Class of 2023 PG Garwey Dual (TX) TRANSFERRING TO SYRACUSE (4/11/26)

[MikeSU02]

When you factor in he probably is getting half of what George got, yes. Defensive versatility and valuing the ball are crucial PG skills. Based on who were linked to I get the sense he’ll be closer to 20-25 mpg across multiple positions than averaging 35-37 mpg.

I don’t think he’s better than George on paper. Or that close with innate talent.

However:

1) George cannot blow by his guy coming off a pick which for someone making millions is unacceptable.

2) There were multiple games last year where I wondered if George was on the take and throwing games.

 

[boog7]

The skepticism is over what you mentioned, ascending players. We don't have a sure thing.

Of the returning guys, Sadiq feels like he should be ascending. I'm a bigger Kiyan fan than most, but his best basketball needs to be ahead of him, and he's going to have to work like crazy to get to where we need him as a fully realized basketball player.

On the new guys...

Goodrick is pretty likely to be better than Souare, who is not good at basketball, and that's about it, and hopefully about all we need him to be.

Our Euro is intriguing but is no sure thing. So we do hope he ascends.

Doty had a strong year at Siena but is making a huge leap going to the ACC. We have to hope he's ascending in a huge way since GMAC has suggested he's a big part of the plans.

Dual I like more than most but his biggest plus is his experience and he has the kind of measurables and defensive advance stats the analytics nerds get horny over. But this is another case where we're hoping he's ascending.

The appeal to bringing in GMAC was he would have the best donor support, ie best NIL, ie get the best talent we can.

What we've seen manifest SO FAR, and could change, is a lottery ticket approach hoping enough guys ascend. We don't have a single sure thing RIGHT NOW.

You make it seem like "ascending" means "can't already play" but it doesn't. Even at 41, it could be argued that LeBron James is still an ascending player, in that as Father Time takes his physical gifts away - though it's still not all that noticeable - he's still adjusting his game and still somehow improving @ 41?

SGA, Luka, Wemby, Flagg, Cunningham, etc.., etc.. are still ascending players.

In my book, an ascending player just means he's already a good player who demonstrates steady growth and the potential to get even better.

The Syracuse job is what Gerry wanted more than anything. Well, he's got it now. And I don't think for one second he and his very talented staff - who know what the hell they're doing despite the constant expressions of doubt that maybe they don't - are going to blow this opportunity by putting together a bad team in Year One. GMac and his staff know exactly where they're going and what they're building.

 

[OttoinGrotto]

I don’t think he’s better than George on paper. Or that close with innate talent.

However:

1) George cannot blow by his guy coming off a pick which for someone making millions is unacceptable.

2) There were multiple games last year where I wondered if George was on the take and throwing games.

I don't think George was on the take.

I do think his priority was getting paid and he didn't really care about game results. You can't have that from a point guard.

 

[MikeSU02]

I don't think George was on the take.

I do think his priority was getting paid and he didn't really care about game results. You can't have that from a point guard.

Yeah. Sorry. That point was snark, should have used the “/s” there.

But agree with your post here, 100%

 

[OttoinGrotto]

You make it seem like "ascending" means "can't already play" but it doesn't. Even at 41, it could be argued that LeBron James is still an ascending player, in that as Father Time takes his physical gifts away - though it's still not all that noticeable - he's still adjusting his game and still somehow improving @ 41?

SGA, Luka, Wemby, Flagg, Cunningham, etc.., etc.. are still ascending players.

In my book, an ascending player just means he's already a good player who demonstrates steady growth and the potential to get even better.

The Syracuse job is what Gerry wanted more than anything. Well, he's got it now. And I don't think for one second he and his very talented staff - who know what the hell they're doing despite the constant expressions of doubt that maybe they don't - are going to blow this opportunity by putting together a bad team in Year One. GMac and his staff know exactly where they're going and what they're building.

Yeah, I'm just not that confident in them. I'm just not.

I'm way more confident in talent that projects to be NBA 1st round draft picks.

Edited to add: I can't assess whether the new staff "knows what they're doing." I'm more interested in if they can get the level of talent we need to win consistently and compete in our conference and in the tournament. As of right now, I'm skeptical.

 

[007]

I don’t mind Dual as a player I actually think he could bring value to a team on the defensive side of the ball. My issue with Dual comes in team construction we have too many players slated to play major roles on the team that all have the same weaknesses. Tobiason if he ends up coming here is a start in correcting the issue. 3MM looks nice as well but Euro scares me after everyone told me to love Fennell last year. I felt a different type of PG was needed around the trio of Doty Anthony and White.

I hear you and agree with a lot of that. I'm reluctant to buy in to certain players are "locked" into starting or major roles part until I see the rest of the roster. But, the trend here is concerning.

I think we need to add a player with an above average to elite offensive skill set - the type of player other teams need to game plan for. Ideally, for the way this roster is shaping up, that would be a skilled 5 or a stretch 4.

 

[IthacaBarrel]

I like this pickup. Having someone that can make the opposing PG’s life miserable is a very valuable skill set.

100%. Always. It can wear guys out on opposing teams. It’s a lot to handle for most of the game

 

[007]

I like this pickup. Having someone that can make the opposing PG’s life miserable is a very valuable skill set.

And is an undervalued skill set. Disrupting the other team's offense, either by pressuring the PG/disrupting the flow, or having a player like Dual guard the best offensive player 1-4 doesn't show up in the stat sheet. It does show up in the scouting report and it forces teams to adapt/game plan for the impact that defender could have.

Dual is an important piece for the way Gerry prefers to defend.

 

[Cusefan69]

I'm with you, I like the Dual pick up.

I think I'm more concerned about missing on Buljan as a big.

Hard to categorize that as a miss. Given how quickly the decision was made it seemed like he already knew where he was going. It's not like the guy visited 4 schools and Syracuse was one of them.

 

[OttoinGrotto]

Hard to categorize that as a miss. Given how quickly the decision was made it seemed like he already knew where he was going. It's not like the guy visited 4 schools and Syracuse was one of them.

That's fair.

Buljan was just the first guy that had a little buzz where you didn't have to talk yourself in to anything. So I'm definitely at risk of over indexing on what he meant.

 

[IthacaMatt]

Even were that true, which it's not as we'll see, what a terrible comment good grief.

Yeah, we'll see. Judah wound up in Turkiye instead of the NBA or even the G League. "Winner"?

 

[Cusefan69]

That's fair.

Buljan was just the first guy that had a little buzz where you didn't have to talk yourself in to anything. So I'm definitely at risk of over indexing on what he meant.

All good it's just when one person online says it, it suddenly goes like wildfire and next thing half the board is saying GMac missed on this guy and most of his targets. So was doing more for the record. I am sure there will be things to blame on the new coaches, no need to add artificially. (Not implying that was your intention, I know it wasn't).

 

[IthacaMatt]

The skepticism is over what you mentioned, ascending players. We don't have a sure thing.

Of the returning guys, Sadiq feels like he should be ascending. I'm a bigger Kiyan fan than most, but his best basketball needs to be ahead of him, and he's going to have to work like crazy to get to where we need him as a fully realized basketball player.

On the new guys...

Goodrick is pretty likely to be better than Souare, who is not good at basketball, and that's about it, and hopefully about all we need him to be.

Our Euro is intriguing but is no sure thing. So we do hope he ascends.

Doty had a strong year at Siena but is making a huge leap going to the ACC. We have to hope he's ascending in a huge way since GMAC has suggested he's a big part of the plans.

Dual I like more than most but his biggest plus is his experience and he has the kind of measurables and defensive advance stats the analytics nerds get horny over. But this is another case where we're hoping he's ascending.

The appeal to bringing in GMAC was he would have the best donor support, ie best NIL, ie get the best talent we can.

What we've seen manifest SO FAR, and could change, is a lottery ticket approach hoping enough guys ascend. We don't have a single sure thing RIGHT NOW.

Bringing in Dual feels a bit like picking up Symir Torrence.

I like Dual's size. He has about a 2.5 to 1 assist to TO ratio, which is promising. But he's not a good 3 point shooter, and he's not a very good foul shooter for a PG, which is a big shortcoming.

To me, he's the kind of player Bryce Zephir was supposed to be last year. As a starter, I don't think he's a top half of the ACC talent.

 

[CuseCO]

Bringing in Dual feels a bit like picking up Symir Torrence.

I like Dual's size. He has about a 2.5 to 1 assist to TO ratio, which is promising. But he's not a good 3 point shooter, and he's not a very good foul shooter for a PG, which is a big shortcoming.

To me, he's the kind of player Bryce Zephir was supposed to be last year. As a starter, I don't think he's a top half of the ACC talent.

The Torrence and Zephir comps are wild in here. I am not expecting him to be the next great Cuse guard, but he may very well be the best defensive guard in the portal.

 

[SanDiegoCuse]

That's fair.

Buljan was just the first guy that had a little buzz where you didn't have to talk yourself in to anything. So I'm definitely at risk of over indexing on what he meant.

I really liked Buljan too but it looks like he may have had a deal in place with Maryland before entering the portal.