Joey Baker transfers to Michigan!

[flyingdutchdevil]

Yeah, I definitely wouldn’t count on Baker making a difference. It is not impossible (Alondes Williams went from an ineffective reserve as a senior to ACC PoY as a super-senior, for example), but not likely. That said, he would help with continuity if nothing else. And would give us one more dart to throw at the wing shooter spot if we don’t land a starter.

That said, it seems like the plan is still to find a starter elsewhere.

As it should be. A high-impact 2 is really out only 'glaring' need.

Baker adds depth but he wouldn't fix the issue.

[lotusland]

As it should be. A high-impact 2 is really out only 'glaring' need.

Baker adds depth but he wouldn't fix the issue.

I remember when we missed on John Wall, G declared for the draft early and eWill transferred. We thought we had a “glaring need” at guard even after Dre reclassified. 2010 worked out OK rolling with what we had. Sometimes less is more. It’s OK to have some role players in college like Lance, Dre and Zoubs. Everyone doesn’t have to be a star.

[AGDukesky]

I remember when we missed on John Wall, G declared for the draft early and eWill transferred. We thought we had a “glaring need” at guard even after Dre reclassified. 2010 worked out OK rolling with what we had. Sometimes less is more. It’s OK to have some role players in college like Lance, Dre and Zoubs. Everyone doesn’t have to be a star.

I do think the skillset of the roster resembles 2010 but the amount of experience is light-years different. Now at least Scheyer actually played on that team so he might know how to manage it best- if only we had a player just like him on this year’s team…

[flyingdutchdevil]

I remember when we missed on John Wall, G declared for the draft early and eWill transferred. We thought we had a “glaring need” at guard even after Dre reclassified. 2010 worked out OK rolling with what we had. Sometimes less is more. It’s OK to have some role players in college like Lance, Dre and Zoubs. Everyone doesn’t have to be a star.

Star is different than high-impact player. Every starter on that 2010 was high-impact; maybe only 2-3 were stars. Without all 5 of em, we're in trouble. In fairness to Scheyer, Nolan, Singler, Lance, and Zoubs, Baker cannot hold a torch to their impact or production. This isn't a slight to Baker but rather how good that 2010 team was.

I am clearly in the minority who feels we need a high-impact starting 2. I do not think 'Blakes/Schutt' nor 'Mitchell at the 3' is a viable option for the majority of playing time next season.

[lotusland]

I do think the skillset of the roster resembles 2010 but the amount of experience is light-years different. Now at least Scheyer actually played on that team so he might know how to manage it best- if only we had a player just like him on this year’s team…

Right. Nobody thought Jon could manage the PG spot going in but he made the most of the opportunity. Likewise Singler had never played the 3 spot. Sometimes players rise to the challenge. I like to watch players develop like that. It doesn’t always work out but necessity is the mother of invention as they say. Maybe Joey can invent shot preparation and some play-making ability when those Defenders come flying at him. I love to see what Jon can do with what we have including Baker.

[lotusland]

Star is different than high-impact player. Every starter on that 2010 was high-impact; maybe only 2-3 were stars. Without all 5 of em, we're in trouble. In fairness to Scheyer, Nolan, Singler, Lance, and Zoubs, Baker cannot hold a torch to their impact or production. This isn't a slight to Baker but rather how good that 2010 team was.

I am clearly in the minority who feels we need a high-impact starting 2. I do not think 'Blakes/Schutt' nor 'Mitchell at the 3' is a viable option for the majority of playing time next season.

I would point out that Zoubs was not an impact player prior to the 2010 season and, like everyone else, you probably didn’t see his impact coming. Likewise you probably thought we needed a PG. I think we relied on Paulus and eWill the prior AFTER Nolan failed to be a suitable answer at PG his Sophomore year.

Also, was Lance a “high impact” player in 2008-2009? He was always a role player at Duke but a very important player. Sometimes players rise to the challenge when opportunity knocks. You cannot know what they are capable of in advance.

[jimsumner]

2010?

That team had seniors Jon Scheyer, Lance Thomas and Brian Zoubek and juniors Kyle Singler and Nolan Smith. So, the comparison between that team and the 2022-'23 team falls apart right there.

And Andre Dawkins averaged 12.6 minutes per game, not an inconsequential contribution.

[CDu]

I agree with Jim. The 2010 team was outlandishly experienced. And anomalously successful in that everyone overachieved their expectation: Scheyer proved he could play PG and suddenly also became the scorer that his high school rep suggested. Singler transitioned from PF to SF and succeeded at it. Smith made the jump from a talented but inconsistent fringe starter to a star. Thomas figured out how to defend. Zoubek figured out how to stay on the floor. And we had no injuries to our incredibly short backcourt rotation. Pretty much everything went right.

Is it possible that we could succeed next year with what we have? Sure. Does that mean it's a good idea to roll into next year with just what we have now? I think not. And referencing a veteran team that had everything go right for it isn't the best argument for why next year's super-young team (as is) can succeed.

[lotusland]

I certainly don’t think the transfer and NIL dynamic is unique to Duke.

[MCFinARL]

Right. Nobody thought Jon could manage the PG spot going in but he made the most of the opportunity. Likewise Singler had never played the 3 spot. Sometimes players rise to the challenge. I like to watch players develop like that. It doesn’t always work out but necessity is the mother of invention as they say. Maybe Joey can invent shot preparation and some play-making ability when those Defenders come flying at him. I love to see what Jon can do with what we have including Baker.

But we don't actually have Baker, so...

We have speculated on reasons for Joey's choice to enter the portal--the probability of either Trevor Keels or AJ Green on the roster--but we don't really know his thinking, and we don't really know that he would come back to Duke even if Scheyer doesn't add another transfer.

[MChambers]

I think Neil Young got it right when he sang “once you’re gone, you can’t come back, when you’re out of the blue and into the black.”

Seriously, once Joey entered the portal, I see very little chance he’d come back. And I think he’d have a very limited role next year, given his defensive limitations.

[Indoor66]

Maybe he just wants a change of scenery. He has been at Duke for a long time.

[tbyers11]

But we don't actually have Baker, so...

We have speculated on reasons for Joey's choice to enter the portal--the probability of either Trevor Keels or AJ Green on the roster--but we don't really know his thinking, and we don't really know that he would come back to Duke even if Scheyer doesn't add another transfer.

Now seems like Joey's decision to enter the transfer portal may be related to the Tyrese Proctor reclassification

[dukelifer]

Maybe he just wants a change of scenery. He has been at Duke for a long time.

And NC

[MCFinARL]

Now seems like Joey's decision to enter the transfer portal may be related to the Tyrese Proctor reclassification

Well, yes--if he knew that that was in the works as a Keels backup plan, that would likely have influenced his decision.

[CDu]

Well, yes--if he knew that that was in the works as a Keels backup plan, that would likely have influenced his decision.

Yeah the transfer request almost certainly arose because of a realization that the door was shutting on his chances of major minutes at Duke. Some of us (including myself here) surmised it had to do with AJ Green or Keels. But maybe it was the idea that Proctor was coming if neither Keels nor Green was that sealed the deal.

[Kedsy]

Yeah the transfer request almost certainly arose because of a realization that the door was shutting on his chances of major minutes at Duke. Some of us (including myself here) surmised it had to do with AJ Green or Keels. But maybe it was the idea that Proctor was coming if neither Keels nor Green was that sealed the deal.

This makes sense, but only if Joey first found out about it in mid-May.

[Mtn.Devil.91.92.01.10.15]

This makes sense, but only if Joey first found out about it in mid-May.

When it comes to transfer inquiries from men in their late teens or early twenties, I'm hesitant to assume anything arose with level of certainty.

We tend to assume on this board that everything in the young man's life centers on basketball, and opportunities therein. There are so many other factors that may be in play, I won't even bother listing them.

The impending class change absolutelay have made a difference. But lacking insider information, I'll wait to hear from the young man himself rather than making assumptions.

[flyingdutchdevil]

Yeah the transfer request almost certainly arose because of a realization that the door was shutting on his chances of major minutes at Duke. Some of us (including myself here) surmised it had to do with AJ Green or Keels. But maybe it was the idea that Proctor was coming if neither Keels nor Green was that sealed the deal.

I know we debated about this when Joey announced, but the Proctor announcement does provide a lot more clarity with regards to Joey's announcement.

Maybe Joey didn't know about Proctor and woke up one day in May and said, "I wanna play maximum minutes in my last year of college ball". But for me, the Proctor announcement does provide that piece of information us fans were missing.

[scottdude8]

Umm… maybe this will get you all to say Go Blue with me for one season? Apparently they’re in on Joey: https://twitter.com/joshhenschke/sta...FzPuYlBwsxA1fA

With Houstan and Diabate in the draft, Michigan needs a starting 3 man, so this would make a lot of sense. And Joey would get s lot of open looks given the gravitational pull of Hunter Dickinson…