Class of 2021 SG Lucas Taylor (NC) TRANSFERRING TO SYRACUSE (6/4/24)

[IthacaMatt]

Can do A LOT worse at this stage of the game

We still need a 4th forward; ideally someone who can space the floor and has some size on defense.

 

[Orangezoo]

We still need a 4th forward; ideally someone who can space the floor and has some size on defense.

Unless McLeod and Westry are both hurt you aren’t selling a 12th man on a role. Westry would be your extra depth at both forward and guard if healthy. Plus don’t see there is enough $$$ to coax a guy anyways.

 

[Orangezoo]

I just more guys on scholarships. If all they do is raise the level of competition in practice, I'll take it.

Best player on a middle of the pack Sun Belt team as your guard depth and a guy who played two years for an ACC program first works just fine to boost our depth.

 

[IthacaMatt]

Unless McLeod and Westry are both hurt you aren’t selling a 12th man on a role. Westry would be your extra depth at both forward and guard if healthy. Plus don’t see there is enough $$$ to coax a guy anyways.

It's a competition. Who says somebody "will be 12th man"? That's not how teams work, generally speaking.

 

[Orangezoo]

It's a competition. Who says somebody "will be 12th man"? That's not how teams work, generally speaking.

Kids don’t think like we do. So it doesn’t matter regarding our perspective

 

[Cusefan0307]

We still need a 4th forward; ideally someone who can space the floor and has some size on defense.

That guy was Waterman and we didn’t have enough time to offer.

 

[IthacaMatt]

Kids don’t think like we do. So it doesn’t matter regarding our perspective

Have you ever played sports? That's just a dumb statement.
All of these kids are competitive. All of these kids think they can make the lineup.
Hell, all of these kids think that they could play pro.

If we found a stretch 4, do you think he would be scared of not finding minutes when we have 1 center who can't play away from the basket, one who can't score at all, and an incoming freshman PF who can also see time at the 3 or the 5?

Players believe in their ability. If a coach brings a guy into the team, the player is going to try to compete for a spot in the rotation, not just be the 12th man.

NOBODY goes to a team thinking they are going to be the 12th man.

 

[IthacaMatt]

That guy was Waterman and we didn’t have enough time to offer.

I think it was the money. I don't think Waterman was afraid he wouldn't play.
We were talking with him until Fat Boy needed the extra $250k.

Now, if he was insisting on starting, then yes, that ends the conversation at a much earlier point.

Most coaches don't GUARANTEE starting spots, though. They have to be open to competition, and letting the best players play.

The players decide who starts, for the most part, based on how they do at practice. The players see who the best guys are at practice, too. They go against each other every day.

 

[Orangezoo]

Have you ever played sports? That's just a dumb statement.
All of these kids are competitive. All of these kids think they can make the lineup.
Hell, all of these kids think that they could play pro.

If we found a stretch 4, do you think he would be scared of not finding minutes when we have 1 center who can't play away from the basket, one who can't score at all, and an incoming freshman PF who can also see time at the 3 or the 5?

Players believe in their ability. If a coach brings a guy into the team, the player is going to try to compete for a spot in the rotation, not just be the 12th man.

NOBODY goes to a team thinking they are going to be the 12th man.

lol I’ve played sports Matt and coached them too at a youth level. You are arguing in a vacuum. You think kids are choosing to compete for a position over a more surefire chance at minutes elsewhere? Times have changed. Money and opportunity talks louder than competitive pride. It’s just reality. You are in denial if you think you are talking a 5th year kid who can play anywhere into competing with Davis and Westry for forward minutes off the bench. Maybe an underrecruited freshman who doesn’t mind sitting behind and waiting for a chance should it arise but otherwise you better have a nice $$ offer to sweeten the deal if minutes are a crapshoot. Not to mention being smart not to have the committed guys looking for something too so they don’t bail.

 

[IthacaMatt]

lol I’ve played sports Matt and coached them too at a youth level. You are arguing in a vacuum. You think kids are choosing to compete for a position over a more surefire chance at minutes elsewhere? Times have changed. Money and opportunity talks louder than competitive pride. It’s just reality. You are in denial if you think you are talking a 5th year kid who can play anywhere into competing with Davis and Westry for forward minutes off the bench. Maybe an underrecruited freshman who doesn’t mind sitting behind and waiting for a chance should it arise but otherwise you better have a nice $$ offer to sweeten the deal.

Has every transfer who came to Syracuse been guaranteed a starting job?
It all comes down to the player and his self-belief.
"Am I good enough to beat out this guy or that guy? I think so. I'm not scared of him."
I've never seen a player that's any good who doesn't think he should be playing.

 

[Orangezoo]

Has every transfer who came to Syracuse been guaranteed a starting job?
It all comes down to the player and his self-belief.
"Am I good enough to beat out this guy or that guy? I think so. I'm not scared of him."
I've never seen a player that's any good who doesn't think he should be playing.

You are still missing the point. If he can get better minutes and $$ elsewhere you aren’t selling that kid to come here or most anywhere anymore unless you flat out lie or have a limitless cap on NIL spending. It has nothing to do with being scared about beating someone out. It’s more about not needing to. This isnt the cbb of 20 yrs ago- nor is the same work ethic/culture either. It is what it is.

 

[IthacaMatt]

You are still missing the point. If he can get better minutes and $$ elsewhere you aren’t selling that kid to come here or most anywhere anymore unless you flat out lie or have a limitless cap on NIL spending. It has nothing to do with being scared about beating someone out. It’s more about not needing to. This isnt the cbb of 20 yrs ago- nor is the same work ethic/culture either. It is what it is.

That's a different argument than what Cuse0307 was saying above - that we didn't have the minutes. I don't buy that. He had a unique skill set that we needed.

If he can get better money, then sure, that's what sells.

But I will reiterate, unless you are a top player, no coach with any sense is going to guarantee you that you will start.

All they can say is "you are going to get every opportunity", but if a player is kicking your butt in practice, I don't care what the coach said to you in the summer, you're not keeping your starting job. If you don't see that, then you're the one who's missing the point. Coaches get fired if they don't win games.

 

[Orangezoo]

That's a different argument than what Cuse0307 was saying above - that we didn't have the minutes. I don't buy that. He had a unique skill set that we needed.

If he can get better money, then sure, that's what sells.

But I will reiterate, unless you are a top player, no coach with any sense is going to guarantee you that you will start.

All they can say is "you are going to get every opportunity", but if a player is kicking your butt in practice, I don't care what the coach said to you in the summer, you're not keeping your starting job. If you don't see that, then you're the one who's missing the point. Coaches get fired if they don't win games.

The minutes and $$ point is interwoven to me.

 

[Cusefan0307]

That's a different argument than what Cuse0307 was saying above - that we didn't have the minutes. I don't buy that. He had a unique skill set that we needed.

If he can get better money, then sure, that's what sells.

But I will reiterate, unless you are a top player, no coach with any sense is going to guarantee you that you will start.

All they can say is "you are going to get every opportunity", but if a player is kicking your butt in practice, I don't care what the coach said to you in the summer, you're not keeping your starting job. If you don't see that, then you're the one who's missing the point. Coaches get fired if they don't win games.

He’s going to start for Louisville. He wouldnt for us.

 

[Orangezoo]

Couple things on watching Taylor-

1 I like how he uses screens and likes to shoot off of them.

2 - Solid spot up shooter

3- Not afraid to attack the rim when there is an open lane

4 - Mediocre defender and reaches a lot- gets some steals but also gets called for it.

Solid bench piece who reminds me a bit of Alan Griffin from a size and scoring standpoint just not a rebounder like AG was. Could be a pretty dangerous shooter with other talent around him as he has a nice looking shot.

 

[Capt. Tuttle]

Has every transfer who came to Syracuse been guaranteed a starting job?
It all comes down to the player and his self-belief.
"Am I good enough to beat out this guy or that guy? I think so. I'm not scared of him."
I've never seen a player that's any good who doesn't think he should be playing.

Leon Ellis comes to mind; maybe Rautins. Otherwise, IDK.

 

[Orangezoo]

One thing I like with adding Taylor ( not assuming just hypothesizing) is that - without a doubt there would be capable talent behind both Bell and JJ this year who can do multiple things. So the two players who were the most up and down starters have the most potential depth behind them if everyone is healthy.

 

[Dmcnabbrules]

My main concern here is how he did nothing at Wake. Sat his first year and was totally ineffective second year.

 

[RF2044]

My main concern here is how he did nothing at Wake. Sat his first year and was totally ineffective second year.

Is there any other comparable data about how he performed at Georgia State against P5?

 

[Orangezoo]

Is there any other comparable data about how he performed at Georgia State against P5?

Don’t have the data but he was decent based on a quick review of games vs BYU, 1 decent and 1 bad vs JMU, solid vs Troy, Ark St, App St. Shooting efficiency better from 3 than 2 in some of those games. Had a bad game vs Charlotte.

He had some solid games on the boards and in sharing the rock too. Kind of the normal for a kid playing his first year as a starter in D1 and being leaned on heavily. Streaky player per the numbers both vs top 150 and non top 150 in KP.

Good size, good stroke and showed he can do more than shoot it so I mean that’s the value you want for a wing to come in and provide depth while making his case for more.

 

[jordoo]

One thing I like with adding Taylor ( not assuming just hypothesizing) is that - without a doubt there would be capable talent behind both Bell and JJ this year who can do multiple things. So the two players who were the most up and down starters have the most potential depth behind them if everyone is healthy.

This is along the lines I am thinking. He will help in practice, he's a possible scoring spark off the bench in any game. His handle looks decent. Who knows what will happen next year, why not hedge your bets? This kid looks like a pretty good option as an insurance policy for guard depth.

 

[alphaorange]

Leon Ellis comes to mind; maybe Rautins. Otherwise, IDK.

LeRon

 

[cusealways]

If this guy is our move ultimately, I’m satisfied with how we did this offseason. Not exactly the most spectacular portal class, but I think we make the tourney with this roster.

 

[IthacaMatt]

If this guy is our move ultimately, I’m satisfied with how we did this offseason. Not exactly the most spectacular portal class, but I think we make the tourney with this roster.

If we get another forward, I'm fine with him as our 4th or 5th best guard.
But you have to have 4 forwards, especially when you only have 2 centers.
I mean, it's just math. You want to have 5 on 5 practices made up of scholarship players.

And if anybody gets hurt, you need to have a scholarship guy to back up that position.
We are way too good a program to have to rely on walk-ons if one of our starters get hurt.
I mean, seriously, this roster is still incomplete.

After last year, taking four players - Cuffe, Westry, MacLeod and Starling - ALL OF WHOM were coming off an injury, I mean, come on Red. What the heck??

Roster management so far is a C-. He has to find a couple guys to give us a full roster, where 1 injury doesn't tank the whole season.

 

[althea]

If we get another forward, I'm fine with him as our 4th or 5th best guard.
But you have to have 4 forwards, especially when you only have 2 centers.
I mean, it's just math. You want to have 5 on 5 practices made up of scholarship players.

And if anybody gets hurt, you need to have a scholarship guy to back up that position.
We are way too good a program to have to rely on walk-ons if one of our starters get hurt.
I mean, seriously, this roster is still incomplete.

After last year, taking four players - Cuffe, Westry, MacLeod and Starling - ALL OF WHOM were coming off an injury, I mean, come on Red. What the heck??

Roster management so far is a C-. He has to find a couple guys to give us a full roster, where 1 injury doesn't tank the whole season.

1. I’m sure Red is aware of this

2. We have 4 players that can play forward
(Freeman, Bell, Davis, Westry)

3. You are beating the heck out of a dead horse.