Next Year - Is anyone else just a little concerned

[jsnider]

First of all let me preface my comment by saying how much I am enjoying the Zags this year. This is a special team - perhaps the best since I have been following Gonzaga basketball (2011) when my daughter entered Gonzaga as a freshman. I have very high hopes for this team and my enthusiasm is limitless. This is a team and i don't want to jinx it that is - National Championship good. You need both talent and luck to be the final team standing. They have the talent in spades, they need a little luck to stay completely healthy.

But as I look toward next year we need to make some assumptions. Let's assume that Suggs, Kispert, and Ayayi are for sure gone to the NBA as potential 1st rounders. I don't know what to think about Timme, Cook, and Nembhard. I will assume that Cook is gone as well as he will be 24 and can get started to be paid. Would he want to come back as a potential backup point guard? I also assume it is better than 50/50 that Timme might be tempted to test the NBA waters. I will assume that Nembhard is back to work on his shooting. So the assumption is Suggs, Timme, Kispert, Ayayi, and Cook gone. That is a lot of scoring to leave - Gonzaga has had the best offense a few years in a row now. Please argue my assumption on players coming back.

Let's also make the assumption that both Chet Holmgren and Hunter Sallis come to Gonzaga. That is a big and important assumption. Freshman are hard to gauge in terms of their impact. Suggs is the exception not the rule. Look at our recruiting success with freshman over the past several years but very few have come close to Suggs' impact. Can Holmgren and Sallis step in and be difference makers. Does Ballo become more mobile as the lead big and can he take over from where Timme and Petrusev were? Does next year's team have enough scoring? How does Watson, Strawther, and Harris develop from basically freshman to sophomores? Who will be the leader as Kispert is this year? You need that experoence. Next year's team will have talent but you also need that leader with experience. I am excited for next year - don't get me wrong. And Gonzaga always seems to reload and not rebuild. How do you all feel about next year? Please give me your thoughts - much appreciated.

[willandi]

First of all let me preface my comment by saying how much I am enjoying the Zags this year. This is a special team - perhaps the best since I have been following Gonzaga basketball (2011) when my daughter entered Gonzaga as a freshman. I have very high hopes for this team and my enthusiasm is limitless. This is team and i don't want to jinx it is - National Championship good. You need both talent and luck to be the final team standing. They have the talent in spades, they need a little luck to stay completely healthy.

But as I look toward next year we need to make some assumptions. Let's assume that Suggs, Kispert, and Ayayi are for sure gone to the NBA as potential 1st rounders. I don't know what to think about Timme, Cook, and Nembhard. I will assume that Cook is gone as well as he will be 24 and can get started to be paid. Would he want to come back as a potential backup point guard? I also assume it is better than 50/50 that Timme might be tempted to test the NBA waters. I will assume that Nembhard is back to work on his shooting. So the assumption is Suggs, Timme, Kispert, Ayayi, and Cook gone. That is a lot of scoring to leave - Gonzaga has had the best offense a few years in a row now. Please argue my assumption on players coming back.

Let's also make the assumption that both Chet Holmgren and Hunter Sallis come to Gonzaga. That is a big and important assumption. Freshman are hard to gauge in terms of their impact. Suggs is the exception not the rule. Look at our recruiting success with freshman over the past several years but very few have come close to Suggs' impact. Can Holmgren and Sallis step in and be difference makers. Does Ballo become more mobile as the lead big and can he take over from where Timme and Petrusev were? Does next year's team have enough scoring? How does Watson, Strawther, and Harris develop from basically freshman to sophomores? Who will be the leader as Kispert is this year? You need that experoence. Next year's team will have talent but you also need that leader with experience. I am excited for next year - don't get me wrong. And Gonzaga always seems to reload and not rebuild. How do you all feel about next year? Please give me your thoughts - much appreciated.

Let's also make the assumption that the Zags win back to back Natty's. How will that affect future recruiting?

You do make a lot of good points, but with Chet and Sallis on the team, this years freshmen will have had a year to learn the system and fill in the blanks. I, for one, will not fret until that time comes. I think the Zags will be just fine.

[Markburn1]

Nembhard and Timme experienced leadership. Harris and Strawther with huge upside. Assume a minimum of one major recruit and one major transfer. They will be very good. Depends on your expectations.

[jsnider]

Nembhard and Timme experienced leadership. Harris and Strawther with huge upside. Assume a minimum of one major recruit and one major transfer. They will be very good. Depends on your expectations.

Markburn - i made the assumption that Timme would be gone. If your assumption is that he comes back, i am far more comfortable. But what if he doesn't? Can Ballo be Timme/Petrusev next year?

[bartruff1]

no

[JAGzag]

Sorry, but where is Timme going next year?

[jazzdelmar]

Markburn - i made the assumption that Timme would be gone. If your assumption is that he comes back, i am far more comfortable. But what if he doesn't? Can Ballo be Timme/Petrusev next year?

Maybe by 2025.

[jazzdelmar]

Nembhard and Timme experienced leadership. Harris and Strawther with huge upside. Assume a minimum of one major recruit and one major transfer. They will be very good. Depends on your expectations.

I’m happy with that core. Cookie would be gravy. Watty maybe comes around.

[Malastein]

I’m not at all worried about next year. This year is far too exciting for that, and there will be plenty of time to worry about next year when it happens. Even if it is a letdown year comparatively, I see no reason why it wouldn’t be at least a sweet sixteen/ elite eight level team.

[jsnider]

Sorry, but where is Timme going next year?

Jag- I was making the assumption that Timme was going to the NBA. Maybe you disagree with that. If he comes back as the "5", I think the team looks a whole lot more formidable.

[bdmiller7]

I dont see Timme as leaving this year, he still needs to show he can be a threat from outside. If we have...
Gaurds: Cook, Nembhard, Harris, Sallis,
Forwards: Arlauskas, Watson, Strawther, Gregg, Perry
Center: Timme, Ballo, Zakharov, Holmgren
that is at least a top 10 team, if not top 5, with a chance to win a title.

[willandi]

I dont see Timme as leaving this year, he still needs to show he can be a threat from outside. If we have...
Gaurds: Cook, Nembhard, Harris, Sallis,
Forwards: Arlauskas, Watson, Strawther, Gregg, Perry
Center: Timme, Ballo, Zakharov, Holmgren
that is at least a top 10 team, if not top 5, with a chance to win a title.

Not sure Nembhard will be back, if he keeps putting up these numbers. Cook may opt to getting paid, but an advanced degree, fully paid for, is nothing to sneeze at.

[jazzdelmar]

Nembhard, Harris, Sallis, Tims, Holms......I’m happy. Perry, Straw first off bench plus another great senior transfer like Cookie.

[former1dog]

Not worried in the least! Coach Few got a team that lost Heytvelt and featured Raivio as its star player to the NCAA tournament. Raivio, a very, very good player; but not your typical cornerstone of an NCAA team.

Few will have a lot to work with next year.

[MDABE80]

If we finish this season in the top 3 or a title, no worries. We do have a superior core returning. Not worries at all. I dunno if Chet will be with us even though it looks like he is trending to us. I’m so sure all of our predicted defections will be gone either.

[VaBeachZAG]

I dont see Timme as leaving this year, he still needs to show he can be a threat from outside. If we have...
Gaurds: Cook, Nembhard, Harris, Sallis,
Forwards: Arlauskas, Watson, Strawther, Gregg, Perry
Center: Timme, Ballo, Zakharov, Holmgren
that is at least a top 10 team, if not top 5, with a chance to win a title.

Think Cook will be gone unless he really really wants a graduate degree. If we still have Timme and are successful getting Sallis and Holmgren, the Zag could well be preseason No. 1 for 2021/22. As an aside, if we really want Holmgren, please stop slotting him in the 5 spot. If the staff tries to recruit him as a center (I know they are too smart for that) he wont be coming to Spokane.

[bdmiller7]

Think Cook will be gone unless he really really wants a graduate degree. If we still have Timme and are successful getting Sallis and Holmgren, the Zag could well be preseason No. 1 for 2021/22. As an aside, if we really want Holmgren, please stop slotting him in the 5 spot. If the staff tries to recruit him as a center (I know they are too smart for that) he wont be coming to Spokane.

Dont know if Cook would want to come back to finish his Masters or not. He would be very helpful, but not a make or break. I hope Chet doesnt see my post and decide to go with a poster from Michigan who promises to play him at the 3. Kidding aside I don't think it matters what number you put next to Chet, he's not going to be camped out on the block, it wont change what he does on the court.

[GonzaGAW]

I dont see Timme as leaving this year, he still needs to show he can be a threat from outside. If we have...
Gaurds: Cook, Nembhard, Harris, Sallis,
Forwards: Arlauskas, Watson, Strawther, Gregg, Perry
Center: Timme, Ballo, Zakharov, Holmgren
that is at least a top 10 team, if not top 5, with a chance to win a title.

- looks good, but i'd add two opinions. 1. cook will not come back and 2. sallis is about as highly rated as suggs was, so i'd not be surprised to see another one and done at guard.

- bottom line, worried no way, in fact i say lets go get number 2.

[jsnider]

Who takes Kispert's role as the leader? Does it matter? Will the team be too young and how much does the upperclassman experience matter?

[TheBunnieRancher]

Who takes Kispert's role as the leader? Does it matter? Will the team be too young and how much does the upperclassman experience matter?

Ask this year's Kentucky squad how much experience matters. And I don't think there's a lot of demand in the NBA for back to the basket big men who play below the rim and don't have a proven long game like Timme.

[bdmiller7]

Not sure Nembhard will be back, if he keeps putting up these numbers. Cook may opt to getting paid, but an advanced degree, fully paid for, is nothing to sneeze at.

Nembhards points, assists, and 3% are all down from last year at Florida. I expect him back next year leading this team.

[Hogan]

Ayayi is an interesting one. He has been here four years, is a really good college player, and may leave. I’m just not sure he is an NBA guy. Just hoping that maybe, maybe, maybe he would want to come back and take over for Corey as the team leader.

[Zagricultural]

I think we get the cream of an enormous transfer crop.

[MickMick]

I'm an old fart and I can't even recall the last time the Zags couldn't reload.

The answer to the OP is no.

[VaBeachZAG]

I think we get the cream of an enormous transfer crop.

Would not be the least surprised at one or two huge transfer gets.