Hubert Davis needs results. Last year, they fell flat after a barrage of expectations for them to challenge Duke for the title. However, they finished fifth in the standings and barely scraped through to the NCAA tournament, where they were knocked out in the first round by sixth-seeded Ole Miss. After being one of the highest-spending programs in the country, Davis is under pressure to turn this around and bring some results.

This year, we have 8 teams in the country reportedly spending $10 million on their rosters, with the Tar Heels being one of them. We used to see just a handful of players around that six-figure mark just a few years ago. Now, each top-tier squad has at least a couple of players making that much. That is probably more than most G-League teams.  Naturally, you would expect that after spending such massive amounts on their roster, they would have a super team. Well, not really. One national analyst even pointed out that the Tar Heels squad is far from perfect.

Rob Dauster said on The Field Of 68: After Dark, “Yeah, I think Carolina’s in a really bad spot right now. I don’t think that they did anywhere near enough. You look at some of the guys, especially at the point guard spot, that were available in the portal this year, and none of them ended up at UNC.”

The offseason has been rocky. Entering their fifth year under head coach Hubert Davis, he is set to replace at least six of their top eight players from last season, with only Seth Trimble returning. They have a big RJ Davis-sized hole in their roster. How do you replace a guy who finished third on the league’s all-time scoring list?

They have added size Jarin Stevenson and Arizona transfer Henri Veesaar, but the point guard situation remains tense. Their solution is a Colorado State transfer, Kyan Evans. Is Evans ready to take the step up from Colorado to become the main man for North Carolina? Many experts have expressed their doubts, including Rob Dauster, who also mentioned that they could have gotten a better player in the market, and with their budget, they probably should have.

Their first choice at point was Donovan Dent, the reigning Mountain West Player of the Year and a 20-point scorer. He was heavily courted by the Tar Heels but chose to go to UCLA. Then, they went after the 6-foot-11 center, Cliff Omoruyi, who chose Alabama over UNC. Is the North Carolina pull diminishing year by year?

You also had the likes of PJ Haggerty in the transfer portal; even if his financial demands were a tad higher, Carolina could easily afford it. Even though he is at the NBA combine right now, there are many reports floating that he might go to NC State or even return to Memphis. You had Bennett Stirtz, who eventually moved to Iowa. There were plenty of options for them to explore, but they couldn’t take advantage of their budget and the program to attract that level of guards.

Dauster also mentioned Silas Demery Jr. as a missed target. Back in 2022, Demary Jr., a member of the 2023 recruiting class, revealed in comments following the NBPA Top 100 camp that UNC would be “a dream offer” and that “everyone wants the option of their dream school.” They didn’t extend an offer then, but they did pursue him after he averaged 13.5 points, 3.9 rebounds, 3.1 assists, and 1.7 steals as a sophomore last year. Demery eventually chose UConn as a destination, leaving the Tar Heels and a handful of other suitors hanging. He further mentioned another problem that could prove to be fatal.

Dauster said, “They didn’t bring in a high-major transfer who averaged double figures last year. Drake Powell leaving leaves another gap where now you have—I mean, the biggest problem they had last year was they had to basically play three guards that were all 6’2 or smaller. Right now their starting lineup is Kaien Evans, Jaden Young, who’s 6’4 and Seth Trimble at the three again.”

They are set to repeat the same mistake they made last season. As a team, they had  32 rebounds per game, which is 7th in the conference and 106th overall. On attack, they were even worse, as they had 7.6 rebounds per game, which was 16th in the conference. They will face similar problems once again.

That major transfer could be Jamir Watkins, who is reportedly on the edge of making his NBA draft decision, and could move to UNC. The Tar Heels fans will hope to attract the No. 2 small forward and the No. 7 player overall in the portal this cycle, per the 247Sports rankings. Last season for Florida State, he averaged 18.4 points and 5.7 rebounds per game, and at 6’6, he brings in some height too. In an unexpected turn of events, a top point guard has recently rescinded from the NBA draft, which has the Tar Heel fans gleaming.

The answer to Tar Heels’ point guard woes just withdrew from the NBA Draft

We discussed their desperate need for a top-level point guard and the options they did not go for in the transfer portal. Well, the opportunity has presented itself to correct that mistake and finally round out this transfer portal with a five-star addition. Former Arkansas point guard Boogie Fland has withdrawn from the NBA draft, according to ESPN, and is hunting for a college.

Fland spent his freshman year at Arkansas, averaging 15.1 points and 5.7 assists in 18 games before a hand injury sidelined him in January for the rest of the season. ESPN’s recent prediction placed him at 44th overall, potentially with the Oklahoma City Thunder, but it would be better for him to continue in college ball for another year.

“Miller represents Fland and must have heard enough feedback from NBA scouts to realize the writing was on the wall: Fland would be better off making another year of NIL money than testing his salt in the NBA,” Nick Roush wrote.

Florida is reportedly in the lead for Boogie Fland, largely because they’re seeking a replacement for Walter Clayton Jr., who left a major void at point guard. But with North Carolina’s current backcourt situation in a tricky spot with the loss of R.J. Davis and Elliot Cadeau and no confirmed star floor general, this is exactly the kind of late-cycle opening that UNC should pounce on. Fland definitely has the NBA caliber, and his playmaking will unlock the likes of Isaiah Denis and Derek Dixon.

He could be just what they need, with Evans being a solid backup. It adds more depth to this roster, and suddenly it starts to look more well-rounded. After a disappointing 2024-25 season, they need to bounce back strong, and Hubert Davis and Co. will need to figure out how to solve the point guard situation, either by incoming transfers or by tactical brilliance.