I think we all could see getting insurance, as a good thing but promising a transfer PG starting minutes/bringing one in over Frankie, is where I have a problem. I’d be willing to bet, this would cause Frankie to look elsewhere. I guess it would depend on the transfer but a Sessoms type, isn’t close IMO.
Wow! Tough crowd. I’d be more concerned about other positions than PG at this point. Dug is a good player and as far as Frankie goes, given his inconsistent minutes, I would at least consider giving him the benefit of the doubt for now. Took Devante half a season and he was playing all the time. Frankie had a good game against OSU and he was rewarded with what 7 minutes against Indiana? From what I recall, his shooting was an issue coming in, but his mechanics look decent, so it seems he has at least the potential to improve. X’s mechanics were awful and look where he ended.
Maybe just me, but I’d be more concerned about replacing Hunter, and what Caleb does (whether he stays or goes, based on expectations he’s got work to do)
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I meant as a whole. You have him improving his assist rate by LESS than 3%. I’ll take action on that one.
Let’s split the difference.
50% TS
27% assist
22% turnover
2% steal
10% rebound
That’s at least an average Big Ten PG offensively and I think he might end up he better on the other side of the ball.
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I thought they were smart to bring in Simmons, but I wasn’t as in the weeds on everything. It also helped that they had Moe and MAAR. Michigan didn’t need X to be the focal point of their offense, though.
If you don’t get back Hunter and Caleb, you are very likely going to need to ask a lot more from your PG. I don’t think Frankie is ready for that in year 2.
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Jones track record was better than “a good player”. He was the conference MVP. Matters not what level - the best in his group…period. He blossomed once he caught on to how to play within Michigan’s system.
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I was happy with the Simmons pick-up also and they barely needed him. I know it’s a gamble but I think a two-headed PG of Frankie and Dug, will get it done. Just need to build the rest of floor around them(portal, recruits & Improvement from within).
I think you’ll have better luck surrounding Collins with shooters/talented wings than finding a PG who can be the focal point of a Big Ten offense. I’d say we did really well for ourselves with Mike Smith and Davante Jones. But neither one of them would been as successful as “the focal point”. Now imagine, say, Jaaron Simmons as a focal point. Scholarships are finite and PG is not first or second on the pecking order IMO.
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And a lot of you are way over the top with the praise. Eli had to close the game out on the ball because Frankie could not get the team into anything resembling offense.
So a little worse than Aaron Henry’s final year? I think that might be optimistic still but I could be convinced. Wonder if I can find player season data good enough to do projections for things like this.
This is true, but as I mentioned, it is very dependent on who enters the portal. As of right now, I don’t think there’s someone obvious, but there’s a long way to go. If a guy like Isaiah Stevens was in the portal tomorrow, you wouldn’t at least be thinking that might be worth it?
At the end of the day, I think a lot comes down to the temperature on Hunter and Houstan (Diabate to a lesser extent), and what Michigan can find at SG/wing. If Michigan loses them and needs more from a PG, I think that’s a time where it would make sense to explore if there’s a good option.
Devante was also pretty much their #2 offensive option after Hunter once he rounded into form.
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It’s hard because some freshmen come in and just really do suck and don’t belong on a high major. No amount of development was going to make Brundidge a Big Ten PG.
But Brundidge (or say Zeb) would never…. never have been able to show out like Collins did in the tournament game. When a freshman shows that they have those tools and that edge I give more benefit of the doubt they can build on them in their first full offseason with the program. Yes it was just one game like the other poster said but it’s a type of game that most PGs that don’t belong could never replicate.
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I think the most convincing reason not be beating down the door for a PG transfer is because of even more holes everywhere. As others have mentioned, bringing in a CG as both Frankie/Kobe insurance feels like what’s best as far as using scholarships and not recruiting over excessively
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Wow…took a few hours off the site and this thread blows up?
I think we can all agree that we’re very nervous about how a Frankie/Dug PG platoon looks next year and ideally Frankie makes a big leap AND we bring in someone. But as some have noted, we can’t just bring in a transfer at every position. I think we go combo guard who can play 10-15 minutes of PG and 20-25 minutes of SG. Not sure who that would be, but that’s the biggest need on this entire roster and also helps mitigate the PG situation a bit.
For the record, I do NOT think Frankie will shoot >30% next year, but I also don’t think he has to in order to play 20 minutes. He needs to lean into his defense and develop in the ball screen game while getting to a 26-30% shooter on low volume.
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Forget about making threes, Frankie’s FT% is crucial to him being a reasonable option IMO. Especially because I think his skillset will allow him to get fouled a lot.
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I think the need for a PG is underrated. This team will need an offensive engine if Hunter is gone and generally speaking those tend to be PGs. I guess it can be one of those “everybody’s around 20% usage” years but I think that being a good idea is predicated on all those guys being good players.
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All good points.
I’m pretty excited about Dug, but I think we have a tendency to overvalue incoming freshman, and undervalue returning sophomores.
I thought Frankie improved throughout the season - mostly just better decision making. Fewer fouls, fewer turnovers, better vision - I expect more improvement. He should work on his FTs - he can get to basket any time he wants, which comes in handy.
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I don’t disagree…but with only three guards on the roster and limited scholarships you need to find someone that can play along side Frankie or Dug I think.
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I just wanted to stop in, unfondly remember how Minnesota defenders had zero fear of DJ with the ball, and praise him for growing into the roll through the season. If I was on a roll, maybe I would recall how this team got some desperately needed Coastal Carolina DeVante’ at key moments and how a guy so shook earlier in the season became the calming influence and true floor leader. He’s a Wolverine for life and I wish him the best.
This puts me safely outside of the dbag category of posters in this thread, right?
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Unless that’s me, I don’t think anyone was being a dbag here. I think it’s possible to recognize that while DJ was instrumental to our season, he wasn’t perfect and that we don’t need to highlight his accomplishments by dragging down Frankie’s.
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