My first post-NCAA tournament column was going to be a plea to Robin Lopez to stay another year on the Farm. Brook’s bags were as good as packed. As a projected top-five pick in the NBA draft this June, it made little sense for him to stick around any longer; his draft stock would never be higher.

But Robin was a different case. Brook constantly overshadowed him during their two years here. Although Robin was always the better defensive stopper, Brook had the more polished offensive game. But Robin was developing a soft touch of his own, and he demonstrated during the Cardinal’s first nine games (while Brook served his academic suspension) that he could carry the team if need be.

Next year, he would have been “the man,” and if progression had kept up, I’d bet that he’d be in a similar draft position in 2009 as Brook is now. Instead, he left with his brother, and in the 2008 draft, he’s considered to be a mid-late first round pick.

But it’s hard to blame him. The NBA craves seven footers, especially defensive-minded seven footers. And his good performances throughout the Pac-10 and NCAA tournaments certainly caught the attention of scouts who may have been focused elsewhere.

Still, I didn’t think that announcement would come so soon after the Cardinal’s tourney exit--thus the column idea. With Brook and Robin now out of the picture, what does the future hold for Stanford basketball?

The Cardinal instantly becomes a smaller, guard-oriented team, much like the prolific teams of the early 2000s. The team's tallest player will be incoming 6-foot-9 freshman Miles Plumlee--otherwise, the team is 6-foot-8 or shorter.

Stanford’s problems will come on the offensive end. While the Cardinal will lose Brook and Robin’s shot-blocking ability (and Fred Washington’s stellar on-ball defense), they should still remain a good defensive team, with Lawrence Hill and Mitch Johnson leading the way in that regard.

But the offensive gameplan instantly changes. For most of this year, it was simple: feed the ball to Brook or Robin, and let them “play volleyball” on the offensive glass. Few teams had the size to matchup with the twins, and the Cardinal excelled.

But Stanford will be without that low post presence next season not only are the twins leaving, but Washington and Taj Finger, two role players who crashed the (offensive) boards very well, are graduating.

So, the offensive load will fall squarely on the shoulders of Stanford’s guards.

The problem, as every Stanford fan knows, is that the Cardinal’s guards weren’t particularly good at shooting the ball this season. Stanford ranked ninth in the Pac-10 in shooting percentage, above only a dreadful Oregon State team.

Hill, Johnson, Anthony Goods and Landry Fields the four main players who will be expected to lead Stanford next seasonwere the four worst shooting players on the team, none shooting above .421 percent. Goods, the Cardinal’s starting shooting guard, didn’t exactly live up to his position’s moniker: he shot a woeful .364 percent from the floor, including .346 percent from three-point land.

If the Cardinal is to have any success next year these numbers will have to improve. When he’s on his game, Goods shoots the lights out; the problem is keeping him there. Hill needs to return to his 2006-2007 form, when he was first-team All-Pac-10. And Fields, who, despite great expectations for this season, was largely a disappointment, will need to finally become the scorer that the Cardinal envisions him to be.

But, much like this year, the offense begins with Johnson, who improved throughout the year. He led the Pac-10 in assists and worked on his shooting to the point that it’s passable.

Johnson is a good player to lead the team’s transition. But if Goods, Hill and Fields cannot perform to expectations, then the Cardinal will have to look elsewhere for their offensive firepower.

Current freshman Josh Owens was impressive off the bench this year in limited time, and is one of the team’s best athletes. But he’s still a raw talent that needs to develop his overall game.

Backup point guard Drew Shiller, who was supposed to assume a fairly large role this year but had a hard time stepping up to the challenge, remains the Cardinal’s best three point and free throw shooter.

Stanford will bring in an impressive freshman class, headlined by Plumlee and guard Jeremy Green. They will be expected to contribute immediately--Green has the tools to be a special player for the Cardinal, and should provide an immediate offensive shooting boost. Plumlee needs to develop his inside game, but he already has good range for a big man.

Stanford may, at first, struggle offensively. But if the returning players--namely, Goods and Hill--find their shots, and the recruits contribute out of the gate, then Stanford’s situation may not be as dreary as everyone thinks.

As Washington said in February, “Stanford was good before the twins. Stanford will be good after the twins.”