Memphis basketball has 14 players committed for next season's team. Penny Hardaway has said that he would like to keep the roster at 14, but he could use that 15th spot if "something sweet" comes along.
The roster consists of two returnees, nine transfers and three incoming freshmen, but it was reported last week that four-star forward Fred Smith Jr. has yet to sign with the program.
With the roster likely set, it's a good time to start projecting what the starting five could look like to start the season. Hardaway has brought in many interesting pieces, and it's hard to tell who has an edge this early in the offseason.
With that being said, here's my way-too-early prediction for the starting lineup for the Nov. 2 game against Iowa State.
PG: Jayden Reid
SG: Julius Thedford
SF: Tylik Weeks
PF: Rihards Vavers
C: Corneilous Williams
This starting five gives the Tigers a lot of versatility and scoring throughout the lineup. It appears Tylik Weeks will be the go-to scorer for Memphis, but this group pairs several other scoring threats with Weeks.
Vavers could be used at the four, and he would give Hardaway's starting group a knock-down three-point shooter in the lineup. The Washington State transfer shot over 40 percent last season, and he has been effective in the pick-and-pop.
Reid showed that he can run an offense in the Big Ten last season, and he should be more effective in the American. The point guard already has experience in the conference after starting his career at South Florida, and he should have an advantage to be in the starting five.
Reid can attack the basket and knock down mid-range jumpers, and he can be a threat as a facilitator in the pick-and-roll. This should work well with both Vavers and Williams.
Williams was used a ton in the pick-and-roll over the last two seasons at North Alabama, and he gives the Tigers a physical big man who can dominate the boards. Memphis struggled all season in the rebounding department, and it would be a surprise if they didn't start a big man who averaged more than nine rebounds in each of the last two seasons.
The North Alabama transfer wouldn't be the only rebounder on the court, either. Four of the five "projected" starters, including Williams, averaged four or more rebounds last season, and Reid is the only player who wouldn't be a threat on the boards.
It will be interesting to see how Hardaway decides to use Thedford, especially early in the season. It feels like there are two logical arguments for how the guard could be used.
On one hand, you could say that Thedford started 17 games last season and knows Hardaway's system, so he should be in the starting five. On the other hand, it feels like the two have a strong relationship, and the head coach could use Thedford as a weapon to give his team a spark off the bench.
Thedford averaged 8.4 points per game last season, but if felt like he found ways to impact the game even if he wasn't scoring the ball. The 6-foot-4 guard led the team in rebounding, and he averaged 1.1 steals per game.
Defense would be the big question with this starting five. Would they be able to come up with enough stops on that end of the court?
It's hard to say.
Thedford and Weeks are the only two players who have a positive defensive regulated adjusted plus-minus, but it's hard to tell if that's fully reflective of the individual player or the team.
The lineup lacks rim protection, but that's something that is lacking on the roster. There is an argument that Maxim Logue could start at the four, giving the Tigers more rebounding and a shot-blocking threat, but he has yet to make a start through two seasons of collegiate basketball.
It's still extremely early to be looking at potential starting lineups, but it is a fun offseason exercise. These projections will likely change many times before the first game of the season, but it's clear that Hardaway and his staff could go in several different directions with their starting five.
