The Louisville Cardinals have struggled under head coach Kenny Payne for the past two years, and things only got worse on Saturday when they lost by 27 on the road against Pittsburgh.
It appears that Payne will be released at the end of the current campaign, but how Louisville handles his departure will have an impact on the roster for the following one.
The current buyout amount for Payne is $8 million; however, after March 31st, the payout will drop to $6 million. Payne’s sizable buyout was probably the primary reason Louisville decided against firing him in the middle of the season, and athletic director Josh Heird probably wants to hold off on making the ultimate decision until March 31st.
Nevertheless, there’s a major issue with that: the transfer portal.
The transfer portal is available for 45 days starting on March 17, the day the regular season ends, and ends on May 1. In the event that Louisville fired Payne on April 1st, the new head coach would have around one month to arrange his transfers, which would probably include the majority of the squad for the first season.
For Josh Heird and Louisville, timing is everything, and each choice has advantages and disadvantages of its own. You will do better in the 2024–2025 season if you remove Payne before April 1st, but in the process, you will have to pay him an additional $2 million and set yourself up for the fallout from the “why didn’t we fire him in December” narrative. Conversely, it’s the total opposite situation in which you make a better roster for the following season but lose out on saving money.
To ensure that the roster for the following season is at least understandable, I would let Kenny finish the season, fire Payne, and then appoint a new coach as soon as feasible for the benefit of the fans. Heird has probably been using unofficial channels and private conversations to find a new head coach since Christmas.
Kenny Payne has simply not been the right fit for the Cardinals, and Louisville basketball has to return to its former glory. Payne ought to be dismissed from the University of Louisville, and it is probable that he will be, barring an undefeated regular season and an ACC tournament championship.
Josh Heird merely needs to timing it perfectly; he doesn’t have to make a tough choice.
