What’s Next? | Syracusefan.com

What’s Next?

50YRsofCuse

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Okay, this thread could have been posted in the Syracuse Basketball Thread or here in Recruiting. I chose to place it here.

Basically, after this season, Frank Howard, Pascal Chukwu and Tyrus Battle will or should be gone. We will be adding Quincy Guerrier, Joe Girard III, Jon Ajak and Brycen Goodine. The possibility of losing Oshae Brissette (75%), Howard Washington (50%), Marek Dolezaj (50%) is real. Hughes, Carey, Braswell, Boeheim and Sidibe are all expected to return.

Where does this leave Syracuse with respect to depth? PG, SG and SF appear to be well staffed with Carey, Guerrier, JGIII, Boeheim, Hughes and Goodine. Center and Power Forward positions appear to be weak with Sidibe, Ajak, and Braswell the likely ones to fill those positions. If Brissette (which prior to the beginning of the season looked like he was NBA bound) and Dolezaj ( always in question if he goes pro early in Europe) come back, they will help bolster the two weakest positions for next year.

We need a strong seasoned player either at the PF or the C position. Ideally, Isiah Stewart (or a similar type) would be the best fit but most predictions show him going elsewhere. What is next? Do we find a grad transfer at PF, convince at Junior 5 Star to commit early or find a unwinded gem like Osun Osunniyyi May have been last year?
 
There are rumblings that Marek may leave?
I bet he’s feeling frustrated...frustrated in his role right now and not playing his true position I’m glad JB is trying to find him minutes but he deserves to play forward. He earned it last year in the tournament.
 
I bet he’s feeling frustrated...frustrated in his role right now and not playing his true position I’m glad JB is trying to find him minutes but he deserves to play forward. He earned it last year in the tournament.
Not how Euro players roll. In the Syracuse paper he is quoted as saying he hopes his sister moves to the States.
 
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If Washington were leaving he would have at semester break. Makes no sense for him to wait out a redshirt year at Syracuse and then transfer.

Might make sense to open up possibilities down the road as a 5th year transfer.
 
Osahes not at 75% not even close.
I honestly see him as a four year guy right now. No one is interested in a 30 percent shooter from deep with difficulty finishing close. I’m not bashing Oshae, just pointing his weaknesses out. He is not ready for the draft. Again, hope he proves me wrong.
 
This thread is a little ridiculous. Trying to be objective looking at the team and players and the way they have performed, I'm not particularly worried about departures.

Battle - I think the chance that he returns next year as of now is better than the chance he would return for this year at the same time last year.
Oshae - He does not look like a long term professional player right now. He isn't regularly and consistently demonstrating professional level skills against mid-major level college competition. Anyone can leave at any time, but I don't see where he is going? Not just that he won't get drafted, but who has a need for what he is currently showing an ability to provide.
Dolezaj - Another guy who isn't going anywhere. What has he demonstrated that he is regularly capable of doing that would earn him a spot playing somewhere for pay. The level of play in Europe isn't as high in the NBA, but you still have to be able to play. He hasn't demonstrated that yet and doesn't exude the athleticism that might have someone chasing his "untapped potential". Just don't see anywhere for him to go, unless its a transfer situation and that doesn't seem consistent with anything I've heard about him.
Washington - this guy transferring would make a lot of sense. I don't see where he will ever have meaningful opportunity here, unless we end up in a desperate situation in his senior year due to early departures, recruiting strike outs and injuries. If he is satisfied sitting with the possibility that his turn never comes than he stays. Either way I'm not sure it matters. If we want a team that competes for the ACC championship, his presence won't matter next season.
 
Bottom line, we do not have any clearcut NBA level talents on this roster. Ty is borderline next level talent and would end up either at the end of an NBA roster or in the g league. nobody else is close. This is the season for him to refine his skills, he would not get any better as a senior, so unless he really just loves being a student-athlete he will not improve his lot basketball wise by staying.

So, that means, there is no reason for almost anybody else to leave unless they are unhappy with PT or the staff.

I do not see a path for HW with all the depth we have and will have in the backcourt, everybody else should have legit shot at PT.
 
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I’m amazed at the amount of fans who think Oshae is an NBA player.

Based on what he has shown this year, I agree. I think the reason that some still think of Oshae as an NBA player is simply because of expectations. If you told me last year that he would come back this year and not show any development, I wouldn't have believed it. That said, if you told me that the entire team would look no better than last year, I would have called you crazy. What I've seen from this team thus far is mindboggling, and I'm not the pessimistic kind of guy. I'm not even really sure how that happens.
 
This thread is a little ridiculous. Trying to be objective looking at the team and players and the way they have performed, I'm not particularly worried about departures.

Battle - I think the chance that he returns next year as of now is better than the chance he would return for this year at the same time last year.
Oshae - He does not look like a long term professional player right now. He isn't regularly and consistently demonstrating professional level skills against mid-major level college competition. Anyone can leave at any time, but I don't see where he is going? Not just that he won't get drafted, but who has a need for what he is currently showing an ability to provide.
Dolezaj - Another guy who isn't going anywhere. What has he demonstrated that he is regularly capable of doing that would earn him a spot playing somewhere for pay. The level of play in Europe isn't as high in the NBA, but you still have to be able to play. He hasn't demonstrated that yet and doesn't exude the athleticism that might have someone chasing his "untapped potential". Just don't see anywhere for him to go, unless its a transfer situation and that doesn't seem consistent with anything I've heard about him.
Washington - this guy transferring would make a lot of sense. I don't see where he will ever have meaningful opportunity here, unless we end up in a desperate situation in his senior year due to early departures, recruiting strike outs and injuries. If he is satisfied sitting with the possibility that his turn never comes than he stays. Either way I'm not sure it matters. If we want a team that competes for the ACC championship, his presence won't matter next season.

Well, thank you for your kind comment about this being a little ridiculous thread.

Still at this time, we do not have a strong candidate for 2019-2020 as either a starter or backup at center and at PF. Even if Sidibe improves, he is suspectible to injuries and Syracuse is without an effective substitute.

I still feel that Tyrus Battle will not be back next year because he will either have his degree or be close to it and has nothing to prove to anyone regarding his skills or prowess. If he doesn’t get drafted in an elite position, he is in a good position (barring any injury) to play in Europe.

Regarding Marek, he will be 21 years old in April finishing his college sophomore year. While talented, he does not have the physique (weight, strength) at this time for the NBA. Unless he goes through a Charles Atlas training course and bulks up, he is more of a candidate (again at this time) for European pro leagues than the NBA. Personally, I would like to see him come back just because of his potential and his knowledge of the game. However, it may be to his advantage to use what he has learned and look for a position in Europe. Granted, there are other factors that come into play such as his personal life, his educational pursuits, achieving a college degree, etc. it is weighing his pro aspirations against his non pro aspirations. He has been compared to Andre Kirilenko but has not received the venue to display those skills.

Regarding Oshae, I agree with what you stated above. However, he has the explosive quickness to get open, the physical strength to get to the rim (ability to close has been questionable and will come together with experience), more than decent scoring abilities, and ability to rebound. Personally I believe that he has more of a chance to be drafted higher than any other Syracuse player that becomes eligible this year. He does need more seasoning to help hone his skills. If an enterprising agent gets ahold of him, then he is gone. By the way, his best pro position is at Small Forward.

Back to the original intent of my ridiculous thread, Syracuse, unless they succeed in recruiting a Isiah Stewart type player (offensive and defensive skills) for next season, will be seriously lacking at the PF and C positions. Braswell and Dolezaj are both too thin to be effective for extended periods.
 
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Assuming Dolezaj and Brissett are both back next year, how do we find minutes for both of them plus Hughes and Guerrier? The best position for all 4 is at the forward spot, but we all know Boeheim will only use a rotation of 3 forwards. These will be 4 of our best 5 players next year, so feel like they all need a significant role. Do we continue playing dolezaj out of position at C? Do we play Hughes out of position at guard? I don't like the idea of playing Hughes at guard, because his athleticism allows him to hold his own rebounding and contesting shots as a forward, while he essentially can serve as a 3rd guard on offense which gives us more playmaking. Also, if Hughes moves to guard, this basically means that neither Girard or Boeheim would be part of the rotation (Carey, Hughes, Goodine would split time).
 
Assuming Dolezaj and Brissett are both back next year, how do we find minutes for both of them plus Hughes and Guerrier? The best position for all 4 is at the forward spot, but we all know Boeheim will only use a rotation of 3 forwards. These will be 4 of our best 5 players next year, so feel like they all need a significant role. Do we continue playing dolezaj out of position at C? Do we play Hughes out of position at guard? I don't like the idea of playing Hughes at guard, because his athleticism allows him to hold his own rebounding and contesting shots as a forward, while he essentially can serve as a 3rd guard on offense which gives us more playmaking. Also, if Hughes moves to guard, this basically means that neither Girard or Boeheim would be part of the rotation (Carey, Hughes, Goodine would split time).

Hughes will probably move to 2G or we'll run MD at Center full time..yikes
 
I think Hughes at 2, Guerrier at 3, Oshae at 4, marek backing up 3,4 and 5. Stewart would be fantastic at 5 but more realistic maybe Carrigan/Sidibe.
 
The inability to recruit quality big men and transition to position-less basketball is an anchor around JB's neck. In the past when we've been faced with a talent downturn we could usually point to a recruiting cycle that would address the problem. There is no end in sight to this crisis and it's severely depressing.

Someone talk me off the ledge... although I'm sure there's a few that would probably encourage me to jump.
 
Does Hughes show up on the NBA radar? Pro range from three and solid size for a 2 if he improves his conditioning and handle.
 
Does Hughes show up on the NBA radar? Pro range from three and solid size for a 2 if he improves his conditioning and handle.
I have watched Hughes and I am glad he is better than I thought but he isn't close to an NBA draft pick right now.
Anyone on our roster minus Battle because of his age that leaves early is just going to play overseas.
 

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