After missing out on Julian Phillips, where does Auburn basketball go next?

The 5-star forward would have been a monster exclamation point for the Tigers' reload, but they still have a ton of talent, depth and flexibility.

HC Bruce Pearl (Matthew Shannon/Auburn Athletics)

With the recent hot streak that Auburn basketball has been riding, Thursday afternoon might have been the return of a feeling that’s become more and more unfamiliar for Tigers fans — Bruce Pearl and his team missing out on an elite player.

Five-star forward Julian Phillips, a player who would have been the second-highest rated signee in program history behind Jabari Smith, has committed to Tennessee over Auburn. (Phillips had other options listed in his final six, but this ultimately came down to an Auburn vs. Tennessee fight, per the experts.)

There’s no denying that Phillips would have been a massive addition for Auburn, which was going for its second 5-star “flip” from LSU of the offseason after landing Yohan Traore in late March. Phillips is an extremely athletic, highly versatile slasher who would have been one of the best offensive wings Pearl has ever signed.

But the fact of the matter is that Phillips would have been a luxury picku…