Purdue Basketball: Projected depth chart and rotation for 2023-24 season

Center

Starter – Zach Edey: 22.3 ppg / 12.9 rpg / 31.7 mpg

Hundreds of words could be written about all the Player of the Year awards won by the 7 foot 4 Canadian. They, however, would be a waste, because everybody knows that. Fewer words would be required to discuss his performance during the European trip, for the mere fact that he did not appear in any games, yet somehow would still warrant a discussion.

He is more likely to go beyond the free-throw line on offense than he is to do so while on defense. He will set high screens off the ball and when he receives the pass, Smith will curl off him for a handoff while Edey spins and rolls to the basket for the offensive rebound. In the post it is virtually impossible to stop using just one defender, help usually comes from the weak side as a double down makes the kick out, too easy.

At times Ethan Morton will set a back screen for him in the paint to receive a strong side entry pass. Then, there is always the pick’n’roll with Braden Smith where opponents have to make the decision who to leave open. This is before even mentioning the two assists per game he racks up by passing to Furst out of the double team.

Off the bench – Trey Kaufman-Renn: 4.5 ppg / 11.3 mpg

The 2023-24 season is going to be a breakout season for the 6-foot-9 sophomore. The clearest evidence of that is how Trey Kaufman-Renn led the Boilermakers’, with Edey’s absence, by scoring 72 points on the European trip, thirty more than the second leading scorer Caleb Furst. Not only can the 2021 No. 37 ranked freshman play center, but if Furst or Gillis spend any time at small forward, Kaufman-Renn can slide over to power forward and play alongside Zach Edey.

Coach Painter would relish the idea of reducing Edey’s minutes, however, Coach Painter would stop short of the timeshare Edey had with Travion Williams a couple of years back. Listed at 6 foot 9 and 230 pounds, he is twenty pounds heavier than last season’s listing. All of which will make setting the high screens easier as he rolls to the basket for the finish. As well the extra weight will help him create space for a forward hook in the paint.

Limited minutes – Will Berg: Redshirt

It is very possible that Caleb Furst spends more time at center than the 7-foot-2 center this season. Having redshirted last season, the member of the Swedish U18 National  Team still has four years of eligibility remaining and Coach Painter can keep Berg a project to work on as long as Edey is around. Edey will be great opposition for Berg to defend all season in practice in order to prepare for next season.