Duke Basketball 2018-2019

[Devilsforlife]

I think Zion and Bagley were almost certainly mutually exclusive.

 

[Slap the Floor]

I realize it's pretty much pointless to discuss this, but hell, it's the off-season.

If Bagley doesn't reclassify and joins Zion et al., do we go to the Final Four?

If they played together, it wouldn't have solved our offensive issues of lack of spacing and shooting.

With that said, it's possible that Zion and Bagley would've been so dominant on the interior, that nothing could've stopped it, and there was no outstanding team this year like there was in Villanova the year prior.

Maybe Zion and Bagley would've forced the coaching staff to run better post-up stuff. Who knows.

Edit: If we're going to play the "what if" game is what if Bagley and RJ both stayed in their respective classes, and Trent Jr stayed for his sophomore season.

Jones-Trent Jr-Reddish-Zion-Bagley would've been a much better team than what we had this season, and I'm not saying this to knock RJ, I just think the pieces would've fit better. Bagley's stand still 3 ability and Trent Jr would've helped stretch the floor.

This up-coming season we would've probably rolled out with: Jones-Moore-Barrett-Hurt-Carey another team that would've been very fun, had good spacing and shooing.

 

[physicsfactor]

Wouldn’t have worked. Too many lefties.

 

[rome8180]

Wouldn’t have worked. Too many lefties.

As an unemployed lefty who regrets every decision he's made in his life, I support this post.

 

[Bullettoothtony]

I think Zion and Bagley were almost certainly mutually exclusive.

Zion said in an interview that part of Coach K's early pitch was a super team that would include Bagley.

Now of course Zion may have gone elsewhere anyway if we had Bagley, but I was just curious what others thought if it had played out the way I mentioned.

 

[rhfarmer]

It's an interesting thought exercise @Bullettoothtony

Last year's team was arguably better in the time that Bagley missed. Not because Bagley was a problem, he was incredible. But because the pieces fell into place better around a 1 big lineup, and Carter was miles better defensively.

This year's team with Bagley or Zion at the 5 would have insane. Just volleyball at the rim. Imagine all of the Javin/Bolden minutes going to Bagley.

 

[CMon85]

Tre, Trent, RJ, Zion, Bagley would’ve been the best Duke team of all time. Even Cam couldn’t have messed that up.

 

[Bullettoothtony]

It's an interesting thought exercise @Bullettoothtony

Last year's team was arguably better in the time that Bagley missed. Not because Bagley was a problem, he was incredible. But because the pieces fell into place better around a 1 big lineup, and Carter was miles better defensively.

This year's team with Bagley or Zion at the 5 would have insane. Just volleyball at the rim. Imagine all of the Javin/Bolden minutes going to Bagley.

Last paragraph... that's pretty much where I am. I don't know how the team chemistry would have evolved but the sheer talent... my goodness.

Bagley being the 3rd highly reliable scorer would be significant too I would think.

 

[Bullettoothtony]

I realize it's pretty much pointless to discuss this, but hell, it's the off-season.

If Bagley doesn't reclassify and joins Zion et al., do we go to the Final Four?

If they played together, it wouldn't have solved our offensive issues of lack of spacing and shooting.

With that said, it's possible that Zion and Bagley would've been so dominant on the interior, that nothing could've stopped it, and there was no outstanding team this year like there was in Villanova the year prior.

Maybe Zion and Bagley would've forced the coaching staff to run better post-up stuff. Who knows.

Edit: If we're going to play the "what if" game is what if Bagley and RJ both stayed in their respective classes, and Trent Jr stayed for his sophomore season.

Jones-Trent Jr-Reddish-Zion-Bagley would've been a much better team than what we had this season, and I'm not saying this to knock RJ, I just think the pieces would've fit better. Bagley's stand still 3 ability and Trent Jr would've helped stretch the floor.

This up-coming season we would've probably rolled out with: Jones-Moore-Barrett-Hurt-Carey another team that would've been very fun, had good spacing and shooing.

Re: your edit... damn man I hadn't thought about that.

Back-to-back for the 2nd time under Coach K.

 

[rome8180]

Andy Bailey of Bleacher Report ranked every CBB player from last year using a series of catch-all metrics. Zion is #1 pretty easily. RJ is 36. Cam Reddish is 687. Lmao.

Granted, there were 2200 players in CBB last year who met his minutes cutoff.

 

[Slap the Floor]

Does this game still make anyone else's ass just really tight? If we had lost this game that would've been unbearable.

 

[bdotling]

my ass was never tight for Zion

 

[physicsfactor]

Just to depress everyone, here is the kenpom top 10 going into the Zion shoe game:

 

[rome8180]

CBB was so good last year. Well, the top 3 teams anyway.

 

[Devilsforlife]

Duke was so fucking good before Zion went down, even with the shooting woes and lack of a supporting cast. Just never got in sync again after his injury, such a shame.

 

[aiw]

That game was awesome.

Cameo by Undrafted, too.