2021 Transfer Portal Thread

[DA#23]

^ I had noticed some scuttlebutt on RR.

After the last year, wouldn't it be funny if Beshear tried to claim an "assist" on this front?

[KCKUKFan]

Y’all need to start keeping a close eye on the Jalen Duren situation.

This.

[GOCAT15]

Y’all need to start keeping a close eye on the Jalen Duren situation.

https://www.aseaofblue.com/2021/6/25/22549144/jalen-duren-kentucky-basketball-recruiting-news-memphis-miami-michigan

I'm trying not to get my hopes up, but as has been mentioned, this would take us from a competitive top 25 team to a title contender.

[George]

We have the last visit and a serious shot at landing him. It’s getting real.

[KCKUKFan]

If we somehow hit the jackpot and land Duren and then Mintz comes back, this is going to be an insanely deep roster.

At that point, Cal will almost have to platoon rosters to keep guys happy.

Wheeler
Ware
Washington
Collins
Hopkins
Grady
Frederick
Toppin
Tschibwe
Brooks
Allen
Duren
Mintz

That's at least 10 or 11 guys that we know can play and will be expecting PT. Maybe more, depending on where Collins and Hopkins are.

[George]

If we somehow hit the jackpot and land Duren and then Mintz comes back, this is going to be an insanely deep roster.

At that point, Cal will almost have to platoon rosters to keep guys happy.

Wheeler
Ware
Washington
Collins
Hopkins
Grady
Frederick
Toppin
Tschibwe
Brooks
Allen
Duren
Mintz

That's at least 10 or 11 guys that we know can play and will be expecting PT. Maybe more, depending on where Collins and Hopkins are.

If we land Duren, I’d say someone will transfer, which is fine. Duren’s an upgrade over anyone we have.

I guess the one possible negative could be if Ware walked and D.J. Wagner soured on UK as a result, but I have a pretty hard time believing Wagner’s commitment is contingent upon Ware’s security.

[George]

^ I had noticed some scuttlebutt on RR.

After the last year, wouldn't it be funny if Beshear tried to claim an "assist" on this front?

He could. Clearing the way for NIL may be the difference maker. I’ve seen predictions that UK will be able to set Duren up to make seven figures in his one year in college. That, combined with the exposure he’d get at UK (especially with number of marquee games we’ll play this season) stands a strong chance of overcoming whatever the pro route has to offer.

[Joneslab]

Y’all need to start keeping a close eye on the Jalen Duren situation.

[KCKUKFan]

If we land Duren, I’d say someone will transfer, which is fine. Duren’s an upgrade over anyone we have.

I guess the one possible negative could be if Ware walked and D.J. Wagner soured on UK as a result, but I have a pretty hard time believing Wagner’s commitment is contingent upon Ware’s security.

Ware isn't going anywhere. By all accounts, he's become the de facto team leader in this off-season (with Toppin).

Guys love him, and he's apparently coordinating the practices and instructing new dudes.

[Joneslab]

If we somehow hit the jackpot and land Duren and then Mintz comes back, this is going to be an insanely deep roster.

At that point, Cal will almost have to platoon rosters to keep guys happy.

Wheeler
Ware
Washington
Collins
Hopkins
Grady
Frederick
Toppin
Tschibwe
Brooks
Allen
Duren
Mintz

That's at least 10 or 11 guys that we know can play and will be expecting PT. Maybe more, depending on where Collins and Hopkins are.

Long roster with a lot of sameness at guard unless some guys really improve (or Washington is a totally legit five-star player).

I like the idea of Mintz coming back because he's so old and he can shoot the ball; you always need shooters just like you always need age. But you worry a little about a logjam, because a guy like Toppin is going to have to be on the court quite a bit. I suspect Cal will try to play him a lot at the 3 because that's his position in the pros, if he can improve enough to make it.

That makes it so that you've got a bunch of guys vying for the 1-2. Mintz might complicate that in some ways.

Not saying I don't want him back, but that's a bunch of dudes, many with quite a bit of D1 experience.

[George]

Long roster with a lot of sameness at guard unless some guys really improve (or Washington is a totally legit five-star player).

I like the idea of Mintz coming back because he's so old and he can shoot the ball; you always need shooters just like you always need age. But you worry a little about a logjam, because a guy like Toppin is going to have to be on the court quite a bit. I suspect Cal will try to play him a lot at the 3 because that's his position in the pros, if he can improve enough to make it.

That makes it so that you've got a bunch of guys vying for the 1-2. Mintz might complicate that in some ways.

Not saying I don't want him back, but that's a bunch of dudes, many with quite a bit of D1 experience.

I see Grady starting at the three and getting most of those minutes. He’s too good a scorer, and too lethal a shooter, to keep off the floor. If we get Duren, that’ll will only emphasize the need to have Grady at the three; you’d have Oscar at the five and Duren at the four, which means you’d have to have at least two shooters on the floor at all times. If TyTy can play a lot, that might give Cal some flexibility at the three, but if Wheeler’s out there you probably can’t get away with not having Grady at the three.

[Joneslab]

I see Grady starting at the three and getting most of those minutes. He’s too good a scorer, and too lethal a shooter, to keep off the floor. If we get Duren, that’ll will only emphasize the need to have Grady at the three; you’d have Oscar at the five and Duren at the four, which means you’d have to have at least two shooters on the floor at all times. If TyTy can play a lot, that might give Cal some flexibility at the three, but if Wheeler’s out there you probably can’t get away with not having Grady at the three.

I don't know. I think Toppin is a potential star and I don't think he's really a true 4.

Of course you can swing him down there and play Tshiebwe at the 5, but if Duren comes that's going to be tough to do.

These are all good problems to have...theoretically. But I just see Toppin getting a bunch of minutes next year mostly because he fits the mold of a traditional Cal "positionless" wing and the type of guy he loves to have out there a lot.

[George]

Ware isn't going anywhere. By all accounts, he's become the de facto team leader in this off-season (with Toppin).

Guys love him, and he's apparently coordinating the practices and instructing new dudes.

I like the sound of that.

[Joneslab]

Also, with all this talk about shooters we all know Cal will defer to athletes every time.

If you've got a guy over there who checks the NBA boxes, who's a freak athlete, and who passes the looks test of a draft pick, that's who Cal will go with every time.

Not saying Grady won't play or anything because he obviously will. I just think one or two of these guards that we think are going to play a lot probably won't.

[George]

I don't know. I think Toppin is a potential star and I don't think he's really a true 4.

Of course you can swing him down there and play Tshiebwe at the 5, but if Duren comes that's going to be tough to do.

These are all good problems to have...theoretically. But I just see Toppin getting a bunch of minutes next year mostly because he fits the mold of a traditional Cal "positionless" wing and the type of guy he loves to have out there a lot.

I hear you, but you don’t bring in a 2,000 point scorer and not give him major minutes. You also don’t load your roster with shooters to only play one, maybe two at a time. If Toppin’s at the three, you’re leaving a lot of shooting on the bench.