New transfer rule could help Tommy Lloyd and Arizona Basketball

LOS ANGELES, CA - FEBRUARY 20: The Arizona Wildcats huddle while playing the USC Trojans at Galen Center on February 20, 2021 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by John McCoy/Getty Images)
LOS ANGELES, CA - FEBRUARY 20: The Arizona Wildcats huddle while playing the USC Trojans at Galen Center on February 20, 2021 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by John McCoy/Getty Images) /
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With Arizona Basketball entering their first off-season in the Tommy Lloyd era, the Wildcats could have a busy summer with the new transfer rule changes.

Coming in, newly hired Arizona Basketball head coach Tommy Lloyd is going to have his work cut out for him when it comes to rebuilding Arizona. Not only will he have to adjust in learning how to become a head coach at a place that comes with high demand, but he will have to potentially soon face punishment following the ongoing Independent Accountability Resolution Process.

However, luckily in basketball, teams can be built rather quickly and you can see results swiftly as well. Unlike football, if the Cats could potentially add 2-3 difference makers, it could change the make-up of a team from being a mediocre one to being a good team.

Arizona Wildcats
Arizona Wildcats /

Arizona Wildcats

But first, as coach Lloyd adjusts to being in Tucson, his first job will be to re-recruit the current roster and commits. As it stands, just Kerr Kriisa is considering leaving, with his name currently active in the transfer portal, however, that is not to say that others could be potentially weighing their options at the moment as well.

Beyond that, Lloyd and Arizona will have to hit the recruiting trail. Luckily for him and us, his rebuild time may not be as long as the NCAA amended a new rule change to the transfer rule. Effective immediately, first-time transfers won’t have to sit out a year.

That means, out of the myriad of names currently in the transfer portal, Lloyd can recruit any of those players that are immediately eligible. For a school like Arizona that is currently going through some significant changes, the new transfer rule could help Lloyd and Arizona expedite things and potentially see success even quicker.

Now, I must add, I don’t think it is a great long-term building plan, but given the current circumstances, Arizona and Lloyd could stand to benefit.

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