I agree that he showed some flashes and had some decent games in the latter part of the season. Obviously, it didn't take him long to find another scholarship and with a decent mid-major program so there was a market for him.
I'm glad he left though because there was a glut at his position for the upcoming year, so his decision allows him to go somewhere where he might play more and allows our team the chance to make better use of the scholarship.
I'm not as pessimistic as you about Pitino's chances of picking up some capable players with the two scholarships. Assume he takes two transfers. His record there consists of Lynch, Springs, Joey King, Malik Smith, DeAndre Mathieu, Lofton, Fitzgerald, Carlos Morris, and Stockman.
Lynch may have only played a year and a half but he was a game changer in that time.
DeAndre Mathieu was almost a game changer (at least in his first year).
Springs was a great addition.
Joey King and Malik Smith weren't great players but they were serviceable. I'd say the same thing about Morris who actually was pretty decent in his first season.
I would say all of the players above were better to one degree or another than some of the players Pitino recruited out of the prep ranks (Bakary, Gas, and so far Hurt). And, as far as some of the transfers having issues which cut their tenures short: well, what about McNeill, Martin, and Dorsey who were recruited directly from the prep ranks?
Fitzgerald was mostly a bust. Lofton was kicked off the team but he turned out to be a really good player in the rest of his college career so I'd say that Pitino's instincts were good in recruiting him. We'll have to wait on Matz but I think he'll be a fair contributor.
