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

[CardiacCuse]

Never forget last year the Covid kids dominated the league. UNC, Clemson, Tenn, etc. On and on with these 5-6 year career college players.

UNC and Clemson started the year with an average starting roster age of 23.5. Cormac Ryan will be 26 in a few months. Let that sink in.

exactly

JB as an analyst last year kept hammering the age factor through the country...and he was right

i think people who are down on this current roster are kinda sleeping on the age factor and how much better a 22 or 23 year old will be than the average ncabb player...its a HUGE advantage...and a lot of these guys were already putting up stats last year...

 

[Bulldog04]

My guess is this means JJ might get some time at the one.

This was always the plan

 

[Niastri]

PG-Carlos
SG-Starling
SF-Bell
PF-Freeman
C-Lampkin

If you have a healthy Westry. He’s going to be a stud of a 6th man. He can play the 1-3.

Westry, Davis, Moore, Lucas and McLeod will likely be the key guys off the bench. That’s likely the rotation to start the season.

I wouldn’t say this team has that one “alpha dog” that’s going to get you a basket every time. But you have a team that can beat you in a multitude of ways. This teams is a lot more well rounded than last year. Get me the Marist center as a back up and I think we are all set.

You have guys that are decent to great shooters: Carlos, Starling, Lucas, Bell, Moore

We can pound it inside with our big guys in Lampkin, Davis and Freeman

We have extremely good passers for players at their position in Carlos, Davis, Lampkin

We can beat you in transition with Carlos, Starling, Freeman, Davis, Westry, Moore

Very well rounded team. My only concern is defense. Westry, Carlos, Freeman, Bell (when he wants to be), Davis are all good defenders. But we’ll see about the rest of the guys.

Between Freeman, Davis, Lampkin, Westry, Starling (good rebounder for a guard), McLeod…rebounding shouldn’t be an issue

I agreed with everything until you said Bell was a good defender (when he wants to be). Bell has a long way to go before he's merely average on defense.

 

[IthacaMatt]

Who is next?

I'll take the Marist big man. He's got 3 point range, even if he's not a rebounder or rim protector.

 

[Red2003]

PG-Carlos
SG-Starling
SF-Bell
PF-Freeman
C-Lampkin

If you have a healthy Westry. He’s going to be a stud of a 6th man. He can play the 1-3.

Westry, Davis, Moore, Lucas and McLeod will likely be the key guys off the bench. That’s likely the rotation to start the season.

I wouldn’t say this team has that one “alpha dog” that’s going to get you a basket every time. But you have a team that can beat you in a multitude of ways. This teams is a lot more well rounded than last year. Get me the Marist center as a back up and I think we are all set.

You have guys that are decent to great shooters: Carlos, Starling, Lucas, Bell, Moore

We can pound it inside with our big guys in Lampkin, Davis and Freeman

We have extremely good passers for players at their position in Carlos, Davis, Lampkin

We can beat you in transition with Carlos, Starling, Freeman, Davis, Westry, Moore

Very well rounded team. My only concern is defense. Westry, Carlos, Freeman, Bell (when he wants to be), Davis are all good defenders. But we’ll see about the rest of the guys.

Between Freeman, Davis, Lampkin, Westry, Starling (good rebounder for a guard), McLeod…rebounding shouldn’t be an issue

Well said. Last year we started the year with too much uncertainty and with players we thought could do some things that they couldn't in the ACC. What made us a 20 win team instead of 23 win tourney team:

1. Naheem starting center: Wasn't ready for ACC workload + Injury
2. Taylor: Shooting woes + Not ready for P5 starting Forward
3. Westry: Injury
4. Benny: Pulled a Benny
5. JJ: Slumpy start in non-con
6. Q: Top 6th man but lurking offcourt issues
7. Judah: 3 Point shot
8: Carey / Hima / Patterson: Not P5 Centers

I would argue Lampkin is the Alpha Dog though. We paid big money to get him here and he's got the personality & tournament experience. No doubt he's a hired 1 year mercenary but that's the league right now. The other players on the team will recognize that.

 

[albanycuse]

I strongly disagree with this. Depth guys help you win.

Plus who's to say he doesn't surprise and does challenge for starting minutes?

I think he might be seen as better than a depth guy more of a spot starter was what i was getting at.

 

[SanDiegoCuse]

Mahoney's dreams of a fifth season must be dead

 

[OttoinGrotto]

I think he might be seen as better than a depth guy more of a spot starter was what i was getting at.

Ah. Agreed.

 

[Zelda Zonk]

I agreed with everything until you said Bell was a good defender (when he wants to be). Bell has a long way to go before he's merely average on defense.

You're assuming you know "when he wants to be."

 

[Zelda Zonk]

I'll take the Marist big man. He's got 3 point range, even if he's not a rebounder or rim protector.

Who's the Marist kid?

 

[OttoinGrotto]

Who's the Marist kid?

They're trying to keep it quiet.

Spoiler: The kid

it's your mom

 

[Orangezoo]

They're trying to keep it quiet.

Spoiler: The kid

it's your mom

 

[Cuse181]

This was always the plan

Jfc I hope that’s a joke

 

[IthacaMatt]

Who's the Marist kid?

Max Allen. 6-9. 250. 11 pts, 4 reb per game last year. 3-15 from three for the season.

 

[Bulldog04]

Jfc I hope that’s a joke

Not full time but just as a backup ball handler and pusher

 

[Cusesky8214]

 

[TommyA13]

 

[OrangeXtreme]

 

[IthacaMatt]

OK, glad to hear it. Seems like Westry is going to play some forward.

 

[UpstateSM]

I am a big Kyle Cuffe believer but I love the idea of rolling the balls out and letting Cuffe/Moore/Taylor battle it out for the 4th guard spot, making the big assumption of a healthy Chance as the 3rd one. Any of those guys fully bought into that role can really help the team. And we can certainly use an extra shooter.

Adding 14.5 per game in a top half league in June is always a solid add, at least.

 

[orange79]

 

[JDubbin]

 

[sutomcat]

 

[grepal]

My first impression of Lucas Taylor is that Red is cornering the market on guys that can dribble themselves into position to take difficult two point shots one step inside the three point line.

My second impression is that he is an ok three point shooter, who can get better if he has good shot selection. He is weirdly bad at catch and shoot (according to the text feed in the video, I have no idea where the stats come from). Most guys get better with time to set their feet, but he likes to shoot off the dribble. Maybe SSS, and not a real phenomenon.

He can get to the basket and dunk in traffic, which is a big skill, imo. I always worry when a guy didn't show top notch athleticism and is moving up. If he has the physical talent and just needed time to work on his basketball skills, that's a different story.

I think Taylor will be a rotation player, or depth if Cuffe and Moore beat him out. It's nice to have competition.

So we have Carlos, Chance, JJ and maybe Cuffe to play some point. Three of those can play the two along with Moore and Taylor. Chance can play the 3 in a three guard look. Looks like another center who can back up the 4 is our biggest need.

 

[jordville]

Welcome Lucas! Interesting choice of background.. against Duke... with JB coaching Jesse, JG3, Judah, Maliq, Benny, and Q about to check in. LGO!