Future of Purdue bball

[Jcashall]

It sucks we lost to cincy in heartbreaking fashion last night, but the play of ve was great 14pts, 7rebs, 8assts, for a freshman playing in his first NCAA tournament game is crazy. He reminds me of a mix of Hummel and Evan Turner. Pairing him with two defensive first team big ten players Hammons and Davis and two players who where very streaky 3 point shooters Stephens and Mathies makes a very solid team.
I am hoping one or both of Stephens/Mathies can become a threat from deep every time they touch the ball. I know we still don't have a definite big ten quality starting point guard but PJT and Scott have both shown flashes of being able to play the position. If one of them or one of the incoming freshmen or a 5th year transfer can play it at a serviceable level I see no reason this isn't a top 25 team.
If Swanigan chooses to come to Purdue I think it takes us up a level to a top 10-15 team, that's NCAA championship contender status and I for one am excited about that! Boiler up!
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[BoilerDeac]

This team definitely has a bright future, but I worry about the impact of (possibly) losing Hammons and losing Octeus. As good as Davis is, he isn't a 'go-to' scorer. I really, really, really hope AJ comes back. This team needs him.

 

[RegionWarrior101]

Future is this

20-10 seasons. Likely NCAA teams anywhere from a 4 seed to a 10 seed. Upper part of the Big 14. Not the top, top, but in the 4th-6th range. Maybe with a good draw a Sweet 16 here and there.

A Big Ten title is not beyond the realm of possibility every 10-15 years. Maybe in 2023 or so. When we have a really special team some fluke injury will happen.

If the roster stays as is and we can get a Swanigan, maybe another 5th year transfer at PG, we could be a top 2-3 team in the conference. This time we need to maintain the recruiting.

 

[Jcashall]

I agree, I think Hammons comes back though considering he seems to enjoy playing with the current players and a bigger reason because most mock drafts I've seen have him as a late 2nd rounder to undrafted.
Obviously if he does leave that lowers our ceiling to about the same range as we played at this year.
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[Jcashall]

I meant I agree with boilerdec, I think a much higher finishes is likely if Hammons comes back.
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[RegionWarrior101]

Hammons would be a big return.

I think as-is they are similar to this season. If they can get a PG they could maybe jump a spot or two. I think with a Swanigan they could be #1 or #2. Saw some rumors about Nic Moore of SMU graduating and enrolling at Purdue as an Octeus type transfer. Escpecially if Larry Brown goes. And Larry Brown is Larry Brown. Never been anywhere too long. We might be a national Top 5 team if that happened.

 

[*4purdue*]

If Hammons comes back, which I tink he will. This team will be picked top 3 in the B1G, and probably 1st. I think if we get good pg play, we will be in the mix for a top 10 ranking and a national title contender, Cline coming in should also help with outside shooting and if we land Swanigan, were top 5.
Pg is a question. I think we have several canidates. PJ, Scott, but I also think DM or Ray could play the point. It would be nice to get a 5th year senior with some quickness that would fit in, but we will see. I'm sure there will be some out there.

 

[*4purdue*]

Re: Hammons would be a big return.

If Nic Moore transfers in, AJ comes back and CS comes to Purdue, we are probably top 3 nationally. I'd say AJ is probably 95% coming back, unless he gets some bad advice. Moore is probably at 25% as he will have lots of options and getting CS is probably at 10%. But who knows, we are due for a break and CMP is eventually going to land an impact player.

 

[rgarlitz]

Maybe I'm delusional or still woozy from last night, but...

I actually think Purdue will be ok with PJ running the point next year - as long as his job is to run the offense efficiently and play defense. I don't think he'll be a big-time scorer, but I think he could be an effective point guard in the mold of Alan Eldridge.

Of course I'd love to see more out of Bryson Scott - especially given his defensive tenacity. But we'll see what happens there.

 

[*4purdue*]

When CMP put PJ in for DM last night for defensive purposes, that tells me Scott is gone.

 

[St_Peter]

I also think Bryson Scott is gone too. If we can't get the ball down low to Hammons and Haas we will be in trouble. I think a top 4 finish in B1G is not asking to much.

 

[CRBoiler]

Originally posted by *4purdue*:
When CMP put PJ in for DM last night for defensive purposes, that tells me Scott is gone.


I hope not, but I fear so. Benching Scott earlier in the season seemed like a disciplinarian thing. And then Scott made good contributions in the IU wins, which were vital to making the NCAA tourney, and it seemed like the discipline worked. And then Scott made some mistakes (not any more than others IMO) and/or maybe he didn't behave/talk the way Painter wants in practice, and Scott ended up back on the pine. Painter talked about being done "fighting" on Twitter as I recall.

To not give Scott a chance to contribute really at all at the end of the season, including the dance, seems like a push away. Maybe Painter and Scott have something going on between them, and Scott can come back and play next year. But if I'm a player who REALLY wants to play like Scott, I don't think I take the chance that the coach will keep me on the bench during my remaining college years. 80+% chance Bryson Scott is gone IMO.

 

[PU pit bull]

Anyone else getting kind of excited to see what J. Taylor brings to the table next season? Still wondering how bad his injury is, but from what little I saw of him early in the season, I remember liking.

 

[Tucsonboiler2]

We will be at least 4 wins better next yr. RD and Bryson will be better at feeding the post.The freshmen will be bigger and stronger.The bigs will get better at recognizing and passing out of dbl teams.The new guys seem like immediate contributors.the futures so bright gotta wear shades

 

[septimusharding]

I think next season is really hard to gauge, for the following reasons:

1) Uncertain personnel. Does Hammons stay? (I think so.) Do we get Swanigan? (I think not.) Do we get a 5th-year transfer? (Probably depends on Swanigan.)

2) Lots of freshmen contributors this year. People like to say that players improve the most between their freshman and sophomore years, but this year we didn't really see that. If this year's freshmen do improve a lot, that could be decisive for next season. This is especially important for Haas, if Hammons leaves.

3) We slightly overachieved this year, especially in conference. Nebraska's performance this year is a good reminder that one good run through the Big Ten does not necessarily make you a contender the following year.

 

[mathboy]

Originally posted by septimusharding:
I think next season is really hard to gauge, for the following reasons:

1) Uncertain personnel. Does Hammons stay? (I think so.) Do we get Swanigan? (I think not.) Do we get a 5th-year transfer? (Probably depends on Swanigan.)

2) Lots of freshmen contributors this year. People like to say that players improve the most between their freshman and sophomore years, but this year we didn't really see that. If this year's freshmen do improve a lot, that could be decisive for next season. This is especially important for Haas, if Hammons leaves.

3) We slightly overachieved this year, especially in conference. Nebraska's performance this year is a good reminder that one good run through the Big Ten does not necessarily make you a contender the following year.

Let me present a slightly different perspective on your thinking. Neither right nor wrong. Just my speculation.

1) If Hammons stays, I think Swanigan goes elsewhere. I would rather have the 4th year of AJ than a freshman Swanigan. If AJ goes, maybe Swanigan comes to Purdue (50-50). Haas and Taylor will provide enough muscle underneath for the other team members to win plenty of games.

2) Sophomore Smotherman was much better than freshman Smotherman. Davis was greatly improved year-to-year too. The only fall back was Stephens, who started hot (Team's leading scorer, remember?), but once injured, did not return to form. I don't know why you would say #2, except for Stephens, who was just unlucky to get injured.

3) If we had figured out the right way to play earlier in the year, our record would have been substantially better. We would have received a more favorable seed in the NCAA's and advanced further. I would not call what we did this year as "overachieving" in retrospect, given the way we learned to play at the end of the year. You are right in that success this year does not automatically lead to success next year. Got to earn it each year. Nebraska forgot that I think.