I know that it seemed like the majority of our talent left last year, and yet, either by talent or chemistry or both, here we are with this year's team. Is there a particular player that left from last year's team that you think could be added into this team that would actually improve it (not just counting depth, which we seem to have anyway)?
Papi, no doubt. It was suggested somewhere -- I forget the source -- the UT turnaround in team chemistry and work ethic may have started with him. He also would have provided height and length on the perimeter.
Interesting question. It would be interesting to see Papi on this team. He could knock down that mid-range jumper with ease, which is something that could fit on this team with the inside presence and Felix knocking down 3s. Although I do have to say that minutes would be at a premium if he was around. Holland needs to get his minutes for defensive purposes and Taylor and Felix are also a nice 1-2 punch (Felix for his scoring and for the fact that he can handle the ball as well). If McClellan gave half a crap, he would have been awesome with this team. They are one more 3-point shooter away from being absolutely dangerous. You can't take that attitude and put it with this team. It would have be absolutely draining.
Of the 4, that one player that fits a need for what we really don't have is McClellan and his outside shot. With that said, he's the 1 player (of the 4) that I welcomed leaving. As talented of a shooter as he occasionally showed, his "me-first" attitude was a cancer that I was glad to get rid of.
McClellan & Lewis are sitting out the year at Miami & Fresno St (respectively). Kabongo is in the D League and Papi is playing in Greece.
I wouldn't want Bond back. He was terrible when he came back from injury. Papi for sure. He would provide a shooting spark that we don't get consistently from the guards or from Lammert. He would cut into Lammert's minutes sometimes, and the Croaker/Yancy minutes the rest of the time.
