all around player away.


Reminds me of the recent blue bloods discussion. We aren’t close these days people. Stop expecting us to be. We are years away from talk of being anywhere near that again.

 

[jordoo]

I love what Brown brought to the team last year. I think he's a great kid and the type of player that can help any team. That said he was an irreplaceable player on an average team that had no depth at the 4/5. I think he will be a great glue guy for Duke but I don't view his ceiling to be as high as many others in this thread. I think some of it is we had a very dysfunctional team and Brown was efficient and functional which made him stand out. Very good player, can help any team but in my (very humble) opinion he's a secondary player.

 

[richmondcuse03]

I love what Brown brought to the team last year. I think he's a great kid and the type of player that can help any team. That said he was an irreplaceable player on an average team that had no depth at the 4/5. I think he will be a great glue guy for Duke but I don't view his ceiling to be as high as many others in this thread. I think some of it is we had a very dysfunctional team and Brown was efficient and functional which made him stand out. Very good player, can help any team but in my (very humble) opinion he's a secondary player.

Also why he’s more valuable to Duke. He’s the type of glue guy who helps you win a championship. He’s an upperclassman who they’re going to count on as an experienced defensive presence who can do a lot of little things to help you win games. That matters a lot more to a top five team than sadly it does for Syracuse whose goal is likely just to same the tourney.

He’s also a very smart kid who may genuinely value a Duke degree. I can’t fault him for that if it played into the thought process. The fact that he only went to one school to visit implies he knew what he wanted to leave and got it.

 

[MikeSU02]

How would people feel about a front court rotation of Lampkin, Brown and Davis, With Bell at the 3?

Compared to Lampkin, Freeman, Davis with Bell at the 3?

How do people feel that Chris Bell is entrenched as the 3 in both scenarios as though he’s some all American?

The larger issue is that exact point.

There is no way there should be a world where we ended up in this choice. There are other avenues that could have been taken.

But let’s go back to your question of a world in which these were the only two avenues, I’m taking Brown (a known quantity) as priority, Donnie #2, Lampkin #3, Davis #4.

But, again, your scenario is ignoring the fact that other choices could have been made that prioritize Donnie and Maliq.

But here we are. Praying for Dakota Leffew. Spotlighting Bell and JJ and hoping Lampkin somehow better than he was last year.

Your hypothetical is exactly the type of stuff that’s been used for the past decade here as we accept mediocrity.

 

[Newhouser]

I love what Brown brought to the team last year. I think he's a great kid and the type of player that can help any team. That said he was an irreplaceable player on an average team that had no depth at the 4/5. I think he will be a great glue guy for Duke but I don't view his ceiling to be as high as many others in this thread. I think some of it is we had a very dysfunctional team and Brown was efficient and functional which made him stand out. Very good player, can help any team but in my (very humble) opinion he's a secondary player.

I think this is spot on. He's a valuable player who's value here was highlighted by the fact that we had nobody who knew how to play basketball on the team. Maliq is a good/very good player but he wasn't elevating us off bubble status.

 

[Newhouser]

Also why he’s more valuable to Duke. He’s the type of glue guy who helps you win a championship. He’s an upperclassman who they’re going to count on as an experienced defensive presence who can do a lot of little things to help you win games. That matters a lot more to a top five team than sadly it does for Syracuse whose goal is likely just to same the tourney.

He’s also a very smart kid who may genuinely value a Duke degree. I can’t fault him for that if it played into the thought process. The fact that he only went to one school to visit implies he knew what he wanted to leave and got it.

His biggest impact is his brain and the fact that he doesn't require shots to positively impact the game. Those guys are highly valued on teams with high level guys.

 

[AZOrange]

I love what Brown brought to the team last year. I think he's a great kid and the type of player that can help any team. That said he was an irreplaceable player on an average team that had no depth at the 4/5. I think he will be a great glue guy for Duke but I don't view his ceiling to be as high as many others in this thread. I think some of it is we had a very dysfunctional team and Brown was efficient and functional which made him stand out. Very good player, can help any team but in my (very humble) opinion he's a secondary player.

Secondary on offense for sure. But defensive stud

 

[M2MPrinciples]

What happens if he’s the difference maker between win and loss, in a game that matters?

I hate this mentality. We can't go around being scared of a guy we let go making an impact against us. If Red can't stockpile and develop enough talent to overcome Maliq Brown going to Duke, that's the bigger issue, not Brown leaving.

 

[two3zone]

I hate this mentality. We can't go around being scared of a guy we let go making an impact against us. If Red can't stockpile and develop enough talent to overcome Maliq Brown going to Duke, that's the bigger issue, not Brown leaving.

Not easy to finish a puzzle when someone keeps taking your corner pieces.

 

[DoctorBombay]

Why do people continue to insist Duke is our rival? Doesn't one team have to occasionally beat the other?

Duke is not our rival. Except for a few tight games an eternity ago, we've not had any relationship to them whatsoever.
We have no rival in the ACC- closest being Pitt and they're a carryover from the OBE, and that's ok. We need to start winning so we begin to matter, that's how you build a rivalry. We can't just wish for one and then make it up, like some here have done in football vs Rutgers. Not how it works.

 

[M2MPrinciples]

Not easy to finish a puzzle when someone keeps taking your corner pieces.

So what's your alternative? Coaches were rightfully roasted for blocking in-conference transfers to the point where they stopped doing it a few years before NIL came along. Even with NIL I doubt we'll see it come back.

 

[two3zone]

So what's your alternative? Coaches were rightfully roasted for blocking in-conference transfers to the point where they stopped doing it a few years before NIL came along. Even with NIL I doubt we'll see it come back.

Not saying there is in this current landscape. It sucks is my official stance.

 

[Cusefan0307]

Duke is not our rival. Except for a few tight games an eternity ago, we've not had any relationship to them whatsoever.
We have no rival in the ACC- closest being Pitt and they're a carryover from the OBE, and that's ok. We need to start winning so we begin to matter, that's how you build a rivalry. We can't just wish for one and then make it up, like some here have done in football vs Rutgers. Not how it works.

Who cares. I wouldn’t have liked him going to any in conference team.

 

[jordoo]

Secondary on offense for sure. But defensive stud

Guarding at least 10' from the basket I agree. He is uniquely talented for a guy his size on defense. The number of steal, deflections and disruption he caused where off the charts.

 

[Day2]

Why are people saying that it was a decision Red made? Am I missing something or was Brown on his way to returning when in a span of maybe 10 days declared portal, visited one school Duke and committed?
I am amazed Red is taking the fall or any heat here. Red could have promised Brown the moon and Brown was not staying based on the sequence framed above. Someone clearly communicated to Browns camp that Duke wanted him. Brown went in the portal and only took 1 visit and was a Duke team member 3 days later.

Exactly. People are missing the story here. Duke tampered with and stole one of our players.

 

[Cusefan0307]

Exactly. People are missing the story here. Duke tampered with and stole one of our players.

iT's oK beCaUsE iTs dUke and sCheyeR Is a NiCe gUy.

 

[M2MPrinciples]

Exactly. People are missing the story here. Duke tampered with and stole one of our players.

While there are rules on the books prohibiting tampering, the NCAA doesn't have an appetite to reinforce them, so you have to behave accordingly.

Do people think we didn't do any tampering to get Lampkin or Davis?

 

[Cusefan0307]

While there are rules on the books prohibiting tampering, the NCAA doesn't have an appetite to reinforce them, so you have to behave accordingly.

Do people think we didn't do any tampering to get Lampkin or Davis?

Are they in our conference?

 

[M2MPrinciples]

Are they in our conference?

Again, doesn't matter until the NCAA shows they're willing to come down.

If Red started working back channels to get Markus Burton from ND would anyone here bat an eye because he was in-conference?

 

[atlanticuse]

I hate this mentality. We can't go around being scared of a guy we let go making an impact against us. If Red can't stockpile and develop enough talent to overcome Maliq Brown going to Duke, that's the bigger issue, not Brown leaving.

I half agree with you, because I really like Maliq as a set piece. I felt like he was more comfortable with a real center, not playing center.

 

[DoctorBombay]

Who cares. I wouldn’t have liked him going to any in conference team.

Exactly.

 

[Cusefan0307]

Again, doesn't matter until the NCAA shows they're willing to come down.

If Red started working back channels to get Markus Burton from ND would anyone here bat an eye because he was in-conference?

Not all schools are held accountable. With our history we probably would lose 12 scholarships and get a tourney ban.

 

[orangecuse]

How do people feel that Chris Bell is entrenched as the 3 in both scenarios as though he’s some all American?

The larger issue is that exact point.

There is no way there should be a world where we ended up in this choice. There are other avenues that could have been taken.

But let’s go back to your question of a world in which these were the only two avenues, I’m taking Brown (a known quantity) as priority, Donnie #2, Lampkin #3, Davis #4.

But, again, your scenario is ignoring the fact that other choices could have been made that prioritize Donnie and Maliq.

But here we are. Praying for Dakota Leffew. Spotlighting Bell and JJ and hoping Lampkin somehow better than he was last year.

Your hypothetical is exactly the type of stuff that’s been used for the past decade here as we accept mediocrity.

Dang, this is where that 1000 'likes' button would be 100% credible!