Entering the portal - 2026

[aceboon]

I wonder how the NBA feels about this. You're probably getting guys who are more ready to play right away but they're now older and I'm sure the league wants some of these kids who look ready going to the league. My guess is they aren't too happy about it.

An angle worth exploring by these cbb writers would be seeing how many of these 5th year guys during the covid era or upperclassmen who looked to be lock first rounders that ended up returning amounted to role players and/or solid contributers in the NBA. When the Denver Nuggets drafted Jalen Pickett and Hunter Tyson in the 2023 draft as 2nd rounders their GM was talking about how since they were 5th year guys and older both would be ready to step in and be part of the rotation right away as contributers. Its 2026 and Tyson is out of the NBA and Pickett still isn't part of the Nuggets rotation.

 

[DRBackup]

Sure it did

 

[gsmooth]

I wonder how the NBA feels about this. You're probably getting guys who are more ready to play right away but they're now older and I'm sure the league wants some of these kids who look ready going to the league. My guess is they aren't too happy about it.

It really does make me wonder what the NIL/revenue share Haugh is getting is. I also wonder how much Adam Silver and the people in the NBA front office are monitoring these decisions. Does the NBA think about increasing the rookie contracts? I don't know the answer to that. All I know is there will be a lot of deliberation with the NBAPA and other factions within the NBA if they were to consider doing that.

This news is especially surprising considering Todd Golden has been mentioned for the Golden State job if Kerr retires. Maybe Haugh returning means that Golden is returning to Florida and Kerr is returning to Golden State. Lots of curious questions are being pondered with this news, at least for me it is.

This is what I wrote a few days ago when the news broke about Thomas Haugh returning to Florida.

I am not sure, but I would think it's gotten to the point where Adam Silver is monitoring this. Whether he feels like it's an impetus to do something about it is another issue.

 

[RuffRuff]

This likely sticks them firmly at preseason 2. Him at the 5 and Estrella at the 4 and here we go again with the giant FC.

 

[DRBackup]

This is what I wrote a few days ago when the news broke about Thomas Haugh returning to Florida.

I am not sure, but I would think it's gotten to the point where Adam Silver is monitoring this. Whether he feels like it's an impetus to do something about it is another issue.

I don't see why. Haugh is a solid player, but he's not really moving the needle for an NBA team next season. This trend (if it is one) will just redistribute talent across another year or two. This draft might be a touch light, but then next year's is better. Ultimately, no net effect on the NBA.

II could see if you had guys like Dybantsa, Boozer, and Peterson deciding not to leave. But then you have a guy like Wagler come out of nowhere.

Silver's job is to oversee every team, not any one team or handful of teams that might be disappointed they can't draft one guy. Nevermind that the PA wouldn't care because these kids aren't in the NBA union yet. This actually works in their favor and I see no reason they'd lift a finger to help the league "fix" it.

 

[3rdbass]

ick

This likely sticks them firmly at preseason 2. Him at the 5 and Estrella at the 4 and here we go again with the giant FC.

Estrella didn't impress me when I saw him in the tournament. Though we need to find more length upfront even with the Giltay transfer we got.

 

[3rdbass]

 

[aceboon]

hopefully Johnson stays in the draft

 

[RuffRuff]

Interesting - easy call for him. My guess is he's gone. It feels like he wants to go that way. With UM locking up Estrella and Thiam, would seem like they think him and Mara are likely gone.

 

[superjohn]

This likely sticks them firmly at preseason 2. Him at the 5 and Estrella at the 4 and here we go again with the giant FC.

At least it means Mara is definitely gone but they will be quite large again and really friggin' good again if Morez Johnson returns. They just got 6'10 230 lb Jalen Reed from LSU yesterday so hopefully Morez is gone too.

 

[nomar]

Shocked.

(I would have thought he declared the second KU's season ended.)

 

[RuffRuff]

At least it means Mara is definitely gone but they will be quite large again and really friggin' good again if Morez Johnson returns. They just got 6'10 230 lb Jalen Reed from LSU yesterday so hopefully Morez is gone too.

I forgot about Reed. Unbelievable. Low prob Johnson is back I would have to assume. The question is who do they play at the 3 - is it the 5* or do they pick up the WF kid? If they got him, they'd be filthy and I'd put them above UF on guard play alone.

Dusty is annoying.

 

[gsmooth]

I don't see why. Haugh is a solid player, but he's not really moving the needle for an NBA team next season. This trend (if it is one) will just redistribute talent across another year or two. This draft might be a touch light, but then next year's is better. Ultimately, no net effect on the NBA.

II could see if you had guys like Dybantsa, Boozer, and Peterson deciding not to leave. But then you have a guy like Wagler come out of nowhere.

Silver's job is to oversee every team, not any one team or handful of teams that might be disappointed they can't draft one guy. Nevermind that the PA wouldn't care because these kids aren't in the NBA union yet. This actually works in their favor and I see no reason they'd lift a finger to help the league "fix" it.

I don't think Haugh moves the needle either per se, and certainly not by himself, and I can see what you are saying that the players who decide to return to college basketball vs going in the late teens or 20s in the first round will simply go the following year(s) when their college basketball eligibility is used up.

However, I do think Silver and his staff will monitor this. Whether they think it's worthy of taking action, most likely not yet.

 

[gsmooth]

This likely sticks them firmly at preseason 2. Him at the 5 and Estrella at the 4 and here we go again with the giant FC.

Damn, I was really hoping Kansas would snag him instead. Kansas was the latest team to be competing with Michigan for Thiam.

 

[nelsonmuntz]

This likely sticks them firmly at preseason 2. Him at the 5 and Estrella at the 4 and here we go again with the giant FC.

I am definitely pulling up the old threads going back to Carlton/Whaley era where I was in favor of two bigs lineups.

 

[nelsonmuntz]

An angle worth exploring by these cbb writers would be seeing how many of these 5th year guys during the covid era or upperclassmen who looked to be lock first rounders that ended up returning amounted to role players and/or solid contributers in the NBA. When the Denver Nuggets drafted Jalen Pickett and Hunter Tyson in the 2023 draft as 2nd rounders their GM was talking about how since they were 5th year guys and older both would be ready to step in and be part of the rotation right away as contributers. Its 2026 and Tyson is out of the NBA and Pickett still isn't part of the Nuggets rotation.

The NBA drafts were a wasteland for 10 years in the 2010s into the 2020s. Teams were burning draft picks on 19-year-old kids with no skills or evidence of work ethic because they were essentially buying lottery tickets. 2013 draft will be the worst draft in NBA history. Cleveland was practically offering to give the first pick of the draft away but no one would take it.

I think the NBA is happy to have more mature, skilled players showing up on the first day of training camp. Unless a player has Embiid or Giannis level potential, it is not worth working with them for the coaches, so most of these mid-level players never really developed in the pros. Who wants to burn cycles developing a player from raw to 20 mpg backup wing? NBA coaches have enough problems without dealing with that. Those mid-level players need to show up ready to contribute.

Go back 5 years and look at the end of the benches on a lot of NBA teams. It was grim. I expect that after another couple of years of NIL, you will have most NBA teams go 10-11 deep of players that can actually go on the court, and coaches can better load manage the stars.

 

[RuffRuff]

The NBA drafts were a wasteland for 10 years in the 2010s into the 2020s. Teams were burning draft picks on 19-year-old kids with no skills or evidence of work ethic because they were essentially buying lottery tickets. 2013 draft will be the worst draft in NBA history. Cleveland was practically offering to give their first round pick away but no one would take it.

I think the NBA is happy to have more mature, skilled players showing up on the first day of training camp. Unless a player has Embiid or Giannis level potential, it is not worth working with them for the coaches, so most of these mid-level players never really developed in the pros. Who wants to burn cycles developing a player from raw to 20 mpg backup wing? NBA coaches have enough problems without dealing with that. Those mid-level players need to show up ready to contribute.

Go back 5 years and look at the end of the benches on a lot of NBA teams. It was grim. I expect that after another couple of years of NIL, you will have most NBA teams go 10-11 deep of players that can actually go on the court, and coaches can better load manage the stars.

You're probably right about this - NBA would be perfectly happy letting that kid develop in the new CBB with a better way to evaluate a more ready to go pick than let them roost on the bench in the unknown. These kids getting an extra year or three gets them ready and makes picks more valuable. Leave the top ten picks to "potential".

 

[UCfor3]

I forgot about Reed. Unbelievable. Low prob Johnson is back I would have to assume. The question is who do they play at the 3 - is it the 5* or do they pick up the WF kid? If they got him, they'd be filthy and I'd put them above UF on guard play alone.

Dusty is annoying.

They clearly have tons of NIL to offer.

 

[RuffRuff]

They clearly have tons of NIL to offer.

What I'm afraid of longer term - Dusty, who is smart, winning with $$. I'm less concerned with guys like Pope and the Ville coach, but if you give a smart coach like Dusty the $$ advantage, will be tough to beat.

 

[REB1094]

This likely sticks them firmly at preseason 2. Him at the 5 and Estrella at the 4 and here we go again with the giant FC.

@ Dusty May

 

[Bigbrad1029]

I forgot about Reed. Unbelievable. Low prob Johnson is back I would have to assume. The question is who do they play at the 3 - is it the 5* or do they pick up the WF kid? If they got him, they'd be filthy and I'd put them above UF on guard play alone.

Dusty is annoying.

 

[Bigbrad1029]

Silas is healthy we win that game, he is better than Cadeau IMO and I like our team vs Michigan so far …Thaim and Estrella ain’t making up for Morez and Mara and nobody is gonna be Yaxel

 

[gsmooth]

What I'm afraid of longer term - Dusty, who is smart, winning with $$. I'm less concerned with guys like Pope and the Ville coach, but if you give a smart coach like Dusty the $$ advantage, will be tough to beat.

Damn, I was really hoping Kansas would snag him instead. Kansas was the latest team to be competing with Michigan for Thiam.

And this is why I was hoping Kansas would get Thiam. Self is a very good coach, but we have seen his teams under perform with their level of talent. I think Dusty May will get the best out of Thiam, unfortunately. I hope I am wrong on this.

 

[RuffRuff]

How much is this roster?

Projected Starting 5:

G Caleb Foster 1.5mm

G John Blackwell 3.5mm

G Dame Sarr 2mm

F Cam Williams 1mm

C Patrick Ngongba 3mm

Projected Bench: Bryson Howard, Cayden Boozer, Deron Rippey, Maxime Meyer, Sebastian Wilkins, Ifeanyi Ufochukwu, Drew Scharnowski

That starting lineup has to be a good 11-12mm minimum, then they got another 7 guys on the bench including 3 McD AA's. We have to be talking 20mm

Silas is healthy we win that game, he is better than Cadeau IMO and I like our team vs Michigan so far …Thaim and Estrella ain’t making up for Morez and Mara and nobody is gonna be Yaxel

Or the refs call it equitable. Cadeau is better at one thing, flopping. It's hard to call the health thing out because their best player looked about 50%.

 

[BFieldHusky]

To me, Florida is the best team right now although I need to see if their center is back and need to see if the guard they brought back from Kentucky can play. Just like last year, their back court may hold them back.

Duke is super deep.

 

[BFieldHusky]

How much is this roster?

Projected Starting 5:

G Caleb Foster 1.5mm

G John Blackwell 3.5mm

G Dame Sarr 2mm

F Cam Williams 1mm

C Patrick Ngongba 3mm

Projected Bench: Bryson Howard, Cayden Boozer, Deron Rippey, Maxime Meyer, Sebastian Wilkins, Ifeanyi Ufochukwu, Drew Scharnowski

That starting lineup has to be a good 11-12mm minimum, then they got another 7 guys on the bench including 3 McD AA's. We have to be talking 20mm


Or the refs call it equitable. Cadeau is better at one thing, flopping. It's hard to call the health thing out because their best player looked about 50%.

Evans went pro, correct?

 

[bendm]

This likely sticks them firmly at preseason 2. Him at the 5 and Estrella at the 4 and here we go again with the giant FC.

Mara/Johnson >> Thiaw/Estrella
Estrella is not an nba player. Thiaw doesn’t have the offensive game of Mara. This duo is significantly worse.

I am definitely pulling up the old threads going back to Carlton/Whaley era where I was in favor of two bigs lineups.

Please don’t

To me, Florida is the best team right now although I need to see if their center is back and need to see if the guard they brought back from Kentucky can play. Just like last year, their back court may hold them back.

Duke is super deep.

Aberdeen didn’t even start for a crappy UK team. If their starting backcourt is boogie and Aberdeen I will be very happy

 

[3rdbass]

At least it means Mara is definitely gone but they will be quite large again and really friggin' good again if Morez Johnson returns. They just got 6'10 230 lb Jalen Reed from LSU yesterday so hopefully Morez is gone too.

Wow they are trying to play super big again. At least May has a style he likes to play humugous upfront which is something that a lot of smaller teams like us will have issues matching up unless we are shooting lights out.

 

[BGesus4]

Michigan front court is def a downgrade from last year but the biggest difference is no Yaxel

 

[gsmooth]

Wow they are trying to play super big again. At least May has a style he likes to play humugous upfront which is something that a lot of smaller teams like us will have issues matching up unless we are shooting lights out.

The thing that surprised us and Hurley was that this UConn 2026 team was not that great shooting from the perimeter even though they were constructed with that purpose. If they go 11-33 (just 2 more 3s), they really could've defeated Michigan. Wisconsin exposed Michigan's 3 pt defense even though the defense was ranked high in 3pt % defense. The difference was Wisconsin knocked down their opens 3s and UConn did not.