Any thoughts on starters and playing time for next season?

Oooohhhh. I’ll play:

I think the starting lineup (which in my opinion wi have less value this year) starts with Vescovi at the point. He was erratic but fearless and shows the passing acumen. The first wing spot is Springer. If what he did in high school translates to college hoops, the guy just gets to his spots in the midrange area. This creates chaos and opens passing lanes as well as his offensive scoring package. The other wing is JJJ. I think him solely as a point guard is done on this team. He is a great secondary ball handler, but if he isn’t told to score he won’t do it. Pons will start in the post as long as he returns and he is the teams safety net. Fulkerson is the last big and will be the primary low post scorer and the primary on ball post defender.

The bench situation will be fluid but I think the first two guards off the bench will always be Johnson and Bailey. The big off the bench is EJ. Energy guys who have great individual strengths. Johnson is an elite athlete among athletes. Should be a defensive stalwart and an open court nightmare for other teams. If his jumper comes along, he certainly capable of starting. Bailey is another plus athlete with an extremely smooth stroke. Another contender to start as well pending development. EJ is the post grinder that should rebound and get fouled. We need that second unit to draw some fouls.

Now comes the most important. Who will finish games? This is the problem that has been driving me crazy. There are times when I think Pons, Fulkerson, and/or Vescovi should not be in at the end. Freshman usually struggle at first as well. So seeing a lineup of Bailey, James, Johnson, Springer and Pons/Fulkerson is the first option. That five should leave plenty of teams tongues dragging. Maybe mix Vescovi/Johnson offense for defense. Or go shooters and have Bailey and Vescovi out there together and sit the freshmen.

Thoughts?

I think it'll look something like this to start

Vescovi/Springer/Bailey
Springer/Bailey/Johnson
JJJ/Johnson/Walker
Pons/EJ/Walker
Fulky/Pons/Uros

I kind of hope Pember and Gaines can redshirt. ORN will see spot mins.

I LOVE Gaines’ energy and his attitude.  He’s fearless on D and is a pest for opponents.   He’s also fearless on offense, which is a quality you just can’t teach some folks.  But the talent on offense just isn’t quite there yet, so he ends up throwing up shots that hit nothing but the backboard.  I think a redshirt year could do wonders for him, possibly freeing up some playing time for him down the road.  But then I think if he redshirts this year, which seniors will leave...Fulk, Anosike, and Pons if he’s not gone already?   Gaines doesn’t really play the 4/5 like those guys do?  He’s already had a year of prep school so he’s effectively redshirted 1 year already.    So then I think maybe it’s just best for him to keep plugging along and doing his best to earn role player minutes off the bench instead of redshirt like Jalen Johnson and end up transferring down the road.  I really don’t know.     

Like most of you, I think our starting 5 is likely:

Vescovi
Springer
JJJ
Pons
Fulk


That’s a solid group, but it sounds like we have to legitimately think about Pons not returning.  If that’s the case, who starts at the 4....EJ?  Walker?      

Especially for the newcomers (frosh + EJ and bailey), Barnes loves him some D.   I know very little about the D of the 3 frosh, but Bailey has great street cred from the Oregon boards and practice reports from last year.     That plus whatever 3 pt% he gives us I think earns him a ton of minutes.  I’m most excited about him I think of all our newcomers, but that’s probably misguided.   Barnes has always talked about playing fast, but he’s not always executed that well.     We appear on paper to have a super deep group (particularly if Pons is back).   

Bchilds brings up a great point about finishing games.  More last year than most, I saw Barnes subbing at lot at the end of games for offense/defense.  I was really impressed how he utilized it at times.  Anyway, it’s a tough question.  Vescovi was a bit turnover prone last year (an understatement) but got better with time and was pretty solid at end of games.  His D was suspect but also it improved.  But he was the best FT shooter on the team.   I kind of want the ball in his hands at the end of games until proven otherwise.     I think Bailey may earn his way in to the end of games as well though, esp if his D is truly as good as rumored.   His last year at Oregon, he shot ~40% from 3 and made 41 of 45 free throws on the year in about 20 mins per game, and not particularly TO prone.   Plus he’s got experience.  That sounds like another finisher to me.    3-5, prob JJJ, Pons, and Fulk if avail?    That leaves no freshman out there, but given their hype I’m sure any of the 3 could possibly supplant someone?  

 

Yeah, agreed if EJ is good enough, then it’s an easy fix.   If not, then all bets are off but I 100% agree with you in that whether it’s Bailey or Johnson that jumps in the starting lineup, I see them both at the 3 with JJJ sliding over to the 4.  On offense, it’s not as much of a problem anywhere and guys can play wherever, but on D...JJJ seems like the best option to guard the 4 at the other position.    My concern is with him and Fulk as our 2 bigs, it’s just not a lot of beef if the opposition has a big lineup down low.    Pons coming back is huge for this reason....makes our post D infinitely better, IMO.

I know it’s none of my business, but seeing Pember lost 15 pounds makes me think he is one of the players who contracted COVID. Really curious to see James. He better step up or he’ll get passed. Making strides in athleticism can be tough.