The transfer season is still technically in effect, but for the most part, the biggest movers have picked their next destination. The only really big players out there still TBD are former Nebraska player Andrew White (and what a saga that is/was) and Malik Newman, who bounced on Ben Howland after one year at Mississippi State. Newman, a former five-star recruit who was anticipated to be a one-and-done player, will decide between Kansas, NC State, Western Kentucky and Miami.
Newman is expected to make his pick on Friday. When he does, we'll have a news story up on that.
But until then, let's look at the 10 biggest transfer decision of 2016. The 10 players who've already made their picks, and why these players can/should see their careers traject higher at their next stop.
Graduate transfers
These guys will not have to sit out this season.
G Canyon Barry (Charleston to Florida). Here's my prediction: Florida ekes into the 2017 NCAA Tournament, and Barry's the big reason why. He's going to come close to averaging what he did last year at Charleston (19.7 points), and his skill set at this point is SEC-good. Very fun player to watch. You probably heard he's the son of Rick Barry. Mike White needs a lithe wing player, and Barry is just that. Smart, too.
G Jordan Mathews (Cal to Gonzaga). Nigel Williams-Goss will probably be the better transfer player at Gonzaga this season, but Mathews is a more complete, do-so-much shooting guard. He put up 13.5 points, 3.4 rebounds and shot 42 percent from 3 for the Golden Bears last season. Mark Few never really has a true down year. Yes, he'll lose Domantas Sabonis (lottery pick) and Kyle Wilter, who was a top-20 player in college hoops last season, but thanks to Mathews and Williams-Goss, but Bulldogs will again be picked to win the WCC.
G Katin Reinhardt (USC to Marquette). Has never fully hit his potential, I don't think. Wondering how he'll do two years removed from Matt Carlino failing to make a huge impact in his grad transfer year at Marquette. Reinhardt (11.4 points, 2.8 rebounds last season) is more well-rounded than Carlino was. And without Henry Ellenson around for MU next year, the team will certainly have a lot of points and boards up for grabs. Marquette won 20 games last season, and can finish in that area again in part because of Reinhardt.
2016 transfers that won't be eligible until 2017
Important non-grad transfer players who've switched teams, that will have to sit the upcoming season.
G Cane Broome (Sacred Heart to Cincinnati). The best player nobody knows about. Broome was dominant last year, but did it in the NEC, where no one was watching. He could be a First Team All-AAC player by the time his senior season comes. Spent two seasons with Sacred Heart and was a stats beast. Last year averaged 23.1 points, 4.9 rebounds, 2.9 assists and 1.7 steals. He 6-foot-nothing, too. Mick Cronin got a stud here. Cincinnati is a good bet to make at least two of the next three NCAA Tournaments.
SF Brekkott Chapman (Utah to Weber State). Unknown to many, but not in the state where he's from. Chapman grew up in Roy, Utah. Perhaps getting the chance at a smaller school will do him well. The 6-foot-8 small forward will probably be the best player in the Big Sky two years from now. His 4.4-point, 2.8 rebound average for the Utes last season seems aberrational. He was a four-star recruit. Not the same kind of player as Damian Lillard, who was a four-year star at Weber State, but he can be the best player at WSU since Lillard.
C Daniel Giddens (Ohio State to Alabama). Only spent one year at OSU, then got out with a big cleaning of the slate by Thad Matta there. He'll be a critical big man (he's about 6-10 and 230 pounds) for Avery Johnson come 2017-18. Of all the players on this list, I think he has the best chance to get the biggest bump by going to a new spot.
G Kory Holden (Delaware to South Carolina). Most don't know who he is, but Holden is going to thrive under Frank Martin. Averaged 17.7 points, 4.2 assists and 3.0 rebounds on a bad Delaware team. A great combo guard. We see a few players every year leave small-league spots and do pretty well at power conference schools. Holden will probably benefit from the year away, then step into a starting role next season and be plenty capable.
G Charles Matthews (Kentucky to Michigan). Some guys get to Kentucky and realize they'll never be more than a spot player. Nothing wrong with realizing that, by the way. Matthews, who averaged 10 minutes last year, his freshman campaign, will get a chance to reboot his career. I think he'll wind up having a nice three-season run with Michigan. John Beilein's program will have an interesting year ahead, and by the time Matthews is in the lineup, he could be a top-two player on the team.
G Caleb Martin (NC State to Nevada). A small forward who played two years at NC State, putting up 11.5 points and 4.7 rebounds last year. Keep an eye on Nevada. It's now coached by Eric Musselman, who's a very sharp basketball mind. Martin transferred to Nevada along with his brother, Cody. By the time he's a senior, I could see Caleb being a first team-caliber player in the Mountain West.
PG Derryck Thornton (Duke to USC). Has the highest ceiling of any player on this list. Thornton didn't fit for Duke last season, and he certainly would've had a hard time seeing the floor with the preseason No. 1 team come next year. But he can be a two-year player at USC, keep his draft stock in the 20-40 range, and thrive because of this. Thornton's 7.1 points and 2.6 assists average at Duke should double at USC.
If you're curious on transfers eligible this season that did have to sit for 2015-16, consider these half-forgotten to be some of the biggest impact newcomers in new spots for 2016-17:
-- Marcus Foster at Creighton (previously at Kansas State)
-- Austin Nichols at Virginia (previously at Memphis)
-- Nigel Williams-Goss at Gonzaga (previously at Washington)
-- Paschal Chukwu at Syracuse (previously at Providence)
-- Eric Paschall at Villanova (previously at Fordham)
-- Kethan Savage at Butler (previously at George Washington)
-- RaShid Gaston at Xavier (previously at Norfolk State)
