BTI's Rants and Ramblings: Offseason Improvement Rankings

Let's assume for a second that Julius Randle, James Young, Willie Cauley-Stein, and both the Harrisons are leaving the program for the NBA.  This is still the most likely scenario.  And let's hope that Dakari Johnson and Marcus Lee are coming back, which is also the most likely scenario.  That would leave Kentucky with this roster next season: GUARDS: Dominique Hawkins (So), Tyler Ulis (Fr), Devin Booker (Fr) FORWARDS: Alex Poythress (Jr), Marcus Lee (So), Derek Willis (So), Trey Lyles (Fr) CENTERS: Dakari Johnson (So), Karl Towns (Fr) WALK-ONS: Tod Lanter (Sr), Brian Long (Sr), Sam Malone (Sr), EJ Floreal (So) Excluding the walk-ons, that means Kentucky will have 5 returning scholarship players and 4 incoming freshman.  Of the 5 guys who are coming back, which guys need to have the best offseason?  Which guys do we need to see step up their game to a different level and why?  Here are my rankings: 1. DOMINIQUE HAWKINS -It might seem ridiculous to put Hawkins here considering he played the least of the 5 returning players, but his improvement is going to be HUGE next season if the Harrisons leave.  Hawkins will be the only guard on roster with experience and we know how important guards will be in the Calipari system.  It is inevitable that Ulis and Booker will have struggles at different points of the season and that means Hawkins will need to be the guy to fill that void.  We all know that Hawkins is a very good defender.  But his offensive game is going to have to improve for him to be the impact player UK will need next season.  He has the speed (I think) to be able to get the basket, but we are going to have see the confidence improve in his jumpshot.  For most of this season, Hawkins was a liability because he wouldn't shoot the ball.  That is going to have to change. 2. ALEX POYTHRESS -Who is the go-to scorer on next year's team?  I would think it has to be Poythress in the early part of the season until the freshman get their footing.  In both his seasons in Lexington, Poythress has shown FLASHES of being an elite player.  Now the consistency has to be there for Alex.  I would think he probably finds himself back in the starting lineup.  And I also think we are going to need Alex to be the leader in the offseason as well.  Another reason is that Poythress is probably the only true 3-man on the roster.  Willis could probably shift to the 3 spot, but that brings problems on the defensive end of the floor.  Point being, at least early, I think this team's success might hinge on the impact of Poythress. 3. DEREK WILLIS -Speaking of Willis, he is somewhat the unknown factor for next season.  The opportunity will probably be there for him to earn some good playing time.  The question is at what position.  If Marcus Lee improves and takes up good time at the 4-spot to go along with Trey Lyles, then Willis' best option might be as a backup small forward.  If that is the case, then his defense and rebounding need to improve.  For a 6-9 player,  he could be a real factor on the glass if he improves.  We certainly know he could have an impact on the offensive end of the floor, but if his total game doesn't develop, he may get passed over again. 4. MARCUS LEE -Lee gave us all a taste of what he could be in the NCAA Tournament.  But if you watched closely, you also saw the gaps in his game.  Most of Lee's points came on putback and lobs, so he needs to develop some offensive moves.  And while he showed a great leaping ability to block shots on defense, he was also beat several times and didn't rebound quite well enough for a 6-10 guy.  The sky is the limit for this guy and if he develops some offensive moves, him and Dakari could be quite the duo.  PLUS, he can shift over to the center position if needed. 5. DAKARI JOHNSON -Dakari being last on this list doesn't mean he doesn't need to improve.  He certainly does.  But with Towns there as a backup and Lee there if needed, there is more room for error with Dakari than anybody else.  Plus, Dakari is further along than the other guys.  Dakari will never have the quick feet and hands that Demarcus Cousins had, but he does have the size and a few of the moves.  If he develops another move or two, and gets his free throw percentage up, he could be a 15 point a game scorer I think.  In college, it's rare for a center to be the focal point of an offense, but Dakari could prove to be a special exception with improvement.