2025 Transfer Options

Top 3 List as of right now:

1) Kennard Davis Jr. 6’6” guard who averaged 16 and 5 and 37% from 3 at Southern Illinois. Same high school as Keshon Gilbert.

2) Jamichael Stilwell: 6’8” forward from UW-Milwaukee. Averaged 13 and 10.7 last year

3) Kobe Magee: 6’6” guard from Drexel who averaged 14 and 6 last year shooting 44% from 3 (2.5 makes per game).

I’d be surprised if we’re seriously after any of these.

We can return 4 starters plus Heise. And I assume we want to return all 5 guys.

Given Lipsey, Jefferson, and Milan could all get $1 million in the portal, returning all 5 plus adding the freshmen could easily be above $3 million even with the players giving us a discount to stay

We have room and budget for maybe one good transfer guard. Past that, any transfer good enough to break our rotation is either more than we can afford, or a Chatfield type.

If a player like Milan were to leave, maybe we can add a better two-way player at less cost, from them having less hype.
 
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A front court of Jefferson and Freeman would be incredible offense. However, I don't think we can afford his asking price in free agency.
They would check box on offense. But with ISU's trapping defense and funneling guys to baseline, we need a rim-protector at the 5.

IMO if TJ is going to write a big check to a portal player, it should be for a guard scorer.
 
Estimating minutes for next year I see something like this capping everyone at 39 even though we know some could exceed.
Jackson 20
Jefferson 30
Milan 25
Heist 25
Transfer 30
Tamin 30

That leaves about 40 minutes for the freshmen and the rest of the bench. My hope is our freshmen see at least that much time
 
Owen is going to demand a lot of NIL. Not a bad player but don't see ISU pursuing with the Presidents assumed back. ISU is much more likely to look at guard help and perhaps a Chatman level backup big depending on how Rock looks to the staff.
Yeah, I'd spend that kind of money retaining players all day and every day over paying it to him
 
When Pavs stepped onto the floor I always thought he looked so little.
I'm pulling for Nojus, I think we all are. Probably just needs to add some bulk.
I think Nojus' ceiling is way, way higher than Pav. Nojus was a top 100 recruit, tons of offers, and about 5 inches taller too.

I hope he stays. I saw him on the floor versus CU this year in CO and was impressed by his athleticism.
 
I’d be surprised if we’re seriously after any of these.

We can return 4 starters plus Heise. And I assume we want to return all 5 guys.

Given Lipsey, Jefferson, and Milan could all get $1 million in the portal, returning all 5 plus adding the freshmen could easily be above $3 million even with the players giving us a discount to stay

We have room and budget for maybe one good transfer guard. Past that, any transfer good enough to break our rotation is either more than we can afford, or a Chatfield type.

If a player like Milan were to leave, maybe we can add a better two-way player at less cost, from them having less hype.
Milan isn't going anywhere.
 
I think Nojus' ceiling is way, way higher than Pav. Nojus was a top 100 recruit, tons of offers, and about 5 inches taller too.

I hope he stays. I saw him on the floor versus CU this year in CO and was impressed by his athleticism.
I hate this conversation, but had to jump in here.

There is absolutely no question Nojus has a higher ceiling that Pav. The thing is, Pav had/has a little dog in him. Tough little ******, who worked/works his ass off.

Does Nojus?
 
I realize there’s little chance, but Dix would be our best offensive player next year.


I think I still like Momcilovic from an upside standpoint. But yes, Josh would be great. Seems like we would really have to change the identity of what TJs teams have been historically thus far, to bring in a guy like Dix
 
I realize it a ways off but a replacement for Lipsey as a true pg option is needed. The freshman coming in don't seem like that guy. I'd think this off-season we consider taking a sophomore pg that can backup Lipsey getting about 8-10min a game next year and hopefully take over in 26
 
I kinda wish Niang would work with Milan on driving to the hole and scoring down low. Milan has a little bit of the "old man game" that Georges had at OSU.
If you look at the second half of the Houston game, and all of the second BYU game - he was much more assertive driving and scoring on all three levels. I especially liked the two-man game with Jefferson where he'd screen, and then post above the FT line and back his smaller defender down.

I think, for the most part, it's been somewhat strategic - he's the 4th option this year when everyone is healthy and he's been focused on catch-and-shoot. And his release has been much quicker (and deadly), especially when cutting up from the wing toward the top of the key.

But I think the BYU game was a preview of next season - a lot of two-man, PNR, looks with him and Jefferson, which can create all kinds of bad matchups for the defense.
 
I realize it a ways off but a replacement for Lipsey as a true pg option is needed. The freshman coming in don't seem like that guy. I'd think this off-season we consider taking a sophomore pg that can backup Lipsey getting about 8-10min a game next year and hopefully take over in 26

Toure absolutely seems like that guy. Similar to Lipsey as a high school senior in that he’s an athletic, tenacious defender, capable handle, and developing shot/offense.

That’s why we jumped on him right away, despite the Moore commitment and Batemon, who is more of a combo/sg

If Toure doesn’t play next year, we’re going to have a very good backcourt
 
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