Can’t be easy watching JB talk up Simmons after planning to take over for Walton.
At least Beilein asked Simpson and Brooks if they were ok with it before offering Simmons. Shows character.
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Players only love you when they’re playing.
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I doubt beilein let the players decide. It was probably more of an advance notice type of thing.
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Im thinking if x plays well he can play over or alongside Simmons. If Brooks can score he’ll find minutes.
Those would be great problems to have.
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Yes, I think Moe Wagner’s continued development in all areas, especially defense and rebounding , is the most important factor for the team becoming very good. If he does, then the team can be quite good because it’s reasonable to expect Simmons to play at a solid plus level after a period of transition and for Matthews to play a solid role defensively and rebounding after getting used to real games again. It’s unreasonable to expect any particular freshman to contribute substantially, but it is not unreasonable to expect one of them to do so, especially since there were several four stars.
It would be great if he played well, but x is so small compared to the other players in both weight and height that it’s hard to see him paired with Simmons very often at the moment. Maybe another bigger guard seems more likely to me.
That’s a great sign, but there’s a big difference between rebounding in H.S. and rebounding in college where the players are often bigger and more skilled than they are the H.S. level, and the player may be learning a new position (I don’t know this but he may have often played center in H.S.).
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Few play a traditional 4 because the NBA has moved away from it too, and it was never necessary in college.
Am I crazy for thinking Simpson will push Simmons hard for the job? He looked like he was really getting comfy and had elite vision, solid d, great penetration and nice fast break skills. I was excited to watch him take over this year.
I think it would be more likely that X eats into Duncan/Liver’s minutes, than Simmons’, and we go small with X-Simmons-MAAR-Matthews-Mo. Simmons’ is the only proven PNR scorer we have returning, and it’d take a wild leap for X to produce out of the PNR at Simmons’ level. But I could see Simmons running the PNR as the ‘2,’ like Nik and Caris.
But Id guess Mo (probably our highest usage guy) and Simmons (PNR production) are the two most locked into starter’s minutes.
My 2 cents: Simmon’s looks like the superior point guard at this point and I don’t think it is close. I am excited about x’s future however…
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Last year Mo was #5 in minutes at 24.2 per game. For 17/18, I doubt he’ll go much over 30 minutes. So I would put Mo’s minutes at #3 on the team, after Simmons and MAAR (29.5 mpg in 16/17). If Matthews delivers like we hope, he could end up with more minutes that Mo. Mo will be the leader in many things, but probably not minutes.
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Yep, just the nature of big men and their general foul trouble/lower stamina.
Yeah, I wasn’t speaking to who would play the most minutes, just who is least likely to lose their starting spot/minutes. Basically, I think Simmons’ spot/minutes are all but guaranteed, and that if X were to earn more minutes, it wont come from Simmons’.
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I look forward to Poole or others pushing MAAR for minutes. He has been a 3 year starter due to injuries and lack of roster depth. Having to fight for minutes might push him to new heights.
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Has there been anything new in regards to what JB might do with the open ship?
Right now it looks like he’ll use it for one of the walk ons like you did last year
All is quiet according to Brendan Quinn. He thinks if anything goes down, it’ll be a classic Beilein behind the scenes recruitments (e.g. flying to Germany during the season for Moe) that nobody knows about until a day before it happens. I’m stupidly holding out hope for Cam Johnson, McIntosh, or Iggy 2017.
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