Head coach Adrian Autry has carried momentum from the end of last season into this offseason for Syracuse hoops. The soon-to-be second-year SU head coach led the Orange to win five of their last eight games, including an upset home win over North Carolina, despite coming up short of making an NCAA Tournament appearance.
That offseason momentum from the coaching staff landed transfer center Eddie Lampkin not too long after the center’s tournament run with Colorado came to an end. Syracuse also added Hofstra transfer guard Jaquan Carlos in late April.
This morning, there was a sighting of Georgia State guard Lucas Taylor on SU’s campus for a visit. Therefore, it looks like Coach Autry and his staff have not stopped their recruitment efforts as the summer months approach.
Taylor just finished up his junior year, where he posted 14.5 points per game, along with three rebounds and 1.8 assists. The 6-foot-5 guard also connected on 35.4% of his three-point attempts. He has some size for his position, and this would give Syracuse a leg up.
If Syracuse could add Taylor to its lineup, the guard depth would be plentiful, hence a good problem for the Orange. That would relieve some pressure off Carlos and JJ Starling. This doesn’t even mention the likes of Chance Westry and Kyle Cuffe, who could very well play their way into a sizable role with Syracuse next season.
While the guards would have numbers, the frontcourt is likely going to remain somewhat stiff and largely dependent on Chris Bell and Eddie Lampkin’s performance. Besides those two main frontcourt options, SU is left with Delaware transfer Jyare Davis and returning center Naheem McLeod, who suffered a season-ending injury last year.
Overall, Syracuse looks to be in a good spot as of now heading into the thick of summer, but adding Taylor would be a bonus.
