@openwheel I know what you mean. I was sort of hoping we'd hold on to him or the big foreign kid we signed late, just because they had a year in the system and I assumed by not playing at all, they wouldn't command much NIL. They either didn't think much of them, or they didn't want to be here.
@bigmike That would be great, but we'd have to find a diamond in the rough. I think they've pretty much spent their NIL budget or we'd have signed players that could likely help more. I doubt coming from FL and with his background that Alexis came cheap. And again, realistically, you're looking for someone who is likely going to be playing less than 10 minutes a game.
@hoosiers94 I'm just looking at it realistically. We've been a pretty average to below average team for a LONG time. And, I think Woodson was terrible for the program because I think he and QB had their donors lined up and they withdrew much of their support when CMW left. I don't think they have the budget for another impactful depth piece. It's not ideal, but this roster makes 100% more sense than last years and I think is better balanced.
What do you want them to do if they've spent 95% of their NIL budget to field this team? Are you offering to kick in $2 mill to get a 3rd impactful frontcourt guy? Given the current circumstances, it's not going to be a Cignetti 1 year turnaround, so in my opinion, the only way is to show enough improvement to bring donors back. Personally, I didn't like the hire, but he's here and so I'm going to root for him to succeed. I think this roster has a much better chance to get him down that path.
@hoosiers94 I'm just looking at it realistically. We've been a pretty average to below average team for a LONG time. And, I think Woodson was terrible for the program because I think he and QB had their donors lined up and they withdrew much of their support when CMW left. I don't think they have the budget for another impactful depth piece. It's not ideal, but this roster makes 100% more sense than last years and I think is better balanced.
What do you want them to do if they've spent 95% of their NIL budget to field this team? Are you offering to kick in $2 mill to get a 3rd impactful frontcourt guy? Given the current circumstances, it's not going to be a Cignetti 1 year turnaround, so in my opinion, the only way is to show enough improvement to bring donors back. Personally, I didn't like the hire, but he's here and so I'm going to root for him to succeed. I think this roster has a much better chance to get him down that path.
there's another 2m out there. Guarantee it. That's chump change these days. Are we better than we were a year ago. For sure But there come moments in games next season where we will be in need of thst additional big man off the bench. And we won't have it and it will be detrimental. And that's assuming no one gets hurt at any point
@hoosiers94 Sort of laughable if you step back and think about it. So you're saying a guy making 4+ million$ a year, who's future in this position may hinge on the performance this year, is choosing to not spend an extra 2 million on a player who could help this year's team? If it's out there, then it's Dolson's job to get that commitment and I guarantee you, DeVries will happily spend it.
I think football's success could ultimately help the bball program, but for now I think it's hurting it. I'd guess folks are choosing between supporting the fball or bball programs and most are choosing, understandably, fball. I think folks have a wait and see attitude towards bball. Nothing from his first year you can point to to get excited about. If he can knock it out of the park this year, contend at the top of the conference and make an E8, I think NIL funds for bball will take care of itself. But if he struggles to make the tournament, or heaven forbid miss it, I think he's sealed his fate in Btown.
PS, for what it's worth, if what I suspect is true and he had an $X budget to spend, I support how they did it: Spend it on proven difference makers for the rotational guys and then go cheap at the end of the bench. The reality is that the top 6-7 guys are going to get 90% of the minutes, so I want the best guys I can get there. I think last year he spent more equally down to 11-12 guys.
Surely, there is someone out there, who could be approached, IF the last remaining piece is found, who would pony up a couple million for that LAST KEY PIECE to the puzzle after seeing what has been added to this point. Especially considering this has drug on for another month now. I feel really good about our roster but I'm in the camp that an Alexis-type player puts us over the top. I'm sure there are some big money donors out there that feel the same.
@kkott Logic leads to a couple things... in my head anyways. 1) There is some sort of budget ceiling that CDD is bumping up against, and that's a factor. My useless guess is he's the type of guy that doesn't like to push past budgets. 2)He obviously doesn't see a big need for stocking the frontcourt with depth. He's said he needs depth, on many occasions since he arrived in Bloomington. But his actions don't really lead to a strong belief that he needs it. He very, very rarely played Bailey and Alexis together last year. Sisley rarely saw the floor after the first half of the season, despite obvious needs for more tall people playing more minutes. The foreign big didn't play a second. Despite basically every single one of the B10 contending teams, and elite national teams, transitioning to playing multiple bigs, basically at all times. CDD didn't recruit to that, and then very rarely played to it. And when given an obviously larger budget this offseason, while getting 2 higher caliber bigs, he didn't push very hard to build depth in the front court. All his HS guys are wings. And 90% of the Portal guys he seriously went after, were guards and wings. Bigs are disproportionately expensive. I assume they're maybe less likely to accept "rotational roles", instead of focal point roles, than guards and wings are. So I'm not saying it was an easy task. But no one will be able to convince me that with the proper focus on building a 3,4,5 player deep front court stable, since he arrived in Bloomington... or at a minimum since the realities of not having one smacked him in the face around January of this past season... that he couldn't have went out and found a couple more 6-7+, physical, B10 capable athletes for some quality depth... IF that were a true focus of his.
Maybe Carr an the staff, through connections, know there will be a couple of options once players start withdrawing form the draft? Only thing that makes sense seeing as how DD has mentioned wanting more post depth?
@ge-off Hope so. And the glimmer of hope that the last 2 signings had to be basically "free"... that reads as saving money for a rainy day type activity. I kinda doubt he/we were completely out of money before the last 2 guys signed, as we were still actively recruiting some guys that had to cost a little bit. Wang, despite me erroneously labeling him as a Priller type player... probably wasn't "free", so they had some money at that point. And then they were in the final 6 for that 4 star HS forward, who I'm sure also wasn't free.
@iunorth Most of your post gets back to my doubts about CDD, not specific to building out this year's roster. But, I also don't think it's just a hesitation/preference regarding wings and back court vs post guys, as the last guard signing (don't remember his name) was also more of a practice type guy and not someone that I think is going to be counted on for minutes this year. We've got 1 more open scholly, so maybe they are parlaying all their $$ in to a guy here that can help. Personally, I still feel like we have a bigger need for some post depth. I'd love it if we could find someone who had some perimeter/shooting skills and could also defend the post, but I'm guessing anyone who could help in that sort of role would cost more $$ than we are willing to commit, so maybe someone with size who's just more of a paint protector/rebounder with limited offensive skill. Personally, I think they've spent what they could and if anyone else is added, it will not be what most are hoping for in terms of someone who can help this year.
@kkott Yeah... whatever the cause is, its a concern, as of typing this message. If, for some reason, they do have a chance to land a draft dropout, with some length... and that happens, its obviously less of a concern. But just like I did with Woodson and his stubbornness in not needing more shooting... I worry about CDD and post, and length depth. I think you were on this concern with last years roster pretty early on in the portal cycle last year, and I argued a fair bit with you on it. I've 180'd, and was definitely wrong then about how big of a miss that was. My 180 has come from watching teams like Illinois, Michigan, Purdue, MSU, UConn, Duke, Florida, Arizona, Houston, ALL play multiple guys, basically at all times, that are "big" oriented.
None of this means he has to change his approach and style of play. You can still play a more open, spread based offense. Pick and rolls, dives and duckins, are just as effective as traditional posting and sealing, if not more so these days. The size and length is now necessary to effectively rebound, keep today's elite level guards and wings from scoring at will at the rim, and to provide balance offensively. Too much talented length running around. Go watch a high level AAU event... 80% of the elite level rosters are 6-6+, skilled, long, athletic... pretty much all the way down to 15U even.
Give me a bull of a playmaking PG, really of any size. A dawg that defends, controls pace, smart... And surround him with length and athleticism, at basically every other position. That sure seems to be the way. And when I look at the kids coming up, I don't really see that changing any time soon. The 4 guard days are numbered.
As @iunorth stated he hit the budget limit and isn't willing to push it. But if you think a coach can't be involved in the fundraising portion that's crazy. He could go out and make some deals ... sponsorship type NIL deals for this last piece and as @redandrowdy said .. there's someone they could approach with the sales pitch like this is the last piece to getting back to relevance. And I'm confident they could get it. Kkott have you ever been part of a political fundraising team or a charitable organization fundraising. There's always more money out there.
If all our small forwards and guards grow an inch, we'd look damn good.
,
So I don’t know all that much about basketball but all these guys saying we have to have a great backup at center and guard confuse me a little. RMK did pretty well with Benson at center and who was it Don Nord as the backup? Sure if Benny were to get hurt it would screw up the season as it did when May and Henderson got hurt. But isn’t that the way it has ways been?