Xavier's 2024 Offseason

[Jumpin_Jamal_Forever]

We need at least 2, probably 3, upgrades that can play Big East ball on day 1. Would love to have another legit PF.

AND pray that Powell is a freshman that can contribute immediately. He has Big East size. Hoping he's good enough to be the 1A or 1B SG.

I'd keep Green, but as a weapon off the bench. Will he accept that? No clue.

Hoping that Free and Hunter are able to play but, as you pointed out, Hunter (at least) we must assume is done. Hope he isn't but have to make decisions going forward as though he is unavailable. Which means we must have a "5", "2" and "4" in that order. All must be starting quality; no projects, no maybes, no developmental players.

I think Green stays. He is aggressive on offense and I like that. But as we've seen all season and again today, his size is a limiting factor. I'd keep Nzeh, Lazar, Ciani and obviously Swain. Nzeh, Lazar and Ciani have more value as potential starters in 2025-2026. We shouldn't have to rely on them next year for big contributions. If one or more works hard in the off season and makes major improvement, all the better. But for next year, we cannot assume they will become substantially better players than they are today.

We should all have learned by now that relying on freshman to have sizeable impact, is fool's gold. We cannot count on Powell for anything next year.

In my book, if here at all, Abou is only a backup. That's it. I'd even put him on a pitch count. If we feel we must play him more than ten minutes a game, then we haven't done a good enough job in the portal. Keep going back to the portal until our reliance on Abou is minimal.

Dez must develop an outside shot next year. I assume he worked on it last off-season but whatever he did, it wasn't enough.

[ArizonaXUGrad]

NIT is an odd tournament. We aren't making that at all. There are auto-bids for non-major conference season winners that fail in their tourneys.

That said, I think the defense suffered a lot from having 1-2 bigs on the court that just weren't ready for meaningful time. Abou was brought in for the bench and not a starter. There are 5 guys on the court and if a team as an easy avenue to the hoop it forces the good ones to sag too much to help giving up threes or stay with their man leaving the middle open. Think of how good they could have been with Hunter/Free playing 50-60 mpg out of the 80 mins down low. Abou plays 15-20 leaving some from the young guys. Swap to offense and you have defenses that are forced to account for Hunter/Free leaving our guards more open to shoot and slash.

Miller did his absolute best with what he had, but this team just wasn't made to win. Losing Free/Hunter just killed the season. I feel bad for Olivari, but it is what it is.

X needs a scoring SG that can shoot and a big ready to start. The big is a lot tougher to find in the portal. My hope is that Ciani/Djokovic takes steps to improve. College basketball is tough and physical. First year guys get tired and just aren't ready to play a full season. Now they know, the good ones change their off-season preparation to be ready by November.

[Xavier]

Yeah, I thought Osman had a good start today. As good as you could ask. But he is infuriating to watch. Could see him spelling minutes though but I don’t really mind if he wants to find starting minutes elsewhere

[Xville]

I'll be absolutely shocked if all three of Lazar, Ciani and Nzeh stay. I'd say at best two stay, and most likely 1. With Free presumably back, and Miller bringing in at the least 1 big if not 2, I'd doubt they'd want to rot, but maybe I'm wrong. IMO Joker stays as a backup, Abou does as well and the rest are gone of the big men.

[Final4]

Time to blow it up. Who knows, Miller may need to make some changes within his staff. Outside of Claude, Swain, McKnight, Powell, Hunter and Free I would send all the rest packing. Sooner you can get them in the portal the better chance they may find a landing spot.

[XUBison]

Time to blow it up. Who knows, Miller may need to make some changes within his staff. Outside of Claude, Swain, McKnight, Powell, Hunter and Free I would send all the rest packing. Sooner you can get them in the portal the better chance they may find a landing spot.

Gotta say, I love that the university’s mission is no longer hindered by a commitment to the development and education of these kids. Round up the trash, and move it to the curb!

[D-West & PO-Z]

The people who are bitching most about the players ability to leave after one tough year and not sticking it out and developing are the same ones kicking half the team out, even freshman who have shown promise. It’s hysterical.

[D-West & PO-Z]

I guess Miller said X would accept NIT invite if one comes. If Providence and Nova both win tonight given the new rules on NIT selection (that I didn’t know about) I think we actually get one. If not then I don’t think they both get in and we’d be 3rd probably in NET rankings for BE teams who didn’t make it.

[Xville]

The people who are bitching most about the players ability to leave after one tough year and not sticking it out and developing are the same ones kicking half the team out, even freshman who have shown promise. ItÂ’s hysterical.

And the same ones that believe college sports is ruined because of nil. If I thought something was ruined, IÂ’d probably not be interested in it anymore and certainly wouldnÂ’t be posting on a message board about a team within the sport thatÂ’s ruined.

[drudy23]

Gotta say, I love that the university’s mission is no longer hindered by a commitment to the development and education of these kids. Round up the trash, and move it to the curb!

This was an atypical group coming in this year. Likely would have never been recruited if not for late injuries.

But I get what you're saying - these kids are humans with lives. It probably sucked for them too.