Who is out there that could fill this spot? If DM leaves, I wonder if RP would look to see if the Russell kid from Grand Canyon might be interested in transferring? Kid has a ton of game - wonder if it would have too much of a Chris Jones feel though?
Not really sure who or if there is someone out there that could transfer in to help out at center.
Here is my thinking about the 5 spot. I have been a Mahmoud fan for a while but he will be a senior next season and his play this season, with the exception of a few bright spots, has been overall pretty disappointing to me.
Seeming him blow those point blank dunks in the Michigan game was a HUGE disappointment. Hearing about how he lost the hard won 15 pounds over the summer last season tells me something too. Pitino said that Anas failed to keep up his eating and weight lifting regime when he went home.
Now with Mangok gone, Anas is likely the starting- and main- center for this team unless someone changes positions or the freshmen are ready to step in day one. There is Matz, but him getting little to no PT this season tells me Pitino doesn't think he can contribute enough there either. I hate to say it but judging from the past three seasons, having Anas as our primary center leaves me with many nagging doubts:
Will he get strong enough and put on enough weight so he won't get so easily shoved out of the paint?
Will he work on TOUGHNESS and not play so soft inside?
Will he develop a mid range jumper?
Will he be able to score in the post against bigger, stronger front courts?
The list goes on.
Having both Mangok and Anas worked pretty good because you could plug in Mangok against bigger, stronger centers, and Anas against smaller, quicker lineups if more speed and finesse was needed. But now that muscle is gone. If Anas doesn't improve a whole bunch physically and in the rest of his game it just seems like the Cards will be in big trouble in the middle.
