Next year comes down to one player

[jordoo]

It's just unfortunate that Cooney has needed to force too much because of the offensive woes the past few years. He is a very good third option type guy on a good offensive team just not a go to type guy or a player who should be normally allowed all the high volume FG attempts. I get the green light that never expires from Boeheim in regards to his shooting and shot selection even though I don't like it at times. He takes a TON of bad shots. That's undeniable. Still he is needed to space the floor some. I am just really worried about what kind of offense we will throw out there without a real post presence next season. We don't have the kind of Duke/UK guards to say just spread em out and shoot or make plays.

This is exactly it IMO. He would be a great complimentary offensive player. The issue is when Ennis was here we didn't have a 2nd shooter because Mike was not filling that role yet and last season we didn't have a reliable PG and often played 2 guys that the defense could ignore. His shooting numbers from 3pt range are also high 30's the last two seasons if I'm correct. Not even Cooney's biggest fan's can deny that he takes a lot of really bad shots but he also made his share of hero shots (ND comes to mind) and certainly can make some really difficult ones when absolutely necessary. If you cut out all the unnecessary bad heaves from 3 his percentage is probably really good. Like you I understand why he had the eternal green light last season but hopefully next year will be different and we will be able to field a team where all the players have to be guarded. If that happens and someone other along with G can emerge as a 2nd option I like Cooney having a very successful shooting season as the 3rd option. As the 2nd option he could still put up good numbers but I think the shooting percentage is probably still similar to this season.

 

[MonsterGame]

I think KJ is our biggest need to make a jump. If he makes a jump, we have legit flexibility with our lineup with three wings: G, TC and Malachi. If he doesn't, that means G is going to be our primary ballhandler and means we only have two off-the-ball wings in TC and Malachi. That puts a LOT of pressure on Malachi to perform.

I think we can make due with DC2/Chino (in spot minutes)/Diagne/TRob as our big rotation.

This is spot on. Next season is all about how big a jump KJ makes.

- If KJ stays the same, next year SU has about the same season as this year.
- If KJ becomes a solid PG, next year SU will be just in and out of top 25 throughout the year.
- If KJ improves dramatically, next year SU reaches the top 10 at some point, and will remain there throughout the year.

MG probably gives the same as last year with a bit more senior leadership, which means he will be a great player next year.
TC, hoping he has an Andy Rautins type senior campaign, but who knows.
Roberson just needs to do what he does, rebound and stick the ball in the basketball from close up. Would be great if he developed a reliable mid-range game, but don't count on it.
DC, hope he's healthy, that's the main battle, if so, he'll be fine manning the middle with backup from Diagne/Chino
The Freshman, they are non-one-and-done type freshman, hoping they are going to contribute in a consistent and significant way is wishful thinking. (That's being realistic, and not optimistic)

In a way, I like what I'm seeing. If CM came back, the offense would be all about CM and unless CM can truly dominate offensively. That can cause problems when he's not getting it done. (Quite frankly, that was a problem with this year's team. The team always felt we needed to go through Rak. Which worked most of the time, but when the shots weren't falling, offense was blah.) With CM gone, the offensive will be more balanced and go with the hot-hand where everyone feels they have a chance to contribute. (Hope it works out, we'll see.)

 

[Brooky03]

He isn't trashing him. TC is a volume shooter who shoots a poor percentage that will get hot once in a while.

You are cherry picking stats.

Check out his TS% and eFG% for percentages that SHOULD help him (to account for the value of a three, include his high FT%, etc), but show him to be a player that makes poor choices.

He's also a player that should never be playing near 40 minutes a game.

He's a fine player. For better or worse, he has the green light. But he takes way too many shots and will try to shoot his way out of a bad game instead of trying to do something else. He's also horrific on the break.

If you can't see this, then it's you that should pick another board.

He's not necessarily trashing him in this thread, but he's done it before. He also cherry picks stats, so I figured I'd jump in that game, too.

Edit: Who is arguing that Cooney should be playing 40mpg or should shoot that many shots (when he's not forced to)? I certainly am not and have not.

 

[cliftonparksufan]

I will be amazed if CMac actually signs with an agent. He's not listed on any draft board. If he enters there's a stronger chance he goes undrafted! He's very brave.

These stats are telling for next year (in terms of offense): http://espn.go.com/mens-college-basketball/team/stats/_/id/183/syracuse-orange

I think KJ2 and TR will become a much bigger part of the offense without having Rak as center.

You might have been looking at a non-updated draft. Here he is projected as the #25 pick.
http://www.nbadraft.net/2015mock_draft

 

[SoBeCuse]

THIS.

I disagree to an extent with "a TON of bad shots" - I see 2 or 3 per game, rather than a 'ton' - but a lot of Cooney's struggles have come as a result being surrounded by inept offensive players. The main takeaway is that he's a solid SG, who can contribute but has been asked to do too much at times. He wasn't recruited to be an elite scorer who would take over games.

Agreed. I meant a ton because it adds up over a season. But, I agree, 2-3 bad ones per game.

 

[SoBeCuse]

3rd option??? Cooney would be coming off the bench for an elite team -- maybe he sees extended minutes if he's having a hot night. Put him on 2010 or 2012 and he wouldn't sniff the starting lineup.

He is mediocre by SU standards for the shooting guard position. His ability to convert at the rim and on the break is as poor as any guard we've ever had in the JB era. He doesn't create offense for others and his 3pt% is way too low for a volume shooter. He hustles and seems like a good kid, so it's a shame that he is a lightning rod. I realize he was the only reasonable option the last 2 years, but that's just a depressing testament to the lack of guard depth (at least compared to what we've been used to).

I don't really disagree with you. I was sort of sugarcoating the scenario.

 

[BludOrange]

It's just unfortunate that Cooney has needed to force too much because of the offensive woes the past few years. He is a very good third option type guy on a good offensive team just not a go to type guy or a player who should be normally allowed all the high volume FG attempts. I get the green light that never expires from Boeheim in regards to his shooting and shot selection even though I don't like it at times. He takes a TON of bad shots. That's undeniable. Still he is needed to space the floor some. I am just really worried about what kind of offense we will throw out there without a real post presence next season. We don't have the kind of Duke/UK guards to say just spread em out and shoot or make plays.

Cooney needs different types of shots other than coming off of a screen. The offense has lacked moving the ball fast enough and decisively to draw help from a second defender. Rarely did they force the defense to rotate and scramble, and leave Cooney open to help elsewhere. Just have to move the ball fast enough back to TC before the defense can recover. Same goes with driving to the tin and kicking it back out, another thing the offense did not do all that well this past season. TC could also benefit if he were to shot fake more and let his defender who is trailing him at full speed, fly right into him for a foul. Or just blow right by him when he jumps to block the shot fake.

 

[SoBeCuse]

Cooney needs different types of shots other than coming off of a screen. The offense has lacked moving the ball fast enough and decisively to draw help from a second defender. Rarely did they force the defense to rotate and scramble, and leave Cooney open to help elsewhere. Just have to move the ball fast enough back to TC before the defense can recover. Same goes with driving to the tin and kicking it back out, another thing the offense did not do all that well this past season. TC could also benefit if he were to shot fake more and let his defender who is trailing him at full speed, fly right into him for a foul. Or just blow right by him when he jumps to block the shot fake.

Exactly. I believe we ran a few times this past season and last that curl play Duke ran with Jones and/or Cook where they curl around towards the middle of the paint. Still, no question. I hope that these issues are/were being taught and practiced but I'm not sure.

 

[HoustonCuse]

Maybe Xmas?

Lol.

I'm not sure I understand. You can't think he would play ahead of Okafor? Okafor handled him twice, clearly a better player. (And I love Rock). Kaminski is the National POY, you can't be suggesting he'd be losing minutes to xmas.

 

[NineOneSeven]

I'm not sure I understand. You can't think he would play ahead of Okafor? Okafor handled him twice, clearly a better player. (And I love Rock). Kaminski is the National POY, you can't be suggesting he'd be losing minutes to xmas.

You said maybe Xmas backing up okafor instead of plumlee.

Plumlee vs 3rd team AA

 

[Millhouse]

He was a 38% 3pt shooter a year ago and 37% through the first 2/3rds of this past season. That's what a bad shooter is?

You seem to be a respected poster and you've obviously been around a while. I'd expect better from you than to continuously trash a player who is and has been far, far, far from the biggest issue on the team. Maybe stick to the football board.

he shoots .283 for his career from 3 in conference. that is bad and it's clear. maybe he won't be bad next year. that's why he's the key.

no one matters to non conference games, they win most of those most years no matter what.

please don't join the football board too

 

[Cheriehoop]

If our season only comes down to any one player then the team is already in trouble. (exception John Wallace in 1995-1996 )

 

[HoustonCuse]

You said maybe Xmas backing up okafor instead of plumlee.

Plumlee vs 3rd team AA

Delete the maybe. Overall point stands.

 

[moqui]

I'd say cooney is the most important guy but I should probably put that in the assigned cooney thread for the lalalalalalalala i can't hear you crowd

most important for you, because without him you'd have nothing to post about on the hoop side

 

[Millhouse]

most important for you, because without him you'd have nothing to post about on the hoop side

you are so strange

 

[iommi]

Our only isolation player (at least based on past track record) is Gbinije, so he could easily be considered our most important player.

 

[CuseFaninVT]

cooney is a bad shooter who shoots a lot. next year, he'll either need to get a lot better at shooting or shoot a lot less for the team to be good. if he doesn't, none of the other stuff will matter because he will shoot them out of games

It would be nice if he got better defensively as well.

 

[jordoo]

It would be nice if he got better defensively as well.

Our ability to stop penetration and bother shooter out top last year was as bad as I recall since . . . . . . Flynn/Devenforf . . . . . . on second though maybe even worse than them. The group of Trevor, Kaleb and Ron did a very poor job overall defensively yet offense was our biggest issue. Down year for sure all around.