The next Syracuse basketball coach needs efficiency with resources to build a winner

We have all heard the names. We know outgoing and incoming Syracuse University senior administrators are collaborating on the targeted list of coaches to replace Adrian Autry.

We also know a couple of known targeted candidates, Siena's Gerry McNamara and South Florida's Bryon Hodgson, still have games to play this week in this year's edition of March Madness. It leaves the prospective coaches to publicly shy away from any talk about their future while concentrating on their team's next game, leaving the early negotiations to their representatives to occur behind the scenes.

Syracuse hoops needs a "Miami" turnaround next season

The Orange program finishing at 15-17 for its second straight losing season, does not even have to pull off the national-best, 18-game won/loss differential the Hurricanes sported under first-year coach Jai Lucas, going from seven wins a year ago to a No. 7 seed in this year's Dance.

SU had several others games within the grasp of victory this past season under Autry, think Houston, Hofstra, Clemson, Boston College, and Virginia Tech, with different outcomes creating a much different complexion with a 20-win season.

That's not to say it would have resulted in an NCAA bid, which likely would have required the 'Cuse to do something it has failed to do so far in its ACC tenure, winning more than one game in a single tourney year. The improved record would also not have stopped many calls for a change in coaches after five straight years missing the NCAA tourney.

At last week's ACC Tournament, Lucas mentioned the steps a new SU coach might follow to sell a program already with a solid backing, back to winning.

"Although they (UM) had a tough year last year, the foundation was built with going to the Final Four and going to the Elite 8 the two years before," Lucas told our colleagues at All Things Canes - On SI.

"So that was one (part)," Lucas added. "And then the second part was getting the right people (including ACC First Team selection Malik Reneau) in the building, and it always starts and ends with the players."

Spending those precious roster management resources carefully

Lucas rebuilt his roster around three senior transfers who had postseason pedigree, playing one-and-done tournament games. UM spent the bulk of what's been reported to be the conference average of $8.2M this past season on Reneau, and fellow transfers and all-ACC selections, Tre Donaldson, and Ernest Udeh Jr, and fellow transfer Tru Washington.

Miami then filled-in the rest of the roster with role players, a mix of freshmen, and transfers with a mix of international players coming aboard as well.

Syracuse replaced 11 of its 13 scholarship player spots this past season, and its likely only 1-3 at most will return to join a new staff. Assuming there will be an increase (even slight) over the base benchmark of $8.2M, there should be the resources necessary for the next coach/GM and staff to build out an NCAA contending roster next season in the Dome, a la Miami.

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