Now that we never used the spot I’m convinced we should have kept spike. I know people say maybe he wouldn’t want to stay with x and Walton but I don’t but that. Particularly because we are in win now kids roster wise. Will anybody be surprised if spike is better then wAlton and x? I think if he knew he could get 20 minutes a night or more at the one and two and was wanted he would have stayed.
I really feel like this was a huge mistake. He can be a game changer at times and I think this team really could have used his prescense off the bench, his scoring punch, shooting, and penetration/ passing will be severly missed. We haven’t been consistent from deep and I think he would hZfe helped a ton, damn shame. Keep the talent and figure out rotations later. Go small sometimes.
X, spike, Wilson don all would have been a solid bench. He would have been an elite six man. Now the bench is going to have serious problems scoring. Huge mistake.
Spike served his purpose. It’s time to move on. The team has more of a need for a veteran wing or 4 for this year. I like spike but he is not better than Walton and the risk of not having X get prepared to take over next year was not worth it for me. For this particular situation I will trust the coaches.
Yes, I would be surprised if Spike was better than Walton if we’re factoring in rebounding and defense, which you have to.
I think the plan is for X to step in and be a productive starting PG by 2017. I don’t think that happens as easily - or maybe not at all - if his minutes went to Spike this year.
Also, didn’t Spike score something like 4 points in 84 minutes during Purdue’s exhibition games this summer? That tells me he’s far from 100%, even accounting for a new team, system, and role.
I love what Spike contributed, and I’ll always root for him, but right now it still seems like the best decision IMO.
I think this is the biggest point, Spike and the staff probably had a frank conversation about what his role would be–mostly due to what X’s role needs to be–and spike decided to seek out more playing time.
I would LOVE to have spike around to play 5-10 minutes as a 3pt specialist and capable ball-handler, for when the 1-2 spots need a breather/get in foul trouble, but Spike probably wanted and deserved more. And he would only be able to provide those valuable minutes if he were healthy, which isn’t a given (and wasn’t at the time that all of these decisions were made).
Also, the staff took a shot at getting a grad transfer wing, which was a much bigger position of need for the team. Taking that risk, especially considering Spike’s health, was well worth it, imo. The fact that they missed on getting a grad transfer, is a whole other issue.
I feel he would have gotten 17 here all day. Maybe he really is a shell of himself and I’m dead wrong but he’s leadership and scoring will be missed on the second unit
I think Spike will get back to where he was. I think Michigan will regret letting him go. I just try not to think about it and I try to wish him the best of luck.
Maybe there was doubt he’ll be 100%.
Maybe they said he can get 15-20 minutes/gm and that wasn’t good enough.
Maybe they said most minutes would be at the 2 behind MAAR and he only wants to play the 1.
Maybe he just wanted to play at Purdue. I don’t know his childhood dream team but he grew up just down the road from their campus.
Yup, I suspect Spike did not agree with how and to what extent he was projected to contribute. Whether or not someone thinks letting Spike go was a good or bad decision really is relative to their evaluations of the guards relative to one another. I would not be surprised at all if we find ourselves wishing we had another pg this year.