The very man who guided NC State to the ACC title after 37 years is parting ways with the program. It wasn’t that long ago that Kevin Keatts was on top of NC State basketball. However, a season after leading the Wolfpack to their first Final Four since 1983, everything changed. Just like that. The highs turned into lows in a flash. A year later, NC State moved on from Keatts and, as such, now has to write a $7.8 million buyout check to keep the peace. With Keatts out, the Wolfpack are deep in the search for his replacement.

Two names have already surfaced here in the early stages: Will Wade and Justin Gainey. Wade is fresh off a run of success with McNeese State, while Gainey is a former NC State player with multiple years of coaching experience under his belt. So, who has the best shot? Experts weigh in. On Field of 68: After Dark podcast, Rob Dauster asked Jeff Goodman about Wade’s chances of landing the job: “There’s been movement towards the direction of Will Wade being the guy for NC State. Do you know anything about that? Do you have any information on what’s happening there?”

Goodman’s response: “Yeah, they met yesterday. According to my sources, they met yesterday. The big question is whether Texas will move quickly enough on Rodney Terry and if they are working back channels right now to keep Will Wade warm. I think Will Wade is smart enough to know that now’s the time. I believe NC State is a job that he would like because can’t you see Will Wade loving to fight Duke and Carolina, being the underdog against them? He fits the fan base better than anybody—better than anybody you could possibly pick.”

Wade’s résumé speaks for itself. McNeese State was on their path of downfall before his arrival. Just a year later, they were back-to-back Southland Conference champions with consecutive appearances in the NCAA Tournament. And keep in mind that McNeese hadn’t experienced a winning season in more than 10 years prior to Wade. The Cowboys were 55-10 over Wade’s two seasons in charge. If NC State wants to turn things around fast, Wade is likely the answer.

But adding Wade does not come without some costs. He is known for his fiery demeanor. Wade can certainly be tough on his players between the lines. But he works behind the scenes to win his players’ trust. Can NC State afford to make a splash like that on a strapped shoestring budget?

Kevin Keatts: A costly goodbye for NC State

Keatts’ extension was a considerable part of the money hole NC State has now stepped into. Here is how USA Today’s Steve Berkowitz phrased it. “Per his contract — which was automatically extended by two years, thru 4/15/2030, b/c Wolfpack won last season’s ACC tournament — Keatts will be owed buyout of about $7.8 million. Subject to his duty to mitigate and NC State being entitled to offset from his future income.”

This isn’t a one-time payout either. NC State will be paying Kevin Keatts in installments over what would have been the remainder of his initial contract. USA Today confirmed that, writing, “Keatts will be owed a buyout of about $7.8 million, which will be paid over the remainder of his contract term.”

There’s a little silver lining for the State though. The Wolfpack’s bill for severance pay is subject to a “duty to mitigate” clause. In their contract, this means that if Kevin Keatts gets another coaching job before his contract is supposed to end, the State would have to pay less. Or rather, as one source put it: “If he were to get another coaching job before then, NC State would get some of its obligation offset by whatever he would earn from a new coaching position”.

Keatts ends his run at NC State with an overall record of 151-113 and 69-84 in the ACC. There were highs and lows in his time in Raleigh, but he brought the program back into the spotlight. And after halting a very expensive transition, they will hope that the next leader can put this program back on the map for the long haul.