The coronavirus has pushed the college basketball offseason up by a few weeks, accelerating coaching staff changes and players finalizing their plans.

NC State finished 20-12 overall and 10-10 in the ACC and appeared to be on its way to playing in the NCAA Tournament. Then everything came to a grinding halt and postponements became cancellations.

Here are five themes for the offseason that will help NC State avoid the bubble life next year.

NCSU assistant coach Takayo Siddle was hired this past week by UNC Wilmington, where he had previously served in the same position under coach Kevin Keatts. Siddle is the second member of Keatts’ staff to become a head coach, joining A.W. Hamilton, who was hired at Eastern Kentucky in the spring of 2018.

NC State director of operations Travis Hackert could be following Siddle, getting a bump up to assistant coach. With likely at least two openings, the Wolfpack could shuffle people around. If both Roy Roberson and James Johnson maintain their current assistant coaching jobs, then the Wolfpack will just need to hire an assistant coach to recruit on the road.

Siddle helped recruit in–state players, so that role will need to get filled. Johnson could handle it if asked, but Roberson has mostly recruited out-of-state prospects.

It's worth noting that every coach Keatts has hired has been someone with a strong connection to him, whether they’ve coached in the past, played together in college, have played for him or are long-time friends.

Another year, another NBA Draft decision.

NC State tried to land Rivals.com five-star class of 2018 shooting guard Anfernee Simons, but he picked the NBA and went in the first round to the Portland Trail Blazers.

NCSU did sign four-star point guard Jalen Lecque, who bypassed college and went undrafted. However, the Phoenix Suns gave him a four-year deal with the first two guaranteed at $800,000 annually.

Now, the Wolfpack are in a similar position in having signed Durham native Josh Hall of Hickory (N.C.) Moravian Prep. The Rivals.com No. 22-ranked prospect brings a sophisticated offensive arsenal at about 6-foot-8 and 190 pounds. If the NBA gives Hall the go-ahead, odds are he could bypass the college experience. What remains to be seen is if the coronavirus wreaks havoc on the draft process, and by extension complicates players like Hall with decisions to make.

The problem for NC State is most of the players hoping to transfer could be making their decision before Hall does. NC State held onto Lecque's fate last year and it didn’t pan out.

College basketball as a whole has put off recruiting until April 15, and that can easily change further. Coaches were supposed to hit the road for two weekends in April, starting April 19, but the events run by Nike, adidas and Under Armour have all been canceled.

At some point the coaches will get to watch the recruits and host them for visits. No one knows when that will happen, but when it does, it will be a shortened window and maybe take on some of the elements of speed dating.

NC State will have to rely more on evaluations made during the high school season than ever before. Some players that get offered will be off of limited viewings. The good news is that the class of 2021 could be a smaller one for NC State, and Farmville (N.C.) Central High junior wing Terquavion Smith is already verbally committed. NC State might not have too many scholarships to fill.

Normally it isn’t that hard for the players to turn the corner and look forward to next year, but that will be put to the challenge.

The returning players gave it their all for months and didn’t get to enjoy the fruits of their labor. Then add in the concept that the seniors could get another year of eligibility, and this could be a wild offseason.

Junior guard Braxton Beverly played under duress this season with back issues, and some of the other players likely had minor little aches and pains. To not get a chance to play postseason ball will sting for the players, but that feeling probably will end up even more lasting for the coaches.

At some point the Wolfpack will have to turn the page on something that doesn’t have any closure, and that’s not easy. NC State will have at least eight newcomers next season who will be hungry to make names for themselves, but a nice nucleus does return with rising fifth-year seniors wing Devon Daniels, and post player D.J. Funderburk.

Whether it is Beverly or incoming freshmen Cam Hayes or Shakeel Moore, the point guard position may be wild competition next October.

Beverly has the most experience and could be an adequate replacement. Hayes and Moore have the athletic ability and jump shots to be effective at point guard, but the adjustment for a freshman floor general is never easy.

Moore has had five years of high school basketball to prepare for his first year at NC State. He's the most athletic of the guards. Hayes is ranked higher of the two Greensboro, N.C., natives, checking in at No. 69 overall in the class of 2020. Hayes is smooth and has a pretty mid-range pull-up jumper.

Becoming that badly-needed leader on next year's team will be a challenge, whether it is a freshman or a senior in Beverly.

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