If Cuonzo is lured away from TBA (for money, for the petition, whatever floats your boat) is the $5M buyout for Bruce Pearl the best money Hart could spend at this time?
Here's the rub though: paying the Auburn buyout would simultaneously be the best move the AD could make if Cuonzo finds greener pastures and also demonstrate his colossal incompetence (for those not already aware).
I think it highly likely Hart never approached BP with a "Don't be too quick to take something; you're in our thoughts. See how it plays out first." If Hart keeps his options open, if he defies Jimmy the Cheek, if he was working to advance UT athletics, it is possible we could have Bruce Pearl ready to fill the (potential) void.
Dave "sit on hands" Hart though has, once again, sat on his hands. If Cuonzo leaves, Hart has already failed (again).