re: Do we have a final 4 quality basketball team next year?

I don't think he's going to average 30 ppg.

I would say season wide 18-20ppg, 8-10rpg and 4-5apg would be within reach.

Also, with Blakeney, Hornsby and Patterson, LSU will be deadly from 3. I expect all 3 to approach 40% from 3. Hornsby was at 39% last season, Patterson at 37%. Blakeney can shoot lights out. I expect TQ to improve from his 31% also.

Simmons will need to improve his FT%, but he's starting out on good footing hitting 77% last year. Blakeney was an 82% FT shooter.

We have a lot of versatility in the backcourt and Simmons can play the 3 or 4 and also point forward. I expect Gray to improve as well in his role as a point.

LSU should have a lot of options with lineups.

5 spot is the major question mark along with how does LSU want to play it. We won't always need the size presence there, but we will at times. That means ER3, Victor, Malone need to be viable options.

LSU can get away with a lineup with Victor at the 5 IMO because of LSU's size elsewhere and a lot of teams aren't trotting out 7 footers.

1 - TQ 6'6
2 - Blakeney 6'4
3 - Hornsby 6'4
4 - Simmons 6'9
5 - Victor 6'9

LSU could also go bigger depending on frontcourt development.

1 - TQ 6'6
2 - Blakeney 6'4
3 - Simmons 6'9
4 - Victor 6'9
5 - ER3/Malone 7'0

Or LSU could even go 4 guard with Simmons at the 5.

Plus you have JG, Patterson, and now Sampson to mix in for lineups and depth along with Epps and Bridgewater.

FF or bust is just silly IMO. But I fully expect LSU to compete for the SEC Title (13-5, 14-4) and make the NCAAT as a 7 seed or better.