Butler Basketball: Setting 2020 offseason priorities for the Dawgs

VILLANOVA, PA - JANUARY 21: Bryce Golden #33, Aaron Thompson #2, Bryce Nze #10, and Jordan Tucker #1 of the Butler Bulldogs huddle against the Villanova Wildcats at Finneran Pavilion on January 21, 2020 in Villanova, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Mitchell Leff/Getty Images) /

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INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA – FEBRUARY 05: Coach Jordan of Butler walks. (Photo by Justin Casterline/Getty Images) /

2. Stay active in the transfer market.

Butler is returning three starters from this past season but that also leaves two gaping holes in the lineup following the departures of Baldwin and McDermott. While one of these slots on the wing could be filled by Jordan Tucker returning for his final year, that shouldn’t be counted on. If he elects to continue with the professional route, then Butler will have two open scholarships to work with.

Through the opening month of the offseason, the Dawgs have been active on the transfer market but are yet to secure a commitment. The coaching staff has reached out to 21 players in the portal as of April 16th with 15 of those either already committing elsewhere or trimming Butler from their lists. There are plenty of other potential targets remaining (and more that will enter the portal), though, so it is not yet time for the fanbase to panic about needing more talent.

You can follow along with all of Butler’s interactions in the transfer portal here:

More. Butler's 2020 offseason transfer tracker. light

Still, combing the transfer portal for a potential addition or two to the wing should remain a top priority for Butler. While the program is bringing in arguably its best-ever recruiting class, relying on two first-years to take on starting roles right away is putting a lot of faith in unproven talent. I do expect several of the freshmen to immediately contribute, but perhaps not as starters – at least not from Day 1.

Considering Butler’s biggest weakness is the lack of proven talent on the wings, it should come as no surprise that the vast majority of the program’s transfer targets have been guards/wings. Returning senior Aaron Thompson is already a high-level playmaker and defender, but pairing him with a shooter in the backcourt will be critical for Butler to be successful.

With the one-time transfer waiver rule potentially being passed this offseason, this might be the perfect year for Butler to have major holes to be filled via transfers. There will be far more immediately-eligible transfers available compared to most years (if the rule is passed) and that could mean a more impactful addition than you would typically expect.