Indiana Basketball: Another Big Ten transfer, another possible fit for Hoosiers?

The Indiana basketball team still has one more scholarship to fill for next year, could it be filled by a fellow Big Ten transfer?

The transfer portal keeps filling up and on Tuesday it got one more when Purdue forward Nojel Eastern put his name on the list. It was reported that he put his name in the portal and he thanked Purdue with a simple tweet.

https://twitter.com/NEblessed_20/status/1260296147505160194?s=20

Eastern looked to a breakout candidate last year after a great end to his sophomore season where he was a great compliment to Carsen Edwards on the Boilermakers Elite Eight run. But this season was a disappointment for him and the Boilermakers. Eastern averaged just 4.9 points per game as his shot still was very limited.

He is a very good athlete that can finish at the rim, but has very limited range and is basically no threat from deep.

With a spot open and Eastern suddenly entering the portal, is he someone the Hoosier should kick the tires on? At first glance, most people will say absolutely not. The Hoosiers already have this type of player in Trayce Jackson-Davis and he is a much better player.

But if you dive a little deeper, could he be valuable on the Hoosiers. The answer is maybe. He is a great athlete and would give Jackson-Davis some help inside. Joey Brunk has been that guy sometimes for TJD, but he is not the same kind of athlete that Eastern is.

The problem is the Hoosiers have struggled shooting the ball so probably the last thing they need is another player that has little to no range. Because of this, the Hoosiers will likely not even think about talking with him. Plus he may have to sit out next year if the waiver for transfers isn’t passed (once looked like a lock it no longer looks like it will happen).

Most fans also will want to dismiss the idea because he played for Purdue and that is very understandable. Eastern has shown limitations to his game, but he has shown flashes of being a very capable scorer.

A change of scenery will probably be best for him and lining him up next to Jackson-Davis could be a deadly frontcourt. Two guys that can score at the rim and finish could make the Hoosiers a matchup nightmare.

The prospect of this happening is very low, the Hoosiers need shooting more than they need a player like Eastern. But he would be an intriguing player for Indiana.