Thoughts on 2023-24 basketball team/roster
With the announcement of Barnes entering the portal and the unknowns of who is coming and going, I’ll just do this off of hope and projections. Let’s assume Jett, Kobe and Hunter all stay. Here are my thoughts on starters and roster management.
Starters: Hunter, Reed, Jett, Kobe, Dug
Bench: Transfer 4, Khayat, Jace, T Will, Cheddar, Glenn, Washington III, Kante.
Still far too many 3/4 types here. Ideally one of those would transfer and we can get another guard. That’s the bad thing about Kobe and Jett entertaining the NBA, we already are paper thin at the guard spots anyway. With 8-9 man rotation, one to two of Jace, T Will, Cheddar and Glenn aren’t playing as much. They are all redundant of one another. Thoughts?
March 19th, 2023 at 10:59 PM ^
If they all come back, I have to assume that T Will will start at the 4 again. I'm interested to see what Glenn offers and maybe he's the answer at the 4, who knows.
I agree that we have too many 4s (3 or 4 depending on how you view Khayat). I wouldn't expect anything from GWIII since he's a undersized guard who is a freshman and I would think would be just a shooter if he even plays.
I saw Glenn make a couple of nice passes, but it's unsettling to think that a guy who's played as much basketball as he has wasn't able to displace TWill or Tschetter. He was pretty much glued to the bench this year.
He was a true freshman without a known elite skill at a position with other, more experienced options. He was always going to be glued to the bench this year.
I liked what I saw of him in garbage time, Somewhat reminiscent of (sigh) Terrence Shannon.
If Twill is the starter at the 4 next year. We’re in trouble.
I wouldn’t count on Glenn offering much of anything next year, given that he couldn’t see the floor when we had almost nothing at the forward spots for large chunks of the season and he didn’t play.
March 20th, 2023 at 12:21 AM ^
I still think Juwan can make this work -- even next year. What sinks coaches is the inability to recruit. The rest you can either learn or delegate. Don't know how to coach defense? Hire a defensive specialist as an assistant. And so on.
So far, Juwan's been recruiting great. Not everything has worked out, certainly, but in terms of how our incoming classes are ranked, I'm way more than satisfied. Plus, getting Shannon to agree to come, among others, shows he still has the ability to pull transfers as well.
Obviously, if we start losing consistently, his ability to recruit will suffer. And then we're in trouble. That's what doomed Amaker and Ellerbe. But as long as Juwan can get talent, I don't see why he can't get things rolling -- assuming he recognizes the need to fix things. Harbaugh did it, in a similar situation. I think Howard can too.
(Assuming he recognizes the problem. Dear God I hope he recognizes the problem).
March 20th, 2023 at 12:24 AM ^
I'd like to make some key bench adjustments. Like adding Jay Wright
I can get behind this
March 20th, 2023 at 12:29 AM ^
Thoughts are basketball is gonna struggle so we should focus on football and hockey
also, I think Juwan is gonna figure it out and we’ll be in the tourney next year or the year after
If all 3 leave we will be officially in rebuild mode. I doubt Hunter will leave for the draft.
How many rebuilding seasons do you get?
2021-2022 was a rebuild.
This past year.
Again next year (in your hypothetical).
If we have NBA draft picks on our roster, why are we winning only 17 games?
I think Jett is 100% gone, 2-3 more transfer out. If Dickinson and Kobe come back then this has a chance to be a pretty solid team IF coaching changes are made. If Jett,Hunter and Kobe all leave this will be another bad team unless the freshman are better than we think.
Problem is unless some coaching changes happen, I'm not sure any of this matters.
Updated thoughts on 2023-24 basketball team/roster: We will have one.
That's about the only thing that's definite.
Thoughts? If Kobe goes pro this team is likely missing the tourney again and the program is back to Amaker levels. The roster just has way too many issues to portal over in one year.
Can we get Greg McDermott to transfer in to be the coach next year?
March 20th, 2023 at 10:04 AM ^
Here we go...
Put things in perspective. Juwan started four true freshmen last game, and it was a disgruntled upperclassman TWill that did them in. Think about that. They are already better than Vanderbilt with four true freshmen.
March 20th, 2023 at 11:14 AM ^
Vanderbilt is now the measuring stick of the success of the program?
March 20th, 2023 at 10:02 AM ^
People here are sleeping on Khayat. I watched him the entire game. He might be a FUTURE star...and will be a starter next season.
March 20th, 2023 at 10:35 AM ^
Of the big three who I want back in order of importance:
1. Bufkin 2. Howard 3. Dickinson
Clearly if they all want back you take them. Bufkin is the key here IMO. Our wings and guards are severely lacking on the roster. If either Kobe or Jett depart you have to hit the portal for minimum two wing players and preferably a combo who can play point at times. If they both return you take a wing and then best player possible hopefully a stretch 4. The selling point for Bufkin is come back work on your PG skills and maybe work into the lottery.
The real problem with the program right now is roster construction. We are not in a spot to be able to lose major production and deal with it well. Proven depth across board is sketchy at best. PG- while trending up is light on depth, Wing players outside of Jett and Bufkin non existent. A shooting big who is interchangible defensively also non existent. Reed can guard and switch but his shooting leaves a lot to be desired. Moving him into a starting role at the 5 makes this team better defensively IMO and gives them way more flexibility to do things on both sides of the ball. I'd take Dickinson back in a heartbeat but I do not think he's the key to next years team success and turn around.
March 20th, 2023 at 12:21 PM ^
I agree with almost everything you said here. I think the one thing I'd challenge though is I'd call our real problem more roster/player EVALUATION issues than construction. But I guess they kinda work hand in hand.
Also player development ties into that as well.... The fact we are this many years into Juwann and have a starting freshmen PG or another portal player is telling to me. There was some crap luck mixed in but that is where you can beat crap luck. Having players developed and quality depth overcomes that.
March 20th, 2023 at 11:11 AM ^
Am I reading comments correctly?
GG, who barely played this year, suddenly is the answer at the 4?
JB, who has small glimpses of positive play, is now starting on a regular basis at the 2/3?
HD and TR, who barely played together at the same time, is now our starting 4/5?
YK, who hardly got off the bench even in garbage time, is now exploding into a star? (I am actually annoyed he didn't play more)
An incoming recruit, who weighs 215 pounds, is going to get meaningful minutes at the 4/5?
Another incoming recruit, who is 6'2 and 165 pounds, is going to get meaningful minutes at the 2?
I hope it all works out but man, if Kobe, Jett and Hunter do not return, we have some serious roster questions and even if they do return, I still have doubts about the progress of the program.
March 20th, 2023 at 12:22 PM ^
Kobe and Jett are gone. Kobe sitting Saturday was the clearest signal you'll ever get he's leaving for the NBA. Dickinson is 75/25 returning.
So:
C Dickinson
PF Reed
SF Transfer
SG Transfer
PG McDaniel
Bench- Kante, Washington, Khayat, Cheddar, Glenn,
So it 100% depends on the quality of the transfers we land if we'll make the tourney or not.
I hope the 2 is Allan Houston and the 3 is Ray Allen with this group
March 20th, 2023 at 12:28 PM ^
wayyyyyy to early to know anything. too many personnel decisions out there.
Here's what I'd think:
Starters: Dug, Llewellyn, Bufkin, Portal 4, Dickinson
Bench: GW3, Reed, Khayat, Jace, Cheddar, Kante.
I think Jett is 90% gone. There's a legit chance he's a top 10 pick. I think HD comes back if Bufkin does. I have confidence that they will go after a stretch 4 in the portal. It'll be interesting to see who those guys are after the tournament is over. I could honestly see Llewellyn being a decent off-ball guard in this team as well - especially if he is able to defend at all.