Predict Starting 5 - end of December/start of SEC play

#51
#51
zjcvols said:
Barnes has never, ever done that so I have huge doubts that will happen.
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I'm not so sure he might not modify his usual style of game management with such a diversely talented roster. It won't totally surprise me if he doesn't, but I have to believe he might be willing to do it thinking it could lead to a final four appearance. I am almost certain he will do it prior to SEC play
 
#52
#52
MoCo_Vol said:
Here's my thoughts

PG: Freddie/ZZ (I think Freddie starts all season and it allows ZZ to be the energy off the bench, the minutes will be staggered to Freddie until ZZ is 100% and then it'll even up)
SG: Santi/Gainey
SF: Mashack/JJJ/Knecht
PF: Ledlum/JJJ
C: Aidoo/Awaka/JP

Mashack and JJJ both could be playing 1-4 depending on need, matchups and health. I think Ledlum will be a big minutes guy assuming he does what Barnes demands on defense. Knecht will have to show he's willing to play defense to keep minutes, which is why I don't have him starting.

Projected Minutes (200 total available)
Santi - 28
Ledlum - 24
ZZ - 22
JJJ - 20
Mashack - 18
Adioo - 18
Freddie - 17
Knecht - 16
Awaka - 15
Gainey - 12
JP - 10

Deep team potential this season, Barnes usually has 10 or so guys that get 10 or more MPG, but he also likes to focus in on a shorter bench. I don't think JJJ as a walk-on will be pushing 25+ minutes like he had previously, could even see him being used a bit less than the 20 minutes a game mark I have him at, but that'll depend more on how well Knecht and Mashack play. Scouts think JP and Freddie both have "1 & done" potential so they could both demand more minutes if that's the case we may see less minutes for JJJ & Ledlum. I'm excited to see how the chemistry of this team comes together.

DJ has potential as well, but I don't know if he'll end up in that 10 MPG spot just yet. This team will have a total of 4 players exercising their 5th year (Santi, Knecht, Ledlum, JJJ) and I think all 4 are wanting to work towards a run in the post season, regardless of how many minutes they play to make that happen. There will also be 4 Juniors on this team (Gainey, Aidoo, ZZ, Mashack). So lots of experience and I feel like based on how the portal was used this cements that Carr and Cade will likely be RS players this first year.
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My guess:

Santi - 25-30
ZZ - 20-25
JJJ (if healthy) - 20-25
Adioo - 20-25
Freddie - 20-25
Awaka - 20-25
Mashack -20-25
Ledlum - 15-20
Knecht - 15-20
Gainey - 10
JP - 10
 
#53
#53
BernardKingGOAT said:
I'm not so sure he might not modify his usual style of game management with such a diversely talented roster. It won't totally surprise me if he doesn't, but I have to believe he might be willing to do it thinking it could lead to a final four appearance. I am almost certain he will do it prior to SEC play
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I'm not so sure Barnes has the ability to modify his usual style of game management.
 
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#54
#54
jaguinn5 said:
I'm not so sure Barnes has the ability to modify his usual style of game management.
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By what he's said and done the past few years, he's certainly evolved and transitioned to a different style. There's some clear and defined detail and nuance to his changes over the years. He has been aggressive coaching shot selection, more often than not encouraging his players to take open shots. BUT, you must play defense too!
 
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#55
#55
zjcvols said:
Barnes has never, ever done that so I have huge doubts that will happen.
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Agreed rotation is probably Zeigler, Dilione, Vescovi, Mashack, Knecht, JJJ, Ledlum, Aidoo, Awaka (no order). I mean that's still 9 tho. Has an unique opportunity with so many veterans that are versatile and can be moved around to play multiple spots
 
#57
#57
zjcvols said:
Barnes has never, ever done that so I have huge doubts that will happen.
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Maybe not, but definitely feels like we have a bit deeper team and a couple guys that we’ll want to limit minutes to keep healthy in zz and jjj. Definitely think you see 9 most games this year, but maybe that 9th guy switches game to game based on matchup.
 
#60
#60
Volfan1000 said:
PG- Vescovi
SG - Knecht
SF- Mashack
PF- Awaka
C- Aidoo

I think Seigler and JJJ are part of the Bench rotation.
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Why do you always call ZZZ, Siegler ? I don't know why, but it drives me crazy. Disrespectful, imo. Bruce Buffer used to say, "Yeah, I got the catch phrase, but most importantly, I want to make sure I pronounce the 2 boxers' names, correctly, whatever country they are from, that's the most important thing about the introduction", paraphrased.
 
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#61
#61
The Dog said:
Why do you always call ZZZ, Siegler ? I don't know why, but it drives me crazy. Disrespectful, imo. Bruce Buffer used to say, "Yeah, I got the catch phrase, but most importantly, I want to make sure I pronounce the 2 boxers' names, correctly, whatever country they are from, that's the most important thing about the introduction", paraphrased.
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Bro has explained this a few times - the Z on his keyboard doesn't work, so he uses Ses in place of Zs.
 
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#67
#67
Tennessee Golfer said:
Because you want ball handlers and guys that can make free throws when you are ahead and the other team wants to press and foul.
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Doubt this is who would finish. You need someone who can rebound as well. Aidoo can make FT, rebound, defend post and block or change shots so expect he will be in late. If FT shooting is criteria, probably wouldn’t include Mashack either until he greatly improves his 56% FT career stat.
 
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#68
#68
bleedingTNorange said:
Not a bad take…I wonder if JJJ plays mostly 4 thus bumping Awaka to the 5 behind Aidoo which also helps space out the floor.

Zeigler/Dilione
Santi/Gainey
Knecht/Mashack
JJJ/Ledlum
Aidoo/Awaka

Bench: Estrella, Jefferson, Carr, Phillips
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That's a nasty 10 man lineup.
 
#69
#69
JJJ gets remembered for missing a low percentage game winner or two, but he has grabbed all sorts of critical late game rebounds. But sometimes TN lost those games and his HUGE rebounds are quickly forgotten.
 
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#70
#70
Just an unsubstantiated guess, but I wonder if Barnes and JJJ had a discussion about JJJ’s return, and agree that his role, while allowing quality minutes, is one of bench leadership and lesser minutes in order to allow the younger guys to mature.
 
#71
#71
bleedingTNorange said:
Not a bad take…I wonder if JJJ plays mostly 4 thus bumping Awaka to the 5 behind Aidoo which also helps space out the floor.

Zeigler/Dilione
Santi/Gainey
Knecht/Mashack
JJJ/Ledlum
Aidoo/Awaka

Bench: Estrella, Jefferson, Carr, Phillips
Click to expand...

So you think JJJ will be starting over Ledlum come January? I know you have discussed previously about letting JJJ have ample rest and ease him into the season.
 
#72
#72
Willy14 said:
So you think JJJ will be starting over Ledlum come January? I know you have discussed previously about letting JJJ have ample rest and ease him into the season.
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That’s my thought, could change…I think Barnes loves him some JJJ and values that experience, remember just because you start for Barnes doesn’t guarantee 30mpg.
 
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#73
#73
BernardKingGOAT said:
By what he's said and done the past few years, he's certainly evolved and transitioned to a different style. There's some clear and defined detail and nuance to his changes over the years. He has been aggressive coaching shot selection, more often than not encouraging his players to take open shots. BUT, you must play defense too!
Click to expand...

He has shown some limited ability to change his offensive style, but really only to the extent that you may see more inside or outside shots within the same system based on his team any given year. In terms of how many players he wants to rotate in and out, he has stayed pretty consistent there. He usually has 6-7 guys that will get major minutes and another 2-4 that are role guys that get between 10-15 minutes a game. Obviously every team is different, so there is some change there, but with our position breakdown there are just going to be limited opportunities for some of these guys. We are pretty heavy in 6'5"-6'6" G/F guys. Some of them play more like guards and some play more like forwards, but they are all sort of playing the 3 (2 or 4 situationally, but we are going to see a good bit of "small ball" this year). History tells me that the transfers may have a hard time supplanting some of the guys already on the roster unless they can play defense to Barnes' standard. If they hit the floor and give up an easy basket due to a defensive breakdown, Barnes has shown he will pull them. I'm more inclined to assume guys like Tobe, JJJ, Mashack, and Jefferson will see the floor over Knecht, Ledlum, and the freshmen coming in (assuming they will need time to adjust to the defensive expectations). I'm not sure why some people think Gainey is going to come in and immediately be a key player. He is going to have a hard time carving out a roll over SV, JJJ, Dilione, Jefferson, and ZZ (when he comes back). ZZ coming back will push SV back to SG, and I'd assume Dilione and Jefferson will be above him based on the fact that they already have a year in the program. Maybe he will be a superstar, but I just don't have any reason to assume that.

This is why I have a hard time coming up with a positional depth chart. We have a lot of combo guys that play multiple spots. I still think the depth chart goes something like this, and it is all fluid because WHO KNOWS:

G starters and key backups:
Santi
Dilione
Mashack
ZZ (when healthy)
Jefferson

G role players:
Gainey
Knecht

F/C starters and key backups:
JJJ
Aidoo
Awaka

F role players:
Ledlum
JP (or Cade Phillips, or neither guy if they aren't ready, but probably not both)

That gives us 8 guys in the main rotation and 4 role players that could carve out a bigger role once they spend some time in the program.
 
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#74
#74
Things I’d like to see improve from certain individuals to make this team great:

1) Mashack’s perimeter shooting.
2) Awaka’s FT shooting.
3) Aidoo’s around the basket offense.

JJJ becoming a rim finisher/slasher would obviously be huge, but I just don’t think it’s gonna happen at this point. If those 3 things above happen and everything else is what we expect, this team has no ceiling, IMO.
 
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#75
#75
bleedingTNorange said:
Not a bad take…I wonder if JJJ plays mostly 4 thus bumping Awaka to the 5 behind Aidoo which also helps space out the floor.

Zeigler/Dilione
Santi/Gainey
Knecht/Mashack
JJJ/Ledlum
Aidoo/Awaka

Bench: Estrella, Jefferson, Carr, Phillips
Click to expand...

I would be surprised if this isn’t it in March (barring injuries). Dillione and Ledlum “starting” early in the season to allow ZZ to heal and JJJ to rest up.
 
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