He is 5 weeks out from surgery and is supposed to get a checkup today. HIs timetable was 8-12 weeks. Hopefully he'll get a good prognosis about returning sooner than later.
Theo...
- Thread starter acarter0277
- Start date
I think he will get a positive checkup. Now as to staff getting him on the floor, I'd wager they are very careful but as Theo reports he has been shooting and raising up on this toes (not jumping), moving some laterally but again, no real hard cuts, more like walk through...I'm going with Andrew, bet it is closer to the 8 week mark than the 12 week mark.
Let Mr. Energy come back and keep JBII healthy...and please no more injuries!
Let Mr. Energy come back and keep JBII healthy...and please no more injuries!
Yep, so let me open the Pandora's box of controversy, how do you see the line up when Theo is back and available to play?
Personally, I much prefer Theo at the 3 and small ball 4, for me kenny is the guy I want starting at the 2, he and Joel just seem to have a really good chemistry playing as a duo. We have seen a good bit of Theo defending wings and 4s in small ball but not so much of Theo defending 2s, can he, especially with his foot issues, defend 2s better than kenny has shown he can? I like the known more than the unknown. Over the summer when I suggested I wanted kenny to start at the 2 and I was retorted with Kenny only hitting 1 or 13 treys so he can't shoot, I would hope that argument can now be put to rest. As I have shared, Kenny has impressed me more as a defender than as an offensive end scorer, so I would suggest the ability to defend 2s is at most close and if it is close then I want the guy that shows that you can not leave him and double Joel or he will knock down those open jumpers and that to me is kenny.
Personally, I much prefer Theo at the 3 and small ball 4, for me kenny is the guy I want starting at the 2, he and Joel just seem to have a really good chemistry playing as a duo. We have seen a good bit of Theo defending wings and 4s in small ball but not so much of Theo defending 2s, can he, especially with his foot issues, defend 2s better than kenny has shown he can? I like the known more than the unknown. Over the summer when I suggested I wanted kenny to start at the 2 and I was retorted with Kenny only hitting 1 or 13 treys so he can't shoot, I would hope that argument can now be put to rest. As I have shared, Kenny has impressed me more as a defender than as an offensive end scorer, so I would suggest the ability to defend 2s is at most close and if it is close then I want the guy that shows that you can not leave him and double Joel or he will knock down those open jumpers and that to me is kenny.
The two people who need their minutes trimmed should have them trimmed once Theo gets back. Luke will play less due to Theo being able to be a small ball 4 - Nate will play less, only in relief of JB, because Theo will play some 2 along with Kenny.
Personally the minutes I would trim would be BRob and Luke, I wouldn't trim much of Nate's but can see his decline some. BRob is the guy that scares me right now when he is out there, the kid plays as hard as he can but I just don't think he is ready in any aspect for many minutes right now. He was kinda shoved in to the fire when Theo went down but suffice to say I will be glad when Theo gets back in to game shape. BRob IMO will develop in to a fine player down the road but he has a lot to work on, this experience will serve him really well down the road.
I can see all of these guys losing a few minutes IF Theo comes back healthy. That means about 33 MPG to be redistributed among Theo, Tony, and the other starters. Joel is going to average more MPG than his current 26 and both Kennedy(23) and Isaiah(26) may as well. All pure speculation, of course.
Nate 20.8 MPG to about 12 MPG
7th 12.3 MPG to about 8 MPG
Brandon 12.0 MPG to about 3 MPG
Luke 11.0 MPG to 8 MPG
Stilman 3.4 MPG to 1 MPG
Aaron 2.0 MPG to 0 MPG
Shea 1.7 MPG to 0 MPG
Kanler 1.6 MPG to 0 MPG
Nate 20.8 MPG to about 12 MPG
7th 12.3 MPG to about 8 MPG
Brandon 12.0 MPG to about 3 MPG
Luke 11.0 MPG to 8 MPG
Stilman 3.4 MPG to 1 MPG
Aaron 2.0 MPG to 0 MPG
Shea 1.7 MPG to 0 MPG
Kanler 1.6 MPG to 0 MPG
I suspect Roy will ease Theo back in the rotation but when Roy believes Theo is 100% and has the rust knocked off, he will be the starter the rest of the season.
Based on Roy's post game presser yesterday (where he acknowledged without question that Theo would be starting right now if healthy), there isn't really a controversy here. Theo will start over Kenny/Nate, which I agree with, assuming he's healthy. I think we'll see more of Nate at the point to get him on the floor, and 20-25 still from Kenny at the 2 with Theo on the bench for about 15-18 minutes of that time and on the floor as the 3/4 with Kenny for about 7-10 minutes of that time. Some of that time with Kenny at the 2 and Theo at the 3/4 Justin will be in at the 3 (i.e., the part where Theo is the 4) and some of that time with Kenny at the 2 will just be with Theo at the 3 and 2 regular bigs.
The number of minutes might be a little off, but that's what it will look like.
(a few weeks from now) Theo will start if healthy and this has never been even a question. He was going to start at the end of last year and he will start as soon as he is healthy. The only thing KW has on Theo is his shot, and I believe that is more than accounted for in TP's mid-range game, rebounding, and superior distributing. KW is learning to be an elite defender ( I believe he will be), but TP is too and he is longer.
BUT the real kicker is seniority! To beat out an upperclassman you have to be clearly superior at UNC. KW is on the verge of a breakout year and I hope it happens for him. Nothing I say is a slight to KW, but TP fills the stat sheet, leads vocally and by example, and can guard 3 positions. A healthy TP is a problem on both ends and his energy lifts the entire team-this can not be measured! TP earned his spot and, at UNC, you don't lose your spot to injury! This is part of the Tar Heel Way and I am proud we stick to our beliefs!
BUT the real kicker is seniority! To beat out an upperclassman you have to be clearly superior at UNC. KW is on the verge of a breakout year and I hope it happens for him. Nothing I say is a slight to KW, but TP fills the stat sheet, leads vocally and by example, and can guard 3 positions. A healthy TP is a problem on both ends and his energy lifts the entire team-this can not be measured! TP earned his spot and, at UNC, you don't lose your spot to injury! This is part of the Tar Heel Way and I am proud we stick to our beliefs!
Was TP reported to be "ahead of schedule"? Think I read that on Twitter.
Regarding him starting, KW officially showed the type of player he can be against Radford. But I think it'll be at least 1 more year before he secures that starting spot. Interested to see how he does against top competition like UK.
Regarding him starting, KW officially showed the type of player he can be against Radford. But I think it'll be at least 1 more year before he secures that starting spot. Interested to see how he does against top competition like UK.
Next 4-6 weeks will dictate how you interject Theo back into the mix? If Kenny Williams can build off the Radford game and just be a 3 and D guy for us I think you keep starting him for spacing purposes. And allow Theo to be a swiss army knife 6th man that plays anywhere from the 2-4 spots on the floor. Theo will be on the court at the ends of games.
Well, some good news for a change. Looks like we're just waiting for the MRI to begin impact drills.
Unless I miss-understood what Roy said, and I may have, had some distractions going on while listening to it, but I thought I understood him to say that had Theo not got hurt that he felt Theo would have started game one. I thought he put it as such that he was putting the decision on who his 5th starter is on hold a bit until Theo comes back and then see which of the 3 (Theo, Kenny, Nate) would win the role, as most coaches do not like to have a kid lose a starters spot he earned because he gets hurt. So it struck me more as the competition for that spot begins again when Theo gets back and he will see who wins it at that point. Maybe I didn't hear it completely but that was the sense I got.
Dave, it sounded more like he was saying Theo had earned the starting 2 job, and that his rationale for flip-flopping the early lineup was not to disappoint anyone when Theo came back. Truthfully i think much of that last part was a typical Roy-answer to questions he doesn't like. If anything JB's injury makes the whole thing a moot point. Nate will start at PG in his place (at least I sure as hell hope he doesn't try to force things with 7th) and Kenny I hope will solidify himself at the 2 until Theo is healthy enough to reclaim it.
I would absolutely trim BRobs back some, he scares me as a ball handler, love the kids energy and he gosh darn trys, he plays as hard as he can but he needs to fill out that frame and get a ton of skill work in. Luke, hard for me to see reducing his minutes until Theo comes back. I do think his minutes take a hard hit when Theo does get back, Roy will not hesitate to put Theo and Justin in together in small ball, meaning Theo IMO would be our 4th front court option rather than Luke.
The other thing that would help see Luke's minutes cut a little is Tony, he IMO has started to struggle some, hello freshman wall. I see it more on the defensive end, he has been getting out of position more and more, really noticed him struggle as of late with when to bring the weak side help and especially defending high ball screens. He seems to be picking up more fouls and a lot of that is just being out of position and trying to make up. Looks like his shooting free throws has got in to his head a little bit as well, does not seem to have a really good routine at the line, most of his misses seem to be off to a side. I am watching him a lot off the ball and right now he isn't as settled as he seemed to be earlier, like his head is spinning a little bit and it is about time that happened, that freshman wall smacks pretty much them all and it is from an accumulation of things. I would rather he hit it now than later on cause cool thing about that wall, once they finally get over it they become much better players.
Like I said, I had some distractions going on while listening to it. Clearly with Roy flip flopping Nate and Kenny what you say makes sense but IMO it will be real hard to not start Kenny, especially after games like he had vs Radford. Kenny gave us something in that game as well as so far this season actually, that I just think is very valuable and not what I expect Theo to be able to give us, a viable additional out side shooting threat that brings us very solid defense as well.
Not a surprise that kenny is the guy I want at the 2, said it all summer but when I said it this summer there were some unknowns I was not sure of. Like I felt Kenny could defend the 2 spot but I didn't know that for sure, I am very happy with his defense at the position. Could he handle the ball as a 2 guard, well he is not going to be confused with being a PG but has handled the ball as well as I could have asked him to so far, does not have a ton of TOs. Could he help us rebounding, theo at the 2 would be a huge rebounding help so could Kenny off set that some? Been rather surprised, think (without looking at stats) that he has helped us on that front. But the big thing was defense because I believe Theo would be a big time defender no matter which position he played but so far I am not sure Theo would defend any better than how I see kenny at least so fare. Passing, Theo is a length mismatch and really helped us passing out some assists last season, not sure I would put kenny at that level but would not say he is that far behind either. All in all, my starter would be kenny, not my call to make but is my preference.
