2025 Transfer Portal Thread

Sorry if this lineup has already been posted, but this seems like the ideal realistic finish

Gil/Boswell/Henderson
Rice/Atwell
Freeman/Evans
Ament/Carey/Brown
Okpara/Cade/JP

But that could be too optimistic. Seems like an expensive group
 
That was what Kennedy Chandler was trying to do as he was being recruited. I don‘t recall any influence he had over any in our class. My opinion is that transfers may, or may not, be swayed by a recruiting pitch from their peers. In the end, I would say it rarely happens.

That 2021 class was the highest ranked in Barnes’ tenure here…

4 top 100 players, 2 5 stars 2 4 stars and 5th ranked in country…it obviously helped KC recruiting
 
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No, Phillips was a complete dud.

Top 15 HS kid that gave you 8 & 5 in 24 minutes.

JJJ had better numbers as a Freshman & people constantly complained he was a bust.

Keon & Springer both scored more than JP too in their one year campaigns. Julian is probably the biggest miss we’ve seen for a 1 & done. Not a bad season, but well below expectations for what was spent to land him.
Definitely the biggest miss. I think my original point was that he wasn’t durable enough at 18. He had arm, wrist, hip injuries nonstop that year. JJJ arrived as a man, not a stick figure.
 
I understand that they’re different by player. Carey could be today/tomorrow if all the academic stuff reads as clear. With Ament, I think it’s very short now/never thing. Rice is ongoing and we weren’t at offer terms last night. The goal is to finish anything we can before the 10th when dead period ends.
Makes sense, thank you for the clarity!
 
Definitely the biggest miss. I think my original point was that he wasn’t durable enough at 18. He had arm, wrist, hip injuries nonstop that year. JJJ arrived as a man, not a stick figure.

Yeah, I actually think Evans is gonna surprise folks this year for that reason.

He is already built like Gainey is this year.
 
No, Phillips was a complete dud.

Top 15 HS kid that gave you 8 & 5 in 24 minutes.

JJJ had better numbers as a Freshman & people constantly complained he was a bust.

Keon & Springer both scored more than JP too in their one year campaigns. Julian is probably the biggest miss we’ve seen for a 1 & done. Not a bad season, but well below expectations for what was spent to land him.
JP should've stuck around another season and gotten developed. Now he's either slumming it at the end of the Bulls bench or riding a bus in the G-League, depending on the day.
 
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Are we really debating whether or not to take a top 5 prospect???

I'm not questioning it other than if it impacts our ability to build out a complete squad with the amount of holes we have to fill. Just finished watching some clips of Ament, and he is potentially on a different level than anyone we've had here in the Barnes era. It's my hope that the level of commitment to the program is such that we do whatever is necessary to bring this kid to Knoxville while filling out the team.
 
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Kind of weird you guys are talking yourself out of a top 5 player who could be a top 5 pick, just because Julian Phillips didn’t live up the his hype. JP’s offensive ability is nowhere close to Ament. Did y’all see the first 3 points scored in the McD game? The move he pulled and drained that three in that dudes eye is something JP could only do in his dreams. Looked like a move KD would do as a freshman.
 
JP should've stuck around another season and gotten developed. Now he's either slumming it at the end of the Bulls bench or riding a bus in the G-League, depending on the day.

Kennedy and Springer needed another season here as well, especially Springer. Chandler was always going to be too small to really have a shot to be an NBA rotation player, but Springer had the physical tools but needed to further refine his game if at all possible. He's still an elite defensive player, but offers little to nothing on offense, which kills him in today's NBA.
 
Kind of weird you guys are talking yourself out of a top 5 player who could be a top 5 pick, just because Julian Phillips didn’t live up the his hype. JP’s offensive ability is nowhere close to Ament. Did y’all see the first 3 points scored in the McD game? The move he pulled and drained that three in that dudes eye is something JP could only do in his dreams. Looked like a move KD would do as a freshman.
That’s what I’m saying…idc if he potentially limits us in getting 1-2 other players that are nowhere near his ability. If we get Ament then you can likely find 1-2 budget options
 
Interesting updates. What's the story with Jaland Lowe?

Also -- for whatever reason my favorite player in the portal is Gabriel Pozzato. Excited to see his name bolded. Can you offer any insight there?

Thanks
Agree. I really like Pozzato's film. Better athlete than I thought he would be and is young so would have a couple of years to develop.
 
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So, as things stand right now, this is what we’re looking like for next year’s roster, correct? So, 4 open roster spots right now. Feels like all 4 need to be impact players if we want to be a top-end roster again. That’s a lot of unproven minutes on the bench right now.

PG: Jakobi Gillespie
SG: Open Slot
SF: Open Slot
PF: Cade Phillips
C: Felix Okpara


Bench: J.P. Estrella
Bench: Bishop Boswell
Bench: Amari Evans
Bench: Troy Henderson
Bench: DeWayne Brown
Bench: Open Slot
Bench: Open Slot

——-

If 15-man scholarship rule is enacted:
Bench: Kennedy Okpara
Bench: Open Slot
You only listed 12 spots, 13 is the current limit, current room for 5 more, 4 if we add Carey
 
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I think many are underestimating Carey’s contribution at both ends. Bigs hate playing against a guy like Carey. He’s very physical with his lower body and makes you pay if you go up in traffic or fight him for a rebound. He has better footwork on offense than any of our bigs, except JP. He clears space, but also has the footwork to score beyond putbacks. He’ll be a great fit.
So. is it a done deal
 
I understand that they’re different by player. Carey could be today/tomorrow if all the academic stuff reads as clear. With Ament, I think it’s very short now/never thing. Rice is ongoing and we weren’t at offer terms last night. The goal is to finish anything we can before the 10th when dead period ends.
Grade issue with someone from Candy----surely you jest
 
My ideal finish:

Gillespie, Rice, Pozzato, Atwell, Carey.

Ament if we can avoid a Julian Phillips situation where his development becomes the storyline of the season.

Room for another long big or combo guard. Maybe a high potential type that didn't produce a ton as a freshman or sophomore. Or an MJ Collins type.
I would take "Gillespie, Rice, Pozzato, Atwell and Carey" without question. They seem to complement each other's game, provide multiple shooters we need, Carey would be our best post offensive player on Day 1 and Pozzato has some unrealized upside in my opinion. Plus, they would allow us to push tempo alot more than we did last year. Ament would bring excitement, but I don't think our experience with the one and done's has been entirely positive for the program and his NIL level may leave us with some holes we can't afford to fill.
 
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