Is Pancake an upgrade from DD?

[Howler]

I see Chad and Nick ahead of Pancake at the three spot behind TS.

I really don't see Nick getting minutes at the '3'. On a team this loaded with guards and this thin with 'bigs' I see all of Nick's minutes this season coming at the '4'. Even most of Chad's minutes will probably be as the 4th guard in a 4-guard line-up, though he is far more likely to get minutes at the '3' than Nick is.

[indwelling3]

When does Coach go to the four guard lineup? As well as Alex and Cam are playing this summer I have to see them in the starting lineup. Does coach go four guard when one of them needs a blow or is foul trouble? Does the four guard set include Hugh-Kendall-DWalk-Tony? OR does the four guard set come into play only against a team of gazelles? I do see playing time for Chad and Nick as "stretch fours."

[Burro lobo]

Both Nick and Williams were more the athletic 3 or 4 that we are looking for and we really don't know how that will work. Nick will have to play bigger(size) than I think he was recruited, unless we get a big dropped into our pot. I too was excited/sad about DD, I think he would have eventually played a big part with the Lobos, but he's gone and Pancake is here, so now I'm all Pancake and everything I hear about him seems to be good and I think he will play right into the Lobo guard rotation and soon too. I think we really need that last big man and I hope we get him, come on Pelle get it together and become that last key we need!

[wolf1960]

we cannot compare one player's ability to one who transfered, Pancake is from a different part of the USA. He has played against some rugged tough bigs in the videos we saw. I am hoping one of the big bigs will follow him from Lousiana to the PIT to join his mates.. LOOK TO THE FUTURE it is looking great. Pancake plays a different brand of ball, I see him as a tough guy player..

[BrutusXXX]

Cleveland Thomas will be on the court plenty for the Lobos. He is too talented to keep on the bench. Alford is going 10-11 deep again this season and he will not be left out of the mix.

[Loboholic]

I got to go see open gym a few times this summer and I can tell you from first hand that "Cake" is the real deal. Great handles, he drives well to the hoop and a solid mid-range game and some KILLER hops - the guy can flat out finish above the rim. Agree with the posts above that said he's going to be hard to keep off the court, provided he gets a bit more solid on the defensive end.

Based on what I've seen (and compared to what I saw last year during open gym) I can't see him stuck riding pine like Dommo did (not a knock on DD...just an assessment).