Tuesday's Departure Thread

[OrlandoCuse]

Anyone have any insight into why Mintz isn't in the portal?

No insight, just a guess. He’s working with his handlers and will declare a Pro/Portal dual announcement to give him the most flexibility to maximize options (and ultimately pay) for next season.

 

[Cheriehoop]

Guess this thread isn’t about Tuesday’s departures.

 

[Newhouser]

Bell needs to get better defensively. He doesn't need blocks or steals, he needs to play better on ball and help defense. Forget the stats that look cool. Just focus on doing your job on D.

He's 6'7" and can hit over 40% from three, there is a spot for him.

To be fair to him, once we have a better roster as a whole and a better passing team overall, I think he'll naturally be more engaged in rebounding and defense.

You can see teams commit to defense and push each other when they buy in. I don't think we had that this year.

Your third paragraph is spot on. Our best teams are the ones that are willing passers. Ball movement leads to better offense and more engaged defense and rebounding because people naturally play harder when they feel like their part of the offense.

It's why you always feed a big who runs the court for a dunk. He will play harder on the other end.

 

[OrangeXtreme]

Guess this thread isn’t about Tuesday’s departures.

 

[Nicknack]

The whole portal thing is strange. You gotta think that Judah and most others already know at this point what they're going to do. They weren't waiting until the end of the season to start contemplating their future. So, there must be a reason why some guys wait (other than having to decide).

 

[Madbiker]

If Bell starts it indicates that Brown would again be at center since it's certain that Freeman starts at one of the forward spots. If we get a legit center from the portal, which is a top need, then Brown moves to a starting forward and Bell becomes 6th man. Not sure that Bell would accept that. Will be interesting to see which way Red goes.

 

[Cuse1055]

old news bro!!

Bell coming back wasn’t old news.

 

[Madbiker]

Not sure how much I like this.

Freeman and Brown are likely the two best players on the team. They both need to start. Neither will be happy sharing time. Nor is it optimal to not maximize the minutes of your two best talents.

 

[two3zone]

Freeman and Brown are likely the two best players on the team. They both need to start. Neither will be happy sharing time. Nor is it optimal to not maximize the minutes of your two best talents.

I’m fine with the two of them starting.

 

[UpstateSM]

PG/Westry
JJ/Cuffe/Moore
Bell/Westry/Portal Wing
Freeman/Brown
Brown/Portal Center/Freeman/Patterson


Looks like we need 3 portal players, but 2 will be role players.

That's likely better than what we have been but there is probably a cap on your ceiling without a true 5 on the court a majority of the minutes. Still can be a very good team if the freshman are ready day one and we land Reynolds.

 

[littlereg]

maybe this is a hot take i dont know but it doesn’t matter to me if JJ starts the year starting at the 2 because if he plays the way he did last year at times, with the talent that will likely be on this team next year, he won’t remain the starter. We could, and should have alot more talent and depth next year where the players who aren’t performing will have players behind them ready to compete.

 

[kcsu]

Hopefully he's leaving. Although very individually talented(with some glaring holes of course), I think this team has reached it's max potential with Judah as the lead guard.

I dont. His improvement this season was incredible. I believe that he will get much better next year. Also if he has better players around him he will miraculously become a better passer.

 

[Jzsshuttles]

Bell coming back wasn’t old news.

Haha I know..I was just joking around. He was discussed last night in the portal thread but there’s a lot to read there. Good stuff!

 

[Nicknack]

I’m fine with the two of them starting.

Yeah, I'm with you but it does present a challenge, particularly if we get a good center from the portal. Maybe Brown starts and plays the center spot and averages about 10-15 minutes at C, PF (when Freeman needs a blow) for 10 minutes or so, and maybe he gets another 5 minutes back at PF and Freeman plays SF for a few minutes while Bell is out. I don't know - definitely not easy.

 

[AlaskaSU]

Hopefully he's leaving. Although very individually talented(with some glaring holes of course), I think this team has reached it's max potential with Judah as the lead guard.

I see him having a very good year if he has better bigs to pass to. He had to score for us because we lacked fire power. He was inefficient but the tools are there. His mid-range game excels. He gets in trouble when he goes in too deep and does not get the foul called.

 

[Orangezoo]

JJ makes for a better 6th man than starter unless he becomes a much better defender. A scoring guard off the bench is 6th man material plus his pace coming in after the first 5-7 minutes can be a difference maker in too. I realize that means nothing in terms of it wouldn’t happen …

 

[Day2]

I dont. His improvement this season was incredible. I believe that he will get much better next year. Also if he has better players around him he will miraculously become a better passer.

Judah Mintz’s improvement this season was incredible? In what way, shape, or form?

 

[two3zone]

I see him having a very good year if he has better bigs to pass to. He had to score for us because we lacked fire power. He was inefficient but the tools are there. His mid-range game excels. He gets in trouble when he goes in too deep and does not get the foul called.

He had a big last year and didn’t pass it to him enough.

 

[Newhouser]

maybe this is a hot take i dont know but it doesn’t matter to me if JJ starts the year starting at the 2 because if he plays the way he did last year at times, with the talent that will likely be on this team next year, he won’t remain the starter. We could, and should have alot more talent and depth next year where the players who aren’t performing will have players behind them ready to compete.

I agree with you. In fact I want Bell back more than JJ.

 

[realorange]

Wish Bell would come off the bench as well, but he won’t.

It will be up to Bell whether he starts or comes off the bench.

 

[mayselc]

I disagree.

Give him a little bit more traditional center skill and strength and he's a match up nightmare.

That might be good enough to help us in the ACC, but I hate the idea of asking a player to go against his long term interests. Brown has the potential to have an NBA career at the 4 if he works on his perimeter skills (passing, shooting, defense). I think he should work more on high post moves to help our offense flow better.

 

[OrangeXtreme]

 

[two3zone]

I agree with you. In fact I want Bell back more than JJ.

Agreed.

 

[two3zone]

Is this how Cowtown feels all the time?

 

[Niastri]

He averaged more because he played more minutes.

He did play more minutes, in the early games, he played 24 mpg. After, he played 34.

If the increase could only be explained by minutes played, he would have averaged 2.5 rebounds with the increased minutes, but he averaged 3.6.

By my eye test, he was a bit more engaged in rebounding as well... It wasn't happenstance that more balls came to him.

Clearly, either way, nobody is handing him awards for averaging about a rebound every 10 minutes of game time. But you have to acknowledge improvement when you see it. And Bell improved late in the season.

He still needs additional improvement.