Class of 2024 PF Donnie Freeman (MD / IMG) COMMITTED & SIGNED TO SYRACUSE (5/11/23)

[Zelda Zonk]

Replacement for Bell, if he leaves.

My point, though, was… isn’t Donnie supposed to be the SF next year? That’s where Bell was.

PG — ?
2G — JJ / Choppa
SF — Freeman
PF — Maliq
C — ?

Going to be a weird season, next. Two starters are expected to leave, and a guy who played a prominent 22 minutes gone, too. Then we expect to have two really good guys who both play the same position (4) so one gets shifted to SF, which pushes Bell out, a guy who shot 42% from three and was our only good perimeter threat.

I wonder if it could all work out if JJ moves to point, which leaves Bell at 2, even though he doesn’t really handle well and definitely doesn’t make plays for anyone else…. Haven’t we had teams like that? Roe, Janulis, etc?

 

[Zelda Zonk]

Top 30 players should always be a fit for struggling programs (behavior issues, if any, aside).

Sure, I’d love to be in a position to stockpile talent, but in terms of fit, i guess I was wondering from the player’s perspective. If I am a top 30 guy, would I go to a program where I don’t expect to start? Would be great to get a character guy who expected to earn it but in this era of immediacy, I think he would find a more inviting offer with a quicker path.

 

[hoopsupstate]

My point, though, was… isn’t Donnie supposed to be the SF next year? That’s where Bell was.

PG — ?
2G — JJ / Choppa
SF — Freeman
PF — Maliq
C — ?

Going to be a weird season, next. Two starters are expected to leave, and a guy who played a prominent 22 minutes gone, too. Then we expect to have two really good guys who both play the same position (4) so one gets shifted to SF, which pushes Bell out, a guy who shot 42% from three and was our only good perimeter threat.

I wonder if it could all work out if JJ moves to point, which leaves Bell at 2, even though he doesn’t really handle well and definitely doesn’t make plays for anyone else…. Haven’t we had teams like that? Roe, Janulis, etc?

Freeman will not play the three next year. This has been said several times.

 

[phil77]

Freeman will not play the three next year. This has been said several times.

It has also been stated many times that Freeman will start next year so if he isn't playing the 3 and Brown isn't playing the 5 does that mean Brown is going to the bench?

 

[Zelda Zonk]

Freeman will not play the three next year. This has been said several times.

Said by who? [It is known, Khaleesi!]
So where then? 4 should be the natural position but Maliq is neither a 3 nor a 5. If Maliq has to play center again, we will again be extraordinarily vulnerable in the paint. I can’t see those two guys splitting time at PF.

 

[Cuse2023]

It has also been stated many times that Freeman will start next year so if he isn't playing the 3 and Brown isn't playing the 5 does that mean Brown is going to the bench?

Freeman was not promised a starting spot.

 

[zilo]

It has also been stated many times that Freeman will start next year so if he isn't playing the 3 and Brown isn't playing the 5 does that mean Brown is going to the bench?

Well if that guy at the table over there is Seabass

 

[Scotch]

My point, though, was… isn’t Donnie supposed to be the SF next year? That’s where Bell was.

PG — ?
2G — JJ / Choppa
SF — Freeman
PF — Maliq
C — ?

Going to be a weird season, next. Two starters are expected to leave, and a guy who played a prominent 22 minutes gone, too. Then we expect to have two really good guys who both play the same position (4) so one gets shifted to SF, which pushes Bell out, a guy who shot 42% from three and was our only good perimeter threat.

I wonder if it could all work out if JJ moves to point, which leaves Bell at 2, even though he doesn’t really handle well and definitely doesn’t make plays for anyone else…. Haven’t we had teams like that? Roe, Janulis, etc?

The pieces don’t fit perfectly. Red is going to have to sell a lot of guys on 28 minutes with multiple lineup options rather than 5 guys on 35 minutes in the same position like JB.

 

[phil77]

Freeman was not promised a starting spot.

Hmmmm that is interesting

 

[Cuse2023]

Hmmmm that is interesting

I mean not many freshman are promised a starting spot on any team in the transfer portal era aside from maybe the top few. Plus Donnie committed in the summer before his senior year even started. Would be incredibly foolish to promise somebody a starting spot that early on.

 

[zilo]

In my opinion, if we want to truly be competitive in the ACC and make the NCAA tourney, the starting lineup needs to look something like..

Portal pg, JJ or portal combo g (I doubt we recruit over Jj though), portal 3, Maliq, portal c.

Freeman first guy off the bench as the freshman 6th man, with likely Bell (if he stays) next off the bench for some shooting, 8th man and on maybe Westry, Cuffe, portal, ect. All new team and hopefully all new results.

 

[Cuse2023]

In my opinion, if we want to truly be competitive in the ACC and make the NCAA tourney, the starting lineup needs to look something like..

Portal pg, JJ or portal combo g (I doubt we recruit over Jj though), portal 3, Maliq, portal c.

Freeman first guy off the bench as the freshman 6th man, with likely Bell (if he stays) next off the bench for some shooting, 8th man and on maybe Westry, Cuffe, portal, ect. All new team and hopefully all new results.

If Chris stays he's going to be starting.

 

[hoopsupstate]

It doesn’t really matter when Brown plays the five. Start Brown and Freeman and then rotate from there.

 

[IthacaMatt]

My point, though, was… isn’t Donnie supposed to be the SF next year? That’s where Bell was.

PG — ?
2G — JJ / Choppa
SF — Freeman
PF — Maliq
C — ?

Going to be a weird season, next. Two starters are expected to leave, and a guy who played a prominent 22 minutes gone, too. Then we expect to have two really good guys who both play the same position (4) so one gets shifted to SF, which pushes Bell out, a guy who shot 42% from three and was our only good perimeter threat.

I wonder if it could all work out if JJ moves to point, which leaves Bell at 2, even though he doesn’t really handle well and definitely doesn’t make plays for anyone else…. Haven’t we had teams like that? Roe, Janulis, etc?

You need around 5 bigger guys. Not all of them are going to start. But 4 have to be ready to play meaningful roles. Ideally, you don't play guys more than 25 minutes, so they stay fresh - unless they are really, really good.

You could play (1) Portal Center, (2) Maliq, (3) Freeman, (4) Bell / Portal SF / Freeman's IMG teammate, and (5) another big body backup center.

If you play Portal C 20-25, Maliq 25-28, Freeman 25, SF 25, that still leaves about 20 minutes for another SF or another backup center to share, and you have 5 or 6 guys getting minutes ovr the course of the season, in case anyone gets hurt.

If you look at the rest of the roster, you could play:
Portal PG / Copeland (25), JJ 30, Choppa 20, Cuffe / Westry 10, with Westry or Copeland (if he's still here ...) capable of sliding in to the SF minutes left over above.

We are 2 or 3 guys away from having a very solid team, if only we can get a good PG, and a good low post guy, and get rid of all this drama we had this year.

 

[IthacaMatt]

If Chris stays he's going to be starting.

But hopefully not getting more than 20-25 minutes, if he does play really good defense next year.

 

[torque]

He’s a top 40 kid from DC. Mr. Straughn?!?!?

Buckle up!

 

[shu 49]

So what if u start JJ at point with Bell at 2, go with Brown at 3 or 4 and Freeman the other and a new center. Now u have Westry at backup 2+3 and Cuffe at 1or 2 as backup. key is center

 

[longtimefan]

So what if u start JJ at point with Bell at 2, go with Brown at 3 or 4 and Freeman the other and a new center. Now u have Westry at backup 2+3 and Cuffe at 1or 2 as backup. key is center

That lineup would be vulnerable to a press. They might average 20 turnovers per game.

 

[Capt. Tuttle]

It has also been stated many times that Freeman will start next year so if he isn't playing the 3 and Brown isn't playing the 5 does that mean Brown is going to the bench?

IMO the starting front court is Brown, Bell and Freeman. How many minutes Brown gets at the 4/5 will be game to game. If we go to a big zone Donnie could shift to the 3 for a bit, with McCloud in the middle.
Could be totally wrong. We will see. Doesn’t matter what any of us think, especially with the roster not set.
If we pick up the Michigan decommit the played with Donnie, that may have an impact.

 

[IthacaMatt]

That lineup would be vulnerable to a press. They might average 20 turnovers per game.

No collection of 5 players is going to be on the floor for 40 minutes. Nine or ten guys will play most games, at least for the first half of the year. If someone presses a line up, you put in a ball handling guard. If a lineup is getting bullied on the glass, you put in another big man. No 5 man grouping is ever going to pay the entire game. That's why they make substitutions.

 

[hoopsupstate]

That lineup would be vulnerable to a press. They might average 20 turnovers per game.

At least 20 turnovers a games. That would be a ball handling nightmare lineup.

 

[longtimefan]

No collection of 5 players is going to be on the floor for 40 minutes. Nine or ten guys will play most games, at least for the first half of the year. If someone presses a line up, you put in a ball handling guard. If a lineup is getting bullied on the glass, you put in another big man. No 5 man grouping is ever going to pay the entire game. That's why they make substitutions.

Where on the roster referenced above do you see an above-average ball-handling guard? Certainly not Starling or Bell.

 

[ar inj]

So what if u start JJ at point with Bell at 2, go with Brown at 3 or 4 and Freeman the other and a new center. Now u have Westry at backup 2+3 and Cuffe at 1or 2 as backup. key is center

Just stop.

JJ is NOT a pg; Cuffe is NOT a pg; Bell is NOT a 2g

 

[IthacaMatt]

Where on the roster referenced above do you see an above-average ball-handling guard? Certainly not Starling or Bell.

Yes, we need around 3 more players, one of whom has to be a real point guard.

 

[IthacaMatt]

OK, now there's a good rumor!

Roddy Gayle 6-4 G (Ohio State / Niagara Falls) is also being talked about.