2015-2016 Rotations

[Galbpt02]

It is funny - not too long ago we were worried about depth - now we have 11 quality players. Interested to hear thoughts on rotations. Here are mine.

Roster

1. Tyler Ulis
2. Marcus Lee
3. Alex Poythress
4. Isaiah Briscoe
5. Jamal Murray
6. Skal Labissiere
7. Charles Matthews
8. Mychael Mulder
9. Humphries
10. Dominque Hawkins
11. Derek Willis

Starters - My thoughts

1. Ulis - unquestioned leader
2. Murray - can play off the ball and shoot
3. Mulder - shooter with some experience - Cal's kind of player (similar to Mays)
4. Poythress - assuming he is healthy, he gets back to his natural position
5. Labissiere - a definite

Key Reserves - Will play tons of minutes and start occasionally

1. Briscoe - I could see him starting and anticipate Ulis, Briscoe and Murray closing out games on the floor at the same time.
2. Lee - will be the first big off the bench - possibly could start some and slide Poythress to the 3. Will log a lot of minutes this year.
3. Humphries - I think he plays more next year, but Labissiere and Lee are slighter and Humphries adds the needed muscle to bang down low when called upon.

Minimal Playing Time

1. Matthews - probably won't play a ton, but will get some run if he can play defense
2. Willis and Hawkins - mop up time again for these guys based on the way things have shared out. Incredible when your 10th and 11th guys are this good.

 

[BBNinSC]

I predict that Matthews will be the surprise player on this roster and could end
up as the best 6th man in the country.

 

[wcc31]

Starters:

Ulis
Briscoe
Murray
Poythress
Labissiere

Bench:

Lee
Mulder
Matthews

I think Lee/Poythress/Skal will each play similar minutes, with Humphries getting spot duty depending upon matchups and foul trouble.

 

[rabidcatfan]

Starting Lineup -

G - Tyler Ulis
G - Isaiah Briscoe
G - Jamal Murray
PF - Alex Poythress
C - Skal Labissiere

Second Five -

G - Dominique Hawkins
SG - Mychal Mulder
SF - Charles Matthews/Derek Willis
PF - Marcus Lee/Derek Willis
C - Issac Humphries

 

[Galbpt02]

Starting Lineup -

G - Tyler Ulis
G - Isaiah Briscoe
G - Jamal Murray
PF - Alex Poythress
C - Skal Labissiere

Second Five -

G - Dominique Hawkins
SG - Mychal Mulder
SF - Charles Matthews/Derek Willis
PF - Marcus Lee/Derek Willis
C - Issac Humphries

We will not be platooning this year...

 

[AllCats22]

Ulis
Briscoe
Murray
Poythress
Skal

Lee
Mulder/Matthews

I think Cal wants to get back to the traditional 7 or 8 player rotation. Probably not much more than that. So right now I'll put Mulder/Matthews but it could be both if they both deserve it. As Cal says, "My best players will play."

 

[Orange Soda King]

8 or 9 man rotation, depends on how good Humphries is out of the gate. Mulder and Matthews will both be good options from Day 1, though one may prove to be better than the other and come off the bench more throughout the season, we will see.

 

[Fitch44]

It seems like to many cat fans look at a recruit and if he is not a cousins, Noel, Davis, towns type talent then he won't play.
Humpreys is a 4 star kid that is big and skilled. Now I know skal will at the most but it seems borderline foolish to think this guy won't get 10-15 min a game.
He is coming in good and will play against lee, skal and poy for te next 3 months. I think he and Matthews will absolutely shock people.

 

[bucsrule8872]

Starters
G Ulis
G Briscoe
G Murray
F Poythress
F Labissiere

Key Reserves
F Lee- top frontcourt reserve, starter minutes.
G Mulder- top backcourt reserve, 15-20mpg.

Bench
C Humphries- foul trouble fill in, 5-10mpg.
G Matthews- spot duty.
G Hawkins- spot duty.
F Willis- spot duty.
G Floreal- practice player.

I could see Matthews and Mulder flip flopped. Humphries is a mystery. He may end up playing more than I expect. Cal loves his big men, so he might see more minutes.

 

[Tampa_cat54]

Starters
G Ulis
G Briscoe
G Murray
F Poythress
F Labissiere

Key Reserves
F Lee- top frontcourt reserve, starter minutes.
G Mulder- top backcourt reserve, 15-20mpg.

Bench
C Humphries- foul trouble fill in, 5-10mpg.
G Matthews- spot duty.
G Hawkins- spot duty.
F Willis- spot duty.
G Floreal- practice player.

I could see Matthews and Mulder flip flopped. Humphries is a mystery. He may end up playing more than I expect. Cal loves his big men, so he might see more minutes.

This is what I lean towards, with maybe a bit of a bigger role for Matthews, depending on how good he turns out to be!

Go Bucs?

 

[UKDUNK]

By the start of SEC play I think we will see:

Starters:
Ulis
Briscoe
Murray
Alex
Skal

Reserves:
Mulder
Lee
Humphries

No way Briscoe comes off the bench. Dude is a beast and he and Ulis will be the vocal leaders. Seems a lot of UK fans have swept Briscoe under the rug because he signed a while ago.

 

[Son_Of_Saul]

Cal goes 7 man rotation. Mulder and Matthews vying for the 7th spot in that rotation. Situational minutes for the 8th and 9th men.

 

[Galbpt02]

Pretty incredible to lose 7 guys to the NBA and still be talking about this much depth. Cal has spoiled all of us.

 

[caneintally]

We have 9 guys who should see the floor as they all are too good not to . Early I think Cal will play 10-11 guys but get it down to 8ish by January . I think Mulder might be the odd man out and he is a damn good player as well but Humphries is more talented and valuable so i think the 8 that see the majority of the minutes are

Starters
Ulis
Briscoe
Murray
Poythress
Skal

then off the bench
Matthews
Lee
Humphries

Matthews could be the best 6th man in the SEC as I think he is way underrated and there aren't 15 bette players in that class then him considering how well versed he is at doing so many things including shutting down his man and driving to the hole at will.

 

[caneintally]

It seems like to many cat fans look at a recruit and if he is not a cousins, Noel, Davis, towns type talent then he won't play.
Humpreys is a 4 star kid that is big and skilled. Now I know skal will at the most but it seems borderline foolish to think this guy won't get 10-15 min a game.
He is coming in good and will play against lee, skal and poy for te next 3 months. I think he and Matthews will absolutely shock people.

This dead on . I think Humphries plays just as must as LEE by Feb and Matthews , well in the previous comment I show how much I love that dude .

 

[bucsrule8872]

This dead on . I think Humphries plays just as must as LEE by Feb and Matthews , well in the previous comment I show how much I love that dude .

I don't see this happening. Lee has waited patiently behind superstars like Randle, Cauley-Stein, Johnson, and Towns. This is the year he SHOULD get some major clock. He will be our sixth man and get almost as many minutes as our starters as long as he avoids foul trouble. Cal is all about getting guys to the league and this is the year to do that for Lee. Humphries might get quite a few minutes, but not as many as Lee, IMHO.

 

[Hoskins91]

If Lee and Humphries get the same amount of playing time, it means somebody is a disappointment.

 

[Bluegrassking]

Barely not platooning, I sez. Maybe pared down to 8 by the end.

Ulis
Briscoe
Murray
Poythress
Skal

Mathews
Lee
Mulder
Humphries

 

[bucsrule8872]

Barely not platooning, I sez. Maybe pared down to 8 by the end.

Ulis
Briscoe
Murray
Poythress
Skal

Mathews
Lee
Mulder
Humphries

I think Matthews and Mulder are going to battle each other for the backup perimeter minutes. I think by the end of the season only one of them gets regular minutes. Humphries will get whatever is left after Poythress, Labissiere, and Lee get most of the frontcourt minutes. So I guess that's basically an 8-man rotation. It might be down to 7 by March. The top six (Ulis, Briscoe, Murray, Poythress, Labissiere, and Lee) will get most of the minutes by the end of the year, IMHO.

 

[Orange Soda King]

Cal should platoon-sub just once in our first exhibition game just to screw with all the fans

 

[Wildcat-in-STL]

I say its

Pg- Ulis
Sg- Briscoe
Sf- Murray
Pf - Poythress
C - Skal

6th man - Lee
7th man - Matthews
8th man - Humphries

 

[jrpross]

I say its

Pg- Ulis
Sg- Briscoe
Sf- Murray
Pf - Poythress
C - Skal

6th man - Lee
7th man - Matthews
8th man - Humphries

I just don't see where the minutes are going to come from for Humphries. I'm thrilled we got him but I think he's more of an insurance policy this year. I think Lee will get 15-20 minutes spelling the 4 and 5 spots and Humphries may get 5ish. Mulder, on the other hand, I think will be the best kick transfer we've gotten since Cal's been here.

 

[K-Town Kat]

I say its

Pg- Ulis
Sg- Briscoe
Sf- Murray
Pf - Poythress
C - Skal

6th man - Lee
7th man - Matthews
8th man - Humphries

Believe you're selling Mulder a bit short.

 

[harlanhomeboy]

I think there's a slightly different lineup that starts and finishes the games.

Starters:
Ulis
Murray
Mulder
Poythress
Labisierre

Subs:
Briscoe (first guard sub)
Hawkins (second guard sub, yes I said it)
Matthews
Lee (first big man sub)
Humphries

Willis

Finishers:
Ulis
Briscoe
Murray
Poythress
Labisierre

I think Dominique will get some clock this year and will be a great energy guy and lockdown defender in the backcourt when inserted. He's a great athlete with Final Four experience and I think he's going to surprise a lot of people with his PT. I'm still saying he's probably the 8th man, but I bet he plays over Matthews.

 

[KY_DO_ENT]

I think there's a slightly different lineup that starts and finishes the games.

Starters:
Ulis
Murray
Mulder
Poythress
Labisierre

Subs:
Briscoe (first guard sub)
Hawkins (second guard sub, yes I said it)
Matthews
Lee (first big man sub)
Humphries

Willis

Finishers:
Ulis
Briscoe
Murray
Poythress
Labisierre

I think Dominique will get some clock this year and will be a great energy guy and lockdown defender in the backcourt when inserted. He's a great athlete with Final Four experience and I think he's going to surprise a lot of people with his PT. I'm still saying he's probably the 8th man, but I bet he plays over Matthews.

Whereas I'd love for this to be true, b/c I'm a KY homer and I love our KY boys, I'm going to have to see Hawkins actually take enough shots to be a threat to believe that he would beat out Matthews, et al.

 

[ULarder]

First Platoon:

PG - Tyler Ulis
2G - Jamal Murray
SF - Mychal Mulder
PF - Alex Poythress
C - Skal Labissiere

Second Platoon:

PG - Isaiah Briscoe
SG - Charles Matthews
SF - Derek Willis
PF - Marcus Lee
C - Issac Humphries

 

[bucsrule8872]

First Platoon:

PG - Tyler Ulis
2G - Jamal Murray
SF - Mychal Mulder
PF - Alex Poythress
C - Skal Labissiere

Second Platoon:

PG - Isaiah Briscoe
SG - Charles Matthews
SF - Derek Willis
PF - Marcus Lee
C - Issac Humphries

LOL!

Just stop it!

 

[5iveStarRecruit]

Hawkins better get DNPs. With the guard rotation already heavy, theres zero room for someone with his limitations.

I got Lee, Matthews + Mulder as the reserves. Lee better display some skills because if not, Cal would no think twice before yanking him and giving Isaac burn to prove himself.

 

[Galbpt02]

These are good problems to have gentlemen - they call them rich man's problems. Our team is yet again LOADED - not to the level of last year, but very deep and versatile. We can throw lots of different lineups at teams and match up with speed and size easily!!