I'm here guys. Yes, there is a fire sale going on at Illinois right now and it has nothing to do with the talent or character of these players. They either do not fit within the new system or in some cases they do not mesh well with the new coach, Brad Underwood. And Leron Black is looking to go Pro. Would I like to see some of these guys follow Groce to Akron? Absolutely!! But I would be very surprised if it happens because I don't think Groce rolls that way. He completely cut ties with Caris LeVert to the point of hurting his family's feelings because he doesn't want a reputation.
The guys Akron would want is 5th year senior, Michael Finke and Sophomore guard, Mark Smith (Mr. Illinois).
Finke is a true stretch 4 with size. He's 6'-10". He struggles on defense at times, but boy can he light it up from beyond the arch. He's a great teammate and distributes so well for a big. For one year, while Sayles and E-man are still developing this would be an awesome get.
Mark Smith struggled at times as a freshman at Illinois, but the talent is there. He can score on all three levels and a great fit for what Groce runs.
Te'Jon Lucas is a pass first, second and third floor general. But a very good floor general. On the good side, he is a tough defender, can run the offense, makes the right pass and finishes well at the rim. His weaknesses which really didn't improve much his Sophomore year is he is not a great shooter and below average from the free-throw line. It is so important for the point guard in Groce's system to be able to bury the NBA three. It forces the opponent out. As much as I do like Te'Jon and think he would be of value, there are guys Groce is recruiting now that would be better for Akron in the long term.
I hope this helps.