Starting 5 Next Year? Bench?

Will be:

Burke

Hardaway

Robinson

Smotrycz

Mcgary

...will have to think about which five to have on the floor makes me giddy. How long has it been? I'm no expert, but if there's any expertise displayed above, we'll have at least 11 D-1 caliber basketball players, 8 with at least a year in the system, and at least 2 capable at each position. I would think that helps us a ton, if only because it raises the level of talent the guys play against every day in practice.

Beilien is going to have some tough decisions next year, but the one thing I know for sure is that everyone will over estimate how much the freshmen will play.   A freshmen is like the back up qb, no one has seen them play yet so they must be awesome!!!

Remember when Brundige was going to be starting right away so we could get Douglas off the floor?

This class looks amazing coming in, but to assume a freshmen like Stauskas is going to just come in and jump Vogrich and that veteran starters are just going to be moved to the bench is a little early.

The biggest question is that the makeup of the team has changed.  We have more bigs than ball handlers so does Beilien play more bigs and just leave the ball in Burkes hands or does he stay more conventional and have a bunch of bigs unhappy on the bench?

TH is bound to work on his handle in the offseason, a move to the 2 makes sense if he has intentions of going pro. The clips I have seen Robinson handles the ball in open court well. To get size, athleticism, shooting on the court our lineup will eventually be
1)Burke
2)TH
3)Robinson
4)Smot
5)McGary

my gosh...just as you all completely overlooked denard with forcier, youre doing the same with stauskas... stauskas is gonna assauge losing novak.

pg burke

sg thj

sf vogrich

pf smotz

c morgan

then go athletic with

sf bd2

pf mcgary

c horford

sprinkle in

pg brundidge

sg stauskas

Instead of everyone complaining about how they think Beilein screwed up, just remember that with the squad that we have (and losing darius) we still can put up another banner.

Lewan, Mealer, Barnum, Omameh, & Schofield ... that's the starting 5 I care about right now.

Next year's going to be interesting to see how the lineup shakes up.  I feel like someone is going to get left out of the mix.  We have Burke, THJr, Smot, Morgan, Horford, Brundidge, Vogrich, McGary, Stauskas, Robinson III, and maybe even Beilfeldt if he's really improving as much as Beilein said.  I might've forgotten someone, but that's 10 people. 

My best guess is that McGary and Robinson start to begin the season, and Stuaskas comes off the bench for the whole season.

PG: Burke
SG: Hardaway

SF:Smot/Robinson

PF:Mcgary/Smot

C:Morgan/Horford

1. Burke  (Brundidge/Akunne)

2. Hardaway (Vogrich/Staukas)

3.  GRIII (Hardaway/Staukas)

4. Smotz (Beilfeldt/Christian)

5. Morgan/McGary (Hortford/McLimans)

**The 5 is tricky. Curious what Beilein will do with the 4 and 5**

Predictions: 27-4 (Season) w/B1G Outright Conference Champions. BTT Champions. Final Four. **Football team finishes 14-0 same year (My honest opinion for this up coming season for both sports)***

I think Staukas could be very good at the 2 with how good his ball handling skills are which THJ does not have

Starters: Burke, Hardaway, Jr., Morgan or Horford, Robinson III, Smotrycz

Reserves: Horford or Morgan, McGary, Stauskas, Brundidge, Vogrich, Bielfeldt

Scout Team: Christian, Akunne, McLimans, Bartelstein, Tummala 

McGary's regression and Robinson III's improvement since last summer suggests that Robinson might have the edge is getting the start. Wouldn't expect Morgan and Horford to see much time together if Robinson proves he can rebound well and play strong defense.  If Stauskas proves he can shoot and defend at least as well as, if not better than, Smotrycz, then he could become a starter too.

Biggest concerns:  Keeping Burke healthy; restoring Hardaway's confidence and hoping he'll improve his dribbling, passing and defense; having a steady backup point guard; replacing the leadership and tenacity of Novak and Douglass.

Expect Michigan to be ranked between 18 and 22 before the season and to be in the NCAA tournament field at season's end.

Smot can't do much besides shoot. He's slow, can't dribble, but can shoot well and rebound adequately. He's a good sixth man.

McGary brings something we've been needing--size and athleticism--and will start. You can't teach motor and he has a decent midrange shot.

Beilein isn't going to bench him because he doesn't fit the offense. You build an offense around the players you have.

Burke / Brundidge / Akunne

Stauskas / Vogrich

THJ / Robinson / Vogrich

McGary / Smot / Horford

Morgan / McGary / Horford

recruits players to fit HIS system. Not to work around/mold offense around them. Lay off Smotz dick. Smotz made many dribbling moves to drive to the basket and score (during the season).  He's not as slow like most are claiming.  He is "rebounding adequately" as you said. He does lack motor but Smotz will be just fine.  He can make some bone-head decisions that makes you scream, but he's a starter next year. Give hime time.

I'm gonna enjoy wearing my B1G Champions t-shirt & hat and think about next season when the athletic season is over.

More important things going on right now than thinking about next year. Hockey in the CCHA Playoff Championship Game and Selection Sunday tomorrow. Hopefully a solid run in the NCAA Tournament.

Baseball & Softball are about to start B1G play next weekend.

Womens Basketball is playing their first NCAA Tournament game in 11 years tomorrow.

Lacrosse season is still underway with a huge game following the Spring Game.

And Spring Football practice starts today.

The starting 5 will probably evolve through the season next year, mostly because we have a lot of talent coming in who will need to learn the offense. I think the coaches will start the more experienced guys initially, but i expect the freshmen will crack the starting line-up eventually. We've seen several freshmen come right in and start recently (Burke, Hardaway, Morris, Morgan, even Douglass and Novak). But they did so because there was no one else competing with them for the starting roles. Next year there will be a lot of competition at every position except PG, so I expect a lot of movement in the first part of the season. Still, here's a guess:

1 - Burke (obviously)
2 - Hardaway (not great ball handling, but he's pretty much just a shooter at this point)
3 - Robinson (we need a new focal point for the offense, GR3 has the most weapons)
4 - Smotrycz (for the offensive "fit" only, probably won't be the starter later into the season)
5 - Horford (he started the first game or two this year, has more potential upside than Morgan)

Tim Hardaway Jr. at the 2. I don't see his dribbling as solid enough. And I know that John Bielin's runs his offenes through the 3 a lot (although to be fair Burke made that different this year).

I'm thinking the lineup looks like:

PG-Burke/Brundidge

SG-Vogrich or Stauskus/loser between that battle (I know everybody is automatically going to assume Stauskus would win that battle but I'm not so sure. Vogrich's defense has gotten better every year and he may be able to provide some leadership.)

SF-Hardaway/Robinson

PF-Smot/McGary Maybe even Robinson gets some minutes at the 4

C-McGary/Morgan/Horford

I know that you would probably like to find a way to get some more minutes from Robinson if he is as good as I think he is, but this is a lineup where you don't need to manipulate anyone into another position (ie Hardaway to two).

There is a few things you have to like about next year's lineup whatever it is. The obvious being the added athleticism from the freshman. But you also have a lot of players with potential for growth. Hardaway could add some consistently, Smot could establish his shooting touch throughout the entire season. Brundidge who I thought had a lot of talent coming in could took a step foward. And I also don't see a way where we don't have less depth.

I think bottom line for next season is that there are a lot of things that can happen to make us a better team. Of course not of all them will, but it's hard to see a way where we won't be a better team despite the loss of leadership.

I will wait and see on the starters, but the one thing I am confident of is McGary making everyone better with his presence on the court. My god, there was so much open and available in the lane against Ohio, but M had nobody who could take advantage of it. When McGary sets a screen for Burke at the top of the key, it is going to be an entirely different animal to defend, as opposed to Smot or Morgan setting the screen. Now Beilein will have a highly skilled, aggressive, physically gifted Big to crash the boards, make good passes, create his own shot. I can't wait to see it.

I can see Belien spreading the floor with Burke, Vogrich, Smot and Hardaway, leaving McGary to roam the paint creating nightmare scenarios for opposing coaches.

but my preference would be:

1. Burke

2. Stauskas

3. Hardaway

4. McGary

5. Morgan

If Smotrycz doesn't improve his shooting, he doesn't help us that much at the 4.  McGary would be a better rebounder, shot blocker and defensive presence.  Plus I would really like to see him and Morgan banging in the paint together.  Stauskas is a great outside shooter and has the height to shoot over any 2 out there, plus he can handle the ball and pass it.

I think our lack of depth wore us down and caused the 6 game season ending fade.  I would like to see the starters average about 30 minutes next year and give the bench more PT.  We should have the depth to do that.

Burke, hardaway, Robinson, mcgary, and Morgan. I leave smot as the 6th man only because I would like to see more athleticism on the court, which was lacking this year and got exposed.

Beilein is a smart guy. Yes, his offense so far in his career has been predicated on shooting the 3, especially with a 4 man who can shoot the 3 (Novak), but he is going to quickly realize when camp starts that the personnel he has is best suited to not rely so much on the 3. We will use more of a conventional offense that you see the majority of college teams running that employs 2 big men instead of just one. This is how I see our line up looking next season, with starters listed first and the next most likely person to see playing time at that position next.

1 - Burke                Reserves: Stauskas, Brundidge

2 - Hardaway        Reserves: Vogrich, Brundidge, Stauskas, Robinson

3 - Robinson         Reserves: Hardaway, Vogrich, Smotrycz

4 - McGary              Reserves: Smotrycz, Horford

5 - Morgan             Reserves: Horford, McGary

Biggest concern would seem to be at back up PG - can either Stauskas or Brundidge actually play the 1? It's not like Burke will be out for any more than 10 minutes a game at the most but still questionable.

McGary and Morgan are my best bets on who will be starting at the posts next year, but really I wouldn't be even a little shocked to see any combination of McGary, Morgan, Smotrycz, and Horford starting. It really is a toss up at this point.

Regardless, this will be by far the deepest and most talented team we have seen at Michigan in a good long while. A top 10 pre season ranking wouldn't surprise me in the least, and I would think another run at a Big Ten Title should be in the works. Already can't wait. Go Blue!!!

PG-  Burke

SG-  Vogrich

SF- Hardaway

PF- McGary

C- Morgan

BENCH

6. Robinson - SG/SF/PF

7.  Horford - C/PF

8.  Smotrycz - PF/C/SF

9.  Brundidge - PG/SG

10.  Stauskas - SF/SG/PG

Now, I don't see us going 10 deep often.  But we can.  I think Vogrich starts, but doesn't necessarily earn the most minutes.  We have a lot of talent coming back and many possible lineup combinations because most of the guys are have the size and skill to play multiple spots.

Still fairly confident that Mitch will start next year.

I think we'll have two lineups as usual: the big and small

Big:

Burke/Brundidge

Stauskas/Some THJ

THJ/Robinson

Smotz/Some McGary

McGary/Morgan

Small:

Burke/Brundidge

Stauskas/Some THJ

THJ/Robinson

Robinson

McGary

I trust Beilein to put the best five on the floor for the what the situation dictates. I also think that sometimes the best player is not the most athletic.

Obviously, Burke & Hardaway start. Personally, I think that Smotz and Morgan also start. I think that experience and familiarity with a system means more than we realize. A year ago, Brundidge's name was heard a lot. Now, not so much. In other words, I'm not going to make assumptions about the ability of the incoming freshmen to assimilate.

As the season progresses, the starting five may change. IIRC, the Fab 5 were not all starting at the beginning of the non-conference season many moons ago, when they were all just freshmen.

Almost more important to me than the starters is the rotation. Who gets significant PT? Who is a contributor to the team? There are three current guys who I think could add a lot:  Horford, Brundidge, and Bielfeldt.

I'd like to see two solid contributors at every position. Some guys may contribute at more than one position. I think that the addition of Horford, McGary, & Bielfeldt will actually benefit and open things up a lot for Smotrycz.

People here that are saying McGrary doesn't fit Beilein's offense are fogetting that one of the reasons McGrary is ranked so high is because he can handle the ball well for a big man and has a good mid-range game. One of our problems this year is rebounding, getting killed by guys like Sullinger in the post, and not getting points in the paint production. With all the threes we shoot, it would be nice to get some offensive rebounds. Smotz is not hitting that many threes to keep a guy like McGrary on the bench. Smotz would be a perfect fit as a 6th man giving us a lift off the bench. Thus, IF McGrary is as good as advertised, he's going to start. Everyone with Vorgrich in the starting line-up, have been watching the same games? I like his attitude but do you really think Vorgrich is going to be stating over 5 star talent? If Stauskas can handle the ball well and can shoot, I think he may start over Hardaway. I love Hardaway but he's really going to have to develop his ball-handling in the off-season.

My starting five:

PG Burke

SG Hardaway

SF Robinson

PF McGrary

C Morgan

First off the Bench:

PF Smotz

SG Stauskas

C Horford

/ shakes fist!

Morgan and McGary together will be fun to watch.  Finally get some heat off Morgan and make every fould less of a crisis.