Do we go after Cole Cloer or Focus on Transfers?

[Fishy]

Hurley won’t go after Hines, he loves Shaheen and that program. Would be very surprised

This is how a child thinks.

A player in the portal is a free agent.

 

[navery12]

I forgot, you don't really use the chat much.

I never go in the chat. That doesn't surprise me at all. If that's the standard then I'm pretty sure we'll be recruiting 15 new players for next year lol

 

[Mr. French]

No real posters are down on Reibe for next year, but he’s going to need someone to back him up.

 

[Kemba15]

This is how a child thinks.

A player in the portal is a free agent.

Ok let’s see how it plays out. You’ve been on a roll lately with your predictions 🤣

 

[HW611]

I'm confident in Reibe too after a summer of work. I fully expect you to face blowback championing him as a starting 5 on here. When he pans out too, between him and Ross, you may get a job on the bench.

(Although, Im happy with Smith lately. If he continues playing like this Id chalk it up as a success)

Smith has been solid as a starter filling in. For the most part, I think guys play a lot better for us when they play with more of a leash in general. No matter who they are.

I've already told Ruff that Stew breaking out as the starting 4 is the hill I'm probably dying on this summer.

County being our backup PG is going to be the wish I push for 😂

Also, there's a better chance of Ollie returning to the bench than there is of me moving back to CT for any reason haha

 

[Fishy]

Ok let’s see how it plays out. You’ve been on a roll lately with your predictions 🤣

Such as?

 

[auror]

Hurley won’t go after Hines, he loves Shaheen and that program. Would be very surprised

If he's in the portal already because Sha can't afford his market value, then I could see Hurley asking for Sha's permission (or whatever the coach code version of that is). If Arkansas gets him in the portal because they're offering 2.5 mil, then we offer 2 mil and Sha can only afford 1.25 mil, Sha might even recommend he come play for us over Cal.

 

[uconnfan68]

No real posters are down on Reibe for next year, but he’s going to need someone to back him up.

Are we sure he’s staying? Sounded like his handlers weren’t happy. I hope he’s coming back because I think he’s got a big jump coming. Absolutely need a big high-flier to back him up. Shotblocker and rebounder a must.

 

[Horatio]

We need to replace Alex, Tarris and Malachi.

 

[Mike Honcho]

If he's in the portal already because Sha can't afford his market value, then I could see Hurley asking for Sha's permission (or whatever the coach code version of that is). If Arkansas gets him in the portal because they're offering 2.5 mil, then we offer 2 mil and Sha can only afford 1.25 mil, Sha might even recommend he come play for us over Cal.

To compete against him in the Big East? Sounds improbable

 

[Kemba15]

To compete against him in the Big East? Sounds improbable

Exactly. I think this is moot anyway because of Reibe. St. John’s is the much bigger threat to Sha here IMO

 

[brihman]

We 100% need a backup center. I'm pretty confident in our staffs track record of developing Bigs for Reibe. Even earlier this year he improved pretty quickly as a starter. But we still need someone behind him.

Hoping we go with County as the backup guard but we’re going to need a third guard regardless.

The past two years we've brought in two PGs that haven't been big pluses in Mahaney and Smith. Hoping we give the freshman a chance to put up similar production as those two while having the upside to possibly take over for us later on rather than leave got us to start over again after a year.

I’d put Smith in the Win category overall

 

[UCTitleTown]

This is how a child thinks.

A player in the portal is a free agent.

As long as there's no tampering, Shaheen should have no issue, although I used to like the old rule that if you transfered in-conference you had to sit a year.

 

[caw]

I’d put Smith in the Win category overall

Agreed, he was the backup to a 31-5 team (as of now) and started two NCAAT wins. Not sure how that isn't a win for a backup. He wasn't perfect but for a one year backup he was pretty darn good.

 

[auror]

To compete against him in the Big East? Sounds improbable

If he's losing him anyways and the options are St. John's or UConn (and I've definitely heard St. John's and him connected, but I'm sure he'll have lots of suitors), he's friends enough with Hurley to potentially recommend Hines to us.

Though I'm sure you're right and Sha would rather him not be in the Big East.

 

[WhereistheDove?]

Why would he get blowback? There's maybe 2 posters on the entire site who don't like Reibe

The two of them need to create as much faux “hate” as possible for players they champion. It’s kind of their thing.

 

[businesslawyer]

We'd lose him to Pitino. But I didn't even ask, why are we even talking about Hines? Did he say anything? Or are we just looking around the sport cherry picking dudes we love.

"I think I'll ask YOUR girlfriend to the prom"

If the captain of the football team was good looking and liked your girlfriend, that would be his thought process. UConn in hoops is the good looking captain of the football team.

 

[Stinger92860]

Hurley won’t go after Hines, he loves Shaheen and that program. Would be very surprised

Neither would Rick Pitino, right? Times have changed. If he is in the Portal and he could help the team, you need to talk to him unless there is a backstory you have confirmed.

 

[REB1094]

Assuming Cloer follows Wade but I’d take him for sure. Skilled guy with size that can flex between SG/SF. But he’d have to know that he won’t get big minutes day 1. We’re currently loaded with mostly senior Gs and Fs next year. He’ll have to earn it. The way he talked about UConn during recruiting makes me think he has the right mindset

Wing depth isn’t a portal priority but if he wants a spot I wouldn’t say no

 

[Kemba15]

Neither would Rick Pitino, right? Times have changed. If he is in the Portal and he could help the team, you need to talk to him unless there is a backstory you have confirmed.

The way Hurley and Pitino each operate the portal is not remotely close to the same, and the fact that you had to ask that question is what you're missing

 

[RuffRuff]

 

[aburks41]

Extremely inefficient player buttttt that could be because his team was terrible and he was forcing a ton of bad shots. Sign me up for a 6'9" guard though

 

[UCFan1513]

Who cares we have a S16 game today and we are talking about the 75th ranked recruit

 

[Hoophound]

We desperately need ball handlers and some grown men in the front court.

We're all set with small forwards and wings.

We still need a wing(s) with a lot more skill and athleticism. It would help if they can dribble a little bit too, for when we play against the SJU pressure. I don't like our lack of a sure fire high caliber NBA wing on the roster. Guys like Ray, Rip, Hawkins, Castle etc.

 

[auror]

Not sure he's the best fit for our system and we might be trying to get more heft at the 4, but I'm certainly intrigued by the talent.

 

[AllHusky]

Hurley won’t go after Hines, he loves Shaheen and that program. Would be very surprised

Has there been any noise connecting Holloway to job openings?

 

[DRBackup]

I’d put Smith in the Win category overall

Yeah, I'd say Malachi has pretty much been what Hurley expected.

 

[Donyell 360]

Yeah, I'd say Malachi has pretty much been what Hurley expected.

Hurley had higher hopes for Smith. At the beginning of the season he talked about him getting starters minutes off the bench and spending significant time with him and Demary sharing court time. That has not materialized except with Demary limited lately. But I will say Smith has stepped up the past two games when we needed him.

 

[kobebeanbryant]

We 100% need a backup center. I'm pretty confident in our staffs track record of developing Bigs for Reibe. Even earlier this year he improved pretty quickly as a starter. But we still need someone behind him.

100% wrong.

Relying on Reibe as starting center next year is a massive risk based on his current performance.

If his projected summer improvement doesn’t go as planned then our season is over before it even started.

We need a starting Center (or at minimum an equal timeshare to compete for starting job).

 

[HW611]

Hurley had higher hopes for Smith. At the beginning of the season he talked about him getting starters minutes off the bench and spending significant time with him and Demary sharing court time. That has not materialized except with Demary limited lately. But I will say Smith has stepped up the past two games when we needed him.

Yeah up until the last two games where he had to step in for Silas, he hasn’t lived up to expectations.

I'm also not sure if he has produced more than a freshman Jalen Gaffney in a similar situation. I'd have to go back and check the numbers though.

Point being I think a freshman could be just as good as Mahaney was for us last year or Smith this year while having long term value/upside at the same time.