Lance is committed to Duke

[rthomas]

http://www.nj.com/columns/ledger/pol...550.xml&coll=1

Nice article on Lance Thomas and speculation on a possible transfer. Lance says no. He is committed to being a Dukie and loves everything about Duke except that he wants to get better and make Duke better.

[RepoMan]

Nice article. Everthing I have heard LT say suggests that he is a determined hard-worker who will stick it out and do everything he can to improve at Duke. I expect a solid career at Duke, with Lance providing valuable leadership to a championship contender in 2 years.

[Dukefan4Life]

I guess time will tell how good lance can be for us. I think with an offseason of weights and developing inside game he could be huge for us! id like to see him come back

[duke03]

If Lance is going to become a factor, he's going to have to stop averaging one foul for every 5.5625 minutes he plays.

[Troublemaker]

Good to hear. Here's how he may be able to get minutes in the coming seasons...

2008:
Paulus, Smith
Scheyer, Pocius
Henderson, Nelson
Singler (30 min), McClure (10 min), King (0 min)
Zoubek (20 min), Thomas (20 min)

2009:
Paulus, Smith
Scheyer, Pocius
Henderson, McClure
Singler (30 min), Thomas(10 min), King (0 min)
Monroe (25 min), Zoubek (15 min)

2010:
Smith, 2009 PG
Scheyer, 2009 SG
Henderson
Thomas (30 min), King (10 min), 2009 PF
Zoubek (30 min), 2009 C

Lance's toughest time getting minutes will be his junior year.

[OZZIE4DUKE]

Good to hear. Here's how he may be able to get minutes in the coming seasons...

2008:
Paulus, Smith
Scheyer, Pocius
Henderson, Nelson
Singler (30 min), McClure (10 min), King (0 min)
Zoubek (20 min), Thomas (20 min)

No McRoberts? No Patterson? You pessimist!

As Lance develops he will get plenty of minutes.

[SoCalDukeFan]

The minutes analysis is very premature.

We could get Patterson and McRoberts could stay.

Singler and King could play one of outside positions as well.

SoCal

[Troublemaker]

The minutes analysis is very premature.

We could get Patterson and McRoberts could stay.

Singler and King could play one of outside positions as well.

SoCal

Well, any minutes analysis could be premature because situations can change. In a thread dealing with Lance's future contribution, I think it's relevant to see how he may be able to attain minutes in the coming seasons. And I don't believe Singler and King will ever play more than spot minutes at the 1, 2, or 3 because of the roster structure. We have a lot of guards that are going to get minutes as well.

[Troublemaker]

No McRoberts? No Patterson? You pessimist!

As Lance develops he will get plenty of minutes.

Everyone's a pessimist compared to you Ozzie. There are some people "in the know" who would predict the same.

[watzone]

Everyone's a pessimist compared to you Ozzie. There are some people "in the know" who would predict the same.

Who would that be? Do all the insiders think the same ... that Josh is gone and we have no chance for PP? I would like to know who is in the know. A name ... a site. When you make those kind of statements it is good to include the source, unless it is double top secret

[Troublemaker]

Who would that be? Do all the insiders think the same ... that Josh is gone and we have no chance for PP? I would like to know who is in the know. A name ... a site. When you make those kind of statements it is good to include the source, unless it is double top secret

Nobody said we have "no chance" at PPat, watzone. For the purposes of projecting future rosters, I'm leaving him out since there are 4 schools involved with him. As for Josh, this same question has already been asked a couple of times in the past week (by me even), but you obviously haven't been reading the boards. There are people whose opinion/sources I trust who tell me not to be optimistic on that front. BTW, you are the last person in the universe who should lecture anyone about being cryptic, which I wasn't even trying to be.

[Bob Green]

even without McRoberts and Patterson. I have no idea whether McRoberts is returning or not and likewise I have no idea where Patterson is going. Even without those two, Duke will have 11 scholarship players next year compared to nine this year. I just cannot fathom T. King riding the bench for two years and only playing 10 a game as a Junior. I would expect him to see 5 - 10 minutes as a Freshman, 10 - 15 as a Sophomore, and 20+ as a Junior & Senior. But, I'm just guessing . I'll limit my guessing to next year:

PG - Paulus (35), Smith (5)
SG - Scheyer (25), Pocius (5)
WG - Nelson (25), Henderson (25)
SF - Singler (25), King (10), McClure (15)
PF - Zoubek (15), Thomas (15)

Because of the mix of different line-ups, each position doesn't have to add up to 40 minutes, but of course the total cannot exceed 200. I see the big losers for minutes next year as McClure & Pocius. McClure isn't going to play if he doesn't learn to score and Pocius has bad Mojo or something. He can score but he doesn't play this year and with the incoming talent he won't play next year either. I'm not saying he doesn't deserve to play or anything like that, I just do not see him getting major minutes next year. But then again, what do I know?

With the extended bench, I don't expect anyone other than Paulus to average over 30 minutes a game. Therefore, Nelson and Scheyer's minutes will decrease to the mid 20s.

Bob Green
Yokosuka, Japan

[phaedrus]

when was the last time duke had only one guy playing 30+ minutes a night? seems rare, but we will have a deeper team than usual next year even without patterson and mcroberts.

[Bob Green]

when was the last time duke had only one guy playing 30+ minutes a night? seems rare, but we will have a deeper team than usual next year even without patterson and mcroberts.

In 1997/98 season not one player averaged 30 minutes per game. In 1996/97season Wojo was the only player to average 30 or more mpg. The real evidence that destroys the popular myth that Coach K refuses to develop his bench and play a deep rotation is the five seasons 87/88 through 91/92. Over these five seasons, Duke went to five straight final fours and won two national championships.

87/88: 8 players averaged double digit minutes (Ferry, Strickland, Brickey, Snyder, Smith, Henderson, King, Koubek). Only Danny Ferry (32.5) averaged above 30 mpg.

88/89: 8 players averaged double digit minutes (Ferry, Henderson, Brickey, Laettner, Abdelnaby, Snyder, Smith, Koubek). Ferry (33.2) & Snyder (30.4) averaged more than 30 mpg.

89/90: 9 players averaged double digit minutes (Henderson, Laettner, Abdelnaby, Brickey, Hurley, McCaffrey, Davis, Koubek, T. Hill). Hurley (33.4) & Henderson (31.5) averaged more than 30 mpg.

90/91: 9 players averaged double digit minutes (Laettner, McCaffrey, T. Hill, Hurley, G. Hill, Davis, Koubek, Lang, Palmer). Hurley (34.7) & Laettner (30.2) averaged more than 30 mpg.

91/92: 7 players averaged double digit minutes (Laettner, T. Hill, G. Hill, Hurley, Davis, Lang, Parks). Five players averaged more than 30 mpg (Laettner, T. Hill, G. Hill, Hurley, Davis). Billy McCaffrey & Crawford Palmer transferred.

With the talent we will have available next year, I am confident Coach K will spread the minutes around like he has done in the past.

Bob Green
Yokosuka, Japan

[CMS2478]

anything about Marty returning oversees to play next year and not coming back to Duke. A friend was telling me he read that on the internet yesterday and I didn't know if there was any truth to it. The sad thing is, bc I like Marty, I really don't see him getting any more minutes next year. He might actually get less with all the recruits coming in. So it wouldn't surprise me to see him leave. Anybody got the scoop on this

[gep]

I'm not sure that Dave will not get minutes next year, as he will have the experience that the freshmen will not... and he is a tough defender and good rebounder. I agree he's got to score a bit more, though.

[shadycharacter]

troublemaker, why take a totally unnecessary cheap shot at watzone on this? All he suggested was that when you refer to "people in the know" we all on here want to see one or more links. We ask all the time for links. Otherwise, whoever says it can be just starting idle rumors or trolling. Watzone doesn't need me to defend his post, but I would like to say I thought he made a reasonable request.

[feldspar]

troublemaker, why take a totally unnecessary cheap shot at watzone on this? All he suggested was that when you refer to "people in the know" we all on here want to see one or more links. We ask all the time for links. Otherwise, whoever says it can be just starting idle rumors or trolling. Watzone doesn't need me to defend his post, but I would like to say I thought he made a reasonable request.

shady, you obviously haven't been around long. Hinting at rumors regarding Duke basketball without substantiation and without links is Watzone's MO* (and please note that I'm not passing judgement on this fact), which is why I'm even more confused at his taking issue with Troublemaker's comments.





*actually, this isn't completely true. He'll substantiate them somewhat if you subscribe to his paid newsletter. But he rarely substantiate or links here at DBR.

[whereinthehellami]

The earlier posts with possible lineups for this year got me thinking about how I did with my projected lineups for this year.

My pre-season starting lineup for this year was:

Paulus 6-1 So
Nelson 6-3 Jr
Henderson 6-5 Fr
Thomas 6-7 Fr
Mcroberts 6-10 So

I guess I was attracted to the nice mix of size that was in that lineup. Mcclure was definately a nice suprise, if only he can develop more offense/confidence. I should have known that starting two freshman wasn't likley to happen.

As far as next year goes (just for fun) with minutes (way too premature). Starters are in bold.

Paulus 32 min
Nelson 31 min
Smith 10 min
Scheyer 33 min
MCclure 15 min
King 8 min
Henderson 26 min
Thomas 9 min
Singler 30 min
Zoubek 6 min

I think Smith will see some time as he has good defense, decent ball handling, and an okay outside shot. I think Henderson should develop alot more confidence over the summer and the game will slow down for him even more than it has over the end of this year.

I think our size is gonna really be a problem next year, unless we get Patterson. Even then Duke is going to be succeptible to the big man isolation plays that are so painful to watch.

I do think that Duke will be a much more potent offense of team next year and will be able to outpace most opponents, especially with more depth and speed. I look for Paulus to show up a little faster next year and to make a Wojo type adjustment in terms of improvement and defense over the summer and fall.

[watzone]

shady, you obviously haven't been around long. Hinting at rumors regarding Duke basketball without substantiation and without links is Watzone's MO* (and please note that I'm not passing judgement on this fact), which is why I'm even more confused at his taking issue with Troublemaker's comments.





*actually, this isn't completely true. He'll substantiate them somewhat if you subscribe to his paid newsletter. But he rarely substantiate or links here at DBR.

Oh please. Is this where I say you were in the top ten ignored posters at the former DBR?

My MO? Do we have to go there? Doesn't matter that's as far as I will go with that, but I will try to clarify why I posted.

If I had posted what troublemaker had said you would have thought a bomb went off. He is talking of some pretty sensitive issues concerning Duke basketball. Perhaps the information trickled off the premium section of my site ... perhaps there is some news that is different of late? What ifs and cryptic messages ... go figure.

Regardless, people know who I am making me accountable for my statements, specualtion and passing on of facts. They know where to go if they desire to read more. I have more than proven my sources are accurate over the years, actually having broken DeMarcus Nelsons surprise signing with Duke during the Bob Gibbons tournament right here at DBR! That was when I first started to fiddle about in the world of AAU basketball.

If I had come in and said I heard differently than troublemaker, you might have recquired a link. So, is there a double standard? I do offer a base for the information, that being the premium section of my site.

Indeed there are some issues I deem too sensitive in nature for free boards and that is why I rarely discuss them here. That is out of repsect to sources, subscribers and Duke University itself.

Some people have a problem with my claims, but I have done the leg work, established a network of sources, etc. My work doesn't make me a better Duke fan than others, but perhaps a more informed one at times.

I have seen Patrick Patterson play in 5 venues ... about 17 full AAU and HS games. I have interviewed him extensively and watched the process closely, updating the chase for his services weekly.

I can say that anybody claiming to know where he is leaning or where he might go needs to prove it with something other than what was said ... especially, again with how sensitive the McRobert's issue can be.

I pretty much know what every subscription site is saying, be it UF or West Virginia on the Patterson chase and none that I have seen or heard of claim there is a lean. In fact, they are all guessing, be it well known people in the business like Dave Telep or others. PP has played the entire process close to the vest. There is Clark Francis ... who claims PP has been in the bag for Kentucky since summer ... really?

As for roster speculation ... it is fun, but I personally think it is better served after the dust has cleared. What good is it to disect next years team with this one still playing? All that work goes for naught if there is a change.

I have no problem with troublemaker doing that ... fans love to do that, but to me it is like spending hours on the brackets before they are announced ... all that energy is wasted as soon as the real brackets are out. I see the roster specualtion the same way, but that is just me.

Other than the aforementioned, how about we start with what is said with the new DBR. It is far too early for anyone to bring petty annoyances of the past up. It is much better for all of us to start anew. Again, just my opi.

As for McRobert's, TM is talking of a situation that may well go the way he says, but in the world of who is coming back and coming in, things change daily.

Patrick Patterson is like an up and down stock. I can tell all Blue Devils that his camp recently told me that he would trim the list of six schools to three at the end of this month and that Duke would likely make the cut. I was also told that his decision would be made just after April the tenth. That statement was prefaced with, you never know though. And that is the point, most of us never know for sure because recruiting and player retention is an inexact science.

Finally, I wasn't attacking a Duke fan, troublemaker. I was asking of more detail since I can't hold a person with a posting name accountable for such authoratative sounding comments, all of which may or may not be true.

The latest link on Patterson and a look at the fact that all the new Devils coming in played for top 15 HS teams in HS in in the vast free section of the Blue Devil Nation - The BDN Newsletter (which costs) isn't for everybody.
http://myblogdevils.eponym.com/blog