For Mick I mean, I’m still of the belief that a change may ultimately be necessary. One win doesn’t wipe away the past issues. If he’s going to win back my full support, it starts with earning a tournament berth, and ideally winning a game once there. Beyond that, I need to see clear progress in building next year’s roster.
Unlike many on the board, I’ve been pleasantly surprised by Freeny, and to a lesser degree, Williams. Booker remains a big question mark, but I think he should come back. We’ve seen flashes of what he could become. Another year of strength development and continued work defending the post could make a major difference. A five who can shoot 5-for-10 from beyond the arc is a real weapon. Dailey may always be somewhat inconsistent, but he’s more than serviceable. It goes without saying that Trent has to be the top priority. There’s a foundation for a solid team here; it just needs reinforcement. The real question is whether he can find the next Matas, Mbah a Moute, or Jaylen Clarks, those versatile, high-impact defensive pieces that feel missing right now. Add a dynamic wing who can consistently get buckets, and that narrow path back to relevance starts to widen.
While I’ve been disappointed by the circus-like atmosphere around press conferences and some of the on-court antics, my bigger concern is how that perception impacts recruiting and the overall culture and composition of the roster moving forward.