Syracuse Basketball: Which new ‘Cuse players will get the most minutes?

Heading into the 2022-23 season, Syracuse basketball will boast a roster that has numerous senior veterans, as well as a six-member recruiting class and a big-man transfer from the Atlantic 10 Conference.

Based on a variety of reports, it looks like there’s a good chance that 2022 four-star prospect Judah Mintz could end up as the team’s starting point guard to begin the upcoming campaign.

A stanza ago, the 6-foot-3 Mintz was a stand-out senior for the powerhouse Oak Hill Academy in Mouth of Wilson, Va., which ended up as a top-10 squad in 2021-22 national rankings.

I think it’s relatively safe to say that Mintz could be in line for the most minutes among all of the Orange newbies, at least at the onset of the 2022-23 term.

Let’s discuss which Syracuse basketball incoming players may receive the most run.

So there are seven guys new to the ‘Cuse program in 2022-23. Mintz, as we just noted, will likely earn the most minutes among all of the new players.

I’m totally guessing and speculating here, but right behind Mintz, I’d probably say that 2022 four-star wing Justin Taylor will play the second-most amount of minutes among new Orange players.

The 6-foot-6 Taylor, who as a senior suited up for the post-grad team at the IMG Academy in Bradenton, Fla., likely can play at both shooting guard and small forward. I think that versatility gets him a good amount of court time.

Next up, I’ll go with 2022 four-star small forward Chris Bunch. I believe that the 6-foot-7 Bunch, out of the Wasatch Academy in Mount Pleasant, Utah, along with Taylor and 6-foot-8 sophomore Benny Williams will form a strong, but young, trio at the forward spot for Syracuse basketball.

Mounir Hima is a 6-foot-11 center who transferred to the Orange from Duquesne. I’ve read some promising commentary on Hima, and I could foresee him as the primary back-up at center to senior Jesse Edwards.

The 6-foot-11 Edwards, who got injured this past February, appears to be full healthy. At the same time, he did sometimes get into foul trouble during his junior season, and I think that allows Hima to land a decent amount of run.

To me, the final three are tricky to decipher. I’ll put 2022 three-star big man Peter Carey next, although he did miss his senior year at the Northfield Mount Hermon School in Mount Hermon, Mass., due to injury.

The 6-foot-11 Carey has loads of potential, and I believe that he can play either power forward or center. That sort of versatility may help him see the court.

Maliq Brown, a 2022 three-star power forward from the Blue Ridge School in St. George, Va., had a wonderful senior stanza, earning numerous awards in Virginia.

The 6-foot-9 Brown, known for his defensive instincts, rebounding abilities and physical presence, faces a logjam of big men on the ‘Cuse 2022-23 roster, so it may prove challenging for him to play a lot as a freshman on the Hill.

Taylor’s senior-season teammate at the IMG Academy was 2022 four-star point guard Quadir Copeland. The 6-foot-6 Copeland has terrific court vision, athleticism and length for the top of the Syracuse basketball zone.

However, at the guard spot, the Orange’s present roster includes two seniors in Joe Girard III and Symir Torrence, along with Mintz and even Taylor.

I love Copeland’s upside, but I just don’t foresee him playing a whole lot in his first stanza in Central New York.