Possible Portal Point Guards

[MikeSU02]

We will see in terms of defense next year. I’ve never seen a lead guard let people just drive past them at mid court like Judah did many times last year just as much as watching him watch when JJ was trying to D up and didn’t shade over to help. It was maddening. I’m not saying JJ and Bell weren’t problems on D but Judah playing matador was at times in a league of its own.

They were all problems, that's why we were so bad on D.

Now we add in Leffew and Lampkin and they're all of a sudden going to be awesome on D?

I've hammered Judah plenty, but I'm not letting Bell and JJ off the hook because of him.

Our defense is going to be swiss cheese next year.

 

[DoctahLexus]

Ultimately, we're looking at the following roster changes:

Lampkin/McLeod vs Brown. This is a big win. Brown wasn't supposed to be a center... He had some really strong games. He also was helpless in others. Our center won't get pushed around this year.

Freeman vs Taylor. Our single biggest upgrade, by far. Size, scoring ability, athleticism all greatly improved.

Junior Bell vs Sophomore, Bell. It’s rare that players get worse as they get more experience…

Junior Starling versus sophomore Starling. See Bell reference. Additionally, I think the second half Starling is who we get next year.

Lefflew vs Mintz. Trading shooting for dribble penetration. Lefflew might be the better passer and is the better rebounder.

I think overall this is a net improvement, even if you think Mintz is better than Lefflew.

Think "Freeman vs Taylor" should read as "Freeman vs Brown" because that is essentially the tradeoff we are getting. I think everyone was expecting us to get a center and move Brown back to playing most minutes at his original 4 spot. Freeman now has a larger role in the 4 spot than we were expecting this season. Yes he will be way better than Taylor, but likely a good deal worse than Brown at some aspects of the four spot. When you write it out like that it seems like less of a big deal that we are losing Brown. It is a huge loss.

 

[Orangezoo]

They were all problems, that's why we were so bad on D.

Now we add in Leffew and Lampkin and they're all of a sudden going to be awesome on D?

I've hammered Judah plenty, but I'm not letting Bell and JJ off the hook because of him.

Our defense is going to be swiss cheese next year.

They were all problems but I want to see what Red gets with a roster that’s buying in as a team. I think it was a mix of capabilities and commitment that hurt the D so much last year. I’m not sold it’s a lost cause yet.

The team still finished 85th in adj def despite all the issues. Maliq alone didn’t keep that number from being as bad as the previous year.

 

[Windyfly]

Think "Freeman vs Taylor" should read as "Freeman vs Brown" because that is essentially the tradeoff we are getting. I think everyone was expecting us to get a center and move Brown back to playing most minutes at his original 4 spot. Freeman now has a larger role in the 4 spot than we were expecting this season. Yes he will be way better than Taylor, but likely a good deal worse than Brown at some aspects of the four spot. When you write it out like that it seems like less of a big deal that we are losing Brown. It is a huge loss.

I think the comparison is what we had this year vs what we’ll have next year
Compared to the hypothetical next year

Think if we get Davis and one of Leffew or Mack (preferably Mack) we take a big step next year

I think even Leffew brings us there. Would finally have experience and leadership across the board and Westry could be have a huge impact off the bench.

 

[Orangezoo]

I think the comparison is what we had this year vs what we’ll have next year
Compared to the hypothetical next year

Think if we get Davis and one of Leffew or Mack (preferably Mack) we take a big step next year

I think even Leffew brings us there. Would finally have experience and leadership across the board and Westry could be have a huge impact off the bench.

Maybe someday we will actually learn something about what we might actually get from Chance next year…

 

[UpstateSM]

They were all problems but I want to see what Red gets with a roster that’s buying in as a team. I think it was a mix of capabilities and commitment that hurt the D so much last year. I’m not sold it’s a lost cause yet.

The team still finished 85th in adj def despite all the issues. Maliq alone didn’t keep that number from being as bad as the previous year.

I don't particularly feel like doing it because what's done is done but you could make an argument that the numbers say that he did haha

 

[sutomcat]

this kid will be a 5th year senior and is a proven scorer at the D1 level. This will automatically be the best team he’s ever been on with the most talent around him. He’s overall burden will be significantly lessened and with that we could see higher assist numbers and more efficient 2P shooting numbers. He will not be the main focus of the defense unlike last year. I am sure Red sees something in his passing ability that makes him believe he can be a starting PG at the ACC level.

I’d rather have that than say an Aden Holloway. Who right now is living off his HS ranking as opposed to his production on the court.

Holloway would probably seen as a better get, at least nationally —- but at this point give me the guys who’ve proven they can play at the D1 level than relying on HS kid or someone who really struggled their first year D1.

This. If we have learned anything about the portal and transfers in recent years it is that senior guards are invaluable.

We really needed one to keep our young team grounded last season.

Hopefully it will not again be a problem this season.

 

[CardiacCuse]

Is Cardiac Cuse liking his own retweet?

nah its not me...someone else has the same name

 

[jsshap]

Because the hardcore fan base needs to understand the reality of the situation? If we don’t have funds to compete, make it known

1. Still don't see why. Just because is not a reason.
2. The premise - that cuse "does not have the funds to compete" - is obviously not an objective issue susceptible to such a statement even if it made sense to make it.
3. Even if it was, I assume I don't need to list all the reasons it would not be wise to make a public statement that SU was not able to land the player they most wanted bc they don't have the funds to compete.

 

[djcon57]

1. Still don't see why. Just because is not a reason.
2. The premise - that cuse "does not have the funds to compete" - is obviously not an objective issue susceptible to such a statement even if it made sense to make it.
3. Even if it was, I assume I don't need to list all the reasons it would not be wise to make a public statement that SU was not able to land the player they most wanted bc they don't have the funds to compete.

I didn’t say “just because”. I specifically said Syracuse needs to explain to its hardcore fan base the realities of their current status in college basketball to set expectations. If it’s lack of funds, that should be laid out. If it’s not, then that should be laid out too. Just because you don’t think that’s not a good reason doesn’t make it not a reason

Also, I never once said public statement. I know that posts here by certain posters are coming from known sources within the staff. The reasons listed aren’t out of thin air.

Also, fwiw, I tend to believe the reasons laid out by some of the more senior posters here that it WASNT lack of funds and was more due to making sure there was an open PG slot next year. And I think it’s very unwise imo

 

[djcon57]

This. If we have learned anything about the portal and transfers in recent years it is that senior guards are invaluable.

We really needed one to keep our young team grounded last season.

Hopefully it will not again be a problem this season.

We won’t have a young team next year. Bell and JJ are juniors.

 

[Nicknack]

Think "Freeman vs Taylor" should read as "Freeman vs Brown" because that is essentially the tradeoff we are getting. I think everyone was expecting us to get a center and move Brown back to playing most minutes at his original 4 spot. Freeman now has a larger role in the 4 spot than we were expecting this season. Yes he will be way better than Taylor, but likely a good deal worse than Brown at some aspects of the four spot. When you write it out like that it seems like less of a big deal that we are losing Brown. It is a huge loss.

We were always getting Freeman, so not sure how it's him versus Brown. In any event, I think most of us were expecting/hoping Brown would share minutes with Freeman at the 4 (maybe 15-20 min) and some minutes at the 5 (maybe 5-10) to give our new Center (Lampkin) a breather. As for Brown being a huge loss... too early to tell. Certainly it's a gut punch and not something any of us wanted, but if we can add someone like Davis to the mix, I think we will be in a better position than last year. We just need to let this play out more.

 

[sutomcat]

We won’t have a young team next year. Bell and JJ are juniors.

Yup. We will be older. Lampkin also has some experience and hopefully we add some other players from the portal.

But senior guards, particularly point guards, are where we can really benefit from all that experience. It would be nice to have someone who has been through a lot playing point guard for us.

 

[OttoinGrotto]

So we're all just going to be cool with settling for the lead guard position and are ok with it because of who we *might* get next year as a high school recruit that we can't scare off?

That is some serious rationalizing. I like Leffew, truly, but come on.

BTW, our starting lineup is going to get ran through like a hot knife through butter. We better hope this is the most efficient offense we've ever had because we are looking awful on the defensive side of the ball with our starting five. Awful.

We keep planning for next year, we'll never have a this year.

That's not quite how I view it.

I think Leffew is the best guy we can get, and I think he fits what Red wants to do.

Before this whole round of portal madness it also appeared based on offers that Red was prioritizing landing a top flight point guard in the 2025 recruiting class. Leffew doesn't interfere with that at all. That seems ok.

 

[SUFan44]

Heard the same. We like Leffew because he’s solid and we are after a couple high end HS PGs.

Solid at that position is, frankly IMO, not good enough.

We'll see. Not expecting next year to be much different than this year unless the rest of the team (Starling, Bell) take jumps and Lampkin/Freeman prove to be the real deal. That's a lot of ifs.

 

[OttoinGrotto]

Also, y'all really want to see another entitled Harvard nerd make bank?

Come on.

 

[SUFan44]

Yup. We will be older. Lampkin also has some experience and hopefully we add some other players from the portal.

But senior guards, particularly point guards, are where we can really benefit from all that experience. It would be nice to have someone who has been through a lot playing point guard for us.

Again, Leffew has exactly half a season playing point guard. He's not a point guard by trade.

He transitioned into the position last year and improved, however I would temper expectations.

 

[SUFan44]

He still shot 37% from 3. He is a good shooter.

37% in the MAAC - what does that translate to in the ACC? Valid question, no?

 

[dasher]

37% in the MAAC - what does that translate to in the ACC? Valid question, no?

Sure. But he will also be playing with more players that can do things than he was. If I had to guess, he will shoot about 37% at syracuse next year.

 

[SUFan44]

Sure. But he will also be playing with more players that can do things than he was. If I had to guess, he will shoot about 37% at syracuse next year.

Would be absolutely stunned in a good way if he shoots 37% from 3 at SU. That's a lofty expectation.

 

[djcon57]

That's not quite how I view it.

I think Leffew is the best guy we can get, and I think he fits what Red wants to do.

Before this whole round of portal madness it also appeared based on offers that Red was prioritizing landing a top flight point guard in the 2025 recruiting class. Leffew doesn't interfere with that at all. That seems ok.

It conflicts with how almost every winning tourney team was built this year. Look over top 25 recruits last year per ESPN and focus on PG

ESPN Basketball Recruiting - Player Rankings

Where do the nation basketball recruits rank? Check out the player rankings on RecruitingNation.com

www.espn.com

Collier - losing team
Wagner - 1st round exit
Castle - surrounded with fellow future NBA players
Cadaeu - disappointing IMO
Holloway - transferring after playing 20 mins a game
Bronny - Bronny
Caleb Foster - backup

Nothing suggests this is the path to winning in 2024.

 

[djcon57]

Solid at that position is, frankly IMO, not good enough.

We'll see. Not expecting next year to be much different than this year unless the rest of the team (Starling, Bell) take jumps and Lampkin/Freeman prove to be the real deal. That's a lot of ifs.

To me, IF this is essentially the team, success depends on Bell and JJ making gigantic leaps that I think Red is basically depending on. I hope he's right.

 

[UpstateSM]

It conflicts with how almost every winning tourney team was built this year. Look over top 25 recruits last year per ESPN and focus on PG

ESPN Basketball Recruiting - Player Rankings

Where do the nation basketball recruits rank? Check out the player rankings on RecruitingNation.com

www.espn.com

Collier - losing team
Wagner - 1st round exit
Castle - surrounded with fellow future NBA players
Cadaeu - disappointing IMO
Holloway - transferring after playing 20 mins a game
Bronny - Bronny
Caleb Foster - backup

Nothing suggests this is the path to winning in 2024.

I'm thrilled to be recruiting high schoolers with the big boys again but I'm not thrilled if we are doing so at the expense of maximizing our potential the season before these five stars even enroll at the school. That strategy is insane in the current landscape of college basketball.

Try to win every single season and figure the rest of when it is time to figure it out. If Jackson doesn't want to come here because we have a guy like Mack, who gives a chit. There will be another stud in the portal we can grab in his place with the money the five star isn't getting paid. Or to retain whoever we grabbed the year before.

 

[OttoinGrotto]

It conflicts with how almost every winning tourney team was built this year. Look over top 25 recruits last year per ESPN and focus on PG

ESPN Basketball Recruiting - Player Rankings

Where do the nation basketball recruits rank? Check out the player rankings on RecruitingNation.com

www.espn.com

Collier - losing team
Wagner - 1st round exit
Castle - surrounded with fellow future NBA players
Cadaeu - disappointing IMO
Holloway - transferring after playing 20 mins a game
Bronny - Bronny
Caleb Foster - backup

Nothing suggests this is the path to winning in 2024.

Yeah I mean it's pretty hard to engineer a perfectly competitive tourney team every year, especially a single elimination tournament with a high tolerance for chaotic results.

 

[djcon57]

Yeah I mean it's pretty hard to engineer a perfectly competitive tourney team every year, especially a single elimination tournament with a high tolerance for chaotic results.

100%, but we're talking about going 4 years without tourney next year.

and 10 years...10 YEARS!...since we had better than an 8 seed.

Telling the fans to wait another year is rough.