Gopher Illustrated's Ryan James hints that a transfer big is coming to Minnesota

The Gophers need a transfer PF that can start next year. Not a backup like Sims. If that’s the best we can do for a transfer, then the Gophers and Pitino are in trouble next year.
 

The Gophers need a transfer PF that can start next year. Not a backup like Sims. If that’s the best we can do for a transfer, then the Gophers and Pitino are in trouble next year.

Curry is our starting PF next year assuming he can get healthy.
 


Curry is our starting PF next year assuming he can get healthy.
I don't think you can really count on that at this point. He definitely showed that his movement was hampered by his knee injury and he will be coming off of another pretty serious injury going into next season.

We should and need to go after a grad transfer PF otherwise we may have a gaping hole at that position.

Assuming that we get Sims and Sherfield and that we have at least one transfer, we will still have 2 open scholarships to go after another big and a guard or wing.

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Relying on Curry is a huge mistake. He hasn’t been healthy for 2 years, and we don’t know if he’ll ever fully recover.


Agreed, my expectations are low for Curry.

(I'll root for him to prove me wrong though)
 


Agreed, my expectations are low for Curry.

(I'll root for him to prove me wrong though)

Everyone including myself is rooting for Curry. A healthy Curry should be treated as a bonus for next season, not someone to rely on.

Pitino needs to find a productive, grad transfer PF at a lower level who wants to transfer up.
 

The Gophers need a transfer PF that can start next year. Not a backup like Sims. If that’s the best we can do for a transfer, then the Gophers and Pitino are in trouble next year.

Totally agree. And that PF needs to have something in his offensive toolkit. Either post moves and inside scoring skills or step out and shoot threes. I don’t think just a guy who clogs the middle will cut it-we are losing a ton of scoring with the departure of Murphy.


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We are desperate for depth at both 4 and 5 and Sims can play both. Even if he's only a solid player off the bench, that would be a valuable pickup. I don't think anyone has suggested he would be one of our best players. Just look at our current backups at those positions for next year and you'll understand why he'd be a nice get.

I think you and I agree, Sims is ok from a depth perspective but you can't bank on him being the answer either. Same with Curry. If they want Sims to come here, that's fine (although they have to be 100% sure he's immediately eligible, otherwise this does us no good) but it can't be the only upperclassman addition to the frontcourt. They need difference makers, not depth pieces
 

Agree with all the above posts. No problems with Williams and Sherfield. Sims off the bench is fine. Need to find a high caliber pf still.
 



Realistically, I’m hoping to add someone who is simply going to play competently on the defensive end. Oturu and Curry are plus offensive players. When moderately healthy, Curry spaces and sees the floor well. I suspect an improved jumpsuit will complement his diminished athleticism next year. Another 20 lbs on Oturu next year will have *us* talking possible NBA future.

To that end, a guy or two playing at BK level would be sufficient for 15 min a game. We are losing Murphy, but I don’t think we need to replace his offensive production, we just need to lock down the post defensive rebounding. Our offense will look different next year as Pitino hopefully adjusts to the pieces he has. Hopefully that means more shooters and fewer bruisers.

Rounding out, we don’t need an “answer”, we just need a solid enough rotation of 8 guys for most games. We are close.

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I don't think you can really count on that at this point. He definitely showed that his movement was hampered by his knee injury and he will be coming off of another pretty serious injury going into next season.

We should and need to go after a grad transfer PF otherwise we may have a gaping hole at that position.

Assuming that we get Sims and Sherfield and that we have at least one transfer, we will still have 2 open scholarships to go after another big and a guard or wing.

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Pretty bummed about Curry. If he had stayed healthy, I have no doubt he would have been all big ten. Hopefully he can comeback full strength, but the fact he has to rehab AGAIN means it will take longer to get the strength back in the knee from the original injury. This season, he looked like a robotic man that was lacking oil in his robotic knee.
 

1EC7CC41-D191-4D01-8542-C0B8787F78C6.jpg Oturu’s instagram story about former teammate and current UMass forward Sy Chatman
 




Some UMass fans perspectives on Sy (they have a general thread on their board dedicated to potential transfers/departures; it appears they are expecting wholesale changes, so these posts are not in response to Oturu’s instagram)

“I don't think Sy will leave. His development and PT seemed right in line with McCall supporting high energy guys. Unless he was auditioning for a transfer of course....”


I'd hate to see Sy leave. I think you pair him up with someone like Tre Mitchell or Jalen Thomas and he could be very productive. Those three along with Baptiste gives us a pretty big and athletic frontcourt. Sy, I thought, had a decent freshman season. Was a bit up and down, but he was thrown in to the fire early. I like the kid, actually all the freshman show considerable promise”
 

Realistically, I’m hoping to add someone who is simply going to play competently on the defensive end. Oturu and Curry are plus offensive players. When moderately healthy, Curry spaces and sees the floor well. I suspect an improved jumpsuit will complement his diminished athleticism next year. Another 20 lbs on Oturu next year will have *us* talking possible NBA future.

To that end, a guy or two playing at BK level would be sufficient for 15 min a game. We are losing Murphy, but I don’t think we need to replace his offensive production, we just need to lock down the post defensive rebounding. Our offense will look different next year as Pitino hopefully adjusts to the pieces he has. Hopefully that means more shooters and fewer bruisers.

Rounding out, we don’t need an “answer”, we just need a solid enough rotation of 8 guys for most games. We are close.

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I think this would do.

jumpsuit.Jpg
 

Jamison Battle and DeLaSalle are playing on PrepSpotlight right now, free stream if anyone wants to tune in.
 

The Gophers need a transfer PF that can start next year. Not a backup like Sims. If that’s the best we can do for a transfer, then the Gophers and Pitino are in trouble next year.

Why not both? Are we playing a video game where you turn fatigue and injuries off? Who is our backup 5 next year? Sims could backup both positions.
 
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I think you and I agree, Sims is ok from a depth perspective but you can't bank on him being the answer either. Same with Curry. If they want Sims to come here, that's fine (although they have to be 100% sure he's immediately eligible, otherwise this does us no good) but it can't be the only upperclassman addition to the frontcourt. They need difference makers, not depth pieces

Agreed. If he has to sit a year, I'm not interested.
 


Why not both? Are we playing a video game where you turn fatigue and injuries off? Who is our backup 5 next year? Sims could backup both positions.

Both would be ok, but who says Sims will be eligible next year? Seems like a long shot.
 

Both would be ok, but who says Sims will be eligible next year? Seems like a long shot.

Yeah that's a big question mark. If he isn't eligible next year, then I'm not interested. If he is, then I'd be happy to take him as a guy who can backup both the 4 and 5.
 

People who think that Reed Nikko would be a serviceable back up are highly mistaken. He was over matched against any quality opponent Mizzou played
 

People who think that Reed Nikko would be a serviceable back up are highly mistaken. He was over matched against any quality opponent Mizzou played

My take as well. A big who didn't play much for four years on pretty bad teams doesn't seem like it is going to be much help. I'm hoping against hope that James is talking about an impact transfer with immediate eligibility.
 

Both would be ok, but who says Sims will be eligible next year? Seems like a long shot.

I saw a couple Texas games last year and watched for sims - didn’t see him play this year - last year he was hard to miss - he looked like he could jump out of the gym - lots of raw athletic ability - if he got enthusiastic and worked on his game I would take him in a heartbeat even if he had to sit a year
 

Sims would be transferring home, so the odds of him being granted immediate eligibility are significantly higher than your normal transfer. The thing you have to ask yourself is that if it was Sims who Ryan James is referring to, would he really be playing in the NIT right now? I would think a transfer would be kept under wraps until the season was over or the kid would basically sit out once the decision was made. Think back to Ahmad Gilbert leaving Minnesota as an example of a kid who didn't even really play in garbage time for the final few weeks of his final season here.

Neither Nikko or Chatman seem like possibilities to me either. Nikko has been a deep reserve for a bad Missouri team. Chatman has been a reserve for a bad UMass team. Neither has shown anywhere close to enough on a college court for a B1G team to be taking them as a transfer. Sims at least has had a few big games as a Freshman and had the pedigree of being a top ~50 recruit who was playing behind a likely lottery pick this season.
 

I saw a couple Texas games last year and watched for sims - didn’t see him play this year - last year he was hard to miss - he looked like he could jump out of the gym - lots of raw athletic ability - if he got enthusiastic and worked on his game I would take him in a heartbeat even if he had to sit a year

I would take Sims too, even if he had to sit out a year. If my math is right, we could possibly have up to 6 scholarships available if both IW/Hurt transfer? And right now we only have one commit.

I am fine with 1-2 sit out transfers if they are quality players with solid pedigrees, rather than gambling on a marginal recruit. Hell, having Hurt and IW on the bench this season was pretty close to sit out transfers, in addition to Payton Willis and Marcus Carr. Sounds like Sims could use the extra year to refine his game anyway, and quality bigs are always in short supply.
 

I would take Sims too, even if he had to sit out a year. If my math is right, we could possibly have up to 6 scholarships available if both IW/Hurt transfer? And right now we only have one commit.

I am fine with 1-2 sit out transfers if they are quality players with solid pedigrees, rather than gambling on a marginal recruit. Hell, having Hurt and IW on the bench this season was pretty close to sit out transfers, in addition to Payton Willis and Marcus Carr. Sounds like Sims could use the extra year to refine his game anyway, and quality bigs are always in short supply.

I agree, I don't mind taking a sit out either
 

I saw a couple Texas games last year and watched for sims - didn’t see him play this year - last year he was hard to miss - he looked like he could jump out of the gym - lots of raw athletic ability - if he got enthusiastic and worked on his game I would take him in a heartbeat even if he had to sit a year

YEP
 

I saw a couple Texas games last year and watched for sims - didn’t see him play this year - last year he was hard to miss - he looked like he could jump out of the gym - lots of raw athletic ability - if he got enthusiastic and worked on his game I would take him in a heartbeat even if he had to sit a year

You obviously haven’t seen him play this year. No thanks.


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Sometimes a change of scenery works miracles. I'm just not sure that either Hurt or Washington transfer. IW could have his lights go on any time. Same for Hurt. That would be wonder. We still have plenty of room for impact players, if we can get them. Personally I would like Sims to come.
 




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