Branch has not seen a lot of playing time since high school. How many minutes did he log before transferring? Logic dictates that he will he some time to fit in. So I am not expecting big things immediately. Sanchez should yield dividends sooner. That's assuming he ever gets here. That's a few "ifs" too many.
Is it too early to make a judgment? This team is not going to suddenly turn into a great shooting team or a strong rebounding team. We are missing a floor general. The first 2 are likely to be our weaknesses all year. It is not an easy task in a demanding conference when the other team has more threes and more rebounds almost every game. Yet there are positives. This is a superbly athletic team with sufficient depth( by Christmas) to emphasize their strengths, which is shot blocking and running the floor. Our other strength is a guard that has the ability to get hot and take over games. That's how god Dlo can be. It is not too early to say that we will have problems with most teams if it becomes a half court game. There are a lot of good coaching staffs in the Big East. They will be working to exploit our weaknesses.
Bottom line: If Sanchez clears, and is truly a NBA talent, then we become much better and more difficult to prepare for. If Branch's rust wears off quickly, and he is really the goods as a PG and shut down defender, then one more weakness disappears. I would prefer not dealing in "ifs". That happens when even a great recruiter like Lavin has to build a team from scratch, and when your best player from last season leaves after his freshman year. Life in the fast lane isn't easy.
