This will be a weird year if the Beavs do not make any progress. I know it is early, but I'm not seeing anything pointing to a turnaround so far. When ET brings up the ball he looks tentative and does not command the point. WT is still yelling constantly directions from the bench. Without a floor general we are in deep trouble.
So what happens if conference play goes as predicted by all the expert commentators and odds makers? How do you make changes to the top when your three top players are tied to those coaches? Barnes must be at least considering the options.
1) Ride it out all season and make a change after the last game? TT goes pro. ET transfers and the cupboard is more than bare for the next coach.
2) Fire WT mid-season and put Asst. Coach Thompson in charge. How does that impact TT during the remainder of the year? Do you require the next coach to hold over Coach Thompson to retain ET?
3) Go one more season with WT to avoid a messy break-up?
The riches we received by having family ties seems to be a major factor now in our options to right the ship. It is easy to see why so many companies and public agencies don't allow family members to be hired by other family members. You end up with really difficult situations when conflicts arise.
If we don't make the NIT this year and make a change it will be interesting to see how all the parties comport themselves.
I'd probably go with option 3 just to avoid a messy break-up. Give WT a sixth year. Maybe next year's recruits will miraculously give us a boost. Or perhaps if we still are stalled, they give the next coach a more stable base to work with.
It's a weird situation.