My prediction :Joey Baker will be back next year.
- Thread starter acc hoops
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He’s not returning. I think he looks at what Goldwire has done after getting his degree and realizes a final year at a new school will do him good .
Being a good teammate and not pouting does not mean that he does not want to play more. He has given Duke his all, even though he did not pan out as expected. I agree that he will go the Jordan Goldwire rout and find a team where he can play more minutes.
I suspect sheyduke and SDevada are right, but we could really use him next year. We may have the youngest team ever next year, and having a guy who has been in the system like Joey would be invaluable, not to mention he’s been showing he’s the sharpshooter he was heralded to be when he arrived. Without question he’d be a captain, which I’d like to think would mean something.
I would love Baker back, but I think he moves on. Still, it's possible. Roach as the grizzled old vet on a team next year is a little scary.
Quinn Cook he is not I’m afraid. Jeremy seems like a good dude For whatever reason I can’t just get on board with him . Never cared much for Quin Snyder as a player The Paulus years were rough Some dudes don’t have the intangibles
God I wish Hurley would come back and run point and restore order to this Sh show iso positionless nonsense. Pull up the 91 unlv game. The man was a genius
He played really well when Keels went out. Once he is not looking over his shoulder, he might be really good.
Coach Scheyer should recruit him like a 5 star prospect. He was instrumental in winning the small private school state championship in high school. He enrolled at Duke a year early. He's a very nice young man lacking the ego to be a star. He has four years at the highest level on his resume'. He would be a coveted transfer at every program outside of the Top 20. He should remain at Duke . He's not a premier college player, but he has a terrific attitude with enough experience to help the team immensely next year
He’s got a sweet stroke that always looks like it’s going in. I like the way he carries himself quiet swag
It is quiet. I just commented that Cole Anthony is cocky on another thread. Baker has plenty of ability. He should be a very good offensive player. If he could borrow Cole Anthony's cockiness, it would be fun to see what he could accomplish
We have been having this same conversation every year since early in his Sophomore season. He has a decent game and the Baker hype train starts. We heard it all Summer long about how Joey was going to be the difference on this team and we heard it before his Junior season as well. He usually has 3-4 good scoring games a season against really bad opponents and has one good game against a decent opponent. The other 25-30 games of the season, he plays average basketball. I can assure you that the coaches would love to start another upperclassman like they are doing with Moore, but Joey goes weeks at a time without doing anything offensively and is a defensive liability compared to the guys who start at SG, SF and PF.
Would I like to see Joey back next year? Absolutely because he has that game or two that really pushes us over the ledge between winning and losing. However, Scheyer isn’t going to promise him a starting role at Duke. Neither would K. And Joey will likely be the 4th best option at SF/PF next year behind Whitehead, Flip and Mitchell. If Baker was a PG, maybe he starts some at Duke, but he’s never going to get that role playing on teams loaded with NBA talent at the 2-4 positions.
The one thing we haven’t discussed is whether Baker‘s plans are to keep playing basketball in G League or Europe in hopes of making it to the NBA. Have no idea of what is his major is but couldn’t grad school be his plan. If he stays with basketball we might see him on a bench coaching in several years.
I think Baker has given Duke all he has. I can see him returning but doubt it. I think he looks at a team where he can either start or be sixth man off the bench with more minutes. I just don’t see his minutes expanding next season. I would say he can come in at the sg/sf position though.
I agree with recruiting Baker to come back. I think we should recruit our guys to return a little more. Think of all the guys who have left. Now obviously Zion, RJ and Banchero type guys should be encouraged to leave. But convince the fringe guys, like Duval, Cassius (I know he is old but what has he done) , Keels, etc. to give the program another year and improve their draft stock. Some guys seem hell bent on leaving (DJ) but you can't tell me some guys on the fence who would be taken in the 2nd round/undrafted can't be talked into coming back. I don't see how Matthew Hurt toiling in the G League is in his best interest. Maybe his mind was made up, maybe not. We got lucky with Mark. But just convincing one of those guys a year is the difference between cutting the nets down and what we end up getting. Maybe impossible, but I see other guys from other schools returning.
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The issue is Scheyer convincing him that the bench rotation would be much different then his first four years.
with Whitehead and Mitchell coming in I don’t see a situation where Baker gets on the floor starting over either.
@durhamgolfer with the dual logins? 😂😂😂
I'd love to have guys for another year too, but that's tricky. First off, the news will spread if you become the coach trying convince guys to stay (Roy). Also, guys like Matt Hurt would potentially make us better, but what would Hurt's role be on this team. With Banchero coming in, I'm sure he knew his role would definitely not be the same as the year before.
I think the best thing you can do is give players the full picture, let them know you would love for them to return, but totally understand if they don't think it's in their best interest.
The transfer thing is the much bigger problem, imo.
I think the best thing you can do is give players the full picture, let them know you would love for them to return, but totally understand if they don't think it's in their best interest.
The transfer thing is the much bigger problem, imo.
Convincing Joey to come back would not be the negative that convincing a 5 Star, 1st Round pick to come back.
Legitimate question to come back for less time with a shot at Championship, familiar setting you love and are comfortable with or more playing time on much lower ceiling team and a brand new experience.
Win either way for the player, as it should be.
Legitimate question to come back for less time with a shot at Championship, familiar setting you love and are comfortable with or more playing time on much lower ceiling team and a brand new experience.
Win either way for the player, as it should be.
That’s the thing . Duke is young either way you look at it next season and I mean really young . Even if Baked returned with Roach your asking a lot from a guy who barely sees the floor and a guy that shows inconsistencies at running the team.
We definitely will be young. One of Wendell or Keels surprising us and coming back would be huge and or the right transfer or two.
The age of our incoming freshman is big too. Several of this year's crop are young freshman-AJ and Keels I think. Big difference between them and a Cassius Stanley.
Don't think any of the 22 class is coming in as older freshmen.
The age of our incoming freshman is big too. Several of this year's crop are young freshman-AJ and Keels I think. Big difference between them and a Cassius Stanley.
Don't think any of the 22 class is coming in as older freshmen.
Would love to see Wendell or Keels come back, but both are projected first rounders and in today's world, that almost certainly means they leave. Mark Williams currently seems to be the one Duke guy out of the five expected to go who might slip to early in the second round. I don't get that. I'd think he'd be picked ahead of both Wendell and Keels. Shows what I know about scouting for the NBA.
I'm really happy for Wendell that he's putting together a year that has him looking like a top 25 pick. Lots of hard work out of that kid. Did not give up when his first two years didn't play out exactly as he likely hoped they would. He had the kind of season I wish Semi Ojeleye or Marques Bolden could have developed into having for us.
I'm really happy for Wendell that he's putting together a year that has him looking like a top 25 pick. Lots of hard work out of that kid. Did not give up when his first two years didn't play out exactly as he likely hoped they would. He had the kind of season I wish Semi Ojeleye or Marques Bolden could have developed into having for us.
Mark Williams back for a third year would be amazing. If he slips into the second round. I doubt it but stranger things have happened. Twin towers and Flip as the 6th man. Dreaming but it would be nice.
How would you compare Lively to Williams? Think he might be a notch above !st semester freshman Williams and just a notch below 2nd semester Williams?
I honestly haven't seen much of Lively. I would assume a junior Williams is better, but I am guessing.
I personally think Flip will be one of, if not the, leading scorer on the team next year. Really doubt there's any scenario he doesn't start.
Pretty similar in my view. Both lob threats, keep the other team out of the paint. Lively a slightly better shot blocker (crazy right?), rebounder, little more twitch/faster, think he can log more mpg. Mark is a better FT shooter, little stronger, won’t shoot 3’s (Lively will shoot them but is low %).
I’ve watched Lively play a couple times and he looks pretty good against okay competition. When he played a team like Gill St Bernards School, he was the 3rd best player on the floor as both MgBako and Nasir Cunningham (2024 top prospect) played much better than Lively. Lively was trying to shoot 3 pointers versus banging down low against guys that he was much taller than.
Lively’s defense is much better than his offensive game right now and neither are close to what Williams is currently doing outside of possibly being a better rebounder. If Mark were to stay, Lively would play a similar role and minutes as Theo John. Could be wrong but I don’t see Lively being a big time Center for us next year with or without Mark around. Think Flip gets the nod over Lively. We will desperately need some help at guard from the transfer portal. Also wouldn’t hurt to bring in an experienced transfer who can play the Theo John role (preferably taller and better scorer than Theo), which all helps to free up Flip to play PF.
Lively is starting . Don’t see him coming if he wasn’t. Him at five for rebounding and defense frees flip up to play the power forward spot. And leaves Whitehead and Mitchell to play sg and sf.
Roach being possibly the only returning player is scary.
4 freshman and Roach sounds like an NIT team to me, but what do I know. I hope some other guys come back. And a first year coach too. Its a great start recruiting wise, but yikes.
Here is the issue with Lively and Roach starting. Would be very surprised if Lively averages more than 7-8 points per game. As mentioned, good on defense and rebounding, but from what I’ve seen, not a dominant shot blocker. With Roach also starting, you’re looking at another position that may contribute 7-10 points per game.
It means that we have to generate 80% of our points per game from 3 positions. Is Whitehead going to play SG or are we bringing in a transfer to play that role. We should be solid at SF and PF, but that’s a lot of pressure to put on 2-3 positions every night with regards to generating almost all our points.
I look for Mitchell to play sf and Whitehead at Sg. Lively at the five and Flip at the four. Blake’s, Schutt and who ever else Duke signs off the bench and Roach starting pg.
either way we look at it atleast three freshman are starting !
I think Lively can be in double digits on hustle and athleticism.
You may be underselling his shot blocking. From nbadraftroom.com: “Lively is a game changer on the defensive end, altering and blocking a ton of shots.”
We'll see.
Yeah I agree on his blocking. Wouldn’t be surprised if he averages over 3 a game next year and has the same effect as Mark deterring guards from driving. 8/11/3 sounds pretty reasonable for Lively with some nights where he can erupt for 20/20/5.
Problem with next year’s team will be missing a prolific scorer which is unusual for Duke. Will be ecstatic if Whitehead and Mitchell get over 15/10 ppg respectively but I doubt it. I dunno what to make of Filipowski’s impact but it appears we will be extremely good on the defensive end. Really would help to find a high scorer in the portal.
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