Small Forward spot

[20Plus]

Two separate problems with the current roster without White. I am in the camp that he's ours and it's just taking longer than we want!


Scenario one
if Tyler Lydon is at the three it means we have several potential problems

two other bigs in the game who can't score for themselves.
Only two players in the lineup with guard skills is not good.

Scenario Number two
Battles at the three that means were a small team with Gillon and Howard at the 1 and 2 and battle undersized 3

Basically our two best players are Battle and Tyler Lydon and neither one is it their best fit at the small forward.

For me our best lineup by a hot mile is
Pick your point guard Howard or John
Battle at the two
White at the three
Lydon in the front court (4or 5) with either Roberson,Coleman or PC

 

[stuckinbig11]

if Tyler Lydon is at the three it means we have several potential problems

For me our best lineup by a hot mile is
Pick your point guard Howard or John
Battle at the two
White at the three
Lydon in the front court (4or 5) with either Roberson,Coleman or PC

One way or the other, Lydon will surely see time at 4 and even some 5.

 

[RF2044]

Good post--nailed it.

 

[Shark58]

White will NOT see time at the 4

no White Power forward

 

[Cusefannotindc]

I hate the 3/4 differentiation in relation to SU basketball. They are the same position in Boeheim's system.

Lydon will see time at the 5, it is was no accident the team was best when he was there last season.

 

[Brooky03]

Defense. The aspect that is overlooked in these scenarios is defense. A frontcourt of Lydon, Roberson, Chukwu would be lightyears ahead of White, Lydon/Roberson, Chukwu. Whatever is lost on offense by playing Roberson and Chukwu at the same time would be made up for on the defensive end.

Coleman's offense will be improved I think, and - finally healthy - he could get to the point where the team can dump the ball to him and let him work for a few possessions. I'm not expecting Onuaku level efficiency, but it could be close. That said, the backcourt we're going to have might just need to play alongside tall guys who can dunk. Roberson isn't entirely unable to score if he catches the ball 10 feet from the hoop, but if he can just catch the ball and dunk, that's like 10 points a game right there. Same with Chukwu.

In the smaller lineup, we wouldn't be much smaller than we were this last season on a regular basis. Howard's giving up 2 inches to Gbinije and I think Cooney has an inch on Gillon, but Howard and Gillon are both more naturally gifted guards (in terms of ballhandling and passing) than those two. The spot where the height matters is SF, and I don't think Battle is any smaller than Richardson.

I say all of this to temper some of the 'doom and gloom' about the team sans White. Obviously, the team would be better off with White; I don't think anybody would dispute that. We're not dead in the water without him, though.

 

[20Plus]

White will NOT see time at the 4

no White Power forward

That is probably true

 

[20Plus]

Defense. The aspect that is overlooked in these scenarios is defense. A frontcourt of Lydon, Roberson, Chukwu would be lightyears ahead of White, Lydon/Roberson, Chukwu. Whatever is lost on offense by playing Roberson and Chukwu at the same time would be made up for on the defensive end.

Coleman's offense will be improved I think, and - finally healthy - he could get to the point where the team can dump the ball to him and let him work for a few possessions. I'm not expecting Onuaku level efficiency, but it could be close. That said, the backcourt we're going to have might just need to play alongside tall guys who can dunk. Roberson isn't entirely unable to score if he catches the ball 10 feet from the hoop, but if he can just catch the ball and dunk, that's like 10 points a game right there. Same with Chukwu.

In the smaller lineup, we wouldn't be much smaller than we were this last season on a regular basis. Howard's giving up 2 inches to Gbinije and I think Cooney has an inch on Gillon, but Howard and Gillon are both more naturally gifted guards (in terms of ballhandling and passing) than those two. The spot where the height matters is SF, and I don't think Battle is any smaller than Richardson.

I say all of this to temper some of the 'doom and gloom' about the team sans White. Obviously, the team would be better off with White; I don't think anybody would dispute that. We're not dead in the water without him, though.

Yes I agree and I see both sides of coin.

 

[Jeremy L.]

This post is exactly why we need to land White. Without White we're playing Battle or Lydon at the 3. Battle will be better fit at the guard position obviously and Lydon is MUCH more of a threat as a stretch four. Then you take your pick of Roberson/Coleman/Chewy as the last 2 guys on the floor. Certainly not a BAD roster by any means! But I feel players without White are playing out of their natural position. With White I believe everybody is in their expected spots and no questions are asked.

 

[Cusefan0307]

It's safe to say lineup projections for next year have replaced the Cooney threads.

 

[cuse2013]

For me our best lineup by a hot mile is
Pick your point guard Howard or John
Battle at the two
White at the three
Lydon in the front court (4or 5) with either Roberson,Coleman or PC

How about LeBron at the 3? I know he doesn't play for Syracuse but neither does Andrew White so I figured I would dream too

 

[Jeremy L.]

It's safe to say lineup projections for next year have replaced the Cooney threads.

We need something to get us through summer.