Now that GMac is HC, what does next year's squad look like?

[Orangezoo]

That remains to be seen. It's not crazy to think Gerry himself is still trying to figure out what his offensive identity will be.

Considering he has a lot more options talent wise to work with agreed

 

[OttoinGrotto]

I wonder if instead of letting guys dribble around, go 1:1 we have some motion offense with passing involved. Get Freeman to free throw line so he does not jack 5 -7 threes a game but instead take better shots, same with Kiyan.

If Freeman sticks I really hope Gerry can instill the discipline in Freeman to have his game work inside out.

Make his opponent deal with him in the paint first and he'll get better perimeter shots.

 

[Briancuse]

Assuming some people hit the portal, we will see, but this is what I would be eyeing. If I am looking to make a strong push in the ACC and in the tournament.

PG - Bliss (portal)/Lewis (portal)/Moesch
SG - Doty(portal)/Anthony/Bliss
SF - Frost (portal)/White/Doty
PF - Djokovic (portal)/Folefac (portal)/White
C - JP Estrella (portal)/ Djokovic

Are we thinking Barnes def retires?

 

[IthacaMatt]

The only certain starter if he returns should be Kingz.

The think White should probably start, too. I don't think we're getting a better 4 than him with our other areas of greater need.

 

[IthacaMatt]

Assuming some people hit the portal, we will see, but this is what I would be eyeing. If I am looking to make a strong push in the ACC and in the tournament.

PG - Bliss (portal)/Lewis (portal)/Moesch
SG - Doty(portal)/Anthony/Bliss
SF - Frost (portal)/White/Doty
PF - Djokovic (portal)/Folefac (portal)/White
C - JP Estrella (portal)/ Djokovic

I would keep Kingz if I could. He and Kyle were our best players last season.

 

[IthacaMatt]

If Freeman sticks I really hope Gerry can instill the discipline in Freeman to have his game work inside out.

Make his opponent deal with him in the paint first and he'll get better perimeter shots.

If Freeman wants to come back, he should take a pay cut.
I would be fine with him moving on.
I know he's a talent, but he's like Judah Mintz - he's a "me" player, not a "we" player.
Frankly, I feel the same way about Anthony. He was awfully selfish the 2nd half of the year.

 

[Cusefan0307]

People have been wish casting Estrella here for years. I don't see it happening.

 

[Blanko97]

Ah yes, the ol non-sequitur where we blindly trust Gerry's talent evaluation.

All everyone on this board was saying last offseason was we cannot be going after guys from lower leagues because they don't transfer to the ACC after Carlos, Davis, and Taylor.

Now we're just like "oh yeah Folefac & Doty are gonna come here and be major contributors". It''s getting a little too "cult of Gerry" on these boards.

Anyone saying folefac has any business in the ACC is coping. Absolute waste of money. Hell get dominated by ACC forwards

 

[Blanko97]

Folefac is a power forward who shot 38% from 3, 52% overall fg, and 74% from the FT line last year averaging 11 points a game, 5 rebounds and 2 assists.
All this as a freshman and the best defender on the team per Gerry.
In the Duke game, he scored 18 points shooting 50% from 3 and made all his foul shots.
Seems good enough to see significant time to me.

Just because he is from Siena dont assume he cant hang with the talent in the ACC.

Also, like Doty, he works his ass off, takes guarding the other teams best player (Kennedy who was the MAAC player of the year in the MAAC final) as a personal challenge he gets excited about and is mad to win no matter who scores.

There is kind of a theme emerging of what Gerry expects and demands in his players.

6/16 from 3 means nothing. Kiyan started 5-13 how’d that workout?

 

[pearl31]

no whispers yet of fallout from GM's player meetings? gotta think guys will start hitting the portal by tomorrow...

 

[LpoolNative]

Dream team

EDIT: bnoro I wasn’t serious

 

[MikeSU02]

I get everyone’s concerns with Doty and Folefac coming from the level of competition they were playing at last year. I’m not saying these guys are gonna come here and average 20 points a game. Doty has legit size, athleticism and skill for the 2 guard at this level. I would be he could come in and get us 12ppg next year. He also is a good defender, VERY good free throw shooter, high IQ player and he’s intense/plays extremely hard. I bet he’s a fan favorite by this time next year. Book it

Folefac, I get more of the concern because he is 6’7 and a true power forward but he is 240 and he’s a really good rebounder. He probably won’t like it up points wise here. He’s also a solid defender. I could see him getting us 8ppg and 6-7rpg. I’m not saying either of these guys are gonna come in here and be our “star” go to players. But I do very much firmly believe they will be a positive and a plus for that team. Whether it’s the 4th or 5th starters or one of the first off the bench. I think both will be in the rotation next year (bearing who we bring in) but I think they would be a big time next positive for our team.

I will take it one step further. I think Doty would be an upgrade over Starling. May sound crazy saying it now. But as an overall player, Doty is better than Starling. Remember this post, this time next year and can’t say I didn’t tell you so lol

Ha! Are you trying to get me to go in on JJ, lol. Have you seen any of my JJ posts. Haha.

 

[bnoro]

Dream team

EDIT: bnoro no I wasn’t serious

I obviously know you weren't serious. The post adds nothing to the discussion. Leave it on X.

 

[OttoinGrotto]

Kinda wish those odds were more like 5 and 10 pct tbh

George I get, but I'm baffled by the lack of interest in Freeman.

He absolutely checked out. Bad look. But there's a lot of talent there, and if fire is what Gerry brings, why don't we think that can be something he helps Freeman with? Wouldn't that be exactly what he needs?

If Freeman wants to come back, he should take a pay cut.
I would be fine with him moving on.
I know he's a talent, but he's like Judah Mintz - he's a "me" player, not a "we" player.
Frankly, I feel the same way about Anthony. He was awfully selfish the 2nd half of the year.

So again, shouldn't we put some faith in Gerry's coaching to help turn talented guys around.

 

[Orangezoo]

George I get, but I'm baffled by the lack of interest in Freeman.

He absolutely checked out. Bad look. But there's a lot of talent there, and if fire is what Gerry brings, why don't we think that can be something he helps Freeman with? Wouldn't that be exactly what he needs?

So again, shouldn't we put some faith in Gerry's coaching to help turn talented guys around.

My big fear with him is injury honestly. The attitude can be adjusted but 2 years missing so many games seems like an expensive gamble.

 

[OttoinGrotto]

My big fear with him is injury honestly. The attitude can be adjusted but 2 years missing so many games seems like an expensive gamble.

That's fair.

 

[malpearl31]

... we cannot be going after guys from lower leagues because they don't transfer to the ACC...

... It''s getting a little too "cult of Gerry" on these boards.

In 2022-23, Iona College (a MAAC team) made the NCAA Tourney and lost in the opening round. They had two pretty good guys in their backcourt that year - below are their conference statistics from that season, and how that compares to a kid named Gavin Doty who played for Siena last year (a MAAC team):

Player A: ORtg=122.1 (4th best in MAAC); Usage=24.9%; TS%=61.6 (3rd best); FTs=92%; 2-pt FGs=50.4%; 3-pt FGs=45.3%

Player B: ORtg=113.0 (10th best in MAAC); Usage=25.6%; TS%=52.2; FTs=80.9%; 2-pt FGs=47.1%; 3-pt FGs=33.3%

Doty (2025-26): ORtg=125.3 (4th best in MAAC); Usage=24.1%; TS%=59.3 (8th best); FTs=86%; 2-pt FGs=54.5%; 3-pt FGs=35.7%

Player A is Walter Clayton. He transferred from the 'lower league' of the MAAC up to Florida (SEC Conference) and led them to the NCAA Championship last year. He was a first-round draft pick in last year's NBA Draft.

Player B is Daniss Jenkins. He transferred from the 'lower league' of the MAAC up to St. John's (Big East Conference) and was the Johnnies' best backcourt player in 2023-24. He went undrafted, but signed with the Pistons and is a key part of their rotation (currently starting with Cade Cunningham hurt).

Who knows what Gavin Doty will turn into? (I certainly don't know.) But I do know enough to know that players transfer up from leagues like the MAAC to the SEC, Big East and ACC and perform well all the time... and recognizing that fact is not in any way indicative of being part of "the cult of Gerry" in any way.

 

[baggerbob]

Matt Park was on with Steve and Paulie. His best guess odds of players coming back:

Donnie 30-40% returning
George 25-40% returning

Really let George move on

George I get, but I'm baffled by the lack of interest in Freeman.

He absolutely checked out. Bad look. But there's a lot of talent there, and if fire is what Gerry brings, why don't we think that can be something he helps Freeman with? Wouldn't that be exactly what he needs?

So again, shouldn't we put some faith in Gerry's coaching to help turn talented guys around.

When you are starting a new team and system the worst thing you can do is bring in someone who has shown when things get rough they quit. If you have done it once there is a good chance you'll do it again.
Freeman despite the talent sould be a hard pass.

 

[hoopsupstate]

George I get, but I'm baffled by the lack of interest in Freeman.

He absolutely checked out. Bad look. But there's a lot of talent there, and if fire is what Gerry brings, why don't we think that can be something he helps Freeman with? Wouldn't that be exactly what he needs?

So again, shouldn't we put some faith in Gerry's coaching to help turn talented guys around.

Early in the season he played with some fire. Could Gerry rekindle it?

 

[OttoinGrotto]

In 2022-23, Iona College (a MAAC team) made the NCAA Tourney and lost in the opening round. They had two pretty good guys in their backcourt that year - below are their conference statistics from that season, and how that compares to a kid named Gavin Doty who played for Siena last year (a MAAC team):

Player A: ORtg=122.1 (4th best in MAAC); Usage=24.9%; TS%=61.6 (3rd best); FTs=92%; 2-pt FGs=50.4%; 3-pt FGs=45.3%

Player B: ORtg=113.0 (10th best in MAAC); Usage=25.6%; TS%=52.2; FTs=80.9%; 2-pt FGs=47.1%; 3-pt FGs=33.3%

Doty (2025-26): ORtg=125.3 (4th best in MAAC); Usage=24.1%; TS%=59.3 (8th best); FTs=86%; 2-pt FGs=54.5%; 3-pt FGs=35.7%

Player A is Walter Clayton. He transferred from the 'lower league' of the MAAC up to Florida (SEC Conference) and led them to the NCAA Championship last year. He was a first-round draft pick in last year's NBA Draft.

Player B is Daniss Jenkins. He transferred from the 'lower league' of the MAAC up to St. John's (Big East Conference) and was the Johnnies' best backcourt player in 2023-24. He went undrafted, but signed with the Pistons and is a key part of their rotation (currently starting with Cade Cunningham hurt).

Who knows what Gavin Doty will turn into? (I certainly don't know.) But I do know enough to know that players transfer up from leagues like the MAAC to the SEC, Big East and ACC and perform well all the time... and recognizing that fact is not in any way indicative of being part of "the cult of Gerry" in any way.

$100 bet right now, will Doty be a 1st round NBA draft pick?

 

[malpearl31]

$100 bet right now, will Doty be a 1st round NBA draft pick?

I would not make that bet on Doty right now. And I wouldn't have made that bet about Walter Clayton before he played for Florida (and I'm guessing you probably wouldn't have predicted Clayton as a 1st-rounder back then, either).

That wasn't really the point of my previous post - but I figured I'd answer your question, anyway.

 

[OttoinGrotto]

I would not make that bet on Doty right now. And I wouldn't have made that bet about Walter Clayton before he played for Florida (and I'm guessing you probably wouldn't have predicted Clayton as a 1st-rounder back then, either).

That wasn't really the point of my previous post - but I figured I'd answer your question, anyway.

I figure I'd win either way.

If he's Cuse I want to restore our NBA pipeline.

If he doesn't get to the NBA as a first rounder, I got a hundo.

Win win!

 

[IthacaMatt]

Early in the season he played with some fire. Could Gerry rekindle it?

If he wants to play here, he'll need to take a pay cut. He's not that important compared to our other needs.

 

[malpearl31]

I figure I'd win either way.

If he's Cuse I want to restore our NBA pipeline.

If he doesn't get to the NBA as a first rounder, I got a hundo.

Win win!

Haha - I like where your head's at! Let's circle back on this after next season starts... I might be able to be convinced to make a bet on whether or not he signs a 2-way contract after the draft (like Daniss Jenkins did). I am, after all, a degenerate gambler at heart!

 

[OttoinGrotto]

Early in the season he played with some fire. Could Gerry rekindle it?

This is exactly the right kind of question.