I have a feeling that JB is going to have to get his freshman up to speed earlier/quiker. I think he’ll find a way to use their shooting ability to the teams advantage which may include Livers also who I think at this point is also more of a shooter and transition player who like the other freshman will need to get stronger and learn to play college defense.
IF we add a grad transfer this won’t matter as much. Particularly the wright st guy that was just posted who played for donlon. He’d solve all our potential issues honestly. Then the freshman would probably red shirt or not play as much. Give them time to develop.
2 Likes
Poole clearly has the handle to play PG.
I’m having a really hard time seeing how Poole doesn’t get minutes next year. Kid is incredibly skilled offensively
I agree, have seen too many clips that show similar to not believe he can play either guard spot depending on situation.
I think he’ll be pushed either way to be honest. He has never really had any kind of competition at the two guard. Jordan represents that competition and regardless of how Rahk is playing he will have that comp day in day out
1 Like
I agree but the defense is the issue.
1 Like
He’s going to play, no doubt. How much will depend on his defense. His ceiling is much higher the MAAR but is defense is pretty bad at this moment. If it is even respectable at the beginning of the year, we could see a 25-15(MAAR 25) or so time split at SG.
1 Like
Although I’d love to add alstork or cam I’m genuinely worried about the minutes. Alstork would probably be the best offensive player on the team for sure. At least on the wing. Who sits? Is MAar willing to go to the bench? Is alstork? Or Charles? Then what about Jordan ibi and livers? You can play small sometimes and find Charles and Duncan minutes there but idk it just seems very crowded suddenly adding someone that good.
It’s a good problem I get that but I start to wonder where the minutes come. MAar or alstork would certainly need to get 10-15 minutes a game backing up x
I think X is most likely to get minutes cut if we get someone who can create from PnR unless he makes drastic improvement. Matthews could see minutes decrease from original projections as well. Don’t see MAAR’s minutes going down due to a grad transfer unless other players drastically improve.
1 Like
My guess is that Alstork, for example, would cut into X’s projected minutes significantly. Alstork might cut into Mathews and MAAR’s minutes some too but I think that would be a good thing because JB tends to overplay the guys anyway…
If Alstork comes here he is going to play 30 minutes per game.
Thats my thinking but if that’s the case you have 120 minutes up for grabs. Let’s say
MAar-28
Alstork -28
Mathews-28
Minimum for each. That’s 36 minutes for Poole, x and Duncan. Let’s give Duncan ten minutes at the 4. Then 10-12 at the three. That leaves 24 minutes for x and Poole. I guess you could play x 24 minutes and call that the rotation but idk.
I disagree with that. I think our starting lineup is set. We wouldn’t bring in a high usage guy who shoots awful and turns the ball over a ton when we have 3 potential NBA players in our lineup. Alstork would be used as a bench guy who could come in and create his own shot. I think the only way he even comes here is if Wilson and Wagner leave with no Bamba. Our offensive focus is going to be Wagner/Wilson first and foremost. Then MAAR/Matthews will be the guys driving to the hoop and Simpson facilitating. We do not need more shooting. MAAR/Wilson/Wagner are all plus shooters and off the bench we will have Robinson, Poole, and Livers. I truly believe we won’t even offer these transfers unless Wilson and Wagner leave. We’ll see how it plays out but that’s my take.
We are in huge trouble if alstork gets even 1 minute at pg. He is not close to a pg and the though of that even being possible is troublesome.
I hear what you are saying. Alstork’s turnovers and low fg% are a red flag. However, his 3 point percentages are bordering on very good and after watching quite a few videos it appears to me that opposing defenses focused a significant amount of energy to just stop Alstork–it especially seems evident that opposing defenses strategized to make it hard for him to get easy shots off in the paint. Defenses were sagging like crazy…
I am not sure to what extent Alstork is the defenses focus because he is WSU’s best player or because he is perhaps a known to hog the ball.
I also wonder if his poor assist to turnover ratio is a result of the team he was playing on…
I really don’t know…
His videos pop out to me. He looks like he has pro potential. Compared with the players currently on our team, Alstork definitely, to me, looks like someone who has the most ready to go tools, amongst our current roster members to run pick and roll.
I’ll go one step farther–we’re going to have issues if MAAR plays more than a few minutes a game at PG. We tried this with Dion Harris 10 years ago–let’s play a 2G at PG because he can dribble a bit so we can get our best players on the floor–and it didn’t work. Indiana tried it this year, and it didn’t work for them either. MAAR is a good player at his position. He’s not a PG, not in any sense of the word–he doesn’t create for others, he can’t break pressure on his own, he doesn’t direct an offense, and he can’t guard guys with the quicks he’d see at PG. If X and Eli can’t play or aren’t ready, and we can’t get a grad transfer PG in here, we’ll play some MAAR at PG because there aren’t options, but if that happens, I’d be very concerned.
Agree. MAAR better see no minutes at pg either. Simpson showed me enough to know another year in the system and he’s going to be just fine.
I saw some things from X that were very encouraging. He has elite quickness and vision. I loved his on the ball defense and quick hands. I think he is already very good in transition… I, however, saw no evidence that x has a good three point shot–either catch and shoot–or off the dribble. I didn’t see a midrange game. I did not see someone who at this point will be able to take it to the rim with reliability and strength…
A well rounded player like Alstork would flourish at Michigan because of the spacing provided by all of our good 3 point shooters…
One aspect of your argument for x seems to be that less is more because of the other pieces…I will admit there is something a little convincing about that argument but I also wonder if JB could convince Alstork to tone it down because Alstork’s well rounded game might be exactly what we need with departure of Irvin and Walton.
I think X will be fine and I have high hopes for Brooks but next year could be very very special if we can find the right piece and if the right pieces return.