Sean Miller’s Contract

[TJ]

Something to keep an eye on the next 4-6 weeks. Next season, Miller goes into the final year of his deal. It’s hurting Arizona’s recruiting efforts as 2022 kids are not looking our way because of the uncertainty about who’s coaching. Heeke has given no indication of what he’s going to do. He can choose to let Miller finish out his contract, extend him, or fire him. I personally hope Heeke re-signs Miller to a short extension to keep the nucleus of this team in tact (this is a Top-15-20 team next season), while still giving Arizona some security if Miller bombs or there’s more to the NOA than what’s publicly available.

Whether you like Miller or not, this is a situation that’s hurting the team on the recruiting trail, and Heeke’s reputation for handling these contracts isn’t exactly stellar.

 

[overseascardfan]

I'm not sure who UArizona would even be able to replace him with. Who would have interest?

 

[TJ]

I'm not sure who UArizona would even be able to replace him with. Who would have interest?

If Arizona waits 1-2 years after the NCAA BS settles and the money comes back, we can afford to get a top guy from a middle-of-the-pack program. Today, after paying Sumlin’s buyout and no fan revenue, the well is dry. This is why extending Sean is almost a no-brainer. It’s a matter of how many years do you want to put in that extension

 

[Russ Smith]

Something to keep an eye on the next 4-6 weeks. Next season, Miller goes into the final year of his deal. It’s hurting Arizona’s recruiting efforts as 2022 kids are not looking our way because of the uncertainty about who’s coaching. Heeke has given no indication of what he’s going to do. He can choose to let Miller finish out his contract, extend him, or fire him. I personally hope Heeke re-signs Miller to a short extension to keep the nucleus of this team in tact (this is a Top-15-20 team next season), while still giving Arizona some security if Miller bombs or there’s more to the NOA than what’s publicly available.

Whether you like Miller or not, this is a situation that’s hurting the team on the recruiting trail, and Heeke’s reputation for handling these contracts isn’t exactly stellar.

We have an arizona fan on BRO who said they're being told if Miller isn't extended Tubelis and Mathurin are both gone. Mathurin is probably gone anyways if he finishes up the year well he's apparently on the NBA radar as a possible late first rounder. Nobody expected him to shoot this well from 3, they knew he was athletic but nobody realized he was this good. Tubelis I see him as a big of a tweener for the NBA but if he didn't make the NBA he'll be a great pro overseas for years. But if you extend Miller and that keeps the nucleus I agree top 20 team.

The recruiting angle is interesting, with the Mobley brothers both likely gone after this year, USC will fall back to the pack a bit they still will get Compton Magic kids from the Mobley dad but he's not as connected anymore he's been gone long enough much of the young kids coming up in that program have never played for him so USC won't have a pipeline there. UCLA going Nike has opened up their recruiting.Oregon of course locked into Nike. And not Pac 12 but Gonzaga is now at a point where if they want a WC kid they have a shot to get him. So you can definitely make the case if UA doesn't extend Miller they're going to have a very hard time recruiting

 

[GatorAZ]

Arizona basketball needs a fresh start even if the next hire is a Robbins’ special out of left field.

 

[Cheesebeef]

Arizona basketball needs a fresh start even if the next hire is a Robbins’ special out of left field.

this has been clear for a number of years.

 

[TJ]

There’s no money in the athletic department thanks to Heeke and Sumlin, the donors love Sean Miller, and this team would break apart entirely if Miller is fired after this season. You fire Miller now, your targets are third-tier guys, and you can do a hell of a lot worse than Miller with only nickels in the bank

 

[GatorAZ]

There’s no money in the athletic department thanks to Heeke and Sumlin, the donors love Sean Miller, and this team would break apart entirely if Miller is fired after this season. You fire Miller now, your targets are third-tier guys, and you can do a hell of a lot worse than Miller with only nickels in the bank

Breaking up a team with a second round ceiling doesn’t bother me and we’ve already seen Robbins go against the boosters. There’s really no way to predict what he does with all the madness in the AD.

 

[TJ]

We have an arizona fan on BRO who said they're being told if Miller isn't extended Tubelis and Mathurin are both gone. Mathurin is probably gone anyways if he finishes up the year well he's apparently on the NBA radar as a possible late first rounder. Nobody expected him to shoot this well from 3, they knew he was athletic but nobody realized he was this good. Tubelis I see him as a big of a tweener for the NBA but if he didn't make the NBA he'll be a great pro overseas for years. But if you extend Miller and that keeps the nucleus I agree top 20 team.

The recruiting angle is interesting, with the Mobley brothers both likely gone after this year, USC will fall back to the pack a bit they still will get Compton Magic kids from the Mobley dad but he's not as connected anymore he's been gone long enough much of the young kids coming up in that program have never played for him so USC won't have a pipeline there. UCLA going Nike has opened up their recruiting.Oregon of course locked into Nike. And not Pac 12 but Gonzaga is now at a point where if they want a WC kid they have a shot to get him. So you can definitely make the case if UA doesn't extend Miller they're going to have a very hard time recruiting

Baker, Tubelis, Benn, and Kriisa are 100% gone if Miller leaves. Terry and Akinjo are likely gone, as well. That’s not counting 2021 recruits. Your entire nucleus is toast and you hitch your wagons for years to a small-timer at a big name program. If this were 2016, you fire Miller without question. The situation is a lot less clearer today with everything going on.

 

[TJ]

Breaking up a team with a second round ceiling doesn’t bother me and we’ve already seen Robbins go against the boosters. There’s really no way to predict what he does with all the madness in the AD.

You can go against the boosters in football, but not basketball. The big time boosters would sell the football team to Mexico if it meant preserving basketball. This is not my opinion, just how they’ve historically operated. This situation is far more delicate and far more complicated than Sumlin

 

[TJ]

Another problem:

Robbins is a football guy. Heeke is a baseball guy. This is a major problem. None of these morons grasp what basketball means to the community, the school and the alumni.

If and when a move is made, I hope they’d defer to Erika Barnes, who actually has a good relationship with the boosters.

 

[Russ Smith]

Baker, Tubelis, Benn, and Kriisa are 100% gone if Miller leaves. Terry and Akinjo are likely gone, as well. That’s not counting 2021 recruits. Your entire nucleus is toast and you hitch your wagons for years to a small-timer at a big name program. If this were 2016, you fire Miller without question. The situation is a lot less clearer today with everything going on.

Tough situation. As a non UA fan I really feel like one of the keys to the win last night was Miller, UCLA was targeting Kriisa and scoring at will on him, Miller pulled him. Bad shot by Kyman leads to 3rd foul on Tyger, he sits, and UA immediately makes a run to cut the game to 4. And Miller put Kriiza back in, I know without Baker he's short guards but he could have played Terry or someone else, UCLA immediately finds Kriiza and scores on him 3 straight trips to break the run.

then the could have gone either way 4th foul on Tubelis ends the game as UCLA goes ISO Jaime against him the rest of the game and Jaime goes nuts because Tubelis has 4 fouls. Miller finally went zone to try and protect him and then Juzang hit the dagger 3. Again he didn't have great options but the one he chose, Kriiza, effectively ended the game.

I think Kriiza has a chance to be a really nice player but he's just not ready to play defense at this level. Not sure what happened to mathurin he has not played well in either UCLA game but he's a really nice prospect. Tubelis can go pro now for all I care UCLA can't guard that kid!

 

[TJ]

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This tweet summarizes my feelings about the coaching situation, with the addition that if Miller doesn’t succeed next season, it’s over.

 

[Russ Smith]

Whatever he did yesterday, UCLA fans thank him.

Back to tied for first

 

[GatorAZ]

Despite their recruiting I have zero fear of SC as long as Enfield is there. SC BB is like UCLA FB where the right coach would kill it but they’re always underwhelming.

 

[TJ]

Despite their recruiting I have zero fear of SC as long as Enfield is there. SC BB is like UCLA FB where the right coach would kill it but they’re always underwhelming.

As long as daddy Mobley stops reproducing, they’ll go back to the cellar

 

[overseascardfan]

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This tweet summarizes my feelings about the coaching situation, with the addition that if Miller doesn’t succeed next season, it’s over.

This should have been Miller's philosophy years ago. This team for the most part should completely be back next year, the only question mark is Mautherin. They have 3 pretty solid looking guards coming in next year so they should be really deep in back court and wing. I think the bigs they have can be sufficient if the coaching staff can continue to develop them. That is the biggest criticism of Miller in my opinion, he hasn't been able to make guys better (develop) from the time they hit Tucson to when they leave because one and dones aren't concerned about development. They are just showcasing their game to NBA scouts. The G League should help by removing kids who have no business on a college campus so Miller and staff need to do a much better job of developing the guys they bring in and make sure they buy into his system and are good fits to the returning squads.

 

[Russ Smith]

Despite their recruiting I have zero fear of SC as long as Enfield is there. SC BB is like UCLA FB where the right coach would kill it but they’re always underwhelming.

I only saw the end of the game but it seemed to me the problem was things not totally on Enfield, like bad FT shooting including literally their best shooter, Baumann, missing 2 after they called a T on Koloko. Arizona making half their 3's including guys like Terry and Brown who have been struggling of late.

The strategy part in when I was watching is Miller just refused to let I Mobley do anything, when he got the ball they aggressively doubled him every time. They double E Mobley too of course but with I they are doubling him to try and turn him over. He didn't do that much but he was just completely unable to punish them for doubling. When he scores well, USC is unbeatable, when he doesn't they're human and seemed like that was a big factor.

It's also just matchups USC has tons of bigs but nobody like Jaquez that the UA bigs can't defend, so they matchup better even with the size of the Mobleys. and didn't hurt that miller played Jordan Brown big minutes and he responded with a huge game

 

[TJ]

Crickets from the athletic department. Heeke doesn’t do contracts during the season, which is dumb. There’s also chatter that the ABOR might challenge a Miller extension.

This needs to be resolved immediately after the season.

 

[GatorAZ]

Crickets from the athletic department. Heeke doesn’t do contracts during the season, which is dumb. There’s also chatter that the ABOR might challenge a Miller extension.

This needs to be resolved immediately after the season.

It’s tricky with the IARP ruling yet to come down. Nobody seems to know the timeline but I’d guess they tack on a year after the season.

 

[Russ Smith]

UCLA fans would appreciate an Arizona win tonight please!

 

[TJ]

The gymnastics coach got a raise. So much for Heeke's committment to his philosophy

 

[GatorAZ]

UCLA fans would appreciate an Arizona win tonight please!

Altman has had our number for years.

 

[Russ Smith]

Altman has had our number for years.

Really good coach. Don't like him at all as I've said before I 100% believe he used Covid to duck games earlier in the year when Richardson was hurt. Now they have to play the makeup games but as a result his team is fresher. UCLA finishes with the 3 best teams other than UCLA in the conf. Colorado got them thanks to Wright, they gotta at least split Oregon and USC and based on USC's size that probably means best chance is solve the press and matchup zone of Oregon and win.

Arizona only turned it over 9 times the reason you lost is Oregon shot so well from 3. Last year I argued Duarte was a pro prospect and should have left, he's very smart to have stayed he's upped his FG% over 10 points and nearly 10 points higher on 3's. Cronin said he's a late first early 2nd rounder and lots of NBA scouts seem to agree. The downside is he's already 23 years old

 

[GatorAZ]

The chatter is that might’ve been Miller’s last name.