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Message: [QUOTE="RF2044, post: 1649167, member: 40"] Here's what I would say: I'm probably harder on lead guards that just about anybody posting on the forum. Battle isn't a point guard. He's got a pretty nice handle and seems to see the floor well, but he isn't going to be the guy who initiates our offensive sets and runs them. It took Gbinije 3 years to get comfortable doing that, and Battle won't step in and run the offense as adroitly as G does right away. As a compliementary ball handler / passer / playmaker, he can absolutely be a contributor in that capacity, and maybe even an above average one. This is an imperfect comparison, but bear with me for this example. It would be like somebody suggesting that Malachi Richardson can create for himself off of the dribble and has a pretty good handle, so maybe he could run point. No, he couldn't. But could he chip in against pressure? Sure. Battle has a tighter handle than Richardson, and he excels in the open floor. But handling in the open floor / dishing is easy--literally, anybody can do that, when guys are just running up and down the floor. It's much different when teams force you to play halfcourt basketball, and you have to initiate offensive sets, probe the defense, make the right decisions, etc. Not all guards do that well, and I'm not sure that Battle would either, if handed the ball and told to play point next year. Somebody compared him to Dion Waiters above [in terms of being a combo who can chip in at the point], and while they aren't similar players, I think that's a pretty good comparison in terms of this conversation. So with all that in mind, here are my thoughts: [LIST] [*]The starting backcourt will probably be Richardson / Battle, unless Howard makes the proverbial "sophomore jump [/LIST] [LIST] [*]If that happens, then I could see JB bringing Lydon off of the bench, and having the benefit of his scoring pop / shooting / depth [/LIST] [LIST] [*]Whether Howard starts or not, the team is going to need him to take the next step, because he's going to play a TON [/LIST] [LIST] [*]Howard could play with Battle or Richardson, or alongside both if one of them shifts to the back line of the zone [/LIST] [LIST] [*]Would love to see us add a 5th year transfer [if the #'s allow that] who is either a pure point or a true 3 [/LIST] [/QUOTE]

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