If Lawson leaves, Duke or UNC preseason ACC #1?

[houstondukie]

To clarify, I mean ACC preseason #1.

Looking at each team's projected top contributors...and assuming Lawson is gone for the NBA (but Ellington/Green return to school)...

PG Paulus/Smith
SG Scheyer/Williams
SF Henderson
PF Singler
C Thomas/Zoubek
-Nelson, King

PG Frasor/Drew
SG Ellington/Green
SF Ginyard
PF Thompson/Zeller
C Hansbrough/Davis
-Lawson, Stephenson, Q. Thomas

The bold items are "who has the advantage at that position" (based on my opinions). Which means Duke has the advantage at 3 positions: PG, SF, PF. I also think UNC loses more. However, if Lawson returns, which seems unlikely from reports, then UNC would gain the advantage at PG. Of course, UNC has the best sixth man in the country in Green and the National Player of the Year in Hansbrough, but I think Singler and Henderson are ready for superstar status.

I think that if Lawson leaves, Duke should be ACC preseason #1.

[Edouble]

I'm pretty sure that Green would start and I also wouldn't give Ellington a clear advantage over Scheyer at this point. I would say that we deserve the preseason #1 spot over the 'Heels.

[chrishoke]

End of season - we have a good shot at. Preseason - no way.

[Edouble]

End of season - we have a good shot at. Preseason - no way.

Are you serious? We finished #2 this year and we have the most talented players coming back.

"No way"... really!

Would you pick Wake? C'mon dude!

[hudlow]

...Duke is always preseason #1.

[freedevil]

Are you serious? We finished #2 this year and we have the most talented players coming back.

As much as I dislike him, the consensus NPOY is returning for UNC... Unless Ellington and/or Green bolt, there is no way we are preseason #1 over UNC. Really.

[SilkyJ]

It would be close but with the returning POY and only losing 1 player (albeit an important one) in lawson, I think UNC would be preseason #1. I think it will be a very close vote though. We'll be #4-7 nationally.

[DukeBlood]

Did Ellington withdraw his name from the draft? Maybe most of you just believe he wont get a contract so he will come back?

[Uncle Drew]

If I were a sports writer and looking at the teams on paper with who is coming in and who is returning I'd have to give the edge to UNC even without Lawson. First off as well as Duke started last season it seemed the spread offense to hide the lack of a dominant inside force got figured out somewhere around the Wake Forrest game in Winston Salem. Not to say Coach K doesn't have more tricks up his sleeve and I think Zoubek will be improving like he did towards the end of the year. But we still don't have anyone that matches up against Hansbrough. (Then again who does?)

And granted if Ellington, Green and Lawson all go you could make the case for Duke on experience. But if you want to look at how the teams finished you'd have to take UNC, Kansas game aside. Again Duke will have the all around advantage at guard / small forward, but the front court will be where UNC has their advantage. Truth be told I'd like to see Duke picked last and be an underdog. But with DUKE on the front of the jersey I think teams play harder if you're picked 1st or 12th. (And for the record for whatever reason I don't think teams play as hard against UNC, even when they are highly ranked.)

[BlueintheFace]

My vote is for Maryland with all of their new talent coming in and returning starters...

[CameronCrazy'11]

I'm gonna say without Lawson, we should be preseason #1, whether or not the Hansbrough obsessed media will see it that way. If Ellington goes too, UNC has to argue for #2

[Bluedog]

I agree with freedevil on this one. If Ellington and Green return, there is no way the media is not going to choose UNC as preseason #! in the ACC. Lawson is a big loss, yes, but Frasor is a decent PG and they have the NPOY returning. It's just not going to happen. Now if Ellington decides to leave too, I think that would make things more interesting. I don't see UNC falling below #2 no matter what.

[yancem]

Losing Lawson will hurt UNC and I think that there are strong arguments that can be made that Duke should be the better team next year but until Duke proves it on the court UNC will be and should be pre-season #1. UNC has won (or at least tied for first) the ACC the last two years and returns primarily the same team as last year with a good recruiting class. Duke finished second last year, looses a similar amount of talent (although we will more easily fill the void left by Nelson since we are stacked at his position) and finished the season poorly. I doubt that many writers are going to go out on a limb and pick Duke over a proven UNC team which returns the NPOY.

[houstondukie]

Chew on this...
Duke beat UNC at Chapel Hill when Lawson was hurt. Each team brings in comparable recruiting classes, so not much may change from last year. Yes, I am aware that Duke had Demarcus Nelson in that game, but we beat UNC at their place and it wasn't that close. Plus, we have experience this year.

[sandinmyshoes]

I could see us getting the preseason #1 if Lawson is gone. But if he leaves, I am not sure anyone will be the consensus #1. The voting by the various publications and media outlets will probably be much more varied than usual.

The reality of the season for UNC will depend on how Frasor comes back from his injury, and if that Drew kid can contribute as a freshman.

[Cdog923]

If Lawson stays in the draft (which I think he will), we will be preseason #1. If Ellington or Green stay in the draft (which I think one of the two will), then there won't be any question.

[SupaDave]

Dont forget that the Heels get Frasor back. I could care less what we are ranked. GIVE it to Wake Forest for all I care. I believe this team has the chance to be GREAT. We haven't had this a team this solid in years. It's gonna be a fun year...

[sandinmyshoes]

Chew on this...
Duke beat UNC at Chapel Hill when Lawson was hurt. Each team brings in comparable recruiting classes, so not much may change from last year. Yes, I am aware that Duke had Demarcus Nelson in that game, but we beat UNC at their place and it wasn't that close. Plus, we have experience this year.

They were without Frasor that game. Frasor doesn't have the physical skills of Lawson, but he does appear to be a more mature player. My memory is blurred, but wasn't Frasor their starting point guard when they beat us in Cameron his freshman year?

However that may be, I still like our chances with Lawson gone. He was just too quick to match up with.

[mgtr]

I don't care who UNC returns, with the four great players we return, plus many others healed and with more experience, plus our terrific recruits, Duke will be a wonderful team next year. And no, I am not on anything!

[VaDukie]

I could care less what the media thinks, if Lawson is gone we have a better team top to bottom.