The real issue I see here is JC has no plan as far as I can tell. Are we developing the kids? Letting Carter ballhog a season away doesn't do that. Are we developing big men? Letting Diallo walk doesn't accomplish that, even if he looked like a train wreck out there.
MAC coaches get MAC results in the ACC whether they are Sgt Slaughter or JC - I'd like to see JC succeed because it seems like he's a good guy and can coach a little bit but he's lost in terms of program building.
Building a program when you are forced to start from scratch is tough. It is extra tough when JUCO's are off the table, and academics matter. Not to mention you are a program who has been mostly blackballed by the local AAU's for the past 20 years.
Carter was a mistake, no doubt about it. He thought he could convince the kid to become part of a team, I don't think he will make that mistake again.
So lets look what we have for next year
PG Ty Graves FR. Small, superquick, and shifty true PG
PG/SG Ky Bowman FR Outstanding athlete, explosive driving to hoop, physical football attitude
SG/PG Jerome Robinson SO Will be back stronger and better than this year
SF AJ Turner SO Showed a ton on defense last year will be bigger and stronger net year, and hopefully will show more on offense
SF/PF Garland Owens SR Was flashing solid game at end of the year, hopefully he can build from that in a primarily SF role
SF/PF Mike Sagay FR 6'8" extremely athletic with a football mindset
PF Conner Tava SR 6'7" widebody with experience, character, and solid athletic ability
C Juan Carlos Reyes FR Supposedly has put 20+ pounds of muscle since last season Still may be a project
C Nick Popovic FR Skilled Euro big man. It will be interesting to see what he can do
They may also have one or more of Hicks, Milon, Sammy Barnes Tompkins or Ervins Mezniaks back. I assume one of the guards is back and is a 7-12 mpg game
Obviously the team is still extremely young, and Center is still a hole. A hole they are still trying to add depth at, but there is a pretty interesting group of players here with really solid upside.