Why did we get Lampkin?

[MikeSU02]

25-30 mpg
Around 11-12 ppg
7-8 boards
Between 3 and 3.5 assists.

More productive than his previous stats given his larger role in the offense. I don’t expect him to suddenly turn into a strong defensive player this season, but he should continue to be effective on the boards since he does a good job boxing out and averaged 7 last year in a strong conference. I am hoping we are not afraid to go to either McLeod or a small ball center when the guards are getting torched and we need stronger rim protection. Colorado did similar things with him. I think his post play/passing will be crucial for putting the ball in the hoop against more defensive minded teams.

You may slightly disagree with that, but this is the paragraph where we seem to strongly disagree. I think he got a back injury because he hurt his freaking back, not because he is out of shape. He played 28 mins a game for 37 games last season on a tourney team, and the number of NBA players on the team just makes that more impressive, not less. I think that shows the ceiling on his conditioning/durability is a lot higher than you seem to think. If he needs to play a little less at the start to get over his back injury I think that is fine and not a reflection of his conditioning, because I have no evidence for that. It makes zero sense that a guy who wants to continue his basketball career would come into his final college season out of shape. I think we paid him the amount it costs to get a semi good big man since the demand is so high. I think rolling with McLeod as the only 5 or paying less for an even weaker player would be a huge mistake. I think Red brought him in and paid that much for a reason.

Re your expectations of him, I think that's fine. But that would put him as an ok player for his size and experience. It would depend on how efficient he gets those points. He has been around 16 on PER. That isn't good for a big man. Maybe that changes this year, but I doubt it.

How he got hurt is whatever. But I do not think he is in shape, and happy to disagree on that. I do not think his role last year makes what he did more impressive, agree to disagree there.

I think he will be an ok player. I think he will have a severe limit on his playing time. I think he will get beat badly once we start playing even mediocre teams on the defensive end to the point that I think his level of efficiency or lack there of will make him a net negative.

We'll see what happens.