(04-10-2018 12:40 PM)Running_Fool15 Wrote: (04-10-2018 10:26 AM)posterformerlyknownasthedoctor Wrote: I think Banks has the more complete, all-'round game, with the two full handles I mentioned earlier, and has more inside capabilities, stronger body, etc.
But Boyd should serve the Bucs well. He certainly has range and confidence. He and Good together should form a formidable outside presence. That youtube of Boyd showed essentially nothing about his D, but I suspect, with his court vision, that isn't too weak.
My sense was that Boyd was waiting to see how the Banks card fell, but I don't know that for a fact.
I think we know this, but we won't have a full replacement for Desonta, at least that's the way it appears to this observer. A rare talent set that boy has. But Forbes has a plan.....
Will be interesting to hear (if we do) how Butler likes his visit. We need him or one more big to help Armus, Rodriguez, and Bernard. Hope Peter gets that 7th year of eligibility awarded (and yes, that *is* a joke).
Ya know, I thought the same thing when we lost Guyn. Then Cromer happened. Then I thought the same thing after Cromer. Then Desonta happened. So, I'll just assume somebody will step up. My guess? It'll be either Jeromy or Bo.
I don't really think it was the same thing. No, we didn't know how much more Cromer would fully blossom after Guyn was gone, but he was there, and he was good as a junior. So to me that wasn't a shock. Maybe better than we thought, but not a shock. Desonta's full complement of skills - those that brought up the topic of "best of the decade?" for him - just virtually never reside in one player at the mid-major level. That doesn't mean that his *impact* can't be replaced. That could surely happen.
No way Rodriguez or Bo can exactly do what Desonta did - or I'll be glad to eat my words if either of them does. But can they, or one of the new guys, "step up", as you put it? Sure. And I think they will, but it won't be the same body of work. And that said........as we know, Desonta had his weaknesses - maybe most especially many times not getting going until the second half, or even the second half *of* the second half.
I hope Obi-Rapu is taking several hundred shots a day in the off-season. Bo, too, for that matter. I hope Williams comes back with 10 more pounds of muscle. I hope Rodriguez comes back completely whole and without fear.
And I hope the new guys mix in well, and that we can maintain the superb team chemistry we've been fortunate to have during Forbes's tenure. I think that is perhaps an underestimated skill he has: to not only get good talent, but to make sure it fits in well with the team, personality-wise, as well as skill-wise. Using the current team members to help host visits certainly works in that direction.
We need another big, and I think we'll get one. And I think there's a decent chance one of our last two newcomers will be a 5th-yr. guy. Just reading a few tea leaves - don't have any hard evidence.
I fear UAB is leaning hard on Butler. I guess we'll just see after his visit here. He's not only big and strong, but has *exceptionally* good hands and a soft touch. Also a decent leaper for someone his size, and is quite mobile. He will thrive somewhere good dealers can get him the ball in position. I have a feeling some of our guards will be able to do that - at least some of the time. But it won't be nearly as easy for him to generate stuff on his own at this level.
