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Chris Randolph
01-30-2011, 08:18 PM
It has been a debbie-downer kind of day (and I have contributed to that). I'm done now.....

About a week ago I started thinking about what one player over the last 10-15 years would I want on this Duke team (minus Kyrie). And it has to be player who has not played on a Duke team with our current players.

Who would you pick and why (basketball logic and reasoning encouraged :)?

Dukeford
01-30-2011, 08:35 PM
Hurley

MChambers
01-30-2011, 08:38 PM
It has been a debbie-downer kind of day (and I have contributed to that). I'm done now.....

About a week ago I started thinking about what one player over the last 10-15 years would I want on this Duke team (minus Kyrie). And it has to be player who has not played on a Duke team with our current players.

Who would you pick and why (basketball logic and reasoning encouraged :)?
Not in your proposed time range, but wouldn't Grant Hill be perfect? Able to handle and penetrate, plus incredibly versatile defensively.

Of course, I'd pick Grant first for any team.

For this team, second choice would be Elton.

CDu
01-30-2011, 08:49 PM
Man, that's a tough question. I don't know that there's any right answer.

By limiting to 10-15 years, you take away the Laettner/Hill/Hurley/Dawkins/Gminski/etc. So given that:

One could argue that we need another dominant scoring lead guard like Jason Williams to take the pressure of Smith in the perimeter scoring duties.

One could argue that we need another premier post scorer like Brand or Boozer to give us more versatility on offense so we're not just a 3pt shooting team.

One could argue that we need a dominant post defender like Shelden Williams to protect the rim and swallow up rebounds (and score some points in the post).

One could argue that we need another all-purpose defender like Battier to give us so much more versatility at the 4 spot.

One could argue that we need another pass-first PG like Duhon to take pressure off of Smith in the ballhandling duties.

Frankly, I think any of those are reasonable options. I'd probably lean towards Jason Williams, Brand, or Battier. And honestly, I can't decide which of those I'd prefer. Right at this moment, I'd lean toward Williams, because we currently lack that extra ballhandler with the confidence to attack anyone (and the talent to make it work). But on another night, I might say that adding Brand would mean we could get away with not having as many great ballhandlers. And then of course adding Battier would have less impact on offense, but would make us even tougher defensively.

Yeah, of course it would be nice to add one of two guys whose jerseys are retired or another guy who probably would have had his jersey retired if he'd stayed at Duke and graduated.

tommy
01-30-2011, 08:53 PM
Elton Brand. Not even close. Adding a wide-bodied, skilled, athletic big man, an absolute beast underneath at both ends of the floor to what we've got now? Nobody would touch us, or even come close.

diveonthefloor
01-30-2011, 08:54 PM
Simplest question I've ever answered.

31.

UrinalCake
01-30-2011, 09:04 PM
I'll also vote for Brand, with a close second for Boozer. While Jason Williams would undoubtedly make this team better, we do have a lot of depth at guard despite not having a prototypical point guard. But we don't have ANYONE who can bang on the inside. With all due respect to the Plumlees, their games would improve dramatically if they could play alongside a big guy instead of having to be the big guy.

Gthoma2a
01-30-2011, 09:10 PM
Boozer. He is our best pro ever IMO, and he could have taken the paint and just owned it.

Newton_14
01-30-2011, 09:27 PM
You can have all of those former great players. I simply want Kyrie Irving back. And my selection is actually possible even if Bilas thinks it is a pipe dream.

CDu
01-30-2011, 09:32 PM
You can have all of those former great players. I simply want Kyrie Irving back. And my selection is actually possible even if Bilas thinks it is a pipe dream.

Yeah, a healthy Irving qualifies as similar (not identical, but similar) to adding a Jason Williams. Getting a Boozer or Brand or Battier in the next month or so just isn't going to happen. Getting Irving back might actually happen.

I do very much hope we are so fortunate to get him back. His presence addresses a lot of our offensive weaknesses, and gives us that one more 15+ ppg scorer that would make us SO tough.

cameroncrazy3104
01-30-2011, 09:38 PM
Man, that's a tough question. I don't know that there's any right answer.

By limiting to 10-15 years, you take away the Laettner/Hill/Hurley/Dawkins/Gminski/etc. So given that:

One could argue that we need another dominant scoring lead guard like Jason Williams to take the pressure of Smith in the perimeter scoring duties.

One could argue that we need another premier post scorer like Brand or Boozer to give us more versatility on offense so we're not just a 3pt shooting team.

One could argue that we need a dominant post defender like Shelden Williams to protect the rim and swallow up rebounds (and score some points in the post).

One could argue that we need another all-purpose defender like Battier to give us so much more versatility at the 4 spot.

One could argue that we need another pass-first PG like Duhon to take pressure off of Smith in the ballhandling duties.

Frankly, I think any of those are reasonable options. I'd probably lean towards Jason Williams, Brand, or Battier. And honestly, I can't decide which of those I'd prefer. Right at this moment, I'd lean toward Williams, because we currently lack that extra ballhandler with the confidence to attack anyone (and the talent to make it work). But on another night, I might say that adding Brand would mean we could get away with not having as many great ballhandlers. And then of course adding Battier would have less impact on offense, but would make us even tougher defensively.

Yeah, of course it would be nice to add one of two guys whose jerseys are retired or another guy who probably would have had his jersey retired if he'd stayed at Duke and graduated.

I say Brand would be good, we would be more of an Ohio St. Look team. Battier would be good for his leadership, hustle, and other intangibles he brings to the table. Plus it allows Kyle to go to the 3.

CDu
01-30-2011, 09:45 PM
I say Brand would be good, we would be more of an Ohio St. Look team. Battier would be good for his leadership, hustle, and other intangibles he brings to the table. Plus it allows Kyle to go to the 3.

Yeah, I think any of Brand, Boozer, Battier, and Jason Williams is a justifiable pick.

weezie
01-30-2011, 10:44 PM
Shane, "Climb On" Battier. He carried every Duke fan on his back to the championship.
Massive, massive will. With Shane and Kyle, it would be the total Iron Curtain defense.

sweetchiba51
01-30-2011, 10:57 PM
Who's your Daddy?

basket1544
01-30-2011, 11:40 PM
While watching the game all I could think of was how much I wish this team had Boozer or Brand or Shelden... a big wide body that could have defended the paint today.
Ultimately we do not have that on this team. So the better question is how do we win this game with the players we currently have?

Greg_Newton
01-30-2011, 11:53 PM
Toss up between Shav and Casey Sanders for me. As much as we could use a face-up 6'10 forward, we could really use a long, athletic big guy even if he doesn't score much.:D

...In real life, Brand and it's not close.

Aditya
01-31-2011, 12:37 AM
Brand, Boozer or Sheldon for the same reasons as everyone else. We are pretty talented and skilled at the 1, 2 and 3, but we could use some more skill in the low post in my opinion.

johnb
01-31-2011, 03:51 PM
Brand or Boozer would be unstoppable on offense and intimidating on defense, would elevate the play of the other bigs, and would pull in the attention that frees up our shooters for 3 point shots. With either of them, we'd be discussing an undefeated season.

Battier would be great, but he and Singler play similar roles.

Williams would also get PT, obviously, but we already have a 6'2" All American lead guard who is being forced to play point. Not sure why we'd really need 2 of them.

Of course, anybody with a jersey retired would find a place on the team, but unless it's the monster insider or a great PG (like Kyrie), I'm not sure the team would be hugely improved.

Having addressed the question and while hoping for Kyrie's return and nursing a St. John's hangover, I'd still say I'm having fun watch this particular team play its particular game.

UrinalCake
01-31-2011, 03:57 PM
Here's a strange hypothetical: what if Zoubek had taken a medical redshirt his sophomore year, then everything else happened exactly the same, which meant that he still had a year of eligibility left? What would this year's team look like with him back?

CDu
01-31-2011, 04:00 PM
Williams would also get PT, obviously, but we already have a 6'2" All American lead guard who is being forced to play point. Not sure why we'd really need 2 of them.

It never hurts to have two guys who can get to the rim whenever they want. Also, Williams was a better passer off the dribble than Smith in addition to being a fantastic scorer. He'd more than just get PT - he'd be the best player on the team (and that's saying something).

I agree that it'd be a PG or a dominant post guy, which means Williams or Brand (and I'd lean towards one of the first two). That said, Boozer (for his post offense) or Battier (defensive versatility, court awareness, leadership, and just being really good beyond that) would go a long way too.

UrinalCake
01-31-2011, 04:07 PM
Just to toss more fuel into the fire - what about JJ Redick? While we already have capable shooters on the team, nobody could light it up like JJ. He drew so much defensive attention that everyone else on the team would have an easier job. And I would love to see how he'd do when surrounded by the talent level of this year's team, which he never really had.

CDu
01-31-2011, 04:12 PM
Just to toss more fuel into the fire - what about JJ Redick? While we already have capable shooters on the team, nobody could light it up like JJ. He drew so much defensive attention that everyone else on the team would have an easier job. And I would love to see how he'd do when surrounded by the talent level of this year's team, which he never really had.

I thought about Redick. As a junior and senior, he was clearly better than the sophomore versions of Dawkins and Curry (that's no disrespect to our current players - Redick was awesome). So obviously he would change the complexion of the team a lot (and for the better). I just feel like the other guys would have more of an impact given our current strengths and weaknesses.

78Devil
01-31-2011, 07:53 PM
Battier. I would want him on ANY team, as my first choice every time no matter who else is on that team.

Chris Randolph
01-31-2011, 08:47 PM
I'm torn between Battier, Brand or Williams. Personally I am such a believer in the will to win and leadership qualities of a player. Saying that I'd have to go with Battier. Obviously his talent is great (even greater on the college level I might add) but his makeup is unlike any other. Plus he would allow Kyle to be a true 3 and with Shane at the 4, that would be deadly

weezie
01-31-2011, 08:48 PM
Battier. I would want him on ANY team, as my first choice every time no matter who else is on that team.

Indeed. Shane would have even shined on Team Lidstrom...seeing as how Mr. Battier grew up in suburban Detroit. He must have strapped on a pair of hockey skates at some point in his youth! :cool:

CDu
01-31-2011, 08:55 PM
I'm torn between Battier, Brand or Williams. Personally I am such a believer in the will to win and leadership qualities of a player. Saying that I'd have to go with Battier. Obviously his talent is great (even greater on the college level I might add) but his makeup is unlike any other. Plus he would allow Kyle to be a true 3 and with Shane at the 4, that would be deadly

I wouldn't underestimate Williams's or Brand's will to win either.

Battier and Singler at the 3 and 4 would have been amazing. Williams and Smith at the 1 and 2 would also have been amazing. Brand at the 5 with Singler at the 3 and Smith at the 1 would have been amazing. Any of those guys would have made us undoubtedly the best team in the country, for different reasons.

There isn't wrong answer among those three guys.

CharlestonDevil
02-01-2011, 08:38 AM
Elton Brand. Not even close. Adding a wide-bodied, skilled, athletic big man, an absolute beast underneath at both ends of the floor to what we've got now? Nobody would touch us, or even come close.

I really don't see how there is even a debate, other than possibly between Shelden or Brand.

JWill or Duhon - I get it, we don't have Kyrie. Both were great and would certainly help. But we are managing until Magnum KI's (hopeful) return.

Battier - Greatest all around player. Ever. Period. But Singler is already capapble of playing the 3/4 and he's not so shabby. Pretty sure there's an entire thread (http://www.dukebasketballreport.com/forums/showthread.php?22730-Kyle-Singler-s-Stat-Records)dedicated to the greatness of his career.

Shelden or Boozer Both awesome. Both dominant offensively and defensively. Brand was still their superior.

If you have any doubt about what player would benefit this team most just look at our greatest weakness, interior play. How many threads are there centering on or at least the dominant discussion being on the play of Miles, Mason, or Ryan. This team needs a dominant big man who can run the floor. You put 1999 Elton Brand on this team and we don't lose a game.

magjayran
02-01-2011, 12:16 PM
I'd take Scheyer. A lot of those other players would be great but I think Jon is all we'd need. And I still think we might get there without him.

Redick would be a great addition to any team but I think we have plenty of scoring without him this year.

J Will was amazing but if we get Kyrie back he wouldn't be as important and I trust Kyrie to hit his free throws.

Elton/Sheldon/Carlos would be great. No question there. But I so desperately want the Plums+Kelly to be enough.

Jon is the classic "Don't know what you got til it's gone" guy. I was always a big fan but there's no doubt that we're the favorites to win it all with him this year.

dukediv2011
02-01-2011, 12:21 PM
John Riek.

JD79
02-01-2011, 12:30 PM
Zoubek. It's what has been missing that the Plumlees or Kelly haven't given the team this year.