I’d love to see how ridiculous a minutes breakdown would be according to the OP.
Saying Spike and MAAR may merit minutes at the point in no way denigrates Walton’s abilities. It just reflects a positive impression of Spike’s leadership during last season as well as MAAR’s obvious potential as a primary ball handler.
I do think that the suggestion that Caris would run the point instead of Walton is a bit absurd since Caris is a great two and Walton a great PG.
I'd love to see how ridiculous a minutes breakdown would be according to the OP.
It will definitely be interesting. Due to the the LeVert and Walton injuries, MAAR and Dawkins stepped up, improved, and gained valuable experience through the remainder of the season. Those guys will now have the spring and summer to improve even further. Maybe JB will go small at times, who knows. Depending on what Robinson and Wilson end up looking like, it’s gonna be real interesting to see how this all shakes out.
Spike is a fantastic rotation guard. MAAR might eventually warrant the same. Playing both Spike and MAAR major minutes leads to 16-16.
Walton was a huge missing piece this past season. I can’t wait for his return.
Spike is a fantastic rotation guard. MAAR might eventually warrant the same. Playing both Spike and MAAR major minutes leads to 16-16.Walton was a huge missing piece this past season. I can’t wait for his return.
That 16-16 was also with caris out for most of it, and pretty inconsistent play from the 5 spot and Walton being out for a chunk also.
I don’t think that Walton will lose much playing time. But as long as there aren’t major injuries I think even with spike and Maar getting a lot of play will result in better than .500 this year.
Per shot analytics Walton was 59% at the rim as a Fr and 41% last year. Tells you how injured he was IMO
I find the rotation question unfathomable. Too many options. Too many variables. Too many unanswered questions.
I do think this may be the best shooting team Coach B has assembled in his time at M. But then again maybe not! Anyway, fun to speculate and watch it unfold
An injured Walton willed us to overtime versus Wisconsin. Given close game after close game, we probably would have made it to at least 11-7 and then with a win in the Big Ten tournament, make the tournament.
Levert and Walton were our late game go to guys. We lost multiple close games and without them were forced to play walk ons in crucial minutes.
Both guys were critical to closing out games earlier in the year.
I do think that the suggestion that Caris would run the point instead of Walton is a bit absurd since Caris is a great two and Walton a great PG.
Walton is not a GREAT PG…he is solid and our best option as of now. Enough said. Monte Morris and Demetrius Jackson have both had better collegiate careers than Walton and I would take both of them over Walton any day of the week. Better pro prospects for each of them as well which never hurts in recruiting.
I do think that the suggestion that Caris would run the point instead of Walton is a bit absurd since Caris is a great two and Walton a great PG.
Walton is not a GREAT PG…he is solid and our best option as of now. Enough said. Monte Morris and Demetrius Jackson have both had better collegiate careers than Walton and I would take both of them over Walton any day of the week. Better pro prospects for each of them as well which never hurts in recruiting.
This is a bad take. Walton played what, 4 or 5 games healthy in his developmental year? Who knows how well he would have developed by the end of the year?
This was a lost year for Walton. His freshman year was (at least) compared to Man Man’s and well beyond Demetrius Jackson’s. Love both of those guys, but let’s not give up on Derrick because he gutted through foot injuries for two months.
This was a lost year for Walton. His freshman year was (at least) compared to Man Man's and well beyond Demetrius Jackson's. Love both of those guys, but let's not give up on Derrick because he gutted through foot injuries for two months.
I am in between on Derrick. I thought he was fine his freshman year but he didn’t have the ball in his hands a lot. This upcoming year I want to see what he does with the ball in his hands.
I think Walton definitely has the potential to be a great PG, and that this is the year he should do it. Even if he’ll never be Trey Burke, he could at least be an Appling-level PG, which would be good enough for me.
Unlike some other Michigan fans, I am not a fan of giving minutes based on seniority alone, as a kind of badge of honour (I was irked the first few games of 2012 when Stauskas came off the bench behind Vogrich, which was a travesty). If, hypothetically, we had landed Jalen Brunson or Derrick Thornton, I think they would very likely merit the starting spot over Walton. But since we don’t have either of them, Walton is definitely going to be the man, and I have confidence we’ll be just fine.
The way I see it, is that its ridiculous to try and break down who is going to be playing how many minutes at any position. I look at it as, we have so many players right now, that Beilein will play who ever have the hot hand.
1- Walton/ Spike/ Maar
2- Caris/Zak/ Maar
3- Zak/ Aubrey/ Duncan
4- DJ/ Kam/ Moritz
5- Doyle/ Donnal
The starting lineup will be just that, who starts. Make a mistake and you’ll get switched out until someone gets hot. When that person gets hot, let them play until they are tired, and then rinse and repeat.
That said, Caris will not be playing the 1- position. It was tried 2 years ago, and was used a few times on offense, but mainly in a weird defensive lineup where we went big. It wasn’t very effective on O, but not a bad idea on D.
Listen we as Michigan fans sometime are to hard on players. Now, Walton played 15 games hurt an still did a good on a bad foot. Now we hollering we take Morris or Jackson any day PLEASED. Remember the Wisconsin game thank you loyal fans. Lol
Walton will be great if fully healthy
At 3 assists per game, it’s hard to make the case that Walton is a great point guard. If he’s injured, he would attack the basket less, which in turn might make the assist number go up. But 3 assists/game, that’s not much.
But beyond that, was this really a great team with the “big 3” of Walton/Levert/Irvin? Since they managed to lose to Eastern and NJIT, maybe not so great. The great point guards make people around them better.
Walton is a great rebounder for a little guy. And he has the quickness as a defender. I do think that MAAR could ultimately be better. And Spike might be the guy the team needs in 15/16.
At 3 assists per game, it's hard to make the case that Walton is a great point guard. If he's injured, he would attack the basket less, which in turn might make the assist number go up. But 3 assists/game, that's not much.But beyond that, was this really a great team with the “big 3” of Walton/Levert/Irvin? Since they managed to lose to Eastern and NJIT, maybe not so great. The great point guards make people around them better.
Walton is a great rebounder for a little guy. And he has the quickness as a defender. I do think that MAAR could ultimately be better. And Spike might be the guy the team needs in 15/16.
The team was worlds different after Villanova which is when Walton got hurt. It amazes me how many people fail to recognize that. He was the cog that got injured that derailed the season.
MrLG I will give you the part of the assist but to say Maar’s will be better. LOL. We have 7 months until the season and we will see. This kid play with heart on a bad foot that’s all I’m saying. If he don’t play against Rutgers we lose and Wisconsin probably blown out. Kid played injured the games he played
That’s what I say about Michigan fans! Terrible