Kansas’ Perry Ellis could see time on perimeter as Self ponders frontcourt puzzle

The Kansas frontcourt is a crowded puzzle. The Jayhawks’ perimeter defense was a glaring flaw in their opening exhibition game. And KU coach Bill Self believes he could have a solution for both.

“The way things are going,” Self said Monday, “I think Perry (Ellis) is going to play a lot at the three.”

Self was standing inside Allen Fieldhouse, one day before the Jayhawks’ second and final exhibition game against Fort Hays State at 7 p.m. Tuesday. The news of Ellis, Kansas’ starting power forward, seeing minutes at the wing comes as the Jayhawks wait for word on freshman forward Cheick Diallo — who has yet to be cleared by the NCAA — and as Self sorts through myriad rotation combinations in the paint.

So let’s put this in the right context: Self says Ellis will continue to start at power forward, and continue to log a heavy workload at the four. But with freshman forward Carlton Bragg flashing his luminous potential, veteran forwards Hunter Mickelson and Landen Lucas looming as options at center, and Diallo still a possibility in the pivot, Self has envisioned a creative way to squeeze some more minutes out of his frontcourt. The plan involves Ellis roaming the wing for stretches, playing alongside Frank Mason and Devonte’ Graham in the backcourt.

“When (Ellis) plays a lot at the three, that allows another big (man) to be in the game,” Self said. “The way I see us moving forward, I think that could be a good lineup for us.”

As Self extolled the virtues of going big, he was also critical of the Jayhawks’ perimeter defense during an exhibition opener against Pittsburg State. Kansas brushed off a slow start and cruised to an 89-66 victory. But in Self’s words, the Jayhawks were “exposed,” and much of that exposing came on the perimeter, where junior guards Wayne Selden and Brannen Greene were continually beaten off the dribble by Pittsburg State’s smaller guards.

“We got to get much better at the wing defensively,” Self said. “That was atrocious.”

Ellis, stands 6 feet 8 and has rarely been asked to guard on the wing. In that way, he may not be the best option to upgrade the perimeter defense. But Self views his perimeter defense as perhaps tolerable — especially when factoring in the added rebounding and other benefits.

“I don’t know that I’m totally in love with it,” Self said of Ellis’ ability to guard on the wing. “But it can’t be near as poor as what I saw the other night. And I’m not being totally negative, but we got to get better. Our two best perimeter defenders, without question, are Frank and Devonte’, and we got to have somebody else back there that can slide their feet and become a lock-down-type defender for us. And if we can’t get there, then why not play big?”

For much of the offseason, Self expressed a desire to go smaller in the backcourt, to put two ball-handlers on the floor and let Selden play the wing. He’s not ditching that plan, he says, but rather is trying to find another suitable option to play alongside Mason and Graham.

“I said this year, all along, we’re going to play smaller,” Self said. “But I think our smaller is having Frank and Devonte’ be out there at the same time.”

Ellis profiles as an intriguing matchup problem on the perimeter. He has the ability to score off the dribble, using a deep portfolio of crafty moves. He has also been a reliable three-point shooter, albeit in small doses. In three seasons, Ellis is shooting 42 percent (28 of 66) on three-pointers, with 46 of those attempts coming last season.

“When you talk about percentages,” Self said, “he shoots the the three-ball about as well as anybody we have from a percentage standpoint. He’s just not going to shoot as many.”

For now, Self is still sifting through his frontcourt options. In some ways, the issue can feel pressing. The Jayhawks open the regular season against Northern Colorado on Friday before facing Michigan State next Tuesday at the Champions Classic in Chicago. In other ways, Self can afford to be patient. If you include Diallo in the mix — and Self remains hopeful for a positive answer from the NCAA — the Jayhawks have six big men capable of seeing the floor. For now, the situation remains fluid.

“Everybody has a chance to start there (at the five),” said Lucas, who has been battling an ankle injury.

In most years, Self adheres to a strict four-man rotation inside, and that’s unlikely to change, he says. What’s also likely, Self says, is a rotation with Ellis playing 30-plus minutes and three other players splitting the rest of the minutes. But then again, the idea of Ellis seeing minutes on the wing could add another layer to the plan.

“I could certainly see that being a viable option,” Self said, “and a good option.”

This story was originally published November 9, 2015 at 7:23 PM with the headline "Kansas’ Perry Ellis could see time on perimeter as Self ponders frontcourt puzzle."