Realistic changes that can be made: rotation, offense, defense

[theBlues]

I was thinking about what realistic changes this team could make to get better and I have a couple ideas besides kicking half the players off the team.

Rotation:
I'm as disappointed in Oweh as anybody and it's clear that Johnson is a work in progress but there is just not enough depth to put either one on the bench
all game. We just have to get them playing better. I completely agree with the majority of the board about BG; he just doesn't have it. Where I probably disagree
with most of the board is about Moreno. I just don't think MM is the answer on offense or defense; he's limited on both ends. Until JQ is playing I think we just about have to go small ball with MoD and Jelavic at center and Williams and Noah at the four.

Offense:
We can't make them better shooters but we can take better shots. Chandler, Noah, and Williams should be the only guys with a 3 point shot green light all the time. Aberdine, Johnson, Oweh, and Jelavic should only take wide open threes. Mo shouldn't take them at all.
Aberdine and Oweh seem to have forgotten that there is something between threes and layups. I don't think the two have combined for 2 short jumpers so far this year. It's been threes or all the way to the rim for both and both have decent mid range jumpers. It was a big part of Oweh's game last year and this year he's forgotten about it.

Defense:
Use the small ball lineup and switch on all screens without much helping. Guard your man and challenge some shots. That would have to work better than whatever the hell they were doing against MSU (giving open threes and even more wide open 12-15 foot shots is not a defensive strategy).

 

[Ukwazoo3]

You think Noah should play over Moreno?

 

[theBlues]

You think Noah should play over Moreno?

Do they play the same positions? One has nothing to do with the other.

 

[Ukwazoo3]

You're forcing a non-center into the center spot just to get Moreno out...which leaves an open spot at the 4, which you slid Noah into.

 

[BlueSince92]

Run with Denzel

DA is not a perfect solution at PG. But he’s a really good solution. 6’5” 190 PG gets it done in the SEC. Vs. UL he was the only guy on our roster who both played over 13 minutes and had a positive +/-.

His +/- was only 1? So. Mikel Brown Jr’s was only 2 and that boy ate us alive. But Brown had 29 points, you say? Aberdeen had 26 on slightly better shooting from the field. But Brown had five assists and only one turnover? Aberdeen had three assists and only one turnover—plus added a steal which is more than you can say for Brown. Very worst you can say is Denzel did a little worse offensively than the team-leading, eye-popping breakout performance of the best guard on the (now) second-ranked offense in the country and he ranks among our best defenders. And he’d do better knowing he had the head coach’s full confidence behind him that this was his team.

No more of this PG by committee stuff—we have enough other things confusing our guys right now. In PG post-Lowe we have a huge problem and we also have a great solution. Buy into it.

(I know the rebuttal is that Denzel plays better off the ball. I don’t actually think it makes all that much difference. And the difference it does make will lessen over time if he commits to PG. He’s our only decent path forward to a ceiling that’s higher than Sweet Sixteen at the very very very luckiest. He’s not a perfect solution but he is a really good solution. He was signed largely for his backup PG potential and he has become next man up if we’re talking about this seriously instead of wringing our hands hoping JJ or Chandler will somehow transform our PG-less team if you alternate them in four minute stretches in just the right magical way.)

 

[theBlues]

You're forcing a non-center into the center spot just to get Moreno out...which leaves an open spot at the 4, which you slid Noah into.

Here is my thinking: MoD is clearly the best all around player we have at the 4/5 spots so he has to play but I don't think he is a good fit with Moreno since both can't shoot outside 5 feet. It's not that I think Noah or Williams are better players than Moreno(I don't); it's just that they both can shoot and neither Moreno not MoD can shoot which makes them not good together.

 

[I’m The Village Idiot]

Here is my thinking: MoD is clearly the best all around player we have at the 4/5 spots so he has to play but I don't think he is a good fit with Moreno since both can't shoot outside 5 feet. It's not that I think Noah or Williams are better players than Moreno; it's just that they both can shoot and neither Moreno not MoD can shoot which makes them not good together.

I agree with you. Mo at the five could let us open the offense up

 

[loublue22_rivals308424]

Deck chairs.

 

[BlueSince92]

Deck chairs.

 

[theBlues]

Deck chairs.

With a band.

 

[HalHR2500]

Only certain players should be grouped with other players, some of the skill sets don't match.

It's up to Pope to figure it out, the mass substitution thing is killing momentum.

 

[Beatle Bum]

You have to sit Garrison. Bring him off the bench. Let Moreno start and take your lumps as he grows into a starting center. Johnson is not ready. He should just get a few minutes each game. The roster should no longer be seen as 10+ deep. Narrow it to 8 main players and let them face the season. I love Noah’s grit and fearlessness, but he is probably too much of a liability on defense. Teams go unabashedly right at him regardless of who he is guarding.

DA
Chandler
Oweh
Mo D
Moreno

Jela, Garrison, Williams, and sometimes Jasper off the bench.

 

[Ukwazoo3]

Here is my thinking: MoD is clearly the best all around player we have at the 4/5 spots so he has to play but I don't think he is a good fit with Moreno since both can't shoot outside 5 feet. It's not that I think Noah or Williams are better players than Moreno(I don't); it's just that they both can shoot and neither Moreno not MoD can shoot which makes them not good together.

I can get on board with this, but I think Moreno over Jelly or Noah. I agree having two non-shooters out there together isn't great, but I don't think Moreno should be at the end of the bench.

 

[theBlues]

I can get on board with this, but I think Moreno over Jelly or Noah. I agree having two non-shooters out there together isn't great, but I don't think Moreno should be at the end of the bench.

Yeah, after some thought I'd probably go with MM as the backup over Jelly. I just don't like MM and MoD on the floor at the same time. It gives me flashbacks of Bradshaw and Onyenso playing together.

By the way, imo, Ukwazoo3 showed how it's supposed to be done in this thread. We will all never agree on everything but we can at least understand the other's point of view if we discuss rather than attack.

 

[Johnfarrel]

I was thinking about what realistic changes this team could make to get better and I have a couple ideas besides kicking half the players off the team.

Rotation:
I'm as disappointed in Oweh as anybody and it's clear that Johnson is a work in progress but there is just not enough depth to put either one on the bench
all game. We just have to get them playing better. I completely agree with the majority of the board about BG; he just doesn't have it. Where I probably disagree
with most of the board is about Moreno. I just don't think MM is the answer on offense or defense; he's limited on both ends. Until JQ is playing I think we just about have to go small ball with MoD and Jelavic at center and Williams and Noah at the four.

Offense:
We can't make them better shooters but we can take better shots. Chandler, Noah, and Williams should be the only guys with a 3 point shot green light all the time. Aberdine, Johnson, Oweh, and Jelavic should only take wide open threes. Mo shouldn't take them at all.
Aberdine and Oweh seem to have forgotten that there is something between threes and layups. I don't think the two have combined for 2 short jumpers so far this year. It's been threes or all the way to the rim for both and both have decent mid range jumpers. It was a big part of Oweh's game last year and this year he's forgotten about it.

Defense:
Use the small ball lineup and switch on all screens without much helping. Guard your man and challenge some shots. That would have to work better than whatever the hell they were doing against MSU (giving open threes and even more wide open 12-15 foot shots is not a defensive strategy).

Playing without your best point guard and your best center is tough, but there should be more fight and toughness than we are seeing. And there were some three point attempts taken that were downright embarrassing. I agree that only those three should be given the green light, and the rest should not be shooting just to get one up.

 

[true-blue1]

He has to shorten the rotation and if he doesn't, we will be fighting to make the tournament. We are starting 3 players that didn't start on their prior teams.

 

[Glenn's Take]

Up your NIL donations. Your kids don't need to go to college.

 

[theBlues]

He has to shorten the rotation and if he doesn't, we will be fighting to make the tournament. We are starting 3 players that didn't start on their prior teams.

This makes me feel like we had even less talent than we thought last year because two of those three appear to be our best two players and Aberdine appears to be a little better than Oweh in almost every way. We don't have a lot of choice in the backcourt, not enough depth to shorten much. Other than BG it seems like the only options to shorten the rotation are Noah, Jelavic, and MM. If MM and MoD are a bad combination that makes it hard not to give at least 2 of those three significant minutes.

 

[theKybluedude]

Switch to primarily using a zone defense. Take away the pocket and rolls and interior screens. We don’t switch well enough nor do we communicate. Can’t get around or over them

Make teams go side to side rather than straight line north and south drives. Don’t have the bulk to play some teams like MSU. Do have the length to be an effective zone team.

 

[KYWC36]

Run with Denzel

DA is not a perfect solution at PG. But he’s a really good solution. 6’5” 190 PG gets it done in the SEC. Vs. UL he was the only guy on our roster who both played over 13 minutes and had a positive +/-.

His +/- was only 1? So. Mikel Brown Jr’s was only 2 and that boy ate us alive. But Brown had 29 points, you say? Aberdeen had 26 on slightly better shooting from the field. But Brown had five assists and only one turnover? Aberdeen had three assists and only one turnover—plus added a steal which is more than you can say for Brown. Very worst you can say is Denzel did a little worse offensively than the team-leading, eye-popping breakout performance of the best guard on the (now) second-ranked offense in the country and he ranks among our best defenders. And he’d do better knowing he had the head coach’s full confidence behind him that this was his team.

No more of this PG by committee stuff—we have enough other things confusing our guys right now. In PG post-Lowe we have a huge problem and we also have a great solution. Buy into it.

(I know the rebuttal is that Denzel plays better off the ball. I don’t actually think it makes all that much difference. And the difference it does make will lessen over time if he commits to PG. He’s our only decent path forward to a ceiling that’s higher than Sweet Sixteen at the very very very luckiest. He’s not a perfect solution but he is a really good solution. He was signed largely for his backup PG potential and he has become next man up if we’re talking about this seriously instead of wringing our hands hoping JJ or Chandler will somehow transform our PG-less team if you alternate them in four minute stretches in just the right magical way.)

He also shot 4 air balls against Louisville from deep and 2 more last night, his shot select is poor and that is being nice, scoring total isn't all that goes into being a good option- sure he can score, but he can't shoot, he won't drive and he has become more worried about offensive that what he is known for, his defense. As a PG he also isn't playing under control and as a result, the little offense we do run, stalls. If I am Pope, no one is promised anything anymore, none of them deserve it. For me, this is even bigger than Pope, at some point, have some common basketball sense and pride as a player

 

[true-blue1]

This makes me feel like we had even less talent than we thought last year because two of those three appear to be our best two players and Aberdine appears to be a little better than Oweh in almost every way. We don't have a lot of choice in the backcourt, not enough depth to shorten much. Other than BG it seems like the only options to shorten the rotation are Noah, Jelavic, and MM. If MM and MoD are a bad combination that makes it hard not to give at least 2 of those three significant minutes.

Jelavic and Moreno has to get more minutes.

 

[Anon1679859502]

They need someone that does nothing but evaluate the talent from G League, high school and the portal. The task is finding the very best players that fit Pope’s system.
This roster is broken and I don’t believe out can be fixed this season. Let whoever wants to transfer go and start fresh

 

[Noledynasty2490]

The lineup I'd like to see personally is.

Aberdeen

Chandler

Oweh or Jasper depending on who's hitting

Jelavic

MoD.

Spread the floor and run.

 

Noledynasty2490

The Battles's End Collective Member

The Battle's End enables FSU athletes to maximize the value of their NIL. Click Here to Sign Up

[BlueSince92]

He also shot 4 air balls against Louisville from deep

He shot 40% from 3 in that game. You can feel that 40% isn’t good enough or that an airball miss is somehow worse than a regular miss but as for me no thank you.

 

[BlueBlood96Cat]

12 million buyout is very affordable for Kentucky right? Let’s start with changes that matter.

 

[KYWC36]

He shot 40% from 3 in that game. You can feel that 40% isn’t good enough or that an airball miss is somehow worse than a regular miss but as for me no thank you.

The point was he shoots bad shots, and the year has definitely shown that. For the year going back to Purdue, he is shooting 46% from the field and 33% from the arc, with as many as he shoots, that is not great. When he shoots good shots, I agree he does well, but I also think he needs to attack the basket more to create better 3 point looks for he and his teammates

 

[KYWC36]

12 million buyout is very affordable for Kentucky right? Let’s start with changes that matter.

That's never going to happen, might as well move on

 

[theBlues]

12 million buyout is very affordable for Kentucky right? Let’s start with changes that matter.

I said "realistic" changes. Kentucky does not fire coaches mid season so that's not a realistic change for this season.

 

[Artlaibesghost]

Pope playing the mix and match lineups , with this group at least is not working. BG gives us no offense, and precious little defense, this season. We need to play Moreno and Jelavick in center spot. Noah and zMo play the 4. The 3 is a huge problem with Owehs lack of production. If he doesn't show up Must play Kam and Jihnson. At the 2 Chandler and Johnson and at point Abetdeen gotta iron man it.

The question can any of these lineups be affective. I'm dubious. I think the personal we have don't mesh. Finally Pope runs a 3 point shooting offense and he doesn't have but 1 real 3 point shooter. He either runs a different offense the rest of the season or he gets run himself.

 

[KYWC36]

Pope playing the mix and match lineups , with this group at least is not working. BG gives us no offense, and precious little defense, this season. We need to play Moreno and Jelavick in center spot. Noah and zMo play the 4. The 3 is a huge problem with Owehs lack of production. If he doesn't show up Must play Kam and Jihnson. At the 2 Chandler and Johnson and at point Abetdeen gotta iron man it.

The question can any of these lineups be affective. I'm dubious. I think the personal we have don't mesh. Finally Pope runs a 3 point shooting offense and he doesn't have but 1 real 3 point shooter. He either runs a different offense the rest of the season or he gets run himself.

I read earlier he played 19 different line up combos last night and only 3 of those got to play together more than 3 mins

 

[BlueSince92]

he shoots bad shots

But is that is an innate quality of Aberdeen as a person, as opposed to the offense isn't installed yet and most things are a mess with this team organizationally?

Sports-Reference, whom I trust, has Denzel Aberdeen shooting 49% on the year from the field. Who has him shooting 46%?

I agree a lot of things need to improve all over the team. Also if we can get a highest-tier pure point guard from G league or from overseas or from someone getting a late eligibility à la Jarnell Stokes or from someone who is able to transfer mid-season and play this year by some rule, sign him up.

But from among what we have now not only is Denzel Aberdeen the smart choice for full-time point guard—the best combination of shooting and driving and strength and distribution and defense in a guy we want at point—in my opinion—but we are digging ourselves a hole riding this Aberdeen-Oweh-Chandler-Johnson PG by committee horse into the ground. Leaving ALL those guys a little dizzy whenever they come in trying to remember whether they're supposed to be playing on the ball or off the ball for this next little segment. Aberdeen is the clear choice from among those four and the sooner we decide to take advantage of that the sooner we can get to work fixing other things.

LIke shot selection. I agree with you Aberdeen's shot selection hasn't been perfect. To me that just means 49/33 is his floor, not his ceiling. Remember that:

• Denzel is shooting 49 and 33 on the season (3.2 AST::1.2 TO)
• Oweh is shooting 43 and 29 on the season. (2.2 AST::2.2 TO)
• Johnson is shooting 40 and 35 on the season (3.2 AST::1.4 TO) (And unfortunately JJ will be a lot easier to manhandle come SEC play)
• Chandler is shooting 53 and 52 on the season (3.0 AST::0.8 TO) Now those numbers are great obviously but if there one guy I personally want to make sure we keep playing off the ball to maximize his productivity it's Colin Chandler.

So most of them could benefit from improved shot selection and as it stands Aberdeen's shot's not hurting worse than anyone's but Chandlers. And he already came up huge in our biggest game.

I also agree he needs to drive to the basket more. But again, I see him as able to do it, and to keep doing it once we get into SEC play.

Someone could convince me Chandler could make a better PG. But I think this team goes further with DA on the ball and Chandler off the ball than the other way around.

 

[I’m The Village Idiot]

I was thinking about what realistic changes this team could make to get better and I have a couple ideas besides kicking half the players off the team.

Rotation:
I'm as disappointed in Oweh as anybody and it's clear that Johnson is a work in progress but there is just not enough depth to put either one on the bench
all game. We just have to get them playing better. I completely agree with the majority of the board about BG; he just doesn't have it. Where I probably disagree
with most of the board is about Moreno. I just don't think MM is the answer on offense or defense; he's limited on both ends. Until JQ is playing I think we just about have to go small ball with MoD and Jelavic at center and Williams and Noah at the four.

Offense:
We can't make them better shooters but we can take better shots. Chandler, Noah, and Williams should be the only guys with a 3 point shot green light all the time. Aberdine, Johnson, Oweh, and Jelavic should only take wide open threes. Mo shouldn't take them at all.
Aberdine and Oweh seem to have forgotten that there is something between threes and layups. I don't think the two have combined for 2 short jumpers so far this year. It's been threes or all the way to the rim for both and both have decent mid range jumpers. It was a big part of Oweh's game last year and this year he's forgotten about it.

Defense:
Use the small ball lineup and switch on all screens without much helping. Guard your man and challenge some shots. That would have to work better than whatever the hell they were doing against MSU (giving open threes and even more wide open 12-15 foot shots is not a defensive strategy).

If we get JQ and let’s say he really is an elite, elite rim protector, I’d like to start playing tight on the perimeter and that would direct more action to JQ in the paint. It’s one thing we haven’t yet seen from Pope but he also hasn’t had an elite rim protector at Kentucky.

I’d also like to see us become more aggressive in using the sidelines, baseline and Halfcourt line as an extra defender. One thing I find irritating is how conservative we play in situations where opposing players are picking up their dribble in these areas and we aren’t sending the house at them.

As far as offense, I genuinely don’t know. I’m worried the personnel we have selected simply can’t shoot good enough (could be my emotions talking).

 

[KYWC36]

But is that is an innate quality of Aberdeen as a person, as opposed to the offense isn't installed yet and most things are a mess with this team organizationally?

Sports-Reference, whom I trust, has Denzel Aberdeen shooting 49% on the year from the field. Who has him shooting 46%?

I agree a lot of things need to improve all over the team. Also if we can get a highest-tier pure point guard from G league or from overseas or from someone getting a late eligibility à la Jarnell Stokes or from someone who is able to transfer mid-season and play this year by some rule, sign him up.

But from among what we have now not only is Denzel Aberdeen the smart choice for full-time point guard—the best combination of shooting and driving and strength and distribution and defense in a guy we want at point—in my opinion—but we are digging ourselves a hole riding this Aberdeen-Oweh-Chandler-Johnson PG by committee horse into the ground. Leaving ALL those guys a little dizzy whenever they come in trying to remember whether they're supposed to be playing on the ball or off the ball for this next little segment. Aberdeen is the clear choice from among those four and the sooner we decide to take advantage of that the sooner we can get to work fixing other things.

LIke shot selection. I agree with you Aberdeen's shot selection hasn't been perfect. To me that just means 49/33 is his floor, not his ceiling. Remember that:

• Denzel is shooting 49 and 33 on the season (3.2 AST::1.2 TO)
• Oweh is shooting 43 and 29 on the season. (2.2 AST::2.2 TO)
• Johnson is shooting 40 and 35 on the season (3.2 AST::1.4 TO) (And unfortunately JJ will be a lot easier to manhandle come SEC play)
• Chandler is shooting 53 and 52 on the season (3.0 AST::0.8 TO) Now those numbers are great obviously but if there one guy I personally want to make sure we keep playing off the ball to maximize his productivity it's Colin Chandler.

So most of them could benefit from improved shot selection and as it stands Aberdeen's shot's not hurting worse than anyone's but Chandlers. And he already came up huge in our biggest game.

I also agree he needs to drive to the basket more. But again, I see him as able to do it, and to keep doing it once we get into SEC play.

Someone could convince me Chandler could make a better PG. But I think this team goes further with DA on the ball and Chandler off the ball than the other way around.

Yea, I will concede out of who we have, he is the obvious choice. I actually think I would have taken him at point over Lowe, no disrespect to Lowe

 

[KyLegacyBBN]

Pope is playing too many combinations of players. He needs to set the rotation and the starters need more than 13 minutes per game.

 

[BlueSince92]

Yea, I will concede out of who we have, he is the obvious choice. I actually think I would have taken him at point over Lowe, no disrespect to Lowe

Me too. I feel like the perfect solution would be Lowe with Aberdeen’s shooting in Aberdeen’s body and if we can find us a doctor who will do that, I won’t ask any questions.

 

[chroix]

Get JQ a bottle of Advil and let BG ride pine.

 

[Catzman]

Yeah, after some thought I'd probably go with MM as the backup over Jelly. I just don't like MM and MoD on the floor at the same time. It gives me flashbacks of Bradshaw and Onyenso playing together.

By the way, imo, Ukwazoo3 showed how it's supposed to be done in this thread. We will all never agree on everything but we can at least understand the other's point of view if we discuss rather than attack.

If we get JQ and let’s say he really is an elite, elite rim protector, I’d like to start playing tight on the perimeter and that would direct more action to JQ in the paint. It’s one thing we haven’t yet seen from Pope but he also hasn’t had an elite rim protector at Kentucky.

I’d also like to see us become more aggressive in using the sidelines, baseline and Halfcourt line as an extra defender. One thing I find irritating is how conservative we play in situations where opposing players are picking up their dribble in these areas and we aren’t sending the house at them.

As far as offense, I genuinely don’t know. I’m worried the personnel we have selected simply can’t shoot good enough (could be my emotions talking).

I think Arizona beat UConn today shooting only 10 3's and hitting only 2. Those midrange shots are more important than they seem. Aberdeen and Oweh should thrive on these.