Syracuse Basketball: These two players are the X-factors this season

Quincy Guerrier and Kadary Richmond will prove pivotal for Syracuse basketball in 2020-21.

Syracuse basketball returns four of five starters in the 2020-21 campaign from a stanza ago, and the Orange boasts strong depth.

‘Cuse fans often lament that head coach Jim Boeheim only plays a rotation of six to seven guys, however, Boeheim did recently say on a Zoom call that his rotation may entail eight to nine in the upcoming campaign.

The starting line-up, I believe, will consist of the four incumbents – sophomore point guard Joe Girard III, junior shooting guard Buddy Boeheim, senior power forward Marek Dolezaj and senior center Bourama Sidibe – plus junior small forward Alan Griffin, a transfer from Illinois.

Girard and Boeheim will form a really good backcourt. Jim Boeheim says that Dolezaj and Sidibe have both gotten stronger and improved a lot. Griffin is an extremely efficient scorer and rebounder.

For my money, though, the two X-factors that will be absolutely critical to the Orange’s success in the 2020-21 term are sophomore forward Quincy Guerrier and freshman combo guard Kadary Richmond.

Guerrier, who had surgery over the summer due to a groin injury, is receiving a bunch of praise from analysts and writers as a sophomore poised to have a break-out stanza.

"Eric Bossi, national basketball director for 247Sports, recently wrote in part about Guerrier, “Physically, he looks and moves like the kind of guy who has a lot of success at Syracuse. He’s long, he’s a good athlete and he will go and grab a rebound. Guerrier is already a pretty good finisher in close. The issue last year was with his jump shot. The sample size wasn’t huge, but 12.5% from three is a tough number. He’s going to take strides regardless, but some jump shooting could make it much easier.”"

Guerrier is a key for the ‘Cuse because he’s a bruiser in the paint, and he can provide the Orange with a spark off the bench, assuming that he doesn’t crack the starting rotation. As Bossi notes, should Guerrier get his jump-shot going, look out.

Since Richmond is a newbie, we’ll have to see how much run he gets this upcoming season. A top-100 prospect from high school, Richmond is getting all kinds of rave reviews in practices from Syracuse basketball coaches.

I understand why Boeheim often plays a short rotation. His guys get into a rhythm, and he wants them to stay out on the court. But it’s also imperative that the starters have the ability to rest some.

Richmond will back up Girard and Buddy Boeheim, and Richmond’s ability to suit up at point guard and shooting guard affords the team some terrific versatility.

If Sidibe or Dolezaj, or even both of them, run into foul trouble, Guerrier’s role as a key big man for the Orange becomes that much more of a focal point. If he and Richmond thrive in 2020-21, so, too, will the ‘Cuse.