I know a lot of you are portal drunk

[two3zone]

I can understand that take. I'm willing to give it more time.

I am too, but if this is a bubble team or worse again, year 3 without success is it for me.

 

[Orangezoo]

This roster/offseason ate up a good amount of good faith trust for me. This roster stinks.

I’m not sure what a good roster is anymore outside 10 or so teams. There are some teams that had really good looking rosters last year and had dud seasons. St John’s is a good example and far from the only one- they looked like a 24 win team going into the season last year based on all the portal wins and then well..

If the Chance article is accurate and he is legit healthy and stays there then I like this roster a whole lot more on paper.

 

[newmexicuse]

Speaking for myself, I get excited whenever we nab a good player, whether from the portal or as a rook !!!

Enough Nabs will equal success sooner or later.

 

[sufan59]

This roster/offseason ate up a good amount of good faith trust for me. This roster stinks.

Why does this roster stink? Low on the scholarship players atm, sure. Who on this current roster doesn’t bring a needed skill or multiple skills to make up a very good basketball team?

 

[two3zone]

Why does this roster stink? Low on the scholarship players atm, sure. Who on this current roster doesn’t bring a needed skills or multiple skill to make up a very good basketball team?

Its been and ive broken it down many times. Everyone seems to be a solid piece but outside of Freeman and Lampkin, not sure who is an above average starter. And this isn't even bringing up defense where only Freeman may be an above average defender. We have one point guard, and he came in to back up a dude from Mary's.

 

[sufan59]

Its been and ive broken it down many times. Everyone seems to be a solid piece but outside of Freeman and Lampkin, not sure who is an above average starter. And this isn't even bringing up defense where only Freeman may be an above average defender. We have one point guard, and he came in to back up a dude from Mary's.

That is where we differ because I would include Bell and Starling in that above average starter group.

 

[Zelda Zonk]

Very nice to get Sadiq yesterday. And if we get Kiyan and the PG, again... cool.

But, i really don't know what all that means in this era. We'd be getting three very slight, very young players. Talented, but thin and inexperienced. And while a top 30 recruit is always a good thing, i don't know what it means 'today,' when you can't count on them being with you for more than that year (if they don't get nilpoached before reaching campus. I don't know how they correlate to other teams getting stronger, more experienced, proven players from the transfer portal. I have a feeling there will be like ten impact freshman each year, and then the rest of the most impactful team additions will come from transfers.

It's interesting, exciting, and sad, all at once. Sign a super talented high schooler and then expect him to go to the NBA after one year; or sign a talented high schooler and expect to have him develop with you for two years, but then you have to be careful to play him enough—ready or not—that he is content enough to stay a second year vs transfer; or sign a kid you want to develop but who isn't deserving of enough minutes to keep him happy and he transfers to a lower level to start. There are now far more scenarios for recruits to not be a part of your program than to be a part.

I really hope the portal rules get revised/established/firmed. Deadline dates on both sides, etc. And then the whole NIL vs schools paying... or will it just be both? I wonder how it will work—won't it be more difficult to raise independent NIL money when schools can pay? Like, if your school is going cheap, do people say they want to make up the difference or do they get bitter about it and not want to help a school that isn't putting its own skin in the game?

 

[OttoinGrotto]

i don't know what it means 'today,' when you can't count on them being with you for more than that year (if they don't get nilpoached before reaching campus.

This is becoming a true-ism but isn't necessarily true.

You can create an environment where guys want to stay. Even if a guy could change schools every year for a bigger NIL bag, not many of them would actually want to do that. That's an awful life.

I think college fan mindsets are terrible right now.

The main idea here is that talent attracts talent and winning attracts talent. We're better positioned to get elite high school talent than we are portal talent. That can make winning more common for us especially by proving we're a program worth staying at. And I'm not talking winning the championship. I'm talking getting back to consistent tourney births and Top 25 rankings.

I'm skeptical that we'll ever "own" the portal. That'll be a selective talent source for us.

I'm much more confident that we can appeal to top end high school talent. Prove out winning with that base, and the supplemental talent via the portal will come.

 

[two3zone]

You can create an environment where guys want to stay. Even if a guy could change schools every year for a bigger NIL bag, not many of them would actually want to do that. That's an awful life.

How many of these guys hate where they are when they transfer? Not many are staying anywhere for substantially less money, it doesn't happen on the pros often and for some of these kids its the largest payday they'll ever see.

 

[NJCuse97]

Watch and learn.

But he left with none of them!

 

[syrBossHogg]

I think I agree with OG.

Unless NIL for SU hoops significantly rises (and even that may not be enough) it may be better to focus on elite HS players, develop and keep them as long as possible, and use the NIL remaining to fill in needs.

 

[OttoinGrotto]

How many of these guys hate where they are when they transfer? Not many are staying anywhere for substantially less money, it doesn't happen on the pros often and for some of these kids its the largest payday they'll ever see.

I am anticipating that players that develop are rewarded by the program with better NIL.

 

[Ottoman]

I think one thing is certain - we will have to get much better at retaining the top talent we get out of high school. There is significant room for improvement in that area (putting it kindly).

 

[OttoinGrotto]

I think one thing is certain - we will have to get much better at retaining the top talent we get out of high school. There is significant room for improvement in that area (putting it kindly).

The only one that left that had a role next year was Maliq.

I'm not saying that doesn't hurt. But people are getting caught up in the numbers and not the cases.

 

[two3zone]

I am anticipating that players that develop are rewarded by the program with better NIL.

Then wouldn't you use that money towards proven players than developmental players?

 

[grepal]

The only one that left that had a role next year was Maliq.

I'm not saying that doesn't hurt. But people are getting caught up in the numbers and not the cases.

I was looking forward to seeing Copeland mature. If he does it will not be with us. Has a little Globetrotter in him.

 

[Ottoman]

The only one that left that had a role next year was Maliq.

I'm not saying that doesn't hurt. But people are getting caught up in the numbers and not the cases.

I think Copeland, Maliq, and Benny would have all had roles under different circumstances. But I do agree with you generally when looking backward. Looking forward, and considering we are signing top high school talent again, it seems we will need to do a better job developing and retaining them.

 

[OttoinGrotto]

Then wouldn't you use that money towards proven players than developmental players?

They would be proven at that point.

 

[OttoinGrotto]

I was looking forward to seeing Copeland mature. If he does it will not be with us. Has a little Globetrotter in him.

Copeland was on pace to be an all-time favorite of mine. But he blew himself up.

 

[cusefan88]

I'll get portal drunk if they can lure JP Estrella out next season and get him back in the Northeast.

 

[IthacaMatt]

But give me all the top high school players.

No, shut up, I don't care. SHUT IT

We got White. Let's get Kiyan. Let's get a baller point guard. Get Jemison and Elson and a good big.

College hoops is stupid right now. High school talent is undervalued. We win by exploiting that.

Do it.

Yeah, portal prices are going up fast this spring. Top HS'ers might be a better value.

 

[OrlandoCuse]

I agree with the OP. There’s a greater connection to guys you sign out of HS. If we need to use the portal on one starter and a bench piece that’s fine. Syracuse is not going to be successful going the portal route each offseason. Red has the right approach. We will be better off when the Covid guys have exhausted their eligibility.

There can’t be too many guys remaining with an extra year of eligibility due to Covid. I would think this current portal cycle would be the last of them.

 

[Cusefan0307]

There can’t be too many guys remaining with an extra year of eligibility due to Covid. I would think this current portal cycle would be the last of them.

Exactly what I meant.

 

[Bayside44]

This is becoming a true-ism but isn't necessarily true.

You can create an environment where guys want to stay. Even if a guy could change schools every year for a bigger NIL bag, not many of them would actually want to do that. That's an awful life.

I think college fan mindsets are terrible right now.

The main idea here is that talent attracts talent and winning attracts talent. We're better positioned to get elite high school talent than we are portal talent. That can make winning more common for us especially by proving we're a program worth staying at. And I'm not talking winning the championship. I'm talking getting back to consistent tourney births and Top 25 rankings.

I'm skeptical that we'll ever "own" the portal. That'll be a selective talent source for us.

I'm much more confident that we can appeal to top end high school talent. Prove out winning with that base, and the supplemental talent via the portal will come.

Tend to agree with this. This place has gotten really dour, and Red has inherited the sins of the father for a lot.

Also, losing the covid era guys approaching their mid 20s is helpful. That's a whole class of kids that's no longer going to exist in the portal - that would be the most desperate for every dollar they can get.

 

[two3zone]

I agree with the OP. There’s a greater connection to guys you sign out of HS. If we need to use the portal on one starter and a bench piece that’s fine. Syracuse is not going to be successful going the portal route each offseason. Red has the right approach. We will be better off when the Covid guys have exhausted their eligibility.

I just dont see guys that are worth a damn sticking around let alone 4 of them a year when other teams are offering money and we're offering a good time and good relationships. It may be better when the covid kids are gone, but it could also drive the prices up more because of a more limited field.