If hypothetically he asked for $2.5M (which some reports have rumored) would you have committed that much of our potential budget to Budd?
That's a definitive yes from me. I would have offered Budd $2 million out of the gate, Hines $2.5 million, and Simpkins $500k in the hopes of landing all three for $6 million or less. Once we lost Hines, I would have been willing to push close to $3 million for Budd.
I've said this multiple times, but the market for replacement level players and scrubs is going to plummet once the big boy programs finish eating. The stars like Budd and Hines will get snapped up quickly, but a lot of kids will be left waiting for a spot at the big table. There's only so much money and so many roster spots to go around. That's when a budget school like Seton Hall can find great value on players.
Lock up the stars and wait for the market to bottom out.