Doyle (need based on only having 1 other C with reasonable size)
Max - based off experience alone
Dawkins - most likely to be backup at the 3/4 because of athleticism/size combination, defense and ability to shoot from deep
Players battling for minutes:
Wilson - needs to add strength to play 4 and probably not quick enough to defend 3
MAAR - seems most likely to backup Levert, but I can see Dawkins cutting into some of those minutes because Irvin can slide to the 2 and Dawkins can slide to the 3 because of versatility.
If Max is better than both Wilson and Abdur-Rahkman, then we've got issues.
Not about being better, it’s about positional need at C and in-experience. I highly doubt Max was better than Donnal from a skill perspective last year, but experience and strength dictated otherwise. MAAR is irrelevant to the discussion as it relates to Max, he has no impact at all on that.
This thread will soon change its title to next season’s rotation.
it all start from the discussion on whether we can afford redshirt of Wilson or Doyle.
I think that our option at 5 is clear.
Donnal, 2, Doyle/Max
Doyle has the size and Max has the experience. A remote option is Wilson.
Our option at 4 is far from clear.
The ideal option is Chatman, except we don’t know how well he can play at 4. His natural game is more of a guard than a forward.
The 2nd option, which is gaining popularity, is Dawkins, who has the right mix of skills, athleticism, length and basketball knowledge to play 4, except he is 15lbs lighter than the freshman Novak.
Then there is Wilson, who has the size and length, BUT he probably has more to learn on both defense and offense, and his lateral quickness on defending parameter is very much questionable.
Then there is Max, who might pull out something we have not seen yet, but that would be a 1/1000 chance bet.
The last option, possibly the best, is Irvin, who played there last year, and sized up over the summer
We could end up with a rotation of Irvin/Chatman/Dawkins at 3/4, with Irvin, the strongest of the 3, defending the 4 most of the time. I do agree with everyone who questions Wilson’s readiness but he does present size/length advantage that warrant early season minutes.
Doyle (need based on only having 1 other C with reasonable size)
Max - based off experience alone
Dawkins - most likely to be backup at the 3/4 because of athleticism/size combination, defense and ability to shoot from deep
Players battling for minutes:
Wilson - needs to add strength to play 4 and probably not quick enough to defend 3
MAAR - seems most likely to backup Levert, but I can see Dawkins cutting into some of those minutes because Irvin can slide to the 2 and Dawkins can slide to the 3 because of versatility.
If Max is better than both Wilson and Abdur-Rahkman, then we've got issues.
Not about being better, it’s about positional need at C and in-experience. I highly doubt Max was better than Donnal from a skill perspective last year, but experience and strength dictated otherwise. MAAR is irrelevant to the discussion as it relates to Max, he has no impact at all on that.
I guess what I’m saying is that Beilein always has, and probably always will, play the best players who give him the best chance to win. I have nothing against Max Bielfeldt, and I hope he can be a good leader on the team, but he played 19 games and 89 minutes last year. It would never make sense to me to burn Donnal’s redshirt for that amount of playing time. If Bielfedlt is in the every game rotation at C this year, how do you see the minutes breaking down between him, Doyle, and Donnal?
Then we aren't a tournament team and the roster has been mishandled.
What does “then” refer to?
If no one is redshirting or if Dawkins and MAAR are both RS
I will be very surprised if we’re not a tournament team. I won’t be surprised if nobody redshirts, although one is a possibility.
As for mishandling the roster, a 7-player class is potentially a problem if we’re gumming up the works for future classes. '15 doesn’t seem like it’s going to include more than 1 or 2 guys. We should have spots open in '16 regardless. Plus, how likely is that both Walton and Irvin going to be here for their senior years? And that nobody out of this year’s class transfers, when as you indicate one or two guys are likely to sit. And I wouldn’t count on all of Chatman, Donnal, Wilson, and Doyle making it to their senior years. (And that’s not even discussing the Hatch situation). It will probably work itself out. But it is a bit of a gamble, I’ll grant you that.
Difficult to say because other than Max, we don’t have a baseline to critique. I think Donnal will be given every opportunity to lock down the starting spot during the non-conference schedule, BUT the leash will be short.
If someone put a gun to head:
Donnal - 25 mins
Doyle - 10mins
Max - 5 mins - always value in having a guy that can give you 5 fouls without regard to losing any offense because he doesn’t provide it
Difficult to say because other than Max, we don't have a baseline to critique. I think Donnal will be given every opportunity to lock down the starting spot during the non-conference schedule, BUT the leash will be short.
If someone put a gun to head:
Donnal - 25 mins
Doyle - 10mins
Max - 5 mins - always value in having a guy that can give you 5 fouls without regard to losing any offense because he doesn’t provide it
It’s kind of funny how everyone on the board picks on Max. I only hope he was a regular here to give him some motivation to improve. He seems to get worse as time goes on.
No way Max is part of the regular rotation, if that means the guys who play every game, no matter who the competition is, or how close the game is. There may not be much separation between guys 7-10, at least not as far as we know now, even though 8 would be an ideal number. If you figure Walton, Albrecht, LeVert, Irvin, Chatman and Donnal are in, that would leave Wilson, Doyle, Dawkins and MAAR to vie for two spots, and the other two redshirt or at least one plays only spot duty.
