PT Next Season...

[MU_Iceman]

In light of our most recent acquisition (Mbao) and loss (McMorrow), how does everyone on here see the line-up panning out next season?  Obviously it's way to early to tell and this is all speculation, but Warrior basketball is like crack, and I just need my early-May fix...

Who's your starting five?  Who are key contributors off the bench?

The general consensus (based on little more than word of mouth) seemed to be that McMorrow had been positioning himself nicely to start at center...what does his departure do to Buzz's rotation in the post?  Because based on the little bit we saw last year, I think it's clear that O'Tule isn't ready to be a full-time contributor, but in all likelihood he's more polished and B-East ready than Mbao.

Interested in seeing everyone's thoughts...

[dwaderoy2004]

starters:
acker  20 min
buycks  20 min
maymon  20 min
hayward  32 min
otule  20 min

super sub:
butler 30 min

main rotation:
cadougan  20 min
e williams  10 min
DJO  20 min
Mbao  8 min

relatively buried:
cubillan
roseboro
fulce

tough cause this is a deep team, talent wise.  will buzz go with experience, or throw the kids in the fire?  based on what we heard of Fulce coming into last year, i'd like to hope he'd play more...but I have a suspicion he will never be the same player again.

[bilsu]

C Otule 15 Mbao 12 Butler 5, Williams 5, Roseboro 3
PF Hayward 30, Butler 5, Williams 5
SF Maymon 22 , Butler 12, Williams 5  Fulce 1
2G DJO 25, Buycks 14, Culliban 1
PG Buycks 11 , Cadougan 24, Aker 5

Hayward 30 minutes
DJO 25
Buycks 25
Cadougan 24 ( time will drop significantly if he cannot handle the ball-freshmen ball handlers scare me)
Maymon 22
Butler 22
Otule 15
Williams 15
Mbao 12 ( if he can put on 20+ pounds he will start and his time will sky rocket)
Aker 5
Roseboro 3
Culliban 1
Fulce 1 (if his knee is healthy his time will go up)

[Ready2Fly]

I don't know who will start outside of Hayward, but here are my thoughts on the minutes breakdown by the start of conference season:

Hayward - 35
Maymon - 26
Cadougan - 26
Williams - 22
DJO - 22
Buycks - 22
Butler - 17
Mbao - 15
Otule - 5
Acker - 5
Fulce - 5

I think Buzz will run a lot of 3 forward/2 guard sets, because that will be his five best players.  If Mbao can be as good as Ouse was his sophomore year, I think he'll start.  Cadougan will play strictly point, and Buycks will slide in at the 1 when he's on the bench and DJO will play the 2 in that instance.  There will be games where Fulce & Otule don't get off the bench, giving their minutes to Williams, Buycks, Butler, & DJO.

MU will be young, but it will be fun to watch their progression next season.  I hope Lazar can go out with a bang.

[willie warrior]

Acker will not start. If he does, we are hurting.

He is not a Big east PG. He cannot penetrate, he cannot defend, and he cannot shoot.

[Skatastrophy]

Acker will not start. If he does, we are hurting.

He is not a Big east PG. He cannot penetrate, he cannot defend, and he cannot shoot.

I agree that he's not a BEast PG, but he proved at the end of last year that he can run the offense while making very few mistakes.  If Cadougan takes longer than expected to get up to speed (or if he comes in overweight) I wouldn't be surprised if Acker got the nod.

[MUCam]

I find it interesting that Fulce is so easily cast aside by everyone, despite word that he was well ahead of Butler up until his injury.

It sounds like the knee injury may be behind him. If he is healthy, I expect him to be much more intergral than the "mop-up" duty most are putting him in at. He may not surpass Butler, but his length and experience will have him see the floor.

[MU_Iceman]

I agree that he's not a BEast PG, but he proved at the end of last year that he can run the offense while making very few mistakes.  If Cadougan takes longer than expected to get up to speed (or if he comes in overweight) I wouldn't be surprised if Acker got the nod.

With a young team, it's EXTREMELY important that we have a point guard running the show who isn't turnover prone...While I think Junior probably gets the nod at some point in the season, I wouldn't be at all surprised if Mo takes the reigns into the start of the BEast schedule.

I'll be intrigued by how Buzz manages this team because last year he rode 5 veterans and 1 reserve most of the season and failed to develop his bench players...and if I'm remembering correctly, that was the knock on him his one year at NO, that he rode his top players and didn't incorporate his bench all that much...

This year he'll have so much talent at his disposal, albeit raw talent, I really hope he does everything he can to spread the minutes out...

[tower912]

7 newcomers.   Of the returnees, two missed a lot of time due to injuries.   Playing time next year is a complete crapshoot.   But lots of potential.   I can't wait.

[lab_warrior]

I'm thinking Fulce and Acker will play more than most people have posted.  I am not sure if Acker will start (I don't think he will) but he will get plenty of minutes off the bench.  He can shoot.
And I totally agree that our lineup will be a 3 F, 2 G look a lot of times.  Although we have WAY more flexibility to match up or down than we have had in a long time. 

[DomJamesToTheBasket]

C  Maymon 30, Hayward 5, Otule 5
PF Hayward 25, Williams 10, Butler 5
SF Williams 15, Butler 15, Fulce 10
SG Buycks 20, DJO 15, Butler 5
PG Cadougan 25, Buycks 10, Acker 5

Minutes every few games: Mbao, Roseboro, Cubillan

Minutes played breakdown:

30 Hayward
30 Maymon
30 Buycks
25 Cadougan
25 Butler
25 Williams
15 DJO
10 Fulce
5  Acker
5  Otule

[reinko]

So with 2 7 footers, DomJames, we are still starting the 6'6" Maymon at the 5???

[Markusquette]

I don't wanna predict minutes, but I will predict a lineup.

Mbao/Otule/Roseboro
Maymon/Hayward/Williams
Hayward/Butler/Williams/Fulce
Buycks/DJO/Cuillan
Junior/Acker/DJO

[DomJamesToTheBasket]

Otule couldn't get any minutes at center this past season......that is bad. Who was in front of him? Dwight frickin Burke and then Hayward.......even Butler played ahead of him at center. That doesn't really leave an impression of Buzz having much confidence in him.  Mbao probably won't be able to play much next season as he needs to develop his body. He is very raw and very weak right now.  When you're that skinny, just boxing out on a freethrow is difficult (Richard Shaw freshman year.)

Regardless, Maymon at the 5 should be able to play decent defense while producing points and rebounds at a position that has been a wasteland for years.

[ErickJD08]

Otule couldn't get any minutes at center this past season......that is bad. Who was in front of him? Dwight frickin Burke and then Hayward.......even Butler played ahead of him at center. That doesn't really leave an impression of Buzz having much confidence in him.  Mbao probably won't be able to play much next season as he needs to develop his body. He is very raw and very weak right now.  When you're that skinny, just boxing out on a freethrow is difficult (Richard Shaw freshman year.)

Regardless, Maymon at the 5 should be able to play decent defense while producing points and rebounds at a position that has been a wasteland for years.

WOW... Give the kid a break.  He was a project coming into MU and he was a freshmen AND he was hurt during the non conference schedule.  I think he has a chance.

[Big Papi]

Starting 5

Junior  22 (our best point guard)
DJO    28  (our best newcomer)
Buycks 28 (our best defensive guard)
Hayward  32 (our best player)
Otule  18  (Has turned the corner and will be solid)

Bench

Butler  18 (first player off the bench)
Maymon 18 (Hard to keep him out of the starting lineup but I think DJO and Buycks are that good)
Acker 12 (too much experience not to get this many minutes)
Williams 8 (highest ceiling of all newcomers, could be a star his soph year)
Fulce 7 (should get more minutes but not enough minutes to go around)
Mbao 5 (needs a lot of weight and strength to make any real contribution this year)
Cube 5  (needs to get his shot back or he won't get any time)

We are going to have a short team again this year with lots of 3 guard lineups on the court again this year but at least Buzz will have way more flexibility this year with his matchups.  I really can't help but think we will try to play some type of full court pressure trapping defense more often than not with a bigger and longer Fulce/Williams and DJO playing the top of the 1-2-2 trap.

[GGGG]

Otule couldn't get any minutes at center this past season......that is bad. Who was in front of him? Dwight frickin Burke and then Hayward.......even Butler played ahead of him at center. That doesn't really leave an impression of Buzz having much confidence in him.  Mbao probably won't be able to play much next season as he needs to develop his body. He is very raw and very weak right now.  When you're that skinny, just boxing out on a freethrow is difficult (Richard Shaw freshman year.)

Regardless, Maymon at the 5 should be able to play decent defense while producing points and rebounds at a position that has been a wasteland for years.

Maymon is too small to be a 5.  That would be a complete waste of his talent.

[DomJamesToTheBasket]

Maymon is too small to be a 5.  That would be a complete waste of his talent.

He wouldn't have to play offense like a true center. Have him play offense like an inside/out PF.

[Daniel]

I think Otule will surprise us in a positive way.  He missed 41 practices last year I think Buzz said.  And half the season.  With a good summer, great full practices - I think he will surprise.

[Brewtown Andy]

I'll say that a heavy majority (60%+) of games will have at least 10 guys get quality minutes.

I'll say that we see at least 4 different starting lineups.

[Markusquette]

I really think Mbao will compete for a starting role with Otule.  For one he's taller, and I'm sure he can run the floor better.  

Sure, Otule missed a bunch of practices and experience, but he needs major work.  He will be completely lost on defense, and his coordination and hands need work on offense.  I just feel the fact that Mbao is more than likely more athletic and better defensively, that he will get the starting role.  Otule could contribute off the bench, and I hope he makes a big turnaround.

[muwarrior69]

Buzz must have saw something in Rosboro to offer him. If he has Diener-like toughness he just might earn some minutes as well.

[The Lens]

Sometimes I wonder if people are even paying attention.  Buzz showed this year that he rides who he trusts, that means Hayward is going to play a ton...36 minutes.  Probably Butler too. 

Also Maymon has been promised a starting spot - He's going to start out the season starting, that much we know.

We also learned Buzz plays the 5 best guys.  Think about down the stretch, how many games did Burke play 17 minutes and Butler played much more?  Otoule is not getting anywhere near 20 minutes.  I doubt Mbao does either.  Everyone always looks at best case scenarios when projecting player development over the summer.  The fact is come November you're going to see 3 forwards...Maymon, Butler & Lazar starting and taking turns guarding the center spot.  Hopefully Otoule and Mbao work their way in but Buzz strikes me as a guy who wants to win now. 

Everyone wants to talk about Lazar playing his "natural" position.  The best thing for Lazar's pro development is to play meaningful basketball and win.  If he's a 2/3 in the pros, that's irrelevant now.  If he needs to play the 5 for MU to win games, that's what he should do.  Playing meaningful basketball will do more for his development than playing his true NBA position. 

Buzz must have saw something in Rosboro to offer him. If he has Diener-like toughness he just might earn some minutes as well.

Roseboro...toughness...Diener?  Are you kidding me?  Why b/c they're both white?  Diener played and excelled not just b/c of his toughness but b/c he was usually the best PG on the floor.  People seem to (or like to) forget he was by a few services a top 40 recruit, he won National Championships at the AAU level and was the leader, if not best player, of his teams.  Travis Diener is in the NBA today b/c he's a damn good PG not because of his toughness etc.  Toughness only takes you so far you need amazing, God-given talent.  To compare a Top 300 sleeper recruit to Diener is down right laughable.   

[Badgerhater920]

Here's my prediction in terms of most minutes played:

Hayward
Cadougan
Maymon
Buycks
DJO

Williams
Butler
Aker
Mbao
Otule

Fulce
Cubillan
Roseboro

This is gonna be fun...

[Brewtown Andy]

Diener played and excelled not just b/c of his toughness but b/c he was usually the best PG on the floor.  People seem to (or like to) forget he was by a few services a top 40 recruit, he won National Championships at the AAU level and was the leader, if not best player, of his teams.  Travis Diener is in the NBA today b/c he's a damn good PG not because of his toughness etc.

This is true.  I remember leading into his SO year, the previews generally read "How will MU deal with the loss of Cordell Henry?" and my thought was always "But the team looked smoother when Diener was out there!"