Sounds like he's about to enter the transfer portal, despite agreeing to financial terms for a return weeks ago. Now Hubert must scramble to find a back-up center.
Lubin heading to his 4th school
- Thread starter DaveChapelle
- Start date
I spoke about this a couple months back. That we had to get a new starting center, and that I didn't Lubin would be happy coming off the bench his senior year. But it's still pretty disrespectful to agree to return, and then pull the rug out from under the UNC staff like this.
You really going to take the word of the guy who told the UNC staff he was coming back, agreed to financial terms weeks ago, and then suddenly jumped into the portal??
Do you want the UNC staff to sit around for weeks waiting on him to "decide" while every UNC caliber big commits to other schools? Then we end up with another Claude as our backup center.
He's setting Hubert up for the fall. If Hubert replaces him with a portal big, he'll blame the staff for not holding a spot for him. If Hubert waits for him to come back and doesn't recruit a replacement, we likely end up with Brown or a really mediocre big as our backup center.
He's a mercenary entering the portal after every season looking for the best deal. He's not worth the trouble he's causing the staff. He has terrible hands, he can't play defense at all, and he's undersized for his position. Nearly all of his offense came from Cadeau spoon-feeding him easy dunks and layups (and it took 80% of the season for him to start catching those passes.)
I hope the staff isn't fooled by his nonsense. Learn your lesson. He agreed to return and yet he entered the portal. Take the money you set aside for Lubin and use it to grab another center.
Sounds like a money grab, like he’s looking for more favorable terms including a chance to start. Which I totally understand. I think this gives another chance to get bigger and/or Gives us more money to go after stojakovic. It’s a win win. If you are a PF or Center at UNC moving forward you must be 6’9 or taller. That simple!
Two thoughts:
1. It sounds like Lubin's original agreement to stay happened before we recruited over him with Stevenson. While they might not be seen as direct competitors for the same slot, they are definitely competitors for front line PT.
2. Getting in the portal before the deadline means you are there, in case Hubert recruits another big. The risk is that Hubert is now free to recruit another big because there's an opening. But if he doesn't, it seems clear that Lubin plans to come back. But also may get a better offer.
In other words, Lubin is keeping his options open, rather than allowing to portal to close without him.
It's not a risk-free move, but it's probably the smart move.
1. It sounds like Lubin's original agreement to stay happened before we recruited over him with Stevenson. While they might not be seen as direct competitors for the same slot, they are definitely competitors for front line PT.
2. Getting in the portal before the deadline means you are there, in case Hubert recruits another big. The risk is that Hubert is now free to recruit another big because there's an opening. But if he doesn't, it seems clear that Lubin plans to come back. But also may get a better offer.
In other words, Lubin is keeping his options open, rather than allowing to portal to close without him.
It's not a risk-free move, but it's probably the smart move.
Stevenson is a 4 that can play the 3.
Lubin is strictly a 5. He didn't play any 4 because he can't defend the modern stretch 4, and he doesn't possess the skills to play the 4 in Hubert's offense.
They are not competitors for PT. Lubin's only competitor for PT is Veesaar.
And how would you describe lying to the UNC staff by agreeing to financial terms, telling them you are returning, and then entering the transfer portal weeks later?
If he doesn’t come back and Hubert doesn’t replace him this will mean more minutes for James Brown and get a chance to see if he is worth keeping after next year…
And if Veesaar gets injured, the season is officially wrecked. Neither Wilson or Stevenson have the strength to play center, and we promised Wilson he wouldn't have to.
Whether it's Lubin or someone else, it's important this team has a reliable backup 5. Veesaar is a foul-prone big who I'm not imagining is a 30 MPG guy. Don't think Stevenson should be near the 5 unless it's a very specific matchup. I don't know what to expect from either Brown or High. A guy like Lubin fits a pretty important role next year, and I hope he's back or someone of similar quality.
If Brown or High are ready to be reliable rotational players, then great and honestly you don't need Lubin then. A 6 man big man rotation is too many IMO.
If Brown or High are ready to be reliable rotational players, then great and honestly you don't need Lubin then. A 6 man big man rotation is too many IMO.
I'd like to have more details. But I'm not all butt hurt about it. It's the wild west and kids can't count on their coaches having players' best interests at heart.
As already stated (including by Lubin) entering the portal doesn't necessarily mean not returning. It's the sensible thing for a player to do to keep his options open.
Once the portal closes, there's nothing to keep our staff from recruiting over Lubin. If they do, and if Lubin isn't in the portal, he just has to take it. Not saying our staff would do that, but not betting against it, either.
You always speak with such certainty that it's hard to doubt you. But I do doubt you.
Stevenson was a 3 out of HS. Then he grew. He may not want to play in the post, but he will if we need him to.
I don't recall ever seeing Lubin play PF, but that doesn't mean he can't.
As for not being able to defend the modern stretch 4, maybe that's true. I don't know because he wasn't asked to as far as I recall. But not every foe has a good stretch 4. So maybe Lubin plays less out of the post in games where there is a good stretch 4.
It's not the damning, chisled-in-stone scenario that you depict.
You did this all season with Withers. And, yes, Withers made a couple of world class mistakes. But most of your harsh criticisms of Withers were shown to be way overblown once our staff belatedly figured out how to use him.
I'm putting Lubin in that same camp, until I see for myself.
Well Hubert better get to work…He has the money and a GM no more excuses…
Brown spent this past season committing fouls and missing rebounds. His foul rate was absurdly high.
We do not want Brown in the rotation next season. There's a reason the staff had him penciled in to the 3rd string before today's news.
You had all season to observe Lubin on defense. Why didn't you?
He never put pressure on his man on the perimeter. He was terrible dealing with screen and rolls, and it resulted in an absurd number of alley oops to opposing bigs. He didn't close out well on shooters. He couldn't stay in front of drivers.
THIS HAPPENED EVERY GAME. How on earth can you sit there and say you don't know if he can guard a stretch 4? He's absolutely awful on defense outside of the paint, he showed you that fact every game, but you don't know if he can guard a stretch 4?
You have to be trolling me.
Seems like since this is all business now a player should have to sign a binding contract when he agrees to a NIL deal so you can’t back out of the promise. I can see it coming.
I see that’s it a few guys still uncommitted…Why not reach out to them…I have not really understood the process of recruiting a true 5 since Hubert took over…I only see us having 1 on the radar for the 26 class…
Wish him the very best. UNC will be fine. I still have some questions about him saying that this had to do with his situation regarding the powers that be (in charge). Anyone care to fill in the blanks concerning what he actually said?
Agreed. That financial deal Lubin agreed to weeks ago should be binding. Or at least be punitive if he backs out of it.
You're now claiming that Lubin spent all season guarding stretch 4s?
Really?
Is that true?
I’m ok if we give the remaining 18 minutes to high and brown. I think both have a higher ceiling than Lubin. (I’m high on High!) I think he can do everything Lubin did at 6’10. Also with the additional size of the roster we should be much better equipped to play help defense.
No, read what I posted again slowly.
Lubin, while playing the 5, still had to play perimeter defense. And he demonstrated he was awful at it.
We can. But is that a good business move?
Is there someone better in the portal whom we have the money for?
At the moment it's likely the credit card is nearly maxed out (when you count the hold on funds for Drake). If we ditch Lubin, how much does that free up? $500K? Less?
What does that buy in today's portal?
Lubin decided to take the risk to protect his options. We should look at replacements to protect our options.
At the end of the day, we probably end up with Lubin. Which is fine. He's done well for us.
The punitive part is that we can replace him without looking like the bad guys.
The deal Lubin agreed to paid him roughly what he got last season. That's at least a million.
That’s your go to, accusing somebody of trolling you. Weak! Lubin wouldn’t be nearly the liability at the 4 this year since we have much better rim protection this year. I think High will be more than serviceable this year, but I agree we need another piece or 2 to the puzzle. I’m not content with the idea that we are done in the portal.
It would be interesting to know what High worked on last year.
It would also be interesting to know if he's actually scheduled to rejoin the team. Do we know that? No reason for it to be a secret, is there?
Happens when you don't play..lol
I've also seen him get offensive rebounds and contest shots.
These people don't play they can't get better.
What do you think practice is for? Why do you think Dean Smith redshirted guys like Zwikker? Why do you think so many players hire personal trainers in the offseason?
You get better by practicing. Game are for producing.
Practices have some of the greatest players you have never seen play.
I was better than our last 4 PGs in college during practice. To where Billy Tubbs tried to get me to try out for the NBA .
Only games get you to your potential.
Sounds like real money to me.
Who's available in that ball park?
And if we need more, will more become available? I mean if you are determined to build a competitive tournament team, let's not nickel and dime the final piece or pieces.
