2018 - Wing - Ignas Brazdeikis (Commit)

If Matthews comes back next year, is Iggy the type of talent in your mind that starts over Livers or Watson/Poole/Brooks?

I could definitely see him beating out Livers at the four spot next year.

2 Likes

Really? If Iggy started I’d think it would be more CM shifting to his future NBA position at the “2”, Iggy and Livers on the wings.

I am really curious how the Livers, Johns, Iggy, Matthews competition plays out. Or how JB figures out a way to get these players on the court.

Matthews has a long way to go to prove that he could play the 2 in this system, IMO. Obviously early and we’ve seen him play two games. So who knows, but right now he looks like a three.

2 Likes

Well, right now they are playing a 6-8, 210 lb guy for 30+ minutes per night at the four and he’s graduating. So the spot is there and wide open for Iggy/Johns/Livers to compete for.

Maybe JB will be forced to get creative with all of this talent?

In what sense?

Maybe JB will refrain from slotting 4 potentially good players into 2 positions? 3 potentially good players into 1 position? We will see.

Easy to ‘get creative’ when the names are just on paper next to their recruiting ranking. Generally pretty simple once practice/season starts: find the best 8 guys, play them.

There aren’t many locks to be in that 8 right now.

You’d probably say that Matthews and Simpson (and probably Teske) are the only locks given that they are the only ones with legitimate first-team roles on this year’s team (right now).

1 Like

No, I am excited to see if JB is forced to get creative because it happens to turn out to be the case that all these guys, who might all be ideal 4’s, are actually really good when they are actually in Ann Arbor.

I always see Beilein try Johns at 5 to go with Iggy and Livers at 3/4.

1 Like

Z at the point, CM at the “2”, Iggy and Livers at the wings and Johns as a small ball 5. You’d have decent handling all over the court and the athleticism would be impressive. Really think of it as CM/Iggy/Livers as a shapeless middle of the line up and the opposing defensive matchups dictate which role they slide into. Ball screener, corner wing, opposite wing, etc.

beat you by a second. Not sure if Matthews will stick around next season but Watson might be surprisingly good next season.

1 Like

The team will have options next year with so many versatile players. I absolutely do not see John’s playing the 5 under any circumstance next year. I could see Matthews playing the two defensively and having Iggy play the 2 offensively. Ibi Watson will have to work on his game (see skill level) a great deal over the summer. Ibi just doesn’t look like he has good basketball IQ and what position will he play 2 or 3. If it’s the 3 he will see lots of splinters. If its the two he has to contend with Poole and Brooks who have better skill level and will probably be ready to contribute.

4 Likes

To my eyes, Johns appears to have a naturally slender build. I can’t see him guarding an average 5 . I think Iggy playing 2, as you suggested, on offense is more likely (if we really do have 3 very good players that JB absolutely needs to put on the floor even if they are out of their ideal position somewhat).

On the other hand wasn’t JB toying around with the idea of an all 6’6” lineup a few years ago? Can’t remember…

1 Like

If I remember correctly, against North Florida, there were about a couple of minutes, we had a line-up of Livers, Robinson, Watson MAAR and Brooks. Just saying, Beilein is willing to try anything that gives him offensive advantages.

1 Like

Johns playing weight probably is best at 220-225, a poor man’s Jordan Bell?

Is he in that range now? It might be an old measurement but I saw him at 206.

Yes, that lineup was on the floor for about a minute. Not sure if it was a mistake or something they are working on.