The AD isn't going to fire assistant coaches from the football program. That's the HCs job. I dislike James as much as anyone, but who did you expect him to fire that he hasn't? He fired Al Golden. Richt? He wasn't getting fired after his third year, especially after winning 10 games the season prior. Diaz after first year? Come on, Bro.
I think James has some financial constraints that he has to take into consideration where big public schools don't. If Larranaga is owed for 3 more years and prob makes 2+ mil per year, that's 6-7 million that has to be made up somehow. Bball at Miami doesn't get the kind of donations that football (or even baseball) does. Coach L definitely needs to go, but Miami is stuck unless he pulls a Richt and willingly leaves millions on the table. I don't see that happening. It's got nothing to do with James having balls or not. It's a money issue. Best case is that Coach L sees the writing on the wall and takes a different job elsewhere, so Miami can offset his salary. Still costs us money, but a lot less.
Then go big and get Pitino. I don't care that he's a scumbag. He's coaching college BB right now (at Iona) so it's not like Miami would be bringing in some coach that's been completely blackballed from the college HC ranks. All big time D1 Bball coaches have dirty hands- yes, even Coach L. I think the ACC would even secretly be happy about Miami landing Pitino because it's a basketball conference and Miami having a championship caliber BB team would generate plenty of additional revenue.
As someone else said, basketball is easily the one sport that can have a near instaneous turnaround with the right coach. I think Miami could turn into a basketball powerhouse within 3 years with the right HC, the NIL opportunities, and one and done players wanting to spend that year having fun in Miami instead of freezing their balls off in the winter at UNC or Kentucky.
