Reddish was kinda garbage last year lol. To have an ORtg that bad in that role next to those players is bad. He was mostly tasked with making open shots and making timely cuts/drives off of close outs, but could not do those efficiently. He was barely above 50% at the rim per Torvik despite being a large, super athletic wing. It’s a lot different from a situation like Matthews last year who had a bad ORtg because he had to create offense more than he was comfortable with. MatthewsHis NBA splits right now are barely better than Poole’s. Sometimes players are just overhyped ¯\(ツ)/¯
Is Franz really a 3/4? At this point he looks better suited to defend the 2 than the 4. He looks like a plus defender whose main issue is strength, not quickness.
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Dylan, are you asking why Franz, Livers and Todd can’t share 80 minutes of 3/4 time together, or why they can’t all play on the floor at the same time? If the former, they can–the questions then are whether (a) Todd and his family are cool with a set-up which may have him coming off the bench, and (b) Brandon Johns might have something to say about that. If it’s the latter, count me skeptical. I, for one, don’t see a lineup with any of those guys at the 5 being a best usage of the talent we have, nor best suited for a Big Ten loaded with physical post players. And as for a lineup with one of them at the 2 (presumably Franz), that leaves one of Eli/DDJ/freshman Zeb as your sole real ball handler. None of those guys is X, who might be able to run an offense effectively with that set-up–each is going to need a guy with better ball handling skills alongside. And that doesn’t even begin to explore defensive issues.
To be clear, I’m NOT, repeat NOT suggesting that Todd wouldn’t improve next year’s team greatly–a guy with that much talent is a guy who will help (barring being a non-team guy, which has not been indicated with Todd). As you said, having too many talented guys is never a concern. However, the idea that he’d walk into a starting spot if both Livers and Franz return is one I would question. And that uncertainty, and wanting to know who is staying and who, if anyone, is going might be at least a part of the calculus in waiting to sign, which is what I said above. This isn’t unusual–the prevailing thought on Adam Miller is that he committed to Illinois, but isn’t sign, because he’s waiting to see if Ayo leaves and he can walk into his spot.
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I was saying that I don’t see any reason why you can’t play Franz, Todd and Livers togehter on the floor at the same time. Whether that is 2/3/4, 3/4/5, both, whatever. Seems like a situation that is pretty straightforward to figure out.
You talk about lack of creation, but Todd might be one of the better creators on the team based on players who are on the roster right now (certainly for himself).
I just don’t really think Michigan’s roster is at a state where Todd isn’t going to be featured heavily. Who is one player on the roster that you are confident is a 20+% usage guy next year?
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I think he is more of a 3/4 on defense than a 2. And I think his main issue is quickness (laterally) than anything else. FYI, I watched largely just him on defense for four games.
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is it ridiculous to think franz could be stasukus-esque next year? be a point forward/ shooting guard that is used heavily in PnR?
DDJ Brooks Franz Livers Todd would be a great starting five
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I might even disagree a little with the idea that having too much talent can never be a problem. Our teams in 1995/96 struggled with chemistry and distributing minutes, as we had literally six guys vying for three spots and all of them were high school superstars (Ward, Baston, White, Traylor, Mitchell and Taylor).
If Johns continues to play like he did last game, that would create an even bigger potential logjam. Of course, it’s also very possible he does not and Livers leaves for the NBA, in which case there would be a lot of available minutes for Todd.
I have to believe Juwan is almost the perfect coach (aside from maybe Calipari) to navigate this. He was a top 3 recruit who came off the bench behind Eric Riley for several games as a freshman.
Plus, if Livers stays, you really don’t want a freshman to have to be your star. You want him to ease into minutes, play within a team framework, and improve as the year goes on - not unlike the role Jaren Jackson played two years ago (except we’re not benching Todd for Ben Carter in the tourney). Jackson did of course start, but MSU did not have to rely on him to be an offensive star, and let him develop at his own pace.
i do have concerns on optics of landing your first massive top 10 recruit and having them come off the bench, whether or not thats the best move for the team
also what does that do to a players motivation if they think “why did i come here/i coulda started somewhere else”
Why couldn’t Todd play the 5? Livers could probably guard a lot of centers in that role too. He was asked to guard Garza a bit the other day. I also think Wagner could play the 2.
I don’t think it’s a big issue if it comes to it. I’d expect Livers to leave after this year, though, either way. I think Wagner returns.
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If Isaiah Todd is anywhere close to as good as Jaren Jackson was in college, I hope his role is nothing like how Tom Izzo used him. Dude was efficient as hell with a prolific block rate and sat half the game every game behind more limited players. I don’t think Todd will be what Jackson was though.
That was enjoyable.
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I don’t think Juwan or any other good coach is worried about optics. They want to win, and build/maintain a culture. If Todd is the best option, he’ll play.
The guy certainly looks talented enough that, if he puts in the work, he’ll earn minutes. But no one is going to hand him minutes over someone else who is playing better due to optics.
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From everything I’ve seen on film, Todd is a far more aggressive offensive player than Jaren was at that stage and in college. I would expect more of a Lamar Stevens type of offensive role than a Jaren Jackson role.
Agreed. I just offered that comparison in the sense of easing a talented freshman into a role versus saying “you have to be the man” from day one. Ideally, Todd is an efficient third or fourth leading scorer for us next year, not an inefficient leading scorer by default (the way Cole Anthony is right now, for example).
I could be wrong, but I just don’t really think that’s his game. And I don’t really see an alpha usage guy on Michigan’s roster.
I find it hard to believe todd would not be able to play serious minutes at the 5, this Is not the 1990s or early 2000s. In fact I honestly think that’s where he would excel most. I’ll take my chances of a 6ft10 long athlete guarding those guys in the post given the fact those guys would have very little chance of checking him on the perimeter given his athleticism and skill.
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Or it’s DDJ, who at least has the mentality and a strong likelihood of having the ball in his hands with half the shotclock gone. As much as he’s come along and I think is going to be a great player to have, I don’t see a team going far with DDJ as its primary option.
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It was really important to Walker Kessler to NOT play the 5, and he sure wasn’t the first. Tim Duncan wanted us to pretend he wasn’t a center. Lots of guys don’t like to, even if it’s just semantics and you’re building a five-out offense or one structured to their talents.
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Yes, especially given that there’s no proven starter at the five. Just don’t tell him that until he’s already enrolled 
Would be a situation where you probably start Todd at the 4 and then finish games with him at the 5 sometimes.
If that’s what happens I’d be thrilled. I guess I’m used to seeing these 5* from the outside and all I hear is talk about guys not wanting to play the 5, which I’ve ranted about before.