Syracuse Basketball: Who will help replace Malachi Richardson?

Who will help Syracuse basketball make up for the loss of shooting guard Malachi Richardson?

The writing was on the wall when Malachi Richardson did not participate in the five-on-five scrimmage portion of the NBA Combine and spoke about dashing from Syracuse if he received a first round guarantee.

Richardson is taking advantage of his dominate month of March, as he officially decided to hire an agent and keep his name in the 2016 NBA Draft pool on Monday.

Syracuse freshman Malachi Richardson told ESPN he has signed with Andy Miller. College career is over.
— Jeff Goodman (@GoodmanHoops) May 16, 2016

The sharp shooter averaged 13.4 points per game, grabbed 4.3 rebounds and shot 37 percent from the floor in his freshman campaign. Richardson was not regarded as a one-and-done prospect when he arrived at Syracuse, but his combination of size (6’6″), length and creativity showed that he has immense potential at the next level.

While Richardson will likely find himself as a first round selection in late June, Jim Boeheim and the Syracuse Orange are going to greatly miss his production. The Trenton, NJ native was the team’s second leading scorer (they are also losing Michael Gbinije – their top scorer) and found a level of comfort with the ball in hands later in the season.

It’s now up to four-star small forward Tyus Battle, soon-to-be sophomore Franklin Howard and graduate transfer guard John Gillon to make an impact in the backcourt.

Battle, a 6’5″ wing from Edison, NJ, must put his size, versatility and defensive prowess to the test immediately. The Orange will need him to score the basketball, adjust quickly to the speed of the college game and make shots from beyond the arc.

Battle is capable of providing some punch on both ends of the floor but as a first year player, he certainly cannot fill Richardson’s scoring role by himself.

Howard jumped backup guard Kaleb Joseph (transferred to Creighton) in the rotation last year, but the freshman wasn’t a consistent shooter and he often made boneheaded mistakes. The Maryland native must improve his brutal shooting percentages (29/10/50), take care of the ball and pack on the pounds to improve his frame this offseason.

Boeheim knows that Howard has the potential to be a stud in the ACC. The coach wouldn’t have let Howard touch the floor in the Big Dance if he didn’t have the intriguing size and speed to help their offensive and defensive attack.

Now the point guard has to put his tools and length together to improve his decision making.

Finally, Gillon – who is joining the program from Colorado State – gives the Orange much needed experience. Without Gbinije and Trevor Cooney, Boeheim’s unit is clearly at the void of a lead guard that can get the team into their sets, slow the pace down when needed and make the correct passes to shooters on the wing.

Richardson could handle the ball, make shots from the perimeter and create with his ability to put it on the deck. He got to the free throw line in the NCAA Tournament, never lacked the confidence to make plays at the biggest moments and was often in ‘attack mode.’

One player will not replace Richardson.

One player will not replace Gbinije either.

It’s up to Boeheim and his staff to develop these three backcourt players in a matter of one offseason.

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The ACC is one of the toughest conferences in America, so Syracuse could be in trouble if Battle, Howard and Gillon don’t seize the moment in 2016-17.

The pressure is on.