Tough decisions await the Orange.
A critical offseason looms for the Syracuse Orange, who will be watching this year’s March Madness from the sidelines once again and will need to fill several key spots currently open on the roster.
Syracuse will have at least four open scholarships to offer to potential transfer portal additions, but that number doesn’t factor in any of the remaining seven players from the 2024-25 team who could chose to enter the portal themselves.
With a busy stretch ahead, let’s take stock of what specifically should coach Adrian Autry and the Orange be prioritizing. Specifically, these are the positions and skill sets Syracuse, I would argue, should be bringing in:
A force of a defender at the five
This need goes first based on three factors to me: Syracuse’s general literal need for its roster, addressing limitations from last year’s team and overall identity.
Syracuse is losing both starting center Eddie Lampkin and backup big Naheem McLeod due to eligibility/graduation. The remaining “bigs” who could play at the five are Donnie Freeman and Petar Majstorovic. However, neither have both the size and the strength to be at center full-time and, particularly in Freeman’s case, it’s unclear if he’ll return or go somewhere else (to the portal or into the NBA Draft process).
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The Orange’s defense also proved to be a glaring issue in 2024-25. Syracuse ranked outside the top-150 in adjusted defensive efficiency, according to KenPom (14th in ACC). Lampkin served as an excellent rebounder, but teams attacked him in pick-and-roll and scored without too much of an issue around the rim. In McLeod’s case, he had the size and occasional pop to block shots, but it wasn’t consistent and in a limited bench role.
Then, there’s the question of Syracuse’s overall identity. The program really hasn’t had that dominant big who could really clog the lane for the opponent, block some shots, be physical consistently and at least be serviceable on offense rolling to the rim (Jesse Edwards was the closest, but he still had defensive miscues of his own).
A lot of us have also seen the floor raising a team has with a capable starting center, and considering the need, there’s a case it should be Syracuse’s number-one target.
A point guard, but what kind?
There’s two schools of thought here. Each revolve around a clear need to bring someone else next to J.J. Starling to help take some of the scoring and playmaking load he had. Again, these next few paragraphs all assume he’s returning without a doubt.
Jaquan Carlos profiled in a certain mold. He wasn’t a go-to scorer, but he in theory could get his own in a reduced capacity while providing defense and playmaking.
School of thought number-one: get someone similar to Carlos, but who maybe has a tiny bit more size and better outside shooting potential.
Option 2: maybe just double-down on getting that secondary scorer who, like Starling, can be a capable (but not great or even good) playmaker. The theory here: Syracuse can have at least one go-to guy on the perimeter at all times, and it’s insurance if Starling has an “off night.”
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Without quantifying this, I feel like the general fanbase prefers option two because the scoring lapses were painful and random bursts of hot shooting from three masked Syracuse’s struggles to score, especially in the second halves of games and if Starling was just getting locked up.
To me, it’s more of an open debate but a decision that will likewise be a critical one. Also keep in mind: Kiyan Anthony will be on next year’s team to take up some of those guard minutes.
An open question at forward
Snagging security at point guard and center are what’s on the back of the minds for most fans (including me), but we can’t forget just how uncertain either of those forward spots will be.
First, there’s the uncertainty of whether Freeman and Chris Bell will stick around.
There’s also at least three recruits — Sadiq White Jr., Luke Fennell and Aaron Womack — who are at least wing-sized and all at different levels (White profiles more like a four, Womack appears to be a true three and Fennell is a bigger two).
On the one hand, these are recruits Autry will hopefully want to get on the court, but there’s also a need to improve from last year’s result. In other words, veteran assurance would at least help, and a lot of the decision here depends on if the program believes either of Bell and Freeman are staying or walking.
Now it’s your turn: what do you think are the Orange’s biggest needs heading into the offseason?