Emmitt Williams will complement Naz Reid very well

The kid has a lot of ability but I think his biggest asset to the team will be his toughness.

At times, we got out physicalled this past season. Williams will put an end to that.

I’m just wondering how Wade will distribute the minutes. And who starts.

Hopefully either Williams or Days can give us minutes at the 3 so we can go with a big lineup from time to time. It all depends on their ability to guard the three and to dribble.

My guess is that we start with:

Waters
Mays
Smart
Reid
Bigby-Williams

First off the bench: Emmit Williams (starter minutes)

Emmitt reminds me so much of Lance Stephenson.

Offensively, Williams will rely on lobs, slashing, and offensive rebounds. I think he’ll be very feast or famine depending on what the other team is doing.

He’ll have games where he cleans up the boards and dunks his way to 24 points but he’ll also have games where he’ll only score like 6 points when the D pays attention to him and the dunks and O rebounds aren’t there.

He’ll make a consistent impact on defense, rebounding, and with hustle plays.

I wouldn’t be surprised if we have 6 guys average around 10 PPG next year with no one really averaging more than 12 per.

the guy is on another level with his ability to finish over people bigger than him.

Who do you start at the 3?

The way I see our lineup is we have 1 pg (waters), 2 combo guards (Mays and Smart), and 2 Wings/shooting guards (Sampson and Edwards).

It could definitely be Sampson or Edwards at the 3.

Both will help a ton with rebounds and scoring in the paint, which was a major weak spot this season.

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If Brandon Sampson realizes his full potential and stays injury-free, I could see him in the starting lineup as well for either Mays or Smart, at least early in the season. Sometimes guys really step up their Senior year (like Epps this year).

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Sampson needs to work his arse of to become an elite defender. He has the tools. He's long, quick, and super athletic. That would give us two great perimeter defenders in Sampson and Edwards to hopefully tighten up our 3pt defense.

Sampson made huge improvements in 1 year under Wade. The guy couldn’t spell defense before last year, but he looked pretty good at times.

I expect him to make another solid jump next season.

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Sampson made huge improvements in 1 year under Wade.

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Honestly, I wouldnt say this, he looked good those first few games, then after the injury was mostly non existent.

Wade mentioned in an interview recently he felt like he failed Sampson and didnt really give him a role after he came back from injury and wanted to focus on him this offseason.

I think Sampson coming back means he absolutely starts the 3 unless we add a JUCO/grad transfer wing who is better. Sampson had every intention of going pro supposedly going into last season and it just didn't end up working out. I bet Wade really improves him for his senior year. Reath and Epps both made big leaps under Wade their senior years.

I don't think that Waters, Mays and Smart will be Wade's first option for his starting guards. These are his three best options at the point. He will like one of them to be coming in for relief of the two starting guards. He has said he likes to start two guys who can run the point.

My guess is that it will be Waters and Mays who begin the season in the starting line up unless Smart displaces Mays in preseason practices. Smart may take Mays place as a starter as the season progresses.

The three spot starter will depend on who is playing the best and opposing team match up.

Naz and Bigby Williams will likely start, especially, if we play a team with size.

Needless to say, it's been a long time since I was this excited about an upcoming basketball season!!