In economics, they call it creative destruction. New and improved innovations and technologies flood the marketplace. Performance improves, efficiency rises — and people lose their jobs. Adapt or move on.

In Spokane, the spring of 2010 was one of the more creative, destructive, but perhaps auspicious moments in Gonzaga hoops history. And, at least for some once-prized recruits now playing elsewhere, that “destruction” will amount to playing time the Bulldogs and coach Mark Few simply couldn’t offer.

So while fans around the program might see the recent transfers of Andy Poling, Grant Gibbs and G.J. Vilarino — a former Kentucky commit — as a sign of instability or a blow to depth, Few sees it differently. “You want kids to be able to reach goals, and when they come to us and want an assessment on where they stand within the program — not just based on who is here, but who is coming in — we’re honest with them,” says Few. “But this was amicable on both sides. We want these guys to be successful, and they understand that.”

In the meantime, fans of the program who often wanted small-major charm with high-major results will get a better understanding of the competition level maintained within big-time programs. North Carolina saw a pair of former McDonald’s All-Americans transfer this spring, but nobody is worried about the state of the program. And, as Few reminds, “The benchmark in this program is still hard work. We bring in guys that work hard and expect them to push the established guys.”

Creative destruction means that even good products must improve to keep up with the flood of talent on the way in. And the faucet is running at the The Kennel.

Welcome to Campus

Marquise Carter, 6-foot-4 combo guard (juco transfer)

When Few describes what Carter can do well, it sounds like a description of what Gonzaga will be missing from Matt Bouldin, who led the team in scoring last season at 15.7 points per game. While Bouldin is trying to latch on with the Chicago Bulls, Carter could be filling multiple roles. “He shoots it well from 3, he’s a good passer, a solid penetrator,” said Few. “He really has a complete game. He should shore up a lot of areas.”

While Carter was a late find in the recruiting process — the Zags saw scholarships come open with the spring departures — he wasn’t some unknown. After he dominated at the junior college national tournament, Gonzaga had to fight off the likes of Oklahoma and other power programs for his services.

Sam Dower, 6-9 PF/C (redshirt)

“He could have helped us last year,” says Zags assistant Tommy Lloyd. “There’s no question.” One of the top 25 high school centers in the country in his 2009 recruiting class, Dower was chased by Big Ten, Big East and Pac-10 programs but instead came to Spokane. He has since pounded the weights — “He’s a lot stronger than he was when he got here,” says Few — and has been banging in practice with Elias Harris and Robert Sacre, the duo many consider among the top five C/PF combos in the college game. Expect Dower to back up both positions, finish well with his left hand — “he’s got a lot of offensive game all the way out to 18 feet” says Lloyd — and help Gonzaga dominate on the glass.

Keegan Hyland, 6-4 SG

It’s hard to project a ceiling for Hyland, who saw his recruiting from the majors fall off when a hip injury all but eliminated his senior year. But the staff sees a player with a great work ethic and shooting range out to Hamilton Ave. “He’s got Derek Raivio’s work ethic,” says Few. “He’s always working. And he makes shots.” Hyland is a redshirt candidate because, as Few says, there won’t be many times when Steven Gray isn’t on the court.

Mathis Keita, 6-5 SG

Keita was a classic mystery find by the Gonzaga staff, a European whose skills are difficult to project because of questions about the level of competition. That said, given what has happened in recent years with the likes of Ronny Turiaf and Harris, Few and overseas recruiting honcho Lloyd know what they’re looking at. (Lloyd was abroad three times this summer alone.) “Keita’s a guy that can do a lot of things, so we just need to get him in here and get a feel for where he can help,” says Lloyd. That could be anywhere across a three-guard backcourt.

Mathis Monninghoff, 6-7 SF

Few and his staff can neither confirm nor deny whether Monninghoff will be with the Zags in 2010, per NCAA rules. But the smart money says the Micah Downs clone, who played for the U-18 German national team, could be an impact player with the Zags. A long winger, he can shoot the 3, drive and finish at the rim, and given his experience recruiting Harris, Lloyd has a better feel for the level of competition abroad. Given the star Harris became almost overnight, excitement over Monninghoff should be real if he’s indeed on campus in September.

Hole to Fill: Outside shooting

According to Kenpom.com, the Zags were 309th out of 347 qualifying teams in the percentage of the team’s points scored on 3-pointers, and Bouldin accounted for a third of those triples as the most effective regular shooter. But aside from Carter, keep an eye on 6-7 Mangisto “Manny” Arop, who as a sophomore should be ready to start at small forward. “He’s improved his outside shooting,” says Few. “This is an opportunity for him.” Also keep an eye on 6-10 sophomore Kelly Olynyk, who has expanded both his game and his size. “He’s added some good weight,” says Few. The Zags need to be able to make 3s to keep teams from sagging too hard on their powerful front line. “I’m pretty confident teams won’t be able to play off us,” says Few. And if defenders back off Harris, he’ll also gladly pull the trigger from deep.

New Role: Steven Gray

Gray may not be the leading scorer on the Zags this season — he averaged 13.6 points last season to Harris’ 14.9 — but the lone starting senior will become both the top perimeter threat for the Bulldogs and the de facto leader of the team with Bouldin’s departure. Expect to see Gray with the ball in his hands a lot in 2010. While he often handed off ball-handling duties to natural point Demetri Goodson and the deft-passing Bouldin, Gray has the ability to attack defenders off the dribble and finish at the rim. When the Zags “go big” with a lineup of Carter, Gray, Arop or Olynyk, Harris and Sacre, you could see a lineup that will dominate the glass but also one that relies on Gray as both a deep threat, passer and floor-leader.

Summer School

A pair of players that might normally be spending the summer working on their respective national teams, Arop and Harris, have instead been getting fully healthy after injuries — and surgery, in the case of Arop. But Few expects both to be 100 percent when school starts. Olynyk has been working toward a full-time spot on the Canadian national team. According to the coaches, Goodson has been working hard on his shooting. While he’s a tremendous defender, Goodson’s ability to drive and pass has been hurt by defenses willing to back off and allow him to fire away from 3. Goodson was just 4-of-29 from 3 last season, and it’s clear that Carter’s presence puts his minutes in jeopardy.

Sacre is continuing to develop what was, at times, an extremely effective back-to-the-basket game. As a true 7-footer, with further offensive development, he could emerge as a legit NBA center prospect.

Then there’s the summer work for the coaches. Few knows he and his staff will also have to be creative in dishing out minutes to what could be another deep team. The Zags have emerged from Cinderella to the cemented elite. Now they’re facing the kinds of “problems” other majors deal with, such as expectations they could again lose a sophomore to the early portion of the NBA draft next spring — the course many scouts see Harris on.

But with possibly the program’s best recruiting class ever still a year away, there are already solutions being readied for the current reality — the knowledge that attrition isn’t just a symptom of the weak.

Chris Sprow is an editor for ESPN Insider.