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Derek Simpson

That sounds like Xander Rice, who I wouldn't mind. I'd prefer a Tyree Appleby type but understandably guys of that caliber are looking to go somewhere where they'll be The Man for 32 minutes a night and that's not the role we're offering up.
I am all for another PG hell bring in 5 new players if they are better then what we have. But we’re you ok with Paul at PG this year? What if Paul come back?
 
I am all for another PG hell bring in 5 new players if they are better then what we have. But we’re you ok with Paul at PG this year? What if Paul come back?
I want Paul back but in a much different role. My ideal roster is:

Transfer PG
Simpson
Davis
Mulcahy
Spencer
Griffiths
Mag
Palmquist
Ndongo
Cliff
Woolfolk
Chol

And the 13th scholarship to a walkon.
 
That sounds like Xander Rice, who I wouldn't mind. I'd prefer a Tyree Appleby type but understandably guys of that caliber are looking to go somewhere where they'll be The Man for 32 minutes a night and that's not the role we're offering up.
Rice looks the part if he's a Pike culture fit and a one-year guy would be good too
32ish minutes might be out there if Paul and Hyatt leave
 
I want Paul back but in a much different role. My ideal roster is:

Transfer PG
Simpson
Davis
Mulcahy
Spencer
Griffiths
Mag
Palmquist
Ndongo
Cliff
Woolfolk
Chol

And the 13th scholarship to a walkon.
Got it! Makes sense. I was going to say because Paul at point was not very successful for his offensively. I did like him a lot in the hybrid role these last 3 games able to use him to find mismatches.
 
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I don't know what fans are looking at but stats are some of the picture, but clearly not reality.

A) if Mulcahy or Cam Spencer were able to create their own shot or take the ball within 10 seconds of the end of the shot clock, we would not be asking or questioning how effective or not Simpson is. Both guards are easily defended 1 on 1 and require a breakdown or mistake by the opponents defense in order to be left open to score.

B) Simpson is not a perfect player, but RU clearly did not have anyone else capable at the guard position, who could execute off a pick and roll and score. As much as Mulcahy should have been at that stage where Pike or the team looked to him to be that player, he did not have the offensive game or shooting confidence to do so.

C) Here are the ultimate items that make sense to me, but this is how I look at the games.

If you are playing fewer than 17 or 18 minutes a game, it is very difficult to ask any player to have an impact on the game at the guard position. So I've carved out games for Simpson where he played a "reasonable amount of minutes ".

22 Games where he played at or more than 17 minutes per game.

80/201 .....40% FG
12/52 3PT% (23%)
9.7 PPG

All games starting with MSG on Feb 4th.

38/100 (FG 38%)
8/32 (3 PT FG% 25%)
9PPG

In last 6 games

32/81 (FG 40%)
3/16 (3PT FG%, 19%)
13.67 PPG

In last 2 games

67 total minutes
13/32 (40.6 FG%)
3/8 (37.5% 3 PT %)
18.5 PPG

40% as a FG shooter as a lead guard in the B1G is in line with most of the PGs or "Combo-guards"

If we use the stats of 22 games for Simpson where he played 17 or more minutes, his numbers are not elite, but they're in line.

MICH- McDaniel 37.7%
MARY- Young 41.9%
OHIO ST- Thornton 45.6%
NW- Buie 40.2%
ILL- Epps 41.8%
PENN ST -Pickett 51.6%
IOWA- Uhlis 40.1%
WISC- Hepburn 37.7%
MINN- Cooper 39.5%
INDIANA- Hood-Schfino 42.2%
MICH ST- Hoggard 40.8%
PURDUE- Smith 44.8%
RUTG- Simpson 40.0%

I have zero concerns about Simpson improving, he will be better from 3 PT range next year. His growth, considering the league and competition, is reasonable from a freshman.

I am more concerned that we find out what player compliments Simpson in the backcourt, beyond Spencer and Gavin. Is JaMicheal Davis at a level to be a quality 12 to 18 minute a game guy?? I think we have seen that Jalen Miller is probably the 5th guard in any rotation.

I would probably feel better if 2024 commit, Deliquan Warren reclassified back to the class of 2023 and comes on board this summer, with Davis. It would plug a big hole on the roster and allow him a legitimate role to play as a freshman, with Simpson and off the bench as the 1st guard.

The ideal 2023-24 backcourt is

Simpson
Spencer
Warren (Miller)
Griffiths
Davis

If Mulcahy plays a 5th year, it ultimately doesn't really solve the bigger picture of where he plays, because he can play the wing, but we already have options in place there.

Bottom line is, Simpson is the least of my concerns going into next year.
 
I've said it in other threads, but will say it again. I'd like to see more distribution to his teammates when driving before I give him the keys to the offense.
Be that as it may, he was still more likely to drive and dish that McConnell and Mulcahey (although to be fair, both seemed to have learned from last year that they should just not drive at all rather than drive and get caught up in the trees and just heave up a shot.)
 
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NJH like your post, but if Simpson has to be a 32 MPG primary point guard he isn’t the least of our concerns.

If he is part of a guard rotation where he plays starter minutes and has another guard next to him that can do what you describe then he is a mild worry
 
An open ended question I have……..

Paul was able to methodically get in to the lane for most of the past 2 years. Why in the past month has that changed?
I don't have any data or video to back this up but my inclination is to say that his left shoulder is busted and teams knew it and drilled into their players to take away the other hand. He got blocked more times in the lane in the past month than he had in two years Perhaps because his headfake, whirling dervish routine isn't effective when he's not at all a threat to put the ball up with his left hand?
 
First and foremost I have some words to eat - about 2 months ago I claimed that Paul needs to facilitate the offense because “our offense was at its best when the ball is in his hands.” Good lord was I horribly wrong (maybe at the time I was right but certainly not at the end of season.)

Now onto Derek - he is the player that I wanted Paul to be and what I incorrectly expected from. He is quick off the dribble which allows him to dish to cliff, look to score or draw guys in to kick out for a 3. He was underused at the end of the season IMO.

He is where the offense needs to flow through next season and beyond. Someone like Griffiths will feast with a drive and kick point guard.

I am proud of this young man Derek. We have a point guard, folks.
It’s silly to compare Paul and Derek. They are different players. Paul is a senior who has played with alpha scorers like RHJ and Geo and has never had prolonged success with the pressure to score. Derek is a true freshmen who is on the court with a knock down shooter (Cam) whose most effective when setup while everyone else stands around. Paul is the ultimate facilitator to the detriment of shooting the ball with confidence and can not break down a defender going to the basket. Derek can take defenders to the basket for buckets and kick out to open shooters but needs to improve on outside shot and laying the ball to open players under the basket when driving. The kid has been making plays every game down the stretch and should have been starting earlier in the season. Athletically Paul and Derek are on different planets.

I wish Paul the best but he’s not a starting PG at this level. He can play at this level as a forward who needs to continue working on his shot, rebound and use his craftiness to pass out on the block or catch open players going to the basket. This team will not improve with him being the pg next season. Don’t know if he will accept coming off the bench but would almost prefer him coming back as a coach or transferring out not to stunt the growth of younger players.

Also, Cliff was great defensively and a force to dunk the ball but he needs a ton of work for an opportunity even in the G league. Hope he returns because if he works on low post moves, he’s a walking 20/10 player and potential BIG player of the year.

GO RU
 
You can go back and have plenty of games were Paul was the man down the stretch and he made winning plays.

Simpson had the wrong read in the final possession in OT. It was an essentially a 2 on 1 and then center committed to Derek. A lot to ask a freshman.

Definitely felt indecisive there - not sure to take it or go for the lob…. So he did both…
 
I don't have any data or video to back this up but my inclination is to say that his left shoulder is busted and teams knew it and drilled into their players to take away the other hand. He got blocked more times in the lane in the past month than he had in two years Perhaps because his headfake, whirling dervish routine isn't effective when he's not at all a threat to put the ball up with his left hand?

Pike kind of indicated Paul had been playing with broken ribs in the presser last night.
 
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People need to look at the sample size of the last 65 or so games over the past 2 years. Paul Mulcahy on March 13, 2023 should not be your starting point guard. No one, outside of a few, would have said this 2 months ago or 13 months ago.

I am honestly not sure what to think about him and his usage for next year. For those who with conviction are throwing him in the trash heap are being very short sighted and acting like.....
1. Our success with him as a PG didn't happen
2. Paul is definitely not limited by injury
 
I think he was referring to that in the context of his entire playing career ... Not necessarily this season. Don't recall it ever coming up on here though.

Don’t think that’s an injury you’d want to disclose if playing through it - but might explain some of Paul’s hesitancy to shoot. But yeah, kind of a throwaway injury after listing the other ones. These two were warriors.
 
If Griffiths plays up to his Rivals rating we may not need a true point guard, with him and Cam doing much of the playmaking.

A key for Simpson will be realizing he is at best the 3rd (hopefully 4th or lower) option on offense and he needs to prioritize getting the ball to shooters and learning more what is a good shot and what isn't.
Per 40 minutes he took more 2's than anyone but Cliff and more shots overall than anyone but Hyatt.

He's also gotta be a MUCH better shooter from 3, he was bad this year from 3.
Disagree. Shooting is one thing. Getting open shots is something different. Is why Cam can’t be a PG and why he and everyone else needs a true PG. Our offense the last few was dysfunctional, relying mostly on iso plays because we couldn’t get anyone open. Cam and Gavin need able to create and distribute. Simpson can create. Not sure about the distribute part.
 
I’d have settled for him to make some late game foul shots last few games of the year.
Yes , if he makes the free throws the first time he went to the line near the end we win in regulation.
But McConnell missed late game crucial free throws in all three of our heartbreaking loses...Ohio State, Minnesota and last night.
 
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Simpson is a combo guard. He's a ball dominate attacking scoring guard mainly... at least so far

Paul is a facilitator. It's a decent combo to have

Davis I think is a blend of the two but he's a true freshman. Playing at a high level HS probably helps so maybe he can give solid bench minutes as a freshman. I expect he will

Then we have Warren and maybe Dylan/Teng. Better guard play is on the way
I agree. He was not a particularly good ball handler this year, at times really struggled to get the ball up the court, and hasn’t shown that he is a good passer. I think he has interesting potential and can be a very effective player, but with the talent we have coming in, I wouldn’t be surprised to see him be a super sub off the bench providing offense, and seeing Davis pass him as a pure point guard.
 
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I really like Derek. I’m just not sure he’s going to play the point moving forward. He struggled with pressure (got better as the season progressed) and he’s got a scorer mentality. Pike has 2 point guards coming in the next 2 years. I can see Derek playing off the ball but he may need to play there next year if Pike doesn’t bring in a transfer.
 
He and Cam can’t both be shooting guard starters, so he’s PG at least one more year. We are better off if Paul leaves so Davis gets lots of backcourt PT.

Need frontcourt starter from the portal
 
He and Cam can’t both be shooting guard starters, so he’s PG at least one more year. We are better off if Paul leaves so Davis gets lots of backcourt PT.

Need frontcourt starter from the portal
If Paul leaves we are almost certainly adding a PG in the portal

Can't only have a combo guard sophomore and an underrated true freshman as the only two possible PGs

I guess technically if Miller sticks around he would be a 3rd option but I don't think anyone really expects him to return
 
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If Paul leaves we are almost certainly adding a PG in the portal

Can't only have a combo guard sophomore and an underrated true freshman as the only two possible PGs

I guess technically if Miller sticks around he would be a 3rd option but I don't think anyone really expects him to return
Agreed, if Paul stays he can play the wing until Mag is ready. When Mag is back he can operate as the back up point guard.

If he leaves, then def would look for a pg but would rather to get more shooting. I understand we pick up Gavin and we have Cam but it would be nice to have depth as well.

Portal should be interesting
 
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