I like your allocations but I’m going to guess Holloman doesn’t ever really play the two. Maybe guards it but when he’s in he’s almost always point. 

I will be surprised if anyone averages 30 minutes this season. It seems like there are enough competent subs that Izzo would rather have fresh legs at the end of games and the season.

Also, I’m guessing Sissoko plays around 20 minutes with the rest split between the other two like 15-5. 

@elarson284568176374567 You are probably closer to the correct split at the 5, especially as the season moves on. It may shift even further later in the season. Regarding Holloman, I think he will guard the 2 for a good chunk of his minutes actually. And I also think he will get time with both AJ and Walker. If/when he's with AJ I can't see Tre being the primary initiator, thus the 2 on O as well. Although he will obviously have the ball in his hands plenty. 30 minute players are rare with Izzo, but we are a short bench this year. I'm guessing Akins plays 30+. We need him at the 2 and 3. Hauser and Hall will be close too I expect, with AJ and Walker not quite that high due to better depth at guard. It will be fun to see how it plays out. Great versatility for line-ups with this roster.

Interesting, thank you.  I'd concur with others that we won't see much of Holloman at the 2.  In fact, it might be rare that we ever see AJ and Holloman on the court at the same time.  For that to occur, one of two is going to have to show a lot more on their outside shooting.

Also, it might be game-by-game matchup related, but we should see Hauser at times at the 5 (Rod and Eric hit this point in their podcasts too).  Having Hauser, Hall, Atkins, Walker and Hoggard on the court at the same could (hopefully) be magical.  

Agreed with Oxford Strong too on Brooks' D looking rough in that first game.  I might be assuming too much, but it seemed GVSU made their pushes in the first half when Walker was out and he was in.  Maybe that wasn't Brooks fault?  If it was though, he'll obviously need to fix that. 

One thing I’d say about Brooks…people should keep in mind that he played about 20 minutes in the exhibition and the Tennessee scrimmage (from what I understand). I’m not going to argue that he’s where he needs to be defensively and Akins returning to the rotation will have an impact as well, but I’d be surprised to see him as anything much less than a 15 mpg guy. I think he gives MSU shooting and a physical presence on the wing that no one else provides and if they're going to be an improved defensive rebounding team, I have a hard time envisioning that happening without Pierre being firmly in the mix.  

@msu_oxfordstrong Holloman gives MSU a lot of options. I think his length and his football toughness definitely gives him a chance to guard bigger players (2s and maybe even some 3s) effectively. I do think Eric and Houserockin made a good point about the matching/combination of players…you’d probably feel better with him alongside Walker right now than AJ, but we also need to see how all of these guys progress in terms of their shooting. If AJ can be a low30s guy, or if Holloman himself can be that, maybe it’s not as big a concern?  

@houseizzorockin come on, AJ is shooting 100% from 3 through one exhibition game!  How can he show any better outside shooting at this point. 🤣.  

I agree completely on the Hauser at the 5 option - for certain situations and match-ups.  It's obviously going to happen, and I forgot to show that in my splits.  I expect it won't change total minutes for Joey (should still be around 30).  But in games we do use him at the 5 for 5-10 minutes, the minutes for our true 5's will go down, Hall will stay similar minutes total with more of them at the 4, Joey's minutes at the 4 will be lower, and some of the wings minutes will climb up a little.  I do like having that line-up option a lot.  Big slow 5s like Dickenson will struggle big time to defend Hauser.  It's a great situational weapon for Izzo that I'm sure he's going to use at certain times this season.

@rodmsu1968 How about this.  I expect both AJ and Holloman to be low 30s!  But likely on pretty low usage.  Say 3 or 4 3-point attempts per game for AJ and maybe only around 1 for Tre.  If they are out there together, it will likely have to be with 3 other good shooters (Akins, Hall, Hauser?).  Great points on Brooks.  Probably an overreaction on my part based on one sub-par exhibition game.  I watched him a lot in HS and have always liked his game.  I am a little concerned that he hasn't improved his weaknesses (defense and motor) as much as I would've hoped at this point.  He'll get there, I'm just not sure when - but really hope it is this year because we can use the positives he brings to the table (shooting, confidence, strength).

Two players I want to see play together, mostly because I think they are the two best 2-way players on the team, are Akins and Walker. I am beginning to think, though, that I would rather see Akins as the PG and Walker as the SG. Last year, when Walker played mostly at the point, he seemed to feel his job was to set up others and he passed on shots he should have taken. I would be interested at least initially to see what Akins would do at the point and let Walker continue to shoot without having to worry about all the responsibilities of a PG.

@hazelmotes I also want to see those 2 on the floor together, but for me it has to be at the 2 and 3.  Akins didn’t play any PG that I can recall last year.  And watching him in HS and in AAU I never saw him as a PG like some did.  Yes, he can handle the ball, but that doesn’t make him a point guard.  But Walker and Akins at the 2 and 3 with AJ at point is going to be a good running & scoring unit that will also give us great perimeter D!   Per above I do expect Akins to play 30+, but I expect and want all of those minutes at the wing.

@msu_oxfordstrong I certainly see more people agreeing with you, and I understand why. I still would like to at least see if Akins could handle PG responsibilities this year better than Walker did last year. It wasn’t that Walker was bad so much as he seems so much more comfortable at the 2. Also, I am not convinced yet that our interior defense can be effective when our bigs have not really established themselves in that area, and would feel more comfortable with someone like Hall helping out Hauser and Sissoko inside. 

Another thing I am curious to know: what position (although I do wonder if this term is losing its relevancy in the position-less basketball approach) would Akins most likely play as a pro? 

Posted by: @msu_oxfordstrong

@hazelmotes I also want to see those 2 on the floor together, but for me it has to be at the 2 and 3.  Akins didn’t play any PG that I can recall last year.  And watching him in HS and in AAU I never saw him as a PG like some did.  Yes, he can handle the ball, but that doesn’t make him a point guard.  But Walker and Akins at the 2 and 3 with AJ at point is going to be a good running & scoring unit that will also give us great perimeter D!   Per above I do expect Akins to play 30+, but I expect and want all of those minutes at the wing.

I think it was always going to have to be a work in progress with Jaden at the point, much as it was with guys like Lucas and Appling.  The fact is that Jaden wasn't ever a primary point guard for a team at any level of HS or AAU.  Yeah, he played with the ball in his hands but not exclusively and his orientation was always as a scorer.

I think for this team, it's tough to imagine a scenario where MSU would use him that way...just too many other options at that spot.  If Jaden had been a year older and had come into the program in the Covid year, I absolutely think he would have gotten a shot that season at point.  With this team though, and especially with how comfortable Tre Holloman looks?  I can't see it unless a rash of injuries hit...he's the 4th option right now.