Let me state up front - I haven't been drinking fine West Virginia basement-still white lightning tweets, however trippy they may be. However...
The Big10 has needed hockey partners for several years, and I can't think of a reason why there would be any delay if it was really going to be ASU. The agreement would clearly be hockey only, and there's no reason why ASU wouldn't (and couldn't) say yes the moment they were offered.
I think the delay in timing is because we're #15 (and #8 for hockey) - and number 16, or 16-18, or 16-20 (or whatever the Big10 end goal is) is somewhat fluid and dependent upon how the next few months play out.
Even if we aren't already "in" - if I was the Big10 I would view Uconn as the pin in the grenade of total conference chaos. Conference realignment only about money - nothing else. And I can't fathom the Big10 letting a Big12 Network or ACC Network getting a presence in the northeast, in a top 20-ish market (the combined CT DMA), and a meaningful presence in the NY and Boston markets, when it can have those markets (and that money) all to itself.
No ACC or Big12 network leads to chaos. Chaos leads to the Big10's end goal, and please (please!) let the chaos begin.