2026-2027 Razorback basketball

[vegashog]

mo sylla from georgia tech enters the portal. another one i bet we talk to.

and ewin posted an announcement coming soon.

[Pig Benis]

Working to bring back Meleek Thomas, DJ Wagner, Billy Richmond and Karter Knox.

Isaiah Sealy deal already done.

The three freshmen coming in.

Malique Ewin probably not returning.

Bring in four bigs from the transfer portal.

If this is correct then it goes against everything Cal has said about playing/paying only 8 but I'm here for it. Holy shit.

[vegashog]

yeah, conner goodson says a beat writer for another team told him ewin's reps were reaching out.

[Barton Fink]

McD's AA about to start.

[Lurk]

They've showed Shawn Andrews for about 5 minutes eating popcorn. 

[Borenutz]

McD's AA about to start.

I'm a big cbb fan and might be my first watch of this game

[DirkPiggler]

I think we need big defenders more than big offensive guys.  It would be nice to have both but we should be able to win games with the 1-4 position if the 5 position can provide strength in the paint.  When we don't need that strength we can put 5 out there that looks similar to this years team.

Agreed but I'd like to see one guy who could score in the post.  Someone like Ewin but with some meat on his bones and some gray matter between the ears. 

[soldiersooie]

I'm a big cbb fan and might be my first watch of this game

I only watched the first half, but Smith and JJ both looked great.  They play hard on both ends of the floor and really hustle.

[red death]

Cal will not negotiate with these guys.  He's said so.  If Billy gets a bag from Memphis, that's going to be a problem.  Same with Ewin, wherever he looks.

That's a problem in this day and age.  I get the old school approach, but if it's all about the name on the back of the jersey, then you can't fault them for doing what is best for their family. That's the whole point right?  Of Cal's philosophy of getting them to the NBA?

You can't have it both ways.  The new game isn't just about getting to the NBA.  Some of these kids might play in the G league and never make a roster.  So while they're in college they have to negotiate.  I don't blame them.

Knox has no place here anymore.  Especially if you have Billy back, Toure,and JJ Andrew's.  He's the Boogie Fland, and he needs to go.  He's not like DJ, who nobody wants let's be honest. Knox won't be satisfied coming back to average 8 points a game as a role player.

Speaking of DJ.  How much are we paying him?  Does he get a paycut?  Because he sure deserves one. You can replace his production easily for the money, and probably get even better.

Ewin we need back.  He was a player in the Tourney.  He averaged 15 and 12 and is a great passer.  Those type guys are hard to find.

Bottom line is Cal has 4 guys right now.  Probably Sealy too, unless he's forced out.  Good news is 3 of them will be starters. 

Edit:  saw where Sealy has a deal done, according to pigbenis, if you can trust that mf haha.

[DirkPiggler]

Cal will not negotiate with these guys.  He's said so.  If Billy gets a bag from Memphis, that's going to be a problem.  Same with Ewin, wherever he looks.

That's a problem in this day and age.  I get the old school approach, but if it's all about the name on the back of the jersey, then you can't fault them for doing what is best for their family. That's the whole point right?  Of Cal's philosophy of getting them to the NBA?

You can't have it both ways.  The new game isn't just about getting to the NBA.  Some of these kids might play in the G league and never make a roster.  So while they're in college they have to negotiate.  I don't blame them.

Knox has no place here anymore.  Especially if you have Billy back, Toure,and JJ Andrew's.  He's the Boogie Fland, and he needs to go.  He's not like DJ, who nobody wants let's be honest. Knox won't be satisfied coming back to average 8 points a game as a role player.

Speaking of DJ.  How much are we paying him?  Does he get a paycut?  Because he sure deserves one. You can replace his production easily for the money, and probably get even better.

Ewin we need back.  He was a player in the Tourney.  He averaged 15 and 12 and is a great passer.  Those type guys are hard to find.

Bottom line is Cal has 4 guys right now.  Probably Sealy too, unless he's forced out.  Good news is 3 of them will be starters. 

Edit:  saw where Sealy has a deal done, according to pigbenis, if you can trust that mf haha.

Memphis has supposedly offered Wagner a bag in addition to the one they have ready for Richmond. 

He's not anywhere near star caliber (recruiting pedigree), but he's nowhere near as bad as you seem to think either.  Guys like DJ have value provided they are willing to accept a complementary role, which he seems to have done this year. 

Not that we should get into a bidding war with him or anything, but if he wants to stay for something close to what he got this year AND his retention doesn't keep us from getting a stud big man due to payroll constraints we should welcome him back.

[Pig Benis]

Billy's bag will be coming from LSU not Memphis. I've never heard that Cal "refuses" to negotiate. Where did that come from? I've read that he won't overpay and I have no problem with that. If I were Billy, I'd trust Cal to get me to the league over Humpty Dumpty.

We absolutely need Wagner back. He would be the only true PG on the roster. He's not going anywhere.

Knox isn't a must keep but if gets Cal to expand his 8-9 man roster by one spot due to loyalty, what does it hurt?

You nor I have any idea what we're paying Knox and Wagner to return so what difference does it make as long as we have enough money to get some legit big men?

[red death]

Straight from the internet:

On Bidding Wars: Calipari stated he refuses to participate in bidding wars for players, saying, "I got a locker room. I can't have one guy making three times what everybody else in the locker room does".

You need to have players making 3 times what everybody else is to win a championship I'd argue. 

Players are not equal these days. Whole new world. 

Wagner isn't terrible. I agree.  I think we can easily replace what he brings, but hey, I could be wrong.

And pigbenis, I joke.  I believe it.

[DirkPiggler]

Billy's bag will be coming from LSU not Memphis. I've never heard that Cal "refuses" to negotiate. Where did that come from? I've read that he won't overpay and I have no problem with that. If I were Billy, I'd trust Cal to get me to the league over Humpty Dumpty.

We absolutely need Wagner back. He would be the only true PG on the roster. He's not going anywhere.

Knox isn't a must keep but if gets Cal to expand his 8-9 man roster by one spot due to loyalty, what does it hurt?

You nor I have any idea what we're paying Knox and Wagner to return so what difference does it make as long as we have enough money to get some legit big men?

Supposedly last year Billy turned down more money from Memphis than we were willing to pay.  He seems loyal, which I'm sure won't change given how much his role expanded this year. 

It wouldn't shock me at all to see Knox move on.  We may have recruited over him with Toure and Andrews.  If those guys are as advertised, and especially if Thomas returns, Knox's minutes may go down even further.  Like you I'd love to have him back and be able to go 10 deep with guys Cal trusts to actually play.

[Pig Benis]

Supposedly last year Billy turned down more money from Memphis than we were willing to pay.  He seems loyal, which I'm sure won't change given how much his role expanded this year. 

It wouldn't shock me at all to see Knox move on.  We may have recruited over him with Toure and Andrews.  If those guys are as advertised, and especially if Thomas returns, Knox's minutes may go down even further.  Like you I'd love to have him back and be able to go 10 deep with guys Cal trusts to actually play.

💯. That's the only way I see him breaking his policy and going 10 deep. Knox isn't a necessity but we won't replace him with someone else.

[Pig Benis]

Straight from the internet:

On Bidding Wars: Calipari stated he refuses to participate in bidding wars for players, saying, "I got a locker room. I can't have one guy making three times what everybody else in the locker room does".

You need to have players making 3 times what everybody else is to win a championship I'd argue. 

Players are not equal these days. Whole new world. 

Wagner isn't terrible. I agree.  I think we can easily replace what he brings, but hey, I could be wrong.

And pigbenis, I joke.  I believe it.

I always understood Cal's bidding war comments to be in regards to HS and portal recruiting, not to retaining  players he signed out of HS...but I could be completely wrong.

 I could see him letting Ewin walk without a bidding war because he was never "his guy". If he really wanted him he'd make it happen though.

[Olhickoryhog]

I hate to over react based on one game but after watching the McDonald's All-American game last night, Andrews is going to get a ton of playing time.  If I were Knox (and possibly Sealy as well), I'd be looking pretty diligently at the portal today.

[AporkalypseNow]

It wasn't just last night for JJ, he killed it on the AAU circuit - Peach Jam, etc.  He's the real deal.

Wagner can start at the 1 with those two elite frosh playing the 2 and 3.  He's been with Cal this long, why wouldn't he stay?

We badly need the 4s and 5s and that's where we need to spend our bag.  I LOVE Billy, but if he walks you've got a solid replacement (and in that case maybe you keep Knox).

The #1 player in the country is also a SF and it's down to us and Kansas.

I want Ewin back, he was a different guy when he was the starter. But we need a massive defender as well, and we have nobody to play the 4.

[vegashog]

get the ndongo guy from georgia tech to fill a 4 spot. 6'9" 240. averaged 12/8, 55% from the field, 36% from three. 71% ft shooter.

[AporkalypseNow]

get the ndongo guy from georgia tech to fill a 4 spot. 6'9" 240. averaged 12/8, 55% from the field, 36% from three. 71% ft shooter.

Would take that in a second

Also we need guys like Sealy and Wagner.  We can't get down to 6 or 7 players, we need SOME depth.

It's OK to have players (Sealy) that aren't 5-stars that need time to develop.  Look at Brazile.

[red death]

Jordan Smith, JJ Andrews AND Abdou Toure will all be starting.  If Billy comes back, JJ is even athletic enough to slide to the 4 at 225 pounds.  There won't be another team in the country that has that athleticism.

They are physically incredible.  Explosive drivers.  Incredible verticals.  All can get to the rim at will. 

No player in the country made the leap Toure did his senior season.  He became deadly from 3, which was holding him at a 4 star.  Now he's a 5 star. He is a crazy athlete but has a better overall offensive game than any of the 3.  He's an athlete like Thiero, but a better basketball player coming into college than either he was or Billy.

These 3 are winners.  Smith and Toure are state champions.  Toure 3 times.  JJ was close.

Get a couple bigs that are good and there's no limit to what this team can accomplish.