When players hit the transfer portal in any sport, one obvious question we have to ask is whether the transfer is a net positive or a net negative for the program. Connected to that question is the matter of whether a transfer was player-initiated or coach-encouraged. Some players want to leave a program while the coach hopes they will stay. Other players never want to leave a school, but the coach makes it plain that the roster calculus demands turnover and change.

We can pretty clearly say that Kerr Kriisa’s entry into the transfer portal — leaving the Arizona Wildcats — was a coach-encouraged transfer. Kriisa loved wearing the Arizona uniform. He was a pot-stirrer who brought energy and personality to the Wildcats. He enjoyed irritating opponents and expressing his emotions on the court. He was having a grand old time in Tucson.

Kriisa’s departure is an obvious product of coach Tommy Lloyd having a frank conversation and declaring an intent to upgrade the Arizona backcourt for next season. Arizona’s guards clearly lacked the dominant, all-court skill of Bennedict Mathurin, who helped the Cats earn a No. 1 seed at the 2022 NCAA Tournament. Arizona’s guards were unable to do much of anything in the final eight minutes of a supreme implosion against 15th-seeded Princeton in this year’s edition of March Madness.

The Wildcats are going to get better at this position. That’s not good news for USC or anyone else in the Pac-12.

USC guard Reese Dixon-Waters is transferring. Is that the same as this Arizona move with Kriisa? Maybe.