Figured we could try something new this summer and run offseason threads for each player.
We can discuss their development, offseason updates, etc. just to keep things in one place.
Let’s start with Zak Irvin. The last few weeks were very encouraging, what’s next for Irvin? How does he fit next year? More minutes at the two? Still at the three? Do his 3-point numbers (35%) bounce back next year?
Overall, I’d like to see Zak continue to improve his ballahandling and passing out of PnR…the staff really needs to get him as many reps as possible in the likely event Caris leves. His evolution over the past month or so was very encouraging. Don’t know if he will ever be a straight isolation guy at the top of the key because he lacks the requisite first step quickness, but I think he can certainly be a guy that can create from the wing off 2-3 dribbles, and more importantly create easy buckets for the bigs off Pnr sets.
I like him at the 3, don’t think he has the lateral agility to defend the 3 spot on defense. Think his 3point % will be somewhere in the 36-38% range next year…don’t think he can get to 40+ because he has mechanical issues that are exacerbated when he doesn’t have sufficient time to wind up his swing shot. Too late in the game to work on mechanics at this point
Dylan I think Irvin will be interesting. The last few weeks he seemed to make a lot of strides. I hope he can continue that but I think a lot of that will be dictated upon what happens with Levert. Irvin may not have the ball in his hands very much if Levert returns and Walton is back running the point. What was the possession % for Irvin when Levert/Walton were around? I don’t need to see them when Levert and Walton were out because we all saw Irvin had the ball in his hands a lot and did good things.
With respect to position, the best development is flexibility. If Caris doesn’t come back I’d like to see Zak play at the 2 at least some of the time because I think we’ll need to have minutes for Dawkins, Chatman, and Robinson. (Going to be interesting to see where minutes come from for Walton, Albrecht, Rahkman, Zak, Dawkins, Chatman, and Robinson (and maybe Wilson) at the 1-4 spots). Caris staying and injuries could dictate Zak’s position too. But it’s great to have the option for Zak to play basically 2-4.
Whatever his position, he should continue to work on his handle, finishing around the hoop, and shooting off the dribble. He’s come a long way but can still tighten up. I think his 3 pt pct will bounce back, but I would be a little surprised if he was back up to his freshman number`unless his attempts go way down.
Irvin does not have the handle to play the 2 anywhere close to LeVert’s level. If Caris doesn’t come back, I think you’ll see a fair amount of Walton/Spike out there together, with MAAR rotating in at the 1 or 2. With or without LeVert, Dawkins and Irvin will start at the 3/4, but if Chatman can’t find more of a game (I’m not optimistic), we’ll be thin at those positions. Robinson will likely be no more than a marginal contributor next year, certainly no more than 10 minutes a game, and probably closer to 5. If I had to guess, I’d give Doyle 25 mpg as a big, and Wilson 10, with Donnal (and Wagner if we land him) left to scrap for the other 5.
Bottle up some of that Italian water for games.
I see an improved Zak Irvin who will be more aware of his role and his talent. He will be somebody that will be a leader and know what he is there to do. His freshman year he did not get the most play time, so this year was a big learning year for him. Next year, watch out!
Next year is a solid depth chart. You get players back next year like D.J. Wilson who can get around 8 min a game and Duncan Robinson who will probably play double digit minutes. Hopefully if Bielfeldt does not return, we land Mortiz Wagner who will contribute big.
I love the possibilities that Irvin’s strides late in the season enable for next year. Even if he’s not the primary PNR guy, he’s shown the ability to make some of those reads and that’s a big threat.
The improvements defensively and on the glass are even more interesting. Those just weren’t in his DNA last year and at the start of this year. I think his three-point shooting will improve as he has better teammates around him.
I posed the question to Dylan a few weeks ago about Irvin’s ability to play the 2 next year. From what I saw these final 2 weeks, I think he can, especially if he works on that over the summer. If Caris returns (and I think there is a good chance that he will), then MAAR can back him up at the 2 and Zak can play the 3. But, if no LeVert, then it would really help if Irvin can play the 2. That would get more scorers on the floor with Dawkins/Robinson/Chatman at the 3 and Chatman/Wilson/Dawkins at the 4. We look to have lots of guys who can play the 3/4, but not that many who can play the 2. I don’t like the idea of spreading Walton/Spike/MAAR at the 1/2.
It’s almost impossible to have a combination of Zak, Chatman, Robinson on the floor together, especially if Spike is in that same lineup…just far too slow on the defensive end. Like Zak much better at the 3, with Walton and Caris/MAAR in the backcourt
I think Zak’s play down the stretch has shown there’s a chance he can play the two, but also that you can play as a creator from the three spot very well in this offense. The two doesn’t necessarily have to be the creator, because there is so much action for the three. Think about Manny Harris (who mostly played the three) and Stu Douglass (who played the two). It’s no secret who was the creator on that roster.
Zachary shot 43% as a freshman. It’s crazy to say he couldn’t do what he already did. Similar THJ also shot well as frosh, regressed, then improved. I expect 25-30 mins, more the latter without Caris and/or top recruit. With the improvement we saw the end of season, I can’t imagine him not starting, and could back up 2 when needed (behind MAAR, DW, Spike, and hopefully CL).
If Caris comes back, and if Dawkins’ late season surge was a true read on his progress and not simply a hot streak, then I think you have to start LeVert, Dawkins, and Irvin. Based on this year, Irvin’s your 4 in that scenario. I know 3/4 are interchangeable but someone’s the 4, and I think that’s Irvin.
Will Levert be able to adjust his role on the team? His dribbling the air out of the ball will messes up the flow of the offense.
It may be difficult for him to go from “Do whatever he wants in the offense” back to playing within it.
Just a thought.
Will Levert be able to adjust his role on the team? His dribbling the air out of the ball will messes up the flow of the offense.It may be difficult for him to go from “Do whatever he wants in the offense” back to playing within it.
Just a thought.
I don’t see why not. Levert can affect the game in multiple ways. He’s a good catch and shoot player and good passer. I think that with a stronger supporting cast next year, he’ll be a much more efficient player. He will have more space to create and more opportunities to catch and shoot. I think a lot of Caris’s ball dominance this year was based on the fact that we didn’t really have much else in the way of offense at the time. Walton was injured–he wasn’t getting to the rim and wasn’t shooting as well. Irvin was slumping, Chatman wasn’t providing much, Doyle was hit or miss, and MAAR and Dawkins had not yet emerged.
That being said, I don’t think he’s going to come back.
Will Levert be able to adjust his role on the team? His dribbling the air out of the ball will messes up the flow of the offense.It may be difficult for him to go from “Do whatever he wants in the offense” back to playing within it.
Just a thought.
I think this might be one of the drivers in him not coming back. Not that he can’t make those changes in his game, but when you go from being a piece on a really good team. Then leading the team in every statistical category and then to having to fit into the team mold again, it could be seen by draft evaluators as regression.
Will Levert be able to adjust his role on the team? His dribbling the air out of the ball will messes up the flow of the offense.It may be difficult for him to go from “Do whatever he wants in the offense” back to playing within it.
Just a thought.
I think this might be one of the drivers in him not coming back. Not that he can’t make those changes in his game, but when you go from being a piece on a really good team. Then leading the team in every statistical category and then to having to fit into the team mold again, it could be seen by draft evaluators as regression.
Caris’s numbers last year were almost identical to his numbers the year before, when he was “just a piece.” If he comes back, he’ll benefit from playing on a better team, both individually and because team success helps perception.
Caris had a slight uptick in almost every statistical category this year over last. This is harder to do that you would expect. And, there is a perception is that he was doing it by himself. As for winning helping perception, I agree to a point, but Myles Turner is still going to be a lottery pick and Texas was not good this year. Talent and potential trumps grit, determination, and a will to win. That why the college POY is not a guaranteed Top-5 NBA pick and hasn’t been since around 2000.
Caris had a slight uptick in almost every statistical category this year over last. This is harder to do that you would expect. And, there is a perception is that he was doing it by himself. As for winning helping perception, I agree to a point, but Myles Turner is still going to be a lottery pick and Texas was not good this year. Talent and potential trumps grit, determination, and a will to win. That why the college POY is not a guaranteed Top-5 NBA pick and hasn't been since around 2000.
I have little doubt that Caris could at least match his stats from this year, except with better percentages.