BOLDEN, the time is nearing.

[nets on nets on nets]

Doesn't Bolden attend the same school that Matt Jones attended?? Surprised we haven't heard more about Matt selling Duke to him.
With Duke or UK, appears Bolden will be competing for a starting spot, whether than walking in knowing he will be starting. Gotta think that is a good thing for the kid, hope he picks the good guys though. I'd settle for him NOT choosing Duke or UK at this point.

 

[Get Nasty]

Yeah I don't think K promises anyone the starting spot. He might say to a tatum/giles type player "look, you're an unbelievable talent, probably a lock to be a lottery pick after 1 year, with hard work and doing what I ask, there's no reason you shouldn't be starting."

With Bolden I think his offense is closer to Jah than Jeter. His wingspan and massive hands allow him to do similar things to Jah. On defense I think he's closer to Jeter than Jah. He may have some foul trouble issues (as all bigs do) but I think he can play better D than Jah. With that said, I think you have to start todays frosh on an equal playing field for confidence issues(not my confidence issues ). I'd be much more confident in Amile/Jeter coming off the bench than Bolden even if they were equal from productivity while starting.

 

[dukiejay]

Amile will be fine playing the five. We're not getting Bolden.

 

[Get Nasty]

Amile will be fine playing the five. We're not getting Bolden.

Don't rain on my parade! If Amile is playing big minutes at the 5 duke has to get back to it's running ways and run teams out of the gym.

 

[BOOGIEMAN1914]

there just arent any dominant space eating 5's really anymore and not really in the ACC...amile along w/ chase....vrank/obi should hold it down and hopefully we fulfill the idea that the parker/hood lead team wanted to do w/ running.....i think we are good w/o getting Bolden....we have our 5 incoming guys along w/ amile......right now, its just whether grayson is going to return imo

 

[Get Nasty]

there just arent any dominant space eating 5's really anymore and not really in the ACC...amile along w/ chase....vrank/obi should hold it down and hopefully we fulfill the idea that the parker/hood lead team wanted to do w/ running.....i think we are good w/o getting Bolden....we have our 5 incoming guys along w/ amile......right now, its just whether grayson is going to return imo

Agree but there are Rim protectors, we haven't had that in a long time from the position.

 

[Laettner15]

I think with Amile at the 5 and Jeter rotating in with him will be fine. I think Duke will be able to adapt to any style (run run run or halt court set). And I think between Obi and (I'm probably over hyping him) Javin will be able to give us a solid 10-12 minutes between the 2 of them a game, I know it doesn't sound like much but with Giles coming off of that knee injury, could help a lot!

 

[Willcampbell]

Agree but there are Rim protectors, we haven't had that in a long time from the position.

You'll eat those words when we land Bol Bol.
OFC

 

[nets on nets on nets]

I absolutely positively want Bolden.
My worry is that without Bolden, we will have an uber-talented team with a MAJOR HOLE - being the 5 man.
Much like the 2014 Jabari team (However 2016 SHOULD be more talented and 2016 Amile will be stronger than 2014 Amile) but still, the 2014 team seemed like a talented team that went to waste.
Hope I am wrong, but it baffles me that we can have all the blue-chippers, but not a single rim protecter.
Jeter could get there MAYBE, but I believe Obi and Vrank have no chance next year......

 

[dukiejay]

Bolden isn't coming here....but it doesn't mean we'll have a major hole in the middle.

 

[nets on nets on nets]

Bolden isn't coming here....but it doesn't mean we'll have a major hole in the middle.

Hope your wrong. Hope Jeter picks it up this summer.

 

[crazyduke3]

The middle will be fine. Obi and jeter will be much better prepared for minutes next year should we need them and we will. Chase especially will be much better next year. Jay taytum Harry Giles and amile will give us plenty of size. Amile will be farrrr better suited to be our rebounding source next year than his sophomore year.

 

[twdukefan]

I don't know what other people thought, but was Jah really that imposing as a rim protector compared to what Giles and Jeter will be? Worse case scenario is Giles, at 6'10", plays some at the five. The problem with the Jabari team was that Amile wasn't nearly ready to man the five and Jabari lingered on the perimeter when he wasn't trying to go coast to coast. Next year's team will have plenty of bigs, just not that "banger" we've all become obsessed with. And that's fine.

 

[jnastasi]

While I don't think it's a MAJOR hole, the last time Amile played the 5 it didn't go so well. It happened because Amile isn't a 5. He really struggles guarding a guy bigger and more physical than him. I know Coach would never have him come off the bench but I like the idea of him being a spark coming off the bench to spell Jeter and Giles. Either way I think we're fine season. We're still gonna be a top 2 or 3 team and we're still gonna be competing for a national championship.

 

[twdukefan]

Gonna have to wait until 2017 to get Bamba and Carter in the middle haha

 

[pisgah101]

Well have enough skill at every position next year to dominate everyone.. Amile will do fine at the 5. He's not the kid he was last time he was forced to play it

 

[dukiejay]

While I don't think it's a MAJOR hole, the last time Amile played the 5 it didn't go so well. It happened because Amile isn't a 5. He really struggles guarding a guy bigger and more physical than him. I know Coach would never have him come off the bench but I like the idea of him being a spark coming off the bench to spell Jeter and Giles. Either way I think we're fine season. We're still gonna be a top 2 or 3 team and we're still gonna be competing for a national championship.

Amile was 25lbs lighter, three years younger and a sophomore at the time too. Quinn Cook wasn't very good that season, either.

 

[baseballlover14]

Duke and uk will have talent but if you go to the bench Duke will be far better. Possibly jones, Kennard, and Thorthon or Jackson off the bench will light it up

 

[twdukefan]

Duke and uk will have talent but if you go to the bench Duke will be far better. Possibly jones, Kennard, and Thorthon or Jackson off the bench will light it up

Their class is pretty good, and will get better if they get Bolden. Depends really on who comes back; if Ulis and Murray leave, they're back to having two young guards start for them and there will be a bit of a learning curve.

 

[skysdad]

Skal ain't going back to the uk. You can forget about that.

Don't you think he's already talked to Skal to get a feel as to whether he's staying at UK or gone. OFC

 

[adm015]

I think Duke is fine without getting Bolden "IF" Giles and Jefferson are completely healthy and the Duke staff can get more out of Jeter, Obi, Vrank and Javin.

 

[skysdad]

Doesn't Bolden attend the same school that Matt Jones attended?? Surprised we haven't heard more about Matt selling Duke to him.
With Duke or UK, appears Bolden will be competing for a starting spot, whether than walking in knowing he will be starting. Gotta think that is a good thing for the kid, hope he picks the good guys though. I'd settle for him NOT choosing Duke or UK at this point.

Well HOF Coach Roy Williams is telling all that the UNC men's basketball program is in the clear. Just be careful and not run over Sylvia Hatchell because she's laying under the team bus. Maybe he's thinking he has a shot at beating out Kennedy Meeks and BIG LUKE MAYE for the majority of PT. Oh I forgot HOF Coach Roy Williams doesn't recruit one and done's does he. OFC

 

[HuffyJB]

Count me among those that feel a 4/5 combo of Giles, Jefferson, Jeter, Obi, Vrank is MORE than enough to be the best team in the country. Especially when paired with the guards and wings Duke will have.

 

[DukeRulesBasketball]

Their class is pretty good, and will get better if they get Bolden. Depends really on who comes back; if Ulis and Murray leave, they're back to having two young guards start for them and there will be a bit of a learning curve.

Ulis is gone. That's already confirmed. I'm sure Murray will be gone as well.

 

[twdukefan]

Ulis is gone. That's already confirmed. I'm sure Murray will be gone as well.

Aight, if I had to say which one should go, I would have guessed Murray, so I guess both leave. In that case, they have De'Aaron Fox and Malik Monk, but again, another group of guards with a learning curve. Poythress is gone, Skal will probably go, and Marcus Lee may graduate and leave. I guess they'll have Briscoe back?

 

[Crank_it_loud]

Murray and Skal are gone for sure.

 

[LongTimeDukeFan]

Bolden isn't coming here....but it doesn't mean we'll have a major hole in the middle.

Is this some cryptic clue that there is something major in the works OR are you saying that we'll be keeping some bigs longer that with maturity will dominate the post? BTW -- I'm fine with either case.

 

[nets on nets on nets]

For UK: I believe Ulis Murray Skal and Poythress(SR) are gone. Briscoe comes back.
There bigs will be BAM, Killeya-Jones, Humphries, Wynard, maybe Bolden.

I think if they get Bolden, they have the deeper and more talented front court. However, our guards are deeper and our 3 man Tatum is MUCH better than what will be there weakest position (Willis and WenyenGabriel). Give me the better guards and wings any day.

 

[adm015]

Duke next year without Bolden will have 6 players 6'8 or taller in Giles, Jefferson, Jeter, Obi, Vrank and Javin. That is plenty of bodies for Coach K to use and utilize to help Duke make another run in the NCAA tournament. Let the coaching staff develop these players and Duke should be fine without Bolden.

 

[dukehokie]

Count me among those that feel a 4/5 combo of Giles, Jefferson, Jeter, Obi, Vrank is MORE than enough to be the best team in the country. Especially when paired with the guards and wings Duke will have.

Exactly!!! Have we forgotten so quickly that before he was hurt, Amile was averaging a double-double and guarding everything from 3's to 5's?

Give me a 5 year, hungry Amile over a first year Bolden all day.

 

[crazyduke3]

Part of 2013's problem was a lot of time spent at the 5 by Jabari and while he did it pretty well, he wasn't made for it. We depended on a skinny PF in his second year and a SF in his first to hold our post down all year. I am telling you, 5th year PF who averaged a double double and an ULTRA talented PF in his first year, with a very talented second year C

 

[dukehokie]

Doesn't Bolden attend the same school that Matt Jones attended?? Surprised we haven't heard more about Matt selling Duke to him...

He wasn't at De Soto when Matt was there. They don't really know each other.

 

[dukehokie]

Part of 2013's problem was a lot of time spent at the 5 by Jabari and while he did it pretty well, he wasn't made for it. We depended on a skinny PF in his second year and a SF in his first to hold our post down all year. I am telling you, 5th year PF who averaged a double double and an ULTRA talented PF in his first year, with a very talented second year C

That team was a steady PG away from being a Final Four team. When Quinn was good, they rolled, when he wasn't, meh.

 

[DukeDenver]

Worst case scenario: starting 5 of Thornton, Luke, Tatum, Giles and Amile.

Reserves: Matt, Frank, Chase

Deep help from bigs Javin and Vrank.

That's a very good defensive team. Probably the offense will take a half season to gel. Throw in Grayson and we've got plenty of punch and depth and will be top 5. Without him, we need to stay healthy, and we're a solid top 10 team. Either way we're in the hunt and sweeping Car-olina

 

[aah555]

Worst case scenario: starting 5 of Thornton, Luke, Tatum, Giles and Amile.

Reserves: Matt, Frank, Chase

Deep help from bigs Javin and Vrank.

That's a very good defensive team. Probably the offense will take a half season to gel. Throw in Grayson and we've got plenty of punch and depth and will be top 5. Without him, we need to stay healthy, and we're a solid top 10 team. Either way we're in the hunt and sweeping Car-olina

I think we're top 5 even without Grayson (as long as we don't lose anyone else for significant stretches). With Grayson, we're preseason #1 and likely looking at a 35+ win team that will be expected to sweep the ACC titles and, at a minimum, reach the final four.

 

[lobstersgopinchpinch]

Worst case scenario: starting 5 of Thornton, Luke, Tatum, Giles and Amile.

Reserves: Matt, Frank, Chase

Deep help from bigs Javin and Vrank.

That's a very good defensive team. Probably the offense will take a half season to gel. Throw in Grayson and we've got plenty of punch and depth and will be top 5. Without him, we need to stay healthy, and we're a solid top 10 team. Either way we're in the hunt and sweeping Car-olina

Worst case is Thorton doesn't significantly improve, and lingering / future injuries to Giles and/or Amile impact their effectiveness, making us (again) a team with guys playing out of position and no quality depth up front. (I didn't see enough from Jeter to think he plays more than 6-10 mins per game next year, hope I'm wrong.) Doesn't sound like we're getting Bolden, but man could we use him, especially to anchor our D.

 

[Crank_it_loud]

Worst case is Thorton doesn't significantly improve, and lingering / future injuries to Giles and/or Amile impact their effectiveness, making us (again) a team with guys playing out of position and no quality depth up front. (I didn't see enough from Jeter to think he plays more than 6-10 mins per game next year, hope I'm wrong.) Doesn't sound like we're getting Bolden, but man could we use him, especially to anchor our D.

The UK fan still lingers, posing....

 

[twdukefan]

Duke next year without Bolden will have 6 players 6'8 or taller in Giles, Jefferson, Jeter, Obi, Vrank and Javin. That is plenty of bodies for Coach K to use and utilize to help Duke make another run in the NCAA tournament. Let the coaching staff develop these players and Duke should be fine without Bolden.

They won with Zoubs, Lance, and two raw Plumlees in 2010. Next year they'll have more bodies, so they should be aight without Bolden

 

[nets on nets on nets]

Worst case scenario: starting 5 of Thornton, Luke, Tatum, Giles and Amile.

Reserves: Matt, Frank, Chase

Deep help from bigs Javin and Vrank.

That's a very good defensive team. Probably the offense will take a half season to gel. Throw in Grayson and we've got plenty of punch and depth and will be top 5. Without him, we need to stay healthy, and we're a solid top 10 team. Either way we're in the hunt and sweeping Car-olina

I don't wanna be top 5 or top 10, I wanna be top 1.
And with Grayson OR Bolden, I think we achive that. I'm afraid next year could go from being "dominant" to "in the hunt."

 

[dukiejay]

We'll be a top five team regardless of if Grayson and Bolden are here or not....