Thinking about Turnover and Next Years Lineup

[capeorange]

there's only so much room on any roster for "projects"

you can carry a couple...but there are way too many on this current roster that are merely projects and not ready to help the team win right now...hence the 6 man rotation at the moment

in the portal era, it makes less sense than ever to invest in "projects"

some of this isnt red's fault but thats why you cannot carry a bunch of NON CONTRIBUTORS

my wish for the roster this offseason is that any player who will not be likely to be able to help the team win games next season will not be brought back. plain and simple.

i want a full roster of players capable of contributing. is that really that crazy??

You're right, it makes little sense to keep any projects. Let someone else develop them and pay them to come here. Why 2 or 3 years on a player that may never work out?

 

[pokercuse08]

If Q thinks he is a starter and wants to start he can leave as well.

Yeah, I love Q, he's my favorite player on this team to root for. But in terms of building a winning roster, Maliq is our best player and JJ is our second best player IMO. Both can be starter-caliber players on good teams. Q is a sixth man on a good team.

I don't want to fall into the trap of guaranteeing guys starter roles or X minutes unless they've already proven they deserve it on a top-25 level team. That's not how you get to be a top-25 level team, that's how you stay in middle of the pack purgatory.

Q deserves to start on *this* team and IMO he should be. But that doesn't mean jack for next year.

 

[UpstateSM]

Red needs to bring in a veteran leader or two from the portal this offseason. This team has a huge immaturity/lack of leadership issue and I don't see anybody in this group turning into a leader. Maliq does all of the right things on the court but you can tell that isn't his personality.

A 4th or 5th year guy from a winning program, high or mid major, would make me much more comfortable with the program next season. And there will be guys like that available.

 

[PauliePeppas]

JT moving on increases Maliq moving on too…

On a better team Taylor could just defend and rebound and only shoot when hes wide open. We have 13 scholarships and don't ever play that many guys if he wants to say and Moore and Freeman have to take his minutes that is fine.

His struggles this year have shown there is no real upside and we are probably best to move on

 

[Sbucketball]

Judah, Bell, Taylor, Carey, transfer. Hima retires. Hope like heck we can hang on to Maliq.

If Bell doesn’t transfer I’d say Q does.

Ugh so it’s true that Judah wants to transfer?

 

[jdubs30]

JT moving on increases Maliq moving on too…

Give me a break.

They were friends in HS, they aren’t married.

 

[OttoinGrotto]

He’s had two or fewer turnovers in nine straight league games. He does get loose with the ball at times and there will be the occasional brutal turnover, but he’s also our most creative offensive player by a mile.

The problem with this board is that so many folks make declarations like he’s not starting talent. Copeland could start and be part of a very good team here. Same for Brown and JJ. Bell might be more of offense/shooting off the bench, but he could be part of a good team as well. Judah is frustrating but he’s a very, very good player nonetheless.

What we need to be able to do is find the right mix and next season with a few additions and likely a few departures and hope Red makes some progress as well. Will it happen? Not sure. Is red the guy Lon term? Jury remains out. Will we be basking in the glow of our return to prominence next season, I doubt it.

But people need to stop writing off every player who’s not Carmelo or sherm. We have some pieces, we need some more but we’re really not THAT far away from this team being in the tourney conversation. A healthy westry could make a bit of a difference. Freeman could make a bit of a difference. Maybe Brown continues to grow. Maybe we add a key portal piece or two. But swapping the entire roster down the toilet and bringing in 11 transfers doesn’t guarantee us a thing.

This is a very good post.

 

[two3zone]

PG - Portal PG/Copeland
SG - JJ/Moore/Westry
SF - Freeman/Bell/Westry
PF - Brown/Freeman
C - Portal C/Brown/Patterson or Carey

Something like that I can see as long as the PG and C transfers are high quality. The portal PG needs to be able to shoot at a high clip.

This happens and I would be quite happy, give me a 12/3/6 guy who doesn't turn the ball over and plays great defense at point guard and a big bodied 10/8 guy who has solid hands and above average feet and that team gets to the sweet 16 and that’s with not expecting a ton of progression and have modest expectations from the freshman. I would do this.

 

[two3zone]

JT moving on increases Maliq moving on too…

So a team would have to open another roster spot for Taylor? Or Taylor would leave and Maliq would go to a lesser school so he could play with Taylor? I don’t get it.

 

[djcon57]

I also don’t think his handle is tight enough to be PG. kadary was steady. I hold my breath with Q every time he dribbles because it’s a 50/50 deal.

He has great vision but he always handles and passes the flashiest possible way. He had a great look to Maliq for a dunk that shows he can pull it off. Just needs to be more steady.

 

[PauliePeppas]

So a team would have to open another roster spot for Taylor? Or Taylor would leave and Maliq would go to a lesser school so he could play with Taylor? I don’t get it.

Taylor leaving is less incentive for Maliq to stay. Jt drops down a level and Maliq goes to another high major.

 

[two3zone]

Taylor leaving is less incentive for Maliq to stay. Jt drops down a level and Maliq goes to another high major.

So Maliq would leave to show solidarity and just uproot after two years? I don’t know, just sounds weird.

 

[FrancoPizza]

Taylor leaving is less incentive for Maliq to stay. Jt drops down a level and Maliq goes to another high major.

Didn’t we already do this with Benny and Judah? We can’t be held hostage.

 

[Red2003]

1- Portal Facilitator 20 / Q 20
2-JJ 35 / Moore 5 / Cuffe?
3-Bell 20 \ 10 Chance / 10 portal size and rebounding / Q
4-Brown 20 / Freeman 20
5-McLeod 15 / Brown 10 / Portal 15 / Patterson - committee at center

-defensive unit: Brown and Freeman may be on the court together at the 4 and 5 more than we think. Or we may go really big with both of them and McLeod at the 5. Brown is going to be our best player and can defend 1-5 which is huge.
-scoring and uptempo offense: Portal 1 / JJ / Bell / Q / Brown
-Red will lure a veteran 5 and then 1 as top priority, they can play their way into starting minutes against McLeod and Q. Also a physical 3 for when Bell gets a little too sensitive out there.
-Judah could come back. reading pretty terrible stuff about the G League lately. Not a place he wants to end up. He would be a top guard in the ACC next year with all the super seniors leaving. That shakes up everything.

Judah, Hima, Taylor, Carey leaving in that order. Benny gone. 5 out, 2 freshman in and 3 Jr/Srs portaled in.

It’s just too easy! I could easily coach in the ACC and dominate.

 

[two3zone]

1- Portal Facilitator 20 / Q 20
2-JJ 35 / Moore 5 / Cuffe?
3-Bell 20 \ 10 Chance / 10 portal size and rebounding / Q
4-Brown 20 / Freeman 20
5-McLeod 15 / Brown 10 / Portal 15 / Patterson - committee at center

-defensive unit: Brown and Freeman may be on the court together at the 4 and 5 more than we think. Or we may go really big with both of them and McLeod at the 5. Brown is going to be our best player and can defend 1-5 which is huge.
-scoring and uptempo offense: Portal 1 / JJ / Bell / Q / Brown
-Red will lure a veteran 5 and then 1 as top priority, they can play their way into starting minutes against McLeod and Q. Also a physical 3 for when Bell gets a little too sensitive out there.
-Judah could come back. reading pretty terrible stuff about the G League lately. Not a place he wants to end up. He would be a top guard in the ACC next year with all the super seniors leaving. That shakes up everything.

Judah, Hima, Taylor, Carey leaving in that order. Benny gone. 5 out, 2 freshman in and 3 Jr/Srs portaled in.

It’s just too easy! I could easily coach in the ACC and dominate.

Another bubble team that can’t play defense and shoot if that’s the minutes distribution.

 

[Red2003]

Oh you’re the one that knows a guy that would 100% know the NIL $’s. So whatcha got then? Fix the minutes. Who we getting in the Portal?

 

[CuseFaninVT]

Just curious why everyone wants Carey to go. Is it because McPlod can’t and we need a center who can play basketball? I like what I see from Carey, but he’s still not there yet, obviously. He’d be a good second unit 4 from what I see.

 

[Red2003]

Just curious why everyone wants Carey to go. Is it because McPlod can’t and we need a center who can play basketball? I like what I see from Carey, but he’s still not there yet, obviously. He’d be a good second unit 4 from what I see.

Carey has repeatedly been injured going back to his Junior year of HS. Can't be carrying two injury prone Centers.

 

[Doc5120]

How do we keep Brown and Freeman on the court at same time?

We can have 5 guys out there and they are 2 of our best. Have to make it happen, somehow!

 

[HoustonCuse]

Hate to say it but my spidey sense continues to feel like Bell needs to go. As much as we need his shooting, I fear that his attitude could be quite detrimental behind the scenes. Taylor, based on what Red hints at may be the complete opposite so maybe he is a beneficial actor in the locker room but he shouldn’t ever get minutes.

 

[Red2003]

Hate to say it but my spidey sense continues to feel like Bell needs to go. As much as we need his shooting, I fear that his attitude could be quite detrimental behind the scenes. Taylor, based on what Red hints at may be the complete opposite so maybe he is a beneficial actor in the locker room but he shouldn’t ever get minutes.

He would get scooped in the portal by every other P5 team just for his quick release 3’s which is a reason to keep him. He may not be a starter next year but we can use him.

Bell needs to just work on his mental game with the staff. An offseason will help. One thing that is very clear is that he doesn’t show up or is not mentally tough enough on the road. At Home he shoots ~45% and 15 pts on the road 30% and 6 points. Double the rebounds and defensive output at home too.

Even if we only use him on our home court, he’s gonna win some games for us next year.

 

[MikeSU02]

He would get scooped in the portal by every other P5 team just for his quick release 3’s which is a reason to keep him. He may not be a starter next year but we can use him.

Bell needs to just work on his mental game with the staff. An offseason will help. One thing that is very clear is that he doesn’t show up or is not mentally tough enough on the road. At Home he shoots ~45% and 15 pts on the road 30% and 6 points. Double the rebounds and defensive output at home too.

Even if we only use him on our home court, he’s gonna win some games for us next year.

Absolutely would not be scooped by every other P5 team. Come on.

He can shoot threes. He's a two-dribble player. Any teams that already have shooting wouldn't risk their lineup to grab him, especially since he may not exactly be an awesome locker room guy.

I like Bell. I think he should stay. He has work to do, though. He isn't remotely close to being good enough to have started every single game of his career here.

 

[OrlandoCuse]

Taylor leaving is less incentive for Maliq to stay. Jt drops down a level and Maliq goes to another high major.

So Maliq leaves because JT is no longer here but he transfers to another school where JT isn’t? That doesn’t make much sense.

 

[Fly Rodder]

Just curious why everyone wants Carey to go. Is it because McPlod can’t and we need a center who can play basketball? I like what I see from Carey, but he’s still not there yet, obviously. He’d be a good second unit 4 from what I see.

He hasn't played sustained minutes ever, including HS, and, when he has, he's been about as effective as JBA, Chinonso Obokoh, and worse than Hima. He's a tall dude who is kinda athletic.

 

[pokercuse08]

For Bell it's really a question of how he's going to respond to a challenge. I'd tell him no guarantees on playing time. He's going to have to bust his tail defensively and as a rebounder if he wants minutes, because we're bringing in a couple starting caliber portal guys and he has to earn playing time.

If his response to that is negative, then tell him he's probably better off elsewhere then. If his response to that is anywhere from, "Awesome, I want to win and I'll earn my minutes," to "You think they're better than me? I'll show you and earn my minutes!" we can work with that.

But I feel like from what we've seen this year, his response would not be ideal.