Beachcat97 wrote:Would love to have Kobi one more season, but the two guys who took most of his minutes as the season wore on (PJC and RA) are probably both back. Kadeem seems the tougher player to replace. A senior defensive specialist with quick hands. Who fits that description on next year's roster?
As much I loved this year's team, it's hard not to be excited about a player like Ayton coming in. If he's anywhere near Oden, in terms of FG% and blocked shots, we're going to be top 5 good, regardless of what happens with the rest of our '17 class.
There is no reason that Kobi couldn't be an exceptional defender. But he looks like a character miss.
I get that, lk. But I saw his reduced minutes as a result of his shoddy defense. His offensive spurts were nice when they came, but we didn't really need his points as the season progressed. PJC started playing much better offensively, RA became more confident attacking the rim and drawing fouls, and Trier was Trier. So when Kobi started playing less, I just inferred that CSM wasn't impressed with what he brought on defense. I mean, if CSM felt better with PJC guarding taller guys, that tells me something about Kobi. Maybe he just needs more time. I get that he's young.
I don't disagree and that's half of what I was getting at by character miss. He didn't put the effort into what would have kept him on the floor.
PJC does what Miller tells him to, even if he sucks at doing it.
Miller is a tad more appreciative.
"The game at Cal and tonight's game (Utah), I don't believe we would have been on the winning end if he didn't play."
Dusan Ristic: “When he’s in the game, our ball movement is great. He’s a pass-first player who cares about other players more than himself.”
Beachcat97 wrote:Would love to have Kobi one more season, but the two guys who took most of his minutes as the season wore on (PJC and RA) are probably both back. Kadeem seems the tougher player to replace. A senior defensive specialist with quick hands. Who fits that description on next year's roster?
As much I loved this year's team, it's hard not to be excited about a player like Ayton coming in. If he's anywhere near Oden, in terms of FG% and blocked shots, we're going to be top 5 good, regardless of what happens with the rest of our '17 class.
There is no reason that Kobi couldn't be an exceptional defender. But he looks like a character miss.
I get that, lk. But I saw his reduced minutes as a result of his shoddy defense. His offensive spurts were nice when they came, but we didn't really need his points as the season progressed. PJC started playing much better offensively, RA became more confident attacking the rim and drawing fouls, and Trier was Trier. So when Kobi started playing less, I just inferred that CSM wasn't impressed with what he brought on defense. I mean, if CSM felt better with PJC guarding taller guys, that tells me something about Kobi. Maybe he just needs more time. I get that he's young.
I don't disagree and that's half of what I was getting at by character miss. He didn't put the effort into what would have kept him on the floor.
PJC does what Miller tells him to, even if he sucks at doing it.
Miller is a tad more appreciative.
"The game at Cal and tonight's game (Utah), I don't believe we would have been on the winning end if he didn't play."
Dusan Ristic: “When he’s in the game, our ball movement is great. He’s a pass-first player who cares about other players more than himself.”
Not a bad thing to have.
What do you expect him to say? "My midget PG whose family won't let me recruit over him blows and can't guard Luke Ridnour's chair?"
Sure was some impressive ball movement in his 30 minutes against Xavier.
After Duval, this is the number 1 get IMO. Not a great athlete but 6'8" and a 40% 3pt threat with two years spent practicing in Jamie Dixon's defenseive system. If we can get him he's a home run. To top it off he's available to play immediately but has two years of eligibility left.
Cam Johnson is a 6'8" that we desperately need as a defender/shooter. But with Trier/Alkins coming back (hopefully) we are in more need of a PG and big to give Ristic and Ayton a breather. It seems like we have a real logjam on the perimeter with PJC, Barcello, Randoloph, Trier, Alkins, Smith and at least one more incoming freshman.
Longhorned wrote:Is Johnson still a possibility if Trier returns? Or would he share minutes with both Trier and Alkins at the 2 and 3?
Wondering the same thing. If he comes, can't see Randolph or Dylan Smith touching the floor next season.
Randolph is too damn good, he's playing next year. Honestly if Arizona lands Johnson that says more about the status of wings we're expecting back than it does anything else IMO.
Longhorned wrote:Is Johnson still a possibility if Trier returns? Or would he share minutes with both Trier and Alkins at the 2 and 3?
Wondering the same thing. If he comes, can't see Randolph or Dylan Smith touching the floor next season.
Randolph is too damn good, he's playing next year.
Only so many minutes to go around. Hypothetically speaking, if we have Trier, Alkins and Johnson don't see Randolph taking minutes from any of them. You have to think Trier and Alkins get 30 minutes each, that only leaves 20 minutest. Cam Johnson has to be promised 20 minutes for him to even consider UofA.
Longhorned wrote:Is Johnson still a possibility if Trier returns? Or would he share minutes with both Trier and Alkins at the 2 and 3?
Wondering the same thing. If he comes, can't see Randolph or Dylan Smith touching the floor next season.
Randolph is too damn good, he's playing next year.
Only so many minutes to go around. Hypothetically speaking, if we have Trier, Alkins and Johnson don't see Randolph taking minutes from any of them. You have to think Trier and Alkins get 30 minutes each, that only leaves 20 minutest. Cam Johnson has to be promised 20 minutes for him to even consider UofA.
I'm not convinced Arizona has Trier, Alkins, and Johnson next year is my point and obviously neither is Miller hence why he's pursuing Johnson. Doesn't mean anything is a done deal, but you have to be prepared in this business.
Longhorned wrote:Is Johnson still a possibility if Trier returns? Or would he share minutes with both Trier and Alkins at the 2 and 3?
Wondering the same thing. If he comes, can't see Randolph or Dylan Smith touching the floor next season.
Randolph is too damn good, he's playing next year.
Only so many minutes to go around. Hypothetically speaking, if we have Trier, Alkins and Johnson don't see Randolph taking minutes from any of them. You have to think Trier and Alkins get 30 minutes each, that only leaves 20 minutest. Cam Johnson has to be promised 20 minutes for him to even consider UofA.
I'm not convinced Arizona has Trier, Alkins, and Johnson next year is my point and obviously neither is Miller hence why he's pursuing Johnson. Doesn't mean anything is a done deal, but you have to be prepared in this business.
We've had so much instability lately, there's nothing wrong with having as many options as possible. If Trier and Alkins return, there won't be a ton of minutes on the wing, but it is never a guarantee that will happen.
Spaceman Spiff wrote:
We've had so much instability lately, there's nothing wrong with having as many options as possible. If Trier and Alkins return, there won't be a ton of minutes on the wing, but it is never a guarantee that will happen.
After doing further research Cam Johnson is actually more of a combo forward, so Trier, Alkins, and him could work just fine with him getting minutes at the 3 and 4.
We're still in for a good couple of months of unknown though unfortunately.
Spaceman Spiff wrote:
We've had so much instability lately, there's nothing wrong with having as many options as possible. If Trier and Alkins return, there won't be a ton of minutes on the wing, but it is never a guarantee that will happen.
After doing further research Cam Johnson is actually more of a combo forward, so Trier, Alkins, and him could work just fine with him getting minutes at the 3 and 4.
We're still in for a good couple of months of unknown though unfortunately.
Of course, then the question is what this means for Comanche. Or Lee, or...there's a lot we won't know.
I was naievely hoping for Kobi and Lauri to leave early, Trier and Rawle to return early and get motoring on towards next year. Or not.
If Trier did leave Bowen would come here, so I don't see how this would mean it's a backup plan in case they left. He's probably trying to get a upperclassmen shooter with some size and can play Instantly
Alieberman wrote:It would be really nice if all these players would just make up their minds in the next 5 minutes so I could stop refreshing this thread.
LOL! We're all right there with you.
Johnson sounds like he'd be a great pick-up. Add him, get Trier and Alkins back, and we're good to go. I'd love to have CC too, but it sounds like he's already checked out.
Alieberman wrote:It would be really nice if all these players would just make up their minds in the next 5 minutes so I could stop refreshing this thread.
Alieberman wrote:It would be really nice if all these players would just make up their minds in the next 5 minutes so I could stop refreshing this thread.
It's like they don't care about our feelings at all.
I haven't done any research on this... But are there any prospects from overseas that could show up late like Markkanen or Yurtseven did last year? If it is true that CC is gone from school, we really need to add another big. I'm hoping for McCoy, but wondering if there were any other options, foreigners or grad-transfers? I'm not sold on Ira Lee or Pinder being the first big off the bench next year.
CJ looks like a perfect fit for what Miller tries to do on defense. He'll get tips, deflections, steals, blocks. His defense will create offense all day.
McKale Midwest wrote:I haven't done any research on this... But are there any prospects from overseas that could show up late like Markkanen or Yurtseven did last year
We were recruiting Lauri well before August 2015 and he committed in October 2015. I think we would know by now
YoDeFoe wrote:He'd take minutes from Randolph, Smith and Lee - which is kind of wack. Want all the help we can get but I also trust the team we have.
Randolph is the one I tend to trust most out of that group. We're at a point where it seems like we have contingencies on top of contingencies. Trier, then Bowen, then Johnson, all for pretty similar roles.
Pairing Trier or Johnson with Smith, Randolph and PJC should give us some shooters on the perimeter. Smith and Randolph are both probably backups, but they can shoot it.
Spaceman Spiff wrote: We're at a point where it seems like we have contingencies on top of contingencies. Trier, then Bowen, then Johnson, all for pretty similar roles.
Gotta have that depth, though. It's hard to convince so many guards to come to AZ, when their minutes would be bigger elsewhere, but you're either selling them on being part of a title contender next year, or on being a starter in 2018-19.
YoDeFoe wrote:He'd take minutes from Randolph, Smith and Lee - which is kind of wack. Want all the help we can get but I also trust the team we have.
True, but you're giving those minutes to a much more experienced, mature player. More in the mode of Kadeem, less in the mode of Kobi.
I don't think that it is "wack" at all. If he's a better player, and gives Arizona a better chance at winning a Natty, then I want him at Arizona, plain and simple. Randolph and Lee could use a year to learn the system, get minutes here and there, and be major contributors in 2018. I see them both in a role similar to what Chance played his freshman year. These guys are 4 stars, I don't expect them to come into a program like Arizona and play right off the bat, nor do I want them too.
YoDeFoe wrote:He'd take minutes from Randolph, Smith and Lee - which is kind of wack. Want all the help we can get but I also trust the team we have.
True, but you're giving those minutes to a much more experienced, mature player. More in the mode of Kadeem, less in the mode of Kobi.
I don't think that it is "wack" at all. If he's a better player, and gives Arizona a better chance at winning a Natty, then I want him at Arizona, plain and simple. Randolph and Lee could use a year to learn the system, get minutes here and there, and be major contributors in 2018. I see them both in a role similar to what Chance played his freshman year. These guys are 4 stars, I don't expect them to come into a program like Arizona and play right off the bat, nor do I want them too.
Randolph is (in my opinion) the one who will demand minutes the most, asap, of that group. I'm not sold on Smith and Lee may need some development time and finding a college position.
YoDeFoe wrote:He'd take minutes from Randolph, Smith and Lee - which is kind of wack. Want all the help we can get but I also trust the team we have.
True, but you're giving those minutes to a much more experienced, mature player. More in the mode of Kadeem, less in the mode of Kobi.
I don't think that it is "wack" at all. If he's a better player, and gives Arizona a better chance at winning a Natty, then I want him at Arizona, plain and simple. Randolph and Lee could use a year to learn the system, get minutes here and there, and be major contributors in 2018. I see them both in a role similar to what Chance played his freshman year. These guys are 4 stars, I don't expect them to come into a program like Arizona and play right off the bat, nor do I want them too.
Randolph is (in my opinion) the one who will demand minutes the most, asap, of that group. I'm not sold on Smith and Lee may need some development time and finding a college position.
I agree. Lee's size is a concern. He's listed at 6'8" and some sights have him as a center. Can't see that translating to the college level really well. I would much rather have a 6'8" Cam Johnson, who can shoot it and guard 2-4.
PennZona20 wrote:Randolph will definitely play. He's underrated imo.
Good size, can shoot and play D. He may not start but he will get 12ish min a game at least.
If I had to give my big prediction, it would be that Randolph will take the role of primary wing reserve and relegate Smith to spot duty (if anything) by the end of the year. Unless Smith really brings it on D, Randolph has a varied skill set on offense that Smith hasn't shown.
Main Event wrote:If it came to that i'd start Randolph, we'll see if we can pull Cam Johnson who I think takes that spot should he come
Exactly. Cam Johnson please----major perimeter threat with size, defends several positions, two years. Yeah, a perfect resource for a Coach who loves flexible tools.
If Frank Jackson comes back to Duke, with Grayson Allen already announcing he will be back for his SR year, do you still think Duke is the front runner to land Duval? Their back court becomes just as crowded as Arizona's, or anybody else in the country.
I'm really hoping that Miller and Romar can pull of some magic and convince him to come to Arizona, as we desperately need some help at PG.
McKale Midwest wrote:If Frank Jackson comes back to Duke, with Grayson Allen already announcing he will be back for his SR year, do you still think Duke is the front runner to land Duval? Their back court becomes just as crowded as Arizona's, or anybody else in the country.
I'm really hoping that Miller and Romar can pull of some magic and convince him to come to Arizona, as we desperately need some help at PG.
I'm not convinced Duval steals Jackson's point guard job if he returns. Jackson is a damn good player and already has a year of outstanding ball under his belt. Then Allen comes back. Trent Jr is another guy who will get good minutes. Seems like Duval is waiting on something.
I'm not convinced Duval steals Jackson's point guard job if he returns. Jackson is a damn good player and already has a year of outstanding ball under his belt. Then Allen comes back. Trent Jr is another guy who will get good minutes. Seems like Duval is waiting on something.
