If Jones doesn't come back I'd almost say start from scratch and fill the entire roster with transfers. Tell everybody else to transfer. Try to get a cumulative amount of talent instead of decent talent around a really weak roster. Chemistry may be better but Penny has to realize the incumbent roster is not going to cut it. For those in the know, have we been mentioned by any high school player at all?

(03-21-2024 09:56 AM)Rufus T. Firefly Wrote:  If Jones doesn't come back I'd almost say start from scratch and fill the entire roster with transfers. Tell everybody else to transfer. Try to get a cumulative amount of talent instead of decent talent around a really weak roster. Chemistry may be better but Penny has to realize the incumbent roster is not going to cut it. For those in the know, have we been mentioned by any high school player at all?

All the top HS players are committed/ signed. If you follow Leon from 247, he tweeted that we’re still looking at Jay Nash (was at Briarcrest, now at some prep school and holds several major offers) and another 3 star guard from Cordova HS. Both would probably be development projects and as we know, most kids these days would rather hit the portal than stick somewhere for more than a year if they don’t get the superstar treatment and minutes.

That's what I was afraid of. Two of the best players that entered have already verbaled elsewhere. I hope I'm wrong but next year could be really messy. It's early though and he usually splashes late.

(03-21-2024 11:33 AM)Rufus T. Firefly Wrote:  That's what I was afraid of. Two of the best players that entered have already verbaled elsewhere. I hope I'm wrong but next year could be really messy. It's early though and he usually splashes late.

But late is a problem if this season is proof. Penny, himself said that getting the team together late led to much of the team issues & incompatibility with Penny's style of defense. I'm afraid doing things the same over & over is going to get us the same results, but here we are with only Hardaway & Jourdain returning - 2 guys that should be bench players to build around?

(03-21-2024 11:33 AM)Rufus T. Firefly Wrote:  That's what I was afraid of. Two of the best players that entered have already verbaled elsewhere. I hope I'm wrong but next year could be really messy. It's early though and he usually splashes late.

I still think he is going to struggle to splash at all. Most likely will have less NIL funds available after this season’s debacle. Can’t see big $ boosters donating as much after such a pitiful performance. Then, Penny is gonna have every coach negatively recruiting against him and point to this season, a 5th place finish in a pile of garbage league and ask recruits “why on Earth would you want to go there?”

And I can’t say that I would blame any kid in the portal for saying no to Memphis. The program is 1 step above a 3 ring circus.

(03-22-2024 09:07 AM)MemTigers1998 Wrote:  

(03-21-2024 11:33 AM)Rufus T. Firefly Wrote:  That's what I was afraid of. Two of the best players that entered have already verbaled elsewhere. I hope I'm wrong but next year could be really messy. It's early though and he usually splashes late.

I still think he is going to struggle to splash at all. Most likely will have less NIL funds available after this season’s debacle. Can’t see big $ boosters donating as much after such a pitiful performance. Then, Penny is gonna have every coach negatively recruiting against him and point to this season, a 5th place finish in a pile of garbage league and ask recruits “why on Earth would you want to go there?”

And I can’t say that I would blame any kid in the portal for saying no to Memphis. The program is 1 step above a 3 ring circus.

Go take a midol and relax...

(03-21-2024 11:33 AM)Rufus T. Firefly Wrote:  That's what I was afraid of. Two of the best players that entered have already verbaled elsewhere. I hope I'm wrong but next year could be really messy. It's early though and he usually splashes late.

Still a lot of players who haven't announced for the portal due to the NCAA tournament .... Best prospects are yet to come ....

(03-22-2024 08:42 AM)Atlanta Wrote:  

(03-21-2024 11:33 AM)Rufus T. Firefly Wrote:  That's what I was afraid of. Two of the best players that entered have already verbaled elsewhere. I hope I'm wrong but next year could be really messy. It's early though and he usually splashes late.

But late is a problem if this season is proof. Penny, himself said that getting the team together late led to much of the team issues & incompatibility with Penny's style of defense. I'm afraid doing things the same over & over is going to get us the same results, but here we are with only Hardaway & Jourdain returning - 2 guys that should be bench players to build around?

Late is a problem and Penny has told us he would like to assimilate earlier. But he also mentioned last week that many of the best players won't be available until later. It's the calendar we have. Lots of players will enter the portal now, and then more will continue. Then you have the returnees after NBA workouts/feedback. And you have NIL stacks that won't be put together until later. Best hope is that it get wraps up shortly after NBA workouts - rather than the week school is starting.

You got a link that only Hardaway & Jourdain are returning? I may have missed it but there's still Cooper, Carl, Jones, and maybe even Caleb Mills.

And the NBA calendar will be huge for our offseason. Jones will certainly test the waters. Depending upon the feedback he gets, he could very possibly be back. He is the kind of scorer you can build a team around. But Penny will need to know if he's coming back to determine the other players to get (and how much NIL is available - cause Jones will require a good bit). If Jones is back, we need a PG who doesn't need to score and we need perimeter D help. If Jones is not back, we need an alpha scorer.

(03-24-2024 09:36 AM)Tiger87 Wrote:  

(03-22-2024 08:42 AM)Atlanta Wrote:  

(03-21-2024 11:33 AM)Rufus T. Firefly Wrote:  That's what I was afraid of. Two of the best players that entered have already verbaled elsewhere. I hope I'm wrong but next year could be really messy. It's early though and he usually splashes late.

But late is a problem if this season is proof. Penny, himself said that getting the team together late led to much of the team issues & incompatibility with Penny's style of defense. I'm afraid doing things the same over & over is going to get us the same results, but here we are with only Hardaway & Jourdain returning - 2 guys that should be bench players to build around?

Late is a problem and Penny has told us he would like to assimilate earlier. But he also mentioned last week that many of the best players won't be available until later. It's the calendar we have. Lots of players will enter the portal now, and then more will continue. Then you have the returnees after NBA workouts/feedback. And you have NIL stacks that won't be put together until later. Best hope is that it get wraps up shortly after NBA workouts - rather than the week school is starting.

You got a link that only Hardaway & Jourdain are returning? I may have missed it but there's still Cooper, Carl, Jones, and maybe even Caleb Mills.

I have as much certainly as you - none. But are you counting on anyone other than Jourdain & Hardaway coming back? Mills had played out his eligibility given he played more games than is routinely given to a medical.
And other than Jones, who can make a difference among those remaining?

Maybe cal will actually be gone from Kentucky and we can grab Billy Richmond

(03-22-2024 09:17 AM)SeñorTiger Wrote:  

(03-22-2024 09:07 AM)MemTigers1998 Wrote:  

(03-21-2024 11:33 AM)Rufus T. Firefly Wrote:  That's what I was afraid of. Two of the best players that entered have already verbaled elsewhere. I hope I'm wrong but next year could be really messy. It's early though and he usually splashes late.

I still think he is going to struggle to splash at all. Most likely will have less NIL funds available after this season’s debacle. Can’t see big $ boosters donating as much after such a pitiful performance. Then, Penny is gonna have every coach negatively recruiting against him and point to this season, a 5th place finish in a pile of garbage league and ask recruits “why on Earth would you want to go there?”

And I can’t say that I would blame any kid in the portal for saying no to Memphis. The program is 1 step above a 3 ring circus.

Go take a midol and relax...

Touché - LOL!!

(03-24-2024 08:42 PM)Fluke Wrote:  Maybe cal will actually be gone from Kentucky and we can grab Billy Richmond

It's an interesting point. Although I'm not sure I want the drama of the freshman version of Trey. I'd much rather get him in a year or two, after the wind has been taken out of his daddy's sails a bit.

I don't care who returns.

We need two point guards, a two guard, a power forward, a small forward and a big.

Between 5 stars and portals maybe Penny can find a few that really want to be part of a team.