Pitt Has Two Transfer Portal Priorities
PITTSBURGH -- The Pitt Panthers' 2023-24 season came to a bitter and sudden close as they were bounced from the ACC Tournament in the semifinals, left out of the NCAA Tournament and declined an invitation to the NIT.
A remarkable in-season turnaround has been rendered insignificant in the eyes of the selection committee and now the Panthers have the offseason and a rebuilding effort to look forward to over the coming months. As Pitt gets to work recruiting the transfer portal, there are a couple of positions they will need to make a priority.
The guard position, as it stands right now, is loaded for Pitt. Assuming the NBA does't draw Bub Carrington away from Pittsburgh (he's said explicitly that he plans on returning for his sophomore season) and Jaland Lowe doesn't make a surprising move to the transfer portal, the Panthers will return a deep and uber-talented backcourt that also includes steely veteran Ishmael Leggett and promising freshman Brandin Cummings.
But guard might be the only position somewhat set in stone moving forward.
With Blake Hinson on his way out, the Panthers will lose a massive scoring punch - more than 18 points per game and a 40% 3-point shooter at high volume - in addition to an important emotional leader at the wing.
Zack Austin was a high-level scorer at High Point but took on a different role as a defensive specialist and glue guy upon transferring to Pitt. Will Jeffress is an excellent defender as well, but extremely limited offensively. The only other options on the wings are redshirt freshman Marlon Barnes and rising junior Jorge Diaz Graham. Neither seem like viable option to fill such a massive void that Hinson leaves behind, even by committee.
The situation is less desperate if Carrington, Lowe and Leggett all return. They have proven they are capable of carrying the the scoring load and if they can take a step forward, this can be a fit for a role player. That said, the ideal player that fills the Hinson void is more than a role player.
He would have a track record as a double-digit points per game scorer, can shoot from the outside and is big enough to switch onto centers or power forwards in spots defensively while still playing small forward primarily. The players who fit that criteria will be highly sought after but Pitt has a track record of transfer player success development that, combined with consecutive 20-win seasons, can make them attractive transfer destination.
The other position the Panthers need to address, albeit to a less urgent degree, is the center spot. Simply put, Pitt did not get enough from the Federiko Federiko-Guillermo Diaz Graham platoon this season.
After a strong debut year in Pittsburgh, Federiko was not the same kind of rim defender in 2023-24 and his already paltry offense numbers regressed slightly (except for assists, which doubled from 0.5 to 1.0 per game). Meanwhile, Diaz Graham gave them a scoring punch as a strong 3-point shooter (40.5% on 2.4 attempts per appearance) but because of his size, was unable to hang with some of the more physically imposing centers in the ACC like Armando Bacot, Kyle Filipowski and Norchad Omier, to name a few.
The return of 2023 four-star recruit Papa Kante, who head coach Jeff Capel said likely would have been the most physical post player on the team had he not suffered a preseason knee injury that sidelined him for all of the 2023-24 campaign, could give the Panthers some reinforcements. But because he hasn't played a game of college basketball yet, what Kante will be able to bring in his first season is a great unknown.
Pitt could run it back with Diaz Graham, Federiko and Kante next season. Maybe that rotation is enough but barring major steps forward from the veterans, reinforcements should be expected. A superstar isn't needed, given how next year's team will be built around an excellent backcourt. But at a minimum, the Panthers will need a rim-runner and solid screener on the offensive end who can body up in the post and not get exposed in pick-and-roll coverage defensively.
The scholarship spots Hinson and K.J. Marshall leave behind will be taken by Cummings and fellow 2024 recruit Amdy Ndiaye, but the Panthers will still have an unused scholarship remaining. Some attrition will have to occur to make room for both of the Panthers' need but some attrition should be expected in this day and age of college athletics.
It's a long way from November there are a lot of dominoes to fall before Pitt's next roster is finalized. But the Panthers have ended this season on a sour note and coming back stronger after reloading the roster will be of the utmost importance.
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