Minority View

[Phantom Warrior]

I'm pretty sure most other posters on this board will disagree, but I honestly believe we will have a more successful team this year sans Mayo than we would have had with him. There will, of course, be no way to know one way or the other, but that's how I see it.

[MKE_GoldenEagleFan]

I think a better question is, will this team do better than last years?

[BLT]

With few big men, MU will need perimeter scorers especially at the guard spot. Todd was arguably the best at creating his own shot. Can Carlino, Duane and JJJ? I only think Duane can of those three at this point, and those may be rushed as a freshman. What little I have seen from Carlino is that he is a system guy. JJJ needs someone to set him up as best as I have witnessed although he could be that guy. Derrick and John? No? Deonte, yes. Juan, no. Sandy? A little much to ask.

So, who is going to be that go-to guy? The volume scorer? It is a big question mark on a team full of question marks.

[Alan Bykowski, "brewcity77"]

Todd is a different kind of guy, no doubt. But taking away our best backcourt player and most able scorer is likely to make things difficult. As much as he didn't always seem to be the team guy, I think some people envision him as being more disruptive than he actually was.

I'm okay with next year being a rebuild. I'm okay with a losing record if we see things going in the right direction. But unless Duane or Jajuan are immediately ready to step up and contribute 13-16 ppg I find it very hard to believe we will have better on-court results without Todd than we would have had with him.

If this makes a long-term statement to the team and helps build chemistry over the long haul by allowing Wojo to say that he won't let anyone put their own interests ahead of the team, fine. I can see that having a positive ripple effect as our young team grows and matures while also forcing some of these young kids (like Deonte) to take a leadership role sooner rather than later. As far as actually helping in the W column in 2014-15? I think that's unlikely at best.

[Phantom Warrior]

JJJ is very capable of creating his own shot. So is Duane. And Deonte. I don't know about Carlino, and I don't know about Fischer.

Plus, JJJ, Deonte, and Duane are good passers who see the court and can deliver.

I think we will be better than most fans anticipate - if Fischer is healthy. If he's not, we could be in big trouble.

[TheSultan]

JJJ is very capable of creating his own shot. So is Duane.

You think they are. There has yet to be any evidence to suggest that this is the case for either one of them.

[Phantom Warrior]

Disagree. I saw JJJ create his own shot on quite a few occasions last year.

As for Duane, he has all the tools to create his own shot. If you watched him in high school, you know he is very quick, and that he has an excellent jump stop. He also can get off the floor following the jump stop. He is very capable of creating his own mid-range (12-16 feet) shot.

In my mind that was when Mayo was most effective - when he put the ball on the floor, drove into the lane, pulled up, and fired. Both JJJ and Duane are quicker than Mayo, and both have better hops/elevation. Neither is physically as strong as Mayo, but Mayo didn't create his mid-range shots by using strength.

If Wojo puts Fischer (or Taylor when he's in) on the low block and spreads the floor with the other four players, Burton, Johnson, and Duane will all be able to attack the lane and either take it all the way to the rack or pull up for the mid-range jumper. I have my doubts that Carlino or Dawson will be able to do this, and I know Derrick won't be able to, even with his impressive strength.

I think people are under-estimating JJJ and Duane.

[MUMac]

You think they are. There has yet to be any evidence to suggest that this is the case for either one of them.

JJJ could create his own shot, he did last year. He did not, though, have the green light as brent seemed to keep the reigns on him.

[CaribouJim]

Todd is a different kind of guy, no doubt. But taking away our best backcourt player and most able scorer is likely to make things difficult. As much as he didn't always seem to be the team guy, I think some people envision him as being more disruptive than he actually was.

I'm okay with next year being a rebuild. I'm okay with a losing record if we see things going in the right direction. But unless Duane or Jajuan are immediately ready to step up and contribute 13-16 ppg I find it very hard to believe we will have better on-court results without Todd than we would have had with him.

If this makes a long-term statement to the team and helps build chemistry over the long haul by allowing Wojo to say that he won't let anyone put their own interests ahead of the team, fine. I can see that having a positive ripple effect as our young team grows and matures while also forcing some of these young kids (like Deonte) to take a leadership role sooner rather than later. As far as actually helping in the W column in 2014-15? I think that's unlikely at best.

Pretty much my sentiments. On paper at least, Todd and Carlino could have vied for the best backcourt in the BE and I like the idea of JJJ, John and Duane getting quality minutes, but I think they would have anyway even if Todd had stayed as the team is lacking in bodies, especially in the first semester (and maybe longer depending on Fischer's shoulder) and it looks like MU will often be playing small ball this season so minutes would have been available anyway. However, Burton could be the X-Factor - he could become just a monster and the positive domino effect could make things real interesting and leave us wondering why DB's talents weren't used more last year.

I hope Phantom is right, but not sold just yet.

[Nukem2]

Pretty much my sentiments. On paper at least, Todd and Carlino could have vied for the best backcourt in the BE and I like the idea of JJJ, John and Duane getting quality minutes, but I think they would have anyway even if Todd had stayed as the team is lacking in bodies, especially in the first semester (and maybe longer depending on Fischer's shoulder) and it looks like MU will often be playing small ball this season so minutes would have been available anyway. However, Burton could be the X-Factor - he could become just a monster and the positive domino effect could make things real interesting and leave us wondering why DB's talents weren't used more last year.

I hope Phantom is right, but not sold just yet.

Agree as well. Whatever the outcome, this is going to be a very interesting (and, hopefully, successful ) season.