While I would like to add some depth, it’s not because we are too thin. I just like the idea of using all available scholarships in an attempt to build rosters for the future.
In theory, you bring in multi-year guys and develop them, so your 10-11-12 guys become your 7-8-9 guys next season, and your 5-6-7 guys by their Junior years.
Of course, we probably lose them to transfer, but that’s part of it. That’s why you add players 10, 11, and 12 and hope at least one sticks around to be a role player the next season. Odds are better that one comes back if you add more than one of those types of players.
But as for depth to guard against injury, that doesn’t really work. Your 10-11-12 guys aren’t going to replace any of your top players.
If we lost Tshiebwe to a season ending injury, the season is over. We all know that. If Toppin goes down, Cal increases Collins’ minutes and plays Livingston more at the 4 and the guards pick up the slack at the 1-3. If one of the guards goes down, Toppin may have to play some at the 3 to compensate. But adding another player isn’t going to help much.
Now adding another star level player is a different issue. Adding someone to be a starter or key reserve to improve the lineup would be fine with me. But the problem there is chemistry. Would the player or players that this new player is pushing down the pecking order accept this or would they mope and whine and (inadvertently) disrupt team chemistry? That is the risk you take when you add another talented player to a team with 8 guys who expect to play major minutes.
I say add as many as you can and let them compete for their spots. But Cal has a different philosophy, which I can understand.
So, while I like the idea of filling out the roster with another top notch player, I do see where that could backfire.
But like I said, I would add a couple more guys to build for the future, instead of just standing pat at 10 players.
If you’ve got the scholarships, use them.
