Transfer Portal w IU Interest

[IUCrazy2]

29 minutes ago, Chris007 said:

Rumor is Kansas offered 3 million, and he told them it would take 4-4.5. I don't think we can get to that number

He isn't worth that number.

[Kentuckysucks]

19 minutes ago, HoosierHoopster said:

Give me the $12 Million, I’ll see what I can do…

Gemini says anything short of a 2 seed next year will be an epic fail with around $13M 

With **$13M in NIL**, Indiana would be wielding one of the largest war chests in the history of college basketball. To put that in perspective, top-tier "Buy-a-Final-Four" rosters in 2024–2025 were estimated to cost between **$4M and $8M**.

With $13M, you aren't just building a tournament team; you are essentially building an **NBA G-League All-Star roster** capable of being a preseason #1.

Here is the caliber of team IU could assemble with that budget, keeping **Trent Sisley** and **Nick Dorn** as your "retention" foundation alongside three incoming freshmen.

## 1. The Roster Construction (The "$13M Blueprint")

Since you are only keeping two guys and bringing in three freshmen, you have **8 scholarship spots** to fill via the Transfer Portal. With $13M, you can afford the "best in class" at every single position.

### The Starting Five (Portal Heavy)

 ***PG: Elite Tier-1 Transfer ($2M - $2.5M):** You go after a multi-year starter from a Power 4 school or a mid-major superstar (think the next Mark Sears or Tyler Kolek). This is a "First Team All-American" caliber floor general.

 ***SG: Nick Dorn (Retained):** Dorn provides elite spacing. In this $13M lineup, he’s your "specialist" starter or high-minute 6th man.

 ***SF: Blue-Chip Wing Transfer ($2M):** A 6'7" NBA prospect who can create his own shot.

 ***PF: Trent Sisley (Retained):** After a developmental freshman year, Sisley slots in as a versatile, high-IQ "stretch 4."

 ***C: Elite Rim Protector ($2.5M - $3M):** You outbid everyone for the best center in the portal—someone who changes the geometry of the defense and averages a double-double.

### The Bench (The "Luxury" Depth)

 **The 3 Freshmen:** You likely have high-four-star or five-star talent here. They provide the energy and future-proofing, but they don't *have* to carry the load immediately.

  **3 Premium Portal Vets ($3M total):** You spend $1M each on a backup point guard, a defensive stopper, and a backup "big." Most teams' *starters* cost $1M; yours are coming off the bench.

## 2. What This Caliber Team Achieves

With this level of spending, anything less than a **Top 2 seed in the NCAA Tournament** would be considered a massive failure of ROI.

 **Preseason Ranking:** Consensus Top 5.

 **Big Ten Outlook:** Clear favorites to win the regular-season title.

 **NBA Talent:** You would likely have 3–4 players on this roster who will be drafted within two years.

 **The "Fear Factor":** At $13M, you are effectively "out-portal-ing" Kentucky, Kansas, and Arkansas. You are buying the most efficient players in the country based on advanced analytics (KenPom/EvanMiya).

## 3. The "Sisley & Dorn" Factor

Keeping these two is smart for **program culture**. In the age of $13M NIL, rosters often feel like "mercenary groups." Having Sisley (the local Indiana kid with high upside) and Dorn (the proven shooter) provides the continuity fans need to stay connected to the team while the "hired guns" handle the heavy lifting.

**The Reality Check:** While $13M is a staggering number, the biggest challenge isn't the money—it's the **chemistry**. Managing the egos of five different transfers who are all being paid like CEOs requires an elite bench coach.

 

[Uspshoosier]

1 hour ago, WayneFleekHoosier said:

We will find out in the portal and be shocked because all these other schools have so much money. Then we will wonder how our top 10 spent roster isn’t has good as others

By we you really mean you

people shouldn’t be shocked once Pandora’s box was opened other schools besides the “basketball” schools would take advantage of the rules in place.   I’m guessing St Louis is a school some are losing their minds that they are spending the same as IU.  @Hovadipogave the link to the guy that’s funding everything.  He kept the hottest name in coaching from jumping to a Power 5 job and staying in the A-10.   New world.    Hopefully IUs billionaires decide to follow suit 

[CSP]

24 minutes ago, Chris007 said:

That top 5 part is way off, Rabby said. That guy has been really low on what he says teams spend. He tried to say that ILL only spent 8 million this year.

aren't most football teams still not spending $20 million? I have a hard time seeing many basketball teams spending that, as of now. 

[AH1971]

5 minutes ago, IUCrazy2 said:

He isn't worth that number.

He's the best big in the portal and arguably the best player in the portal. He'll set the market assuming something crazy happens. If he's only commanding $4-4.5 million I like where the market sits.

[Chris007]

5 minutes ago, CSP said:

aren't most football teams still not spending $20 million? I have a hard time seeing many basketball teams spending that, as of now. 

They are, but there are a bunch of football players on a team that isn't making jack. UK supposedly spent over 20 million this year in basketball. 

[IUCrazy2]

6 minutes ago, Uspshoosier said:

By we you really mean you

people shouldn’t be shocked once Pandora’s box was opened other schools besides the “basketball” schools would take advantage of the rules in place.   I’m guessing St Louis is a school some are losing their minds that they are spending the same as IU.  @Hovadipogave the link to the guy that’s funding everything.  He kept the hottest name in coaching from jumping to a Power 5 job and staying in the A-10.   New world.    Hopefully IUs billionaires decide to follow suit 

 

6 minutes ago, Uspshoosier said:

By we you really mean you

people shouldn’t be shocked once Pandora’s box was opened other schools besides the “basketball” schools would take advantage of the rules in place.   I’m guessing St Louis is a school some are losing their minds that they are spending the same as IU.  @Hovadipogave the link to the guy that’s funding everything.  He kept the hottest name in coaching from jumping to a Power 5 job and staying in the A-10.   New world.    Hopefully IUs billionaires decide to follow suit 

The problem is that IUs billionaires also have to support a National Title contending football program.  Sometimes it comes down to where the greatest value is determined to be.

[Demo]

37 minutes ago, Chris007 said:

Rumor is Kansas offered 3 million, and he told them it would take 4-4.5. I don't think we can get to that number

Wouldn’t even consider it. Not even close. Way too many vagaries in CBB to throw that much jack at a single player for 1 year. IF AJ Dybantsa, who’s a legit star, can’t get you out of the 64 what exactly is Flory Bidunga guaranteeing you for a third of your budget?

[IUCrazy2]

3 minutes ago, Chris007 said:

They are, but there are a bunch of football players on a team that isn't making jack. UK supposedly spent over 20 million this year in basketball. 

Aren't they likely quite a bit higher than everyone else though?  They are us if Cignetti didn't come along.  Duke and Kansas are basically in the same boat.  Football is king at most schools, that would be true of Michigan as well.

I really question the NIL numbers sometimes.  There is a reason for those to be publically inflated on both sides.

[Home Jersey]

1 minute ago, Demo said:

Wouldn’t even consider it. Not even close. Way too many vagaries in CBB to throw that much jack at a single player for 1 year. IF AJ Dybantsa, who’s a legit star, can’t get you out of the 64 what exactly is Flory Bidunga guaranteeing you for a third of your budget?

Spot on...

Feels like the old adage about building something "greater than the sum of its parts" rings especially true in the era of 8 figure player payrolls in CBB. 

[Pagoda]

15 minutes ago, IUCrazy2 said:

The problem is that IUs billionaires also have to support a National Title contending football program.  Sometimes it comes down to where the greatest value is determined to be.

I don’t get how our fans can be frustrated money wise.  The IUFB roster is top-10 or close to it, which is insane, and IUBB is #10-15.

We aren’t the biggest athletic dept and we have a 55K seat football stadium.

What more do people want?  This is enough.  In fact it’s pretty damn good.  Our issues are mostly with the bball coaches performance (scouting) not resources.

Also, I think UK is inflating their numbers.  Imo the biggest CBB spenders are mid-teens.

[CSP]

2 minutes ago, Pagoda said:

I don’t get how our fans can be frustrated.  The IUFB roster is top-10 or close to it, which is insane, and IUBB is #10-15.

We aren’t the biggest athletic dept and we have a 55K seat football stadium.

What more do people want?  This is enough.  In fact it’s pretty damn good.  Our issues are mostly with the bball coaches not resources.

Also, I think UK is inflating their numbers.  Imo the biggest CBB spenders are mid-teens.

coaches-- but specifically scouting, yes. 

[Kentuckysucks]

8 minutes ago, Pagoda said:

I don’t get how our fans can be frustrated.  The IUFB roster is top-10 or close to it, which is insane, and IUBB is #10-15.

We aren’t the biggest athletic dept and we have a 55K seat football stadium.

What more do people want?  This is enough.  In fact it’s pretty damn good.  Our issues are mostly with the bball coaches performance (scouting) not resources.

Also, I think UK is inflating their numbers.  Imo the biggest CBB spenders are mid-teens.

We want an athletic department that is willing and capable of identifying and hiring good basketball coaches. That's it along with good resources which we have.

[Pagoda]

10 minutes ago, Kentuckysucks said:

We want an athletic department that is willing and capable of identifying and hiring good basketball coaches. That's it along with good resources which we have.

I’m only talking resources.  I edited my post to be more clear.

[skhoosier2]

We hired Carr to evaluate talent and manage a budget. Let him earn his money. Iowa did more with less $$. We will have to spend wisely considering we need an entire starting 5 plus a few bench pieces. I really think many may be disappointed with the roster we end up with again. My hope is that Carr identifies the guys we can afford that are team buy in guys that can compete in the B1G and make the tournament. This portal can’t open up fast enough. 

[Stuhoo]

3 minutes ago, skhoosier2 said:

We hired Carr to evaluate talent and manage a budget. Let him earn his money. Iowa did more with less $$. We will have to spend wisely considering we need an entire starting 5 plus a few bench pieces. I really think many may be disappointed with the roster we end up with again. My hope is that Carr identifies the guys we can afford that are team buy in guys that can compete in the B1G and make the tournament. This portal can’t open up fast enough. 

Some will be immediately disappointed with the roster we assemble.

Some will wait to see how that roster performs.

[Hoosierfanyuh]

Sounds like trilly said it’s currently us vs Houston for Markus Burton.

[Jeff Flabjohns]

9 minutes ago, Hoosierfanyuh said:

Sounds like trilly said it’s currently us vs Houston for Markus Burton.

From the SB Tribune six weeks ago: 

“Sitting out this season, returning for two more years and earning the amount of money (likely high six figures) that Burton will earn always was the smart choice. The sensible choice. The only choice.”

that high six figures estimate definitely seem low lol. If that’s what ND could give him it’s no wonder he might transfer 

[IUCrazy2]

1 hour ago, Pagoda said:

I don’t get how our fans can be frustrated money wise.  The IUFB roster is top-10 or close to it, which is insane, and IUBB is #10-15.

We aren’t the biggest athletic dept and we have a 55K seat football stadium.

What more do people want?  This is enough.  In fact it’s pretty damn good.  Our issues are mostly with the bball coaches performance (scouting) not resources.

Also, I think UK is inflating their numbers.  Imo the biggest CBB spenders are mid-teens.

Yeah, to be clear, I am not frustrated money wise.  I am just saying that no matter what, you have a set supply of NIL funds for any given year that you have to parse out.  Indiana was going huge on basketball with Woodson, it didn't pay off.  Cignetti comes along and wins a National Title. He is going to command more NIL at a traditional basketball school than you will see at those other institutions (like Kentucky, Duke, and Kansas) and that will mean that Indiana dumping supposedly $20 million into a basketball roster is not going to happen.  The money will chase success right now.

[tyappleg]

16 minutes ago, Hoosierfanyuh said:

Sounds like trilly said it’s currently us vs Houston for Markus Burton.

DeVries, Ill forgive you for last year if you can shove Sampson into a locker on this one.