2019-20 season

[Slapthefloor93]

I won’t try to project a starting lineup yet with so much stuff still in the air, but I think my ideal rotation would include, barring injury:

Keon
TBD point guard
Carl
TJ
Preston
Samba
JL (if he stays)
Sy
Tre M
Jalen

I like Buggs’ long-term potential, but I think, especially if we get another guard, he probably won’t see a lot of the floor this season. Maybe even an RS candidate.

As far as KTM and Djery, I think if they are seeing steady PT, the season will not have gone in the direction that we are hoping (Djery I can see coming in for certain defensive specialty situations though). But who knows - if we are as injured as we have been for the past couple of years, then they will get plenty of chances.

The bottom line is I don’t want us to have a rotation that runs more than 9-10 deep. Having such a big one hurt us last season IMO because guys were stressed about getting taken out easily and we couldn’t form chemistry with an established core. It seemed to change every game.

[bobolink]

I won’t try to project a starting lineup yet with so much stuff still in the air, but I think my ideal rotation would include, barring injury:

Keon
TBD point guard
Carl
TJ
Preston
Samba
JL (if he stays)
Sy
Tre M
Jalen

I like Buggs’ long-term potential, but I think, especially if we get another guard, he probably won’t see a lot of the floor this season. Maybe even an RS candidate.

As far as KTM and Djery, I think if they are seeing steady PT, the season will not have gone in the direction that we are hoping (Djery I can see coming in for certain defensive specialty situations though). But who knows - if we are as injured as we have been for the past couple of years, then they will get plenty of chances.

The bottom line is I don’t want us to have a rotation that runs more than 9-10 deep. Having such a big one hurt us last season IMO because guys were stressed about getting taken out easily and we couldn’t form chemistry with an established core. It seemed to change every game.

Certainly way too early to project starters with confidence. Sometimes a player dramatically improves in the off season. Thinking about what went wrong in Coach McCall's second season, at times I thought he played the Frosh too much. Of course, before Djery arrived, Sy was needed as the best option among limited bigs. I don't think Samba started until the Providence game when Laurent was out (and he helped greatly in a big win). Tre Wood didn't play huge minutes until injuries forced that. It's unclear whether the 3 Freshman would have seen those minutes except for circumstances. I doubt next year's team would have anyone like RH with minute limits from conditioning. Do all these point to a shorter rotation? Or is Coach's system geared to spreading the minutes around? The 2018-19 team had a lot of guards for much of the year and then didn't. Sometimes Coach seemed to play to matchup with the opponent and sometimes he seemed to try forcing the opponent to match his guys. I often couldn't see the pattern/wisdom and of course have no clue how players practiced or otherwise acted to get/lose minutes. I think the talent will be improved next season, but my expectations are the team will still be rebuilding. Pipkins and Holloway were 2 players who the opposition had to specially worry about. It's unclear who, other than CP when he's hot, would be that next year. I'd like to think the teamwork and talent in so many places would worry opponents, but that's what I thought for this year. I also thought this past year was going to see testing of rotations & minutes in the OOC schedule and then a settling in for the conference season. That didn't happen. In conclusion, you can look at a blank sheet of paper and that will contain all I'm certain of for next year

[capezona]

^ Well written and pretty much how I feel too.

[Rudy]

If anyone redshirts it would probably be Weeks. Buggs is someone McCall offered early for reason. Like Weeks and Santos but they were beneficiaries of circumstances.

[Slapthefloor93]

Well really my biggest hope is that Buggs is impressive running point over the summer and that the point guard that we’ve been talking about has been right under our noses the whole time. Haven’t seen enough of his play to know if that’s a realistic hope or not. Maybe someone that has can speak on it.

[UMassfan_19]

I think McCall tinkered with the lineup so much last season was because he was looking to find the combination that did best.
I think the depth chart will look like this
I'm assuming Laurent leaves since he just sent a cryptic tweet that points that way. Obviously some flexibility on positions.
Point guard(primary ball handler):
Keon
Unsigned player
Combo guard(occasional ball handler mostly off ball)
Buggs
Shooting guard(can play 2 or 3)
Pierre
Weeks
Buggs
Small Forward(can play 3 or 4)
Diallo
Santos
Power Forward (can play 4 or 5)
Mitchell
Chatman
Unsigned freshmen
Center (strictly a 5)
Baptiste
Thomas
KTM

[Slapthefloor93]

Interesting - you have Mitchell as our primary 4. I view him as our primary 5 and Chatman/Laurent as our primary 4’s.

[UMassfan_19]

Interesting - you have Mitchell as our primary 4. I view him as our primary 5 and Chatman/Laurent as our primary 4’s.

I think it is fluid which is why I have it as power forward can play 4 or 5 wouldn't be shocked to see Mitchell at 5 with diallo at 4 and Pierre or Santos at 3. But I'm also intrigued by the idea of mitchel being our all horford and Thomas and baptiste being our joakim noah since matt loves his gators

[Juice Stand]

I'm assuming Laurent leaves since he just sent a cryptic tweet that points that way.

Can you link to the tweet or copy/paste the content of it here? Thanks.

[UMassfan_19]

I'm assuming Laurent leaves since he just sent a cryptic tweet that points that way.

Can you link to the tweet or copy/paste the content of it here? Thanks.

https://twitter.com/phenomballa_4/statu ... 27872?s=21

[Juice Stand]

Thanks. This conversation seems to have migrated to the JL player thread.

[UMassHoops]

Interesting - you have Mitchell as our primary 4. I view him as our primary 5 and Chatman/Laurent as our primary 4’s.

The nice thing about Mitchell as a 5 is you could potentially put out a lineup that could shoot from any spot on the floor from any position. Lot of versatility having a big man that can shoot and handle the ball brings.

[UMassfan_19]

Interesting - you have Mitchell as our primary 4. I view him as our primary 5 and Chatman/Laurent as our primary 4’s.

The nice thing about Mitchell as a 5 is you could potentially put out a lineup that could shoot from any spot on the floor from any position. Lot of versatility having a big man that can shoot and handle the ball brings.

It's why I qualified power forwards as guys who can play both 4 and 5 will depend on matchup and the rest of the team where he plays. Was doing the chart more on skill set than exact position

[Ramster]

Too early to predict line up for next year
Laurent could find his way into the starting line up if he stays - like his shooting touch
Keon Clergeot
Carl Pierre
Samba Diallo / Jonathan Laurent
Sy Chatman
Tre Mitchell

How many roster slots open now, 1?

[capezona]

Too early to predict line up for next year
Laurent could find his way into the starting line up if he stays - like his shooting touch
Keon Clergeot
Carl Pierre
Samba Diallo / Jonathan Laurent
Sy Chatman
Tre Mitchell

How many roster slots open now, 1?

November 1st might be too early to predict a line up, but... I would probably tweek your's a bit and say:
Clergeot
Pierre
Laurent
Diallo
Mitchell (yes, I changed my mind)