Who returns next year?

[lvhiker]

I know that we have at least one more game, but the fact that unlv apparently has 4 recruits for next season with only three available scholarships is fascinating to me. How many of the possible returnees on this year's team will be back next year? And who will they be?

I have to admit that I am a big believer in loyalty in the sense that you NEVER throw someone recruited to UNLV overboard. On the other hand, if some of the current players can be persuaded, not coerced, to see better options someplace else, I can be okay with that. Obviously, not all of the eligible returning players will be suiting up for the rebels next year. I am curious to know if anyone out there has some insight into who might be staying and who might be leaving.

My curiosity is more than prurient since I felt that the constant turnover of the roster during Rice's tenure was at least partly responsible for the under achieving of the team from one year to the next. And I will admit that I was a very big booster of Rice when he was applying for the head coaching position at UNLV. Consequently I found the turnover disconcerting. Therefore I was hoping for more stability from Menzies. But assembling this year's squad was so aberrant that I am willing to cut the coaching staff some slack for next season.

Go rebels.

 

[Rod_the_Rebel]

Read in different sources that Poyser is most likely leaving, Baxter might be as well along with a much higher chance of Georgie and Ben Coupet heading out - again, im not confirming anything as it's all speculation. It seems likely that there will be significant roster turnover though considering a lot of guys haven't played hardly at all.

 

[Rebel1986]

I am not sure who will be staying, and who will be leaving, but from the demeanor of coach Menzies, I have no doubt several players will be gone. Coach Menzies has been fairly open to the fact the some of the players will be gone. Who the players that may be leaving he has not said, but from the number of players that have seen playing time reduced, it gives us an good idea.

 

[UNLVAlumni]

No inside knowledge of anything here but I also think Coupet and Georgie are gone with possibly Baxter. I don't know about Poyser because when you look at the makeup of the roster and the new recruits coming in it looks to me like he is after front court players mostly with a couple wings. I think he wants those now and he will look for upgrading guards next time. Just my opinion. And they are in on a lot of top notch players right now which is impressive no matter what.

 

[GiantKiller0]

Best Guesses for who is still on the roster next season:
- Dembele
- Bush
- Clyburn
- Mooring
- D. Morgan
- Z. Morgan
- J. Johnson (transfer from Milwaukee - sat out this year)

Baxter Jr. could go either way. I really hope he stays, but I guess it depends on how legit the "battling foot injury" deal really was.

Just based on different things I've seen/read and my own impressions of what I've seen on the court, I have a hard time seeing Poyser return. I don't know if its the offense MM runs or what, but it just wasn't working for Poyser as the season wore on and he'd probably benefit from a change of scenery.

Coupet and Sljivancanin would be nuts to stick around. Coupet didn't get enough run and likely wouldn't next year either. [URL='http://www.unlvrebels.com/sports/m-baskbl/mtt/djordjije_sljivancanin_1022599.html'] Sljivancanin often looked lost when he got on the court and probably needs to go down a level to develop because I don't know that he'd ever see the floor here.[/URL]

 

[lvhiker]

If Poyser, Coupet, and Sljivancanin leave and Baxter stays, that leaves room for six new players. That could be a good mix of old and new blood. At the moment, with four commits, it leaves two open slots. I have to admit and pretty much ready to call an end to the 2016-2017 season and am looking for some light at the end of the 2017-2018 tunnel. So far the recruiting has been pretty impressive especially given the current state of the program.

Go rebels

 

[Pistol Pete 1]

I have a slightly different take on things. I am thinking that CMM would like as much continuity as possible without harming what he is trying to do going forward, There is no need to have 13 guys on your team that all think they are going pro (ask CDR about that one). Tark wanted 5 really good players, 1 that could start if you needed him to, couple more for relief and foul trouble, some good practice guys, and a couple to bring up the GPA. You still need to have descent guys on the team for practice, so many of the guys on this team can fill that void. I believe that the actual number of guys leaving will be directly related to the number of guys coming in that CMM considers to be instrumental going forward.

I would be surprised to see more than 5 or 6 coming in. That said we don't know if guys will be satisfied with a new role going forward. Would love for Baxter to stick around if he's not a head case. He has more potential that anybody on the team right now.