Unlike others, I don’t see adding a Big as the #1 need for the 2015 class. Our front court will not be undersized. Less size than this year? Yes, nearly every team in the country has less size than our front court this year. We will have more size than our no-McGary team, though.
6’9 250lb Ricky Doyle, sophomore. (compared to 6’10 250lb Horford)
6’9 245lb Mark Donnal, RS sophomore. (compared to 6’8 250lb Morgan)
6’8 235lb D.J. Wilson, sophomore.
6’7 245lb Max Bielfeldt, RS sophomore. (compared to 6’7 245lb Bielfeldt)
6’7 220lb Kameron Chatman, sophomore. (compared to 6’6 220lb GRIII)
Going into 2015, our roster looks like:
PG: Walton (Jr.) / Albrecht (Sr.)
SG/SF: LeVert (Sr.), Stauskas (Sr.), Irvin (Jr.), Chatman (So.)
PF/C: Doyle (So.), Donnal (So.), Wilson (So.), Bielfeldt (Sr.), Chatman (So.)
Looking at this, I think the biggest need for 2015 is Wing- followed by PG and then by a Big. Stauskas and Irvin are both realistic candidates to go pro after next season. They both have NBA size and NBA skills. That would leave us with absolutely no depth in 2015. Missing out on Blackmon and Booker really hurt. Chatman’s versatility can mask that, but I really feel that we need to land an elite SG (Jalen Coleman or Luke Kennard) and another good SG/SF.
I don’t know how many elite PGs would like to come in and sit behind a Junior (Walton) and a Senior (Albrecht). I realize the talent difference, but having that much experience at PG is nice so Albrecht would still get his 8-12mpg. That is why I think Coleman is the best target, because he can play SG while Walton/Abrecht are here, and then transition to PG.
All of our Bigs are going to be low-ceiling, 4 year players. I’m fine with this as long we can keep re-stocking our back court with elite guards and wings.