Jon Rothstein watched Syracuse practice last week and came away with an assessment that should get Orange fans’ attention.

“I’m not in love with the Syracuse talent,” the CBS Sports college basketball insider said.

That’s not exactly what fans want to hear heading into Gerry McNamara’s first season. But Rothstein also believes in G-Mac’s coaching and thinks they can overachieve because of it. He identified several players who could give G-Mac something to work with — and offered clues about what Syracuse might expect from each of them.

For a fan base that hasn’t seen this team play a game together, the individual assessments are more revealing than the overall verdict.

Garwey Dual: Can the former top-50 recruit finally break through?

Rothstein pointed to Dual’s pedigree but also his winding college career.

“Garwey Dual again is going to take another crack at the power conference level,” Rothstein said, noting his previous stops at Providence and Seton Hall. “He’s a multiple-school guy, but he was a top-50 player out of high school.”

That’s the intrigue with Dual. His recruiting reputation suggests ability, but he arrives at Syracuse still looking to establish himself as a consistent high-major contributor. Rothstein sees another opportunity for him to do it.

Aiden Tobiason: A major offensive role on the perimeter?

Rothstein described the Temple transfer as a “talented offensive player” who will “hope to have a major, major role on the perimeter.”

That’s a meaningful expectation for a newcomer. Syracuse needs perimeter players who can create offense, and Rothstein sees Tobiason as someone who could be asked to carry a substantial share of that responsibility.

Whether he can deliver it against ACC competition is one of the roster’s unanswered questions.

Kiyan Anthony: What comes after an eight-point freshman season?

Rothstein’s assessment of Anthony was brief but telling: He noted that the sophomore averaged “about eight points a game as a freshman.”

He didn’t single out Anthony as a breakout candidate or predict a dramatic leap. But the mention underscores an obvious question for Syracuse: How much more can Anthony give the Orange in Year 2?

If the roster lacks established stars, improvement from returning players becomes especially important.

Sadiq White: Rothstein’s breakout pick

Here’s the player Rothstein sounded most eager to identify as a potential riser.

“Sadiq White, I think, is a breakout guy,” he said.

Unlike his more measured descriptions of Dual and Anthony, Rothstein offered a direct prediction about White. He didn’t specify how large a statistical leap to expect, but he clearly sees a player capable of taking on a bigger role.

For fans looking for a name to watch when the season begins, White is the one Rothstein explicitly circled.

Luke Wilson: Size and physicality inside

Rothstein described the Appalachian State transfer as a “big, physical body in the middle of the paint.”

That’s a straightforward assessment of what Wilson brings: an interior presence. Rothstein didn’t project him as an All-ACC player or a featured scorer, but he identified a role Syracuse will need filled.

The question is how much that physicality can help the Orange against ACC frontcourts.

The roster has questions. Rothstein’s faith is in G-Mac.

After running through those players, Rothstein delivered his broader verdict: “I’m not in love with the Syracuse talent, but I am also giving the benefit of the doubt of who’s coaching these players.”

He called McNamara “as competitive a person as I have ever come across in 20 years on this beat” and said he believes in him as Syracuse’s head coach.

That’s encouraging. But Rothstein’s player-by-player breakdown makes clear why this season is such an interesting test of McNamara’s coaching.

Can Dual turn his high school pedigree into ACC production? Can Tobiason handle a major offensive role? Will Anthony take a sophomore leap? Is White ready to break out? Can Wilson give Syracuse the physical presence it needs inside?

Rothstein believes G-Mac can coach. What he isn’t yet convinced of is how much talent G-Mac has to coach.