re: LSU basketball transfer portal watch

While it is very nice to have players staying or coming home for the State it is worrisome that it has been a struggle reaching further out.

One thing is for sure, aside from the home state fight, this team will be a veteran team. Only 2 freshman coming in, 4 Players in their 5th year (counting Baker's sit out season), 10 players total 739 games played with 378 starts and 199.7 minutes per game average. Hopefully that experience helps some. Still would like one more talented and explosive guard. PG is thin with only Cook and he has to get cleared, after than its just Hannibal and maybe M. Williams that play the 1 (yikes).

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He's someone that can play 10-15 minutes (if necessary) and hopefully give you a few rebounds, putbacks, and alter a few shots. Still, Baker is going to have to carry the load in terms of scoring from the C position, and you have to hope Reed starts turning some of his big potential into production.

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Kind of a poor man's Baker - can score but doesn't bring much defensively.

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Kind of a poor man's Baker - can score but doesn't bring much defensively.

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Not really. Baker has a decent post game offensively and can step out and knock down 3's. Dean has no outside game. If he is going to score, it's on a putback, or a dunk/layup coming off the pick and roll.

Defensively he doesn't look to be a big shot blocking presence. He's also not going to get out on the perimeter and guard a wing/guard one on one. However, he moves ok for 6'10 and has enough length/height to alter shots inside if he is in position.

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Is it just me, or is anyone else concerned that McMahon has only gotten one guy out of the portal who doesn't have ties to BR/Louisiana? I get it's a tough sell, but this isn't very sustainable imo

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Every one has been a upgrade, and it is easier to lure someone back with local ties if you aren't able to promise starting roles.

This new guy Dean is an experienced player who knows he isn't going to get a lot of minutes. If you know of another 6'10" guy who will take that feel free to point them out.

I understand what the ncaa put out with regards to waivers, but imo i just have a hard time believing that these big name programs would go after players that they weren't confident they could get a waiver for. It's not just LSU. Almost every team that is making waves in the portal is pulling some players that will require a waiver. I just don't see coaches taking that sort of risk

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maybe cook could/will argue its good for his mental well-being to play closer to his family and get a waiver?

its not clear to me how so many folks are transferring if they arent expecting waivers.

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At least in our case the other transfers are grad transfers. I am concerned about Cook though. Hopefully Trae is working on his pull up 15 footer.

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At 5 pm Marshall transfer 6’3 G Andrew Taylor entered the portal. In 4 hours he has interest from Ole Miss, Mississippi State, Indiana, Central Florida, Xavier, Auburn, LSU, Florida State, WKU, Pittsburgh, Louisville, Memphis, & more in the last 4 hours

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Andrew Taylor would be a perfect addition. He has a positive defensive BPM, and it shows up on video, he gets some rebounds, lots of assists, and is still a prolific scorer at PG. If we could get Taylor, I would feel good about PG even if Cook doesn't get the waiver.

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He's from Kentucky and was recruited by OVC caliber teams coming out of HS, so you would have to imagine he and McMahon at least met one another in the past with McMahon's long tenure at Murray St. Unfortunately, he appears to only have one year of eligibility remaining and was a starter at Marshall averaging 36 mpg. That means I doubt he is wanting to go somewhere to come off the bench (Much like Girard). That's where LSU loses a lot of appeal with Cook and Stewart coming in. Both of those guys were 1st team all conference in better leagues than the Sun Belt, and I doubt they are coming to LSU to come off the bench.

The only way it MAYBE works is if you can convince Stewart to be a 6th man because he has multiple years of eligibility remaining. That said, I think this is probably a Girard situation where a guard with one year left who wants to play NOW is not going to LSU's crowded backcourt.

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Or if we think there is a good chance that Cook will not get the waiver, then you he can start immediately.

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Or if we think there is a good chance that Cook will not get the waiver, then you he can start immediately.

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Possibly. But I don't know how good of a tradeoff that would be. Cook has proven himself to be a good player in a better league.

Also, it may be fascinating to see what the NCAA does with second time transfers. If they stick to their position of no waivers except for very rare circumstances that could throw college basketball into a state of chaos given how many second time transfers have committed to joining new teams.

If Cook and others like him are denied waivers, do they simply choose to sit out a year? Or, do they try to return/stay at their current school simply in order to play next season rather than sitting out? Does that mean a guy like Miller would likewise choose to return to LSU rather than sitting a year at ASU? What if (as LSU has) teams have already filled the spots of departing players with new players?

In the NCAA's defense, they came out before the portal opened and said waivers would not be as freely given as before and outlined situations that would not warrant a waiver being granted. So either the players/coaches have inside knowledge the second-time guys they signed will be eligible regardless of what the NCAA said, or they simply disregarded the warning to their own peril