I agree that we certainly will remember Pullin very fondly for all the reasons you listed. I also agree on not being sold on Clayton at PG. When I look at Klavzar's highlights and make note of the fact that they came against very good competition, then look at his extensive history of playing with and against very good competition, all of that makes me believe that he is our missing piece. And I think we are the perfect place for him to showcase his talents for the NBA: plenty of shooters, plenty of bigs, but a relative dearth of PG talent...in other words, a roster that will help him shine on a team that can go places. I also believe that having the former starting PG of our national championship teams on the staff may be a good attractant to a PG looking to maximize his skills and his professional prospects. I fervently hope that we get him, and that the news about our walking away from Johnson, along with a lack of news about Tillery, means that we are in serious talks with Klavzar. However, I'm sure that he is in demand by quite a few top programs, so it will be a battle, but I think at least superficially that we are in a good place. Or...we may not even be talking to him at this point in time. Who knows? We will...eventually. But I REALLY want him!
Guys, great discussions on how he could fit vs what’s on our roster now. I’ve said before, I’ll ride with whatever TG & staff decide to do. That being said, I’d like our chances better IF we had a true PG on the roster. ZP was so good last year, just cemented for me, that there’s still a place in today’s game , for a player with that skill-set. Again, thanks to everyone for your opinions, comments & explanations on your thoughts!!!
Kid has the step-back jumper down. Right at 2:30 he gets away with about 6 steps going to the basket...ha ha ha! Defense?
Unless something really out of ordinary happens, no PG signed at this juncture will be earmarked to play. Probably wouldn’t be ready to play, plus there’s the matter of the conversations that took place with the players who are on the roster relative to rotation plan and minutes.
It appears then that DA (and KK) are earmarked for minutes at the PG spot? TG is on record saying that Martin won't run the PG, but will have some of the offense flow through him. Clayton will get some minutes at PG...but I can't see too many. That leaves DA and KK for the remaining minutes at the 1? This is a thread that I'd love to flag and revisit come SEC time....
Kujas spending all summer in Lithuania concerns me, tbh. There was some optimism he could make a jump with a full off-season. Will definitely be playing more hoops against better comp, but not entirely sure he wants to leave home again, let alone that we will have more confidence in him after not being around the program for a few months. I still think we start with Clayton at the one, but are hopeful Aberdeen can take a leap himself. At this stage, Aberdeen is basically a Kugel replacement: multiple position perimeter defender and good transition player who isn't much more than a secondary ballhandler (though I do think he was MUCH better running pick and rolls than Kugel, who did most of his damage off isolation). If Aberdeen proves he can be trustworthy halfcourt ballhandler/initiator, then I can see him stealing minutes there when Clayton sits, or even alongside Clayton. Otherwise, we are gonna need 10-20 minutes at the one somewhere. Will be interesting to watch play out. In the current climate, I have far more confidence in returning players developing than I do in incorporating an international player on the fly. But I guess much depends on that international player.
What do you think about this Swedish kid we are now looking at. We have have looked at a lot of pg’s and this fellow sounds very good and at 6’7” he could fill in there, also as a quick 3 pt strike from the sf position. Or are we just putting everybody out there like we are truly trying to add somebody. Too many whiffs are making CTG look like he can’t close the deal and he is not serious enough to make these additions want to come aboard. Thus making us look like we don’t want to spend money.
I don't see him being much. Simply, he has WAY too many vowels in his name. Maybe if we sign him and Ghtbimk and play them together it may work out. We shall see.
We’ve already talked about this. We don’t NEED anyone. We don’t know that Golden is even pushing hard for anyone, let alone whiffing. We have heard of maybe four names we are even pursuing, and none of them would have really moved the needle. You can’t read too much into any of these international targets, either. NIL is a new frontier for them, so these guys are all feeling out there their options—and probably inflating their worth greatly!
We don't actually know which were whiffs, and which were in reality those we were not interested in. I think to some extent that you are assuming.
Alright, let me say that when articles say that the Florida Mens basketball program are interested and pursuing them, I feel that the coaches would like some insurance against injuries. The last two years showed that without a great bench, we are rolling the dice and hoping. there is a reason why you have thirteen spots for a D1 roster. Our competition uses these clippings to show we aren’t serious enough, probably money shy, and we show them which players could possibly help their programs. The CMW when he ran the program just went for unrealistic stretch players. CTG knows quality players when he sees them. He also knows one player going down at the end of the last two seasons has derailed our goals. So, either don’t tell reporters anything or explain why we can’t have a decent SF or backup point guard. Basketball with the addition of Texas and Oklahoma makes our seasons tougher and longer, more chances for injuries. Hopefully CTG will pull a couple of more backups, so we don’t go down in a quick moment. I bet Tennessee, Arkansas, Texas A&M, Alabama, Auburn even Georgia, will have full 13 rosters. Let’s not be the tournament team they call D-light, when we roll in.
A) The coaches aren't telling reporters anything. They can't. This is mostly social media and podcast driven. B) Calipari is going with 9 this year. Lots of programs don't fill all of their scholarships. Donovan never did. It's nearly impossible in this day and age to have 13 kids who can play. If you have to play guys 11-13, you probably aren't making the tourney anyway because it means you have lost key players from you rotation. The end of our bench is for development, plain and simple. Maybe someone surprises us, but it's just that--a surprise, not expectation.
200 min in a game. 8 guys play 25 each on average. Who cares who walks out as starter. It's whose in during crunch time.
