I love Giorgi but he’s hardly irreplaceable. Their offensive stats are comparable and Payne is a more capable defender.
Tempo says we are a 6 seed with Giorgi. He then claims we are lucky to be a 8 seed in NIT team without him.
It is somewhere in between.
I do think you are not considering Giorgi's production as full time center his freshman year which was 12/5 in 26 mpg.
I think with freshman production Giorgi and a couple immediate rotation transfers and Hutcherson contributing we can maybe sneak into tourney.
Payne did not do much in 15 mpg and has some head issues obviously. Pass on him.