2026-2027 Roster discussion thread

[KentuckyWild2020]

What happens if Moreno leaves? Pretty good chance he's gone..

[WeWant9]

That would be a nightmare scenario, but I am not convinced there is a good chance he's gone..... at least not yet.

[UKHoops01]

What happens if Moreno leaves? Pretty good chance he's gone..

Word has it that he would be a mid second round draft pick, at best.

Barring some sort of miracle season resulting in reaching the Final Four.....

If the Kentucky kid, who stands to make more money @UK, STILL chose to be a mid 2nd round pick and make less $$$ instead of returning to Kentucky....that would probably signal the end of Mark Pope at the end of the upcoming season.

[TrueblueCATfan]

What happens if Moreno leaves? Pretty good chance he's gone..

I heard his draft stock was on the rise

[Trueblujr]

That would be a nightmare scenario, but I am not convinced there is a good chance he's gone..... at least not yet.

He's projecting late second round by one or two services. That's not guaranteed money. He can definitely make more in NIL if he were to return.

[WeWant9]

He's projecting late second round by one or two services. That's not guaranteed money. He can definitely make more in NIL if he were to return.

Yeah, I'd think UK offered up a nice amount for him next year. Unless he just balls out at the combine and shoots up the draft, I think he is back next season in blue.

[Pobilly]

If you look enough there are so many people projecting the draft now that 1 or 2 people are saying he is right now early 2nd round (only their opinion) and if a few people in front of him leave the draft he can work his was into the 2nd half of the first round. Also said if he does well next week at combine he can improve his stock. There are more that have MM a mid to late 2nd round guy. Truth be told, he is young and right at 7 feet and can play. If the right team wants to spend money on a guy with potential then they will move him up. I would think right now it is 50/50 chance of stay or leave the draft. If he stays he stays. Cant do anything about that. I expect if we get one more really good player he will come back to try to get a final 4. If we have the current roster and will make close to the same amount of money, I would expect him to stay in the draft. Again just my opinion.

[Pobilly]

Here is your chance to ask CMP questions. Watch this 5 second clip and comment (ask questions).

https://www.youtube.com/shorts/M3lSAUF-0MM

[UKHoops01]

Synic/skeptic alert:

Just a little heads up.....

I can't help but wonder if all the talk of Moreno "staying in the draft" isn't a way to either:

A) prepare people to really lower their expectations for the upcoming season so fans can start with the excuse making. Or

B) have fans feel like they've "won" a recruiting battle and therefore are in a celebratory "let's go" mood if or once Moreno returns.

There's kind of a "Jaxson Robinson announcement" feeling to this one.... almost like we knew we had him, but there was that "excitement" about the "will he or won't he" and the celebration and feeling like victory when the announcement became official.

Kind of makes me think that we aren't landing Graves or Momcilovic or Yesseffou or any big name portal transfer at this point....more like "hey, just be happy if Moreno decides to return!" type thing going on.

[bucsrule8872]

I think Moreno will be back. If he does not not, we are really hurting inside.

Best option in that scenario is to play small ball, with a Center by committee approach:

G Diallo/M. Williams
G Wilkins/Morton
G/F B. Hawthorne/Morton
F K. Williams/McBride
C N’Diaye/Potter/McBride

That team will need to spread the floor and let Diallo and Wilkins drive, and let Kam, Hawthorne, McBride, Morton, N’Diaye, and Potter bomb away from 3. Don’t expect many second chance baskets as we will struggle with rebounding. Defensively, play zone a lot with very little bulk in the paint. Maybe double team the post against teams with good interior players. Make teams try to outshoot us.

McBride, Kam, Morton, and Potter are all excellent shooters (hovering near that 40% range last season or for their career). Wilkins and Diallo are good spot up shooters, based on what I have read. Hawthorne had a reputation as a shooter out of HS.

Pope may finally have his “shoot 35 threes a game” team.

“Live and die by the three.”

But like I said, I think Moreno will be back. Too much NIL money to be made this season and for two more seasons and too much uncertainty in the draft. If he was a lottery pick, then it would be a no-brainer, but hovering in that late first round could slip to the second round area probably pushes him back to college.

Only way I see him go is if some team guarantees him a first round contract.

[bthaunert]

What happens if Moreno leaves? Pretty good chance he's gone..

I don't agree that there is a good chance he's gone. Even if he moved into the late first round, he's still going to make less than he would at UK. Times are different.

[bucsrule8872]

This ESPN article might be helpful.

I went through and looked at the SEC rosters. It made me realize we aren’t as bad (on paper) as a lot of people seem to believe.

Florida is going to be the overwhelming favorite with four starters back and several key reserves returning.

Georgia returns three double digit scorers, but really didn’t light it up in the portal. They could make some noise.

Tennessee has an excellent portal haul, but returns almost no one. They should be good, but a lot hinges on how well all those new faces blend together.

Arkansas is talented, but (per usual for Calipari) are very young. A couple of good portal pieces, but I expect Cal starts mostly Freshmen led by Smith, Andrews, Toure, and Muurinen. Richmond and Wilkerson will have to provide leadership.

Texas has one returnee of significance and will be relying heavily on a really good portal class.

The rest of the SEC seems to be in the same boat as we are. Bama didn’t really do much in the portal. Auburn looks like they are going to be heavily dependent on Pettiford and Overton. None of the rest really look all that intimidating.

I think we may have one of the best backcourts in the SEC and one of the best big men, if Moreno returns. If the forwards are just solid, we should be able to compete in the league.

[KentuckyWild2020]

I don't agree that there is a good chance he's gone. Even if he moved into the late first round, he's still going to make less than he would at UK. Times are different.

Is it about the money or is it about stepping onto a NBA court and living a dream?

[Matt Dillon]

Is it about the money or is it about stepping onto a NBA court and living a dream?

As has been said before, he can return and probably make more than signing a late first round contract. He'll still have time to live his NBA dream and make more money doing it.

[bthaunert]

Is it about the money or is it about stepping onto a NBA court and living a dream?

I think it's both...but if you're a fringe first round pick (which he might not even be) and you believe you can prove your draft stock and make more money, you do that.

What makes you think there is a pretty good chance he is gone?