Impact of Jesse Edwards Departure

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Syracuse basketball lost Jesse Edwards, who is entering the transfer portal and will finish his collegiate career elsewhere. This is a significant blow to the Orange's 2023-24 roster, that had largely received positive news to this point. What does this mean for Syracuse going forward?

The answer is simple. Syracuse must be aggressive in the portal to find a replacement.

Players of Jesse Edwards' caliber do not grow on trees. It will not be easy to find someone of the same talent level. However, there is one that would be a huge addition if Syracuse can find a way to make it work. That would be Michigan transfer Hunter Dickinson.

Dickinson is in the process of scheduling visits, and schools like Kentucky, Maryland and Georgetown are said to be involved. If the Orange can get a visit, it has a shot. The pitch needs to be that Syracuse has the players, and style, to get back to competitive basketball with his addition. The vacancy left by Edwards gives him a guaranteed starting spot with 30+ minutes available each night. Pair him with JJ Starling, an up tempo style, improved Chris Bell and Benny Williams along with more guard depth to be added in the portal, and Syracuse would have a competitive team that should be tournament caliber.

There are obvious connections to, as Dickinson is from the DMV area where new assistant Brenden Straughn has extensive ties. The two likely have a previous relationship that Syracuse could utilize during this transfer recruitment. Dickinson will also likely command a large NIL deal, so the question is whether or not Syracuse will have a competitive offer to make from that perspective.

If Syracuse does not land Dickinson, there are still others available. If Syracuse does not get Dickinson, someone who can rebound, play defense and finish would be what the Orange is looking for as finding someone with the same skill set as Edwards would be a near fools errand. I would look at players like Kadin Shedrick (Virginia), former five star Yohan Traore (Auburn), Ugonna Onyenso (Kentucky), 7-2 Jamarion Sharp (Western Kentucky), Will Baker (Nevada), etc. If I'm Syracuse, I am being very aggressive there. Yes some of those players have been in contact with several schools. Shedrick even has a top five, he has visited Duke, and has visits to Texas and Missouri scheduled. Does that mean Syracuse could not get involved? It is at least worth a call. As it would be with those mentioned and others in the portal.

The point is, Syracuse going into next season with Mounir Hima, Peter Carey and William Patterson as the three centers would be a large risk. Hima has not been a full time starter. Carey has not played in a couple of years due to injury, and Patterson was not expected to contribute right away. That would significantly hamper the prospects for Adrian Autry's first year as the Orange head coach.