2026 Vols Transfer Portal Thread

[Jonboy]

 

[orbs son]

I really hope these guys get paid more than they would have here, but man this really is disheartening. I think apathy for college sports is about to sit in for a lot of fans.

 

[VFL10]

Was uncertainty character related or just staff process?

From looking at his highlights, maybe the concern was his ability to score from outside the paint. Alot of his scoring is driving to the basket (which I'm sure RB loves).

 

[cncchris33]

No lol. He genuinely got lucky

 

[cncchris33]

From looking at his highlights, maybe the concern was his ability to score from outside the paint. Alot of his scoring is driving to the basket (which I'm sure RB loves).

That's exactly what we're missing.

 

[VolZen]

I disagree about Estrella. He’s very skilled offensively and hasn’t logged many minutes in 3 years. I hate losing him.

I really like Estrella, but he has not been consistent. I know it is partly due to injuries, but he also has not produced consistently against good competition. He has a super high ceiling. We needed a consistent scoring threat inside this year and he didn't give us that on a regular basis.

 

[VolFan_stuck_in_the_901]

View attachment 824543

I mean folks fell for Todd Kirk's stuff last year, too, and even he had a couple right in the beginning to make himself appear "legitimate"

 

[D3Athlete]

View attachment 824543

The same person who figured out that Todd Kirk was lying is the same one about this.

 

[b_gann]

We’ll see what happens, plenty of good players out there…I’ve also always been vocal that I think the more you have to add in the portal the harder it is, the more hits you need and wide net you have to cast.

I'm just concerned we start playing in the waters with the teams hell bound on being basketball schools with money and get left at the alter. I'm not shocked JP got that number given the analytics suggesting more production is possible, but it's concerning if we can't retain our rotation guys due to cost. Logic would suggest better players would cost even more

They really need to hit on at least 3 high impact players (A PG, a SG/SF, and C), keep Burg, Evans, and Brown. Assuming we get Lundblade and Dowd, that's not a bad core.

 

[Vols410]

Hate to see these guys leave, but can't hold it against them. Until rules change (if they change), it's just one year contracts. Having a guy on roster gives you a leg up for next year, but both Barnes and the player have to decide if it works out.

I really hope it doesn't stay like this forever.

 

[TheMookieMonster]

5 left, Henderson, Evans, Burg, Carey & Brown although I think a couple more leaving is likely. I don’t necessarily love it, like you said I was a big proponent of needing to retain some guys, I don’t remember if I put a number out there on what I felt they needed to retain but definitely didn’t want a total flip. I get the premise and business side of it, time will tell, maybe they can do it with mostly new faces.

Thanks for the insight. You sounding this pessimistic about the overhaul definitely gives me pause about how this works out for us in the end. I do think we’ll sign some good players, and I don’t think we’ll be bad next year, but if the goal is to finally break through the Elite 8 barrier, likely just returning 2-3 guys on the roster, none of them majors contributors, feels like a huge risk going into next year.

 

[Ryanvols24]

This portal **** is wild we went from boosters love Barnes and are willing too pay too get him over the hump, too losing most the team and wondering if we can land some big fish and if we will pay what it takes its so crazy wild wild west

 

[cncchris33]

I mean folks fell for Todd Kirk's stuff last year, too, and even he had a couple right in the beginning to make himself appear "legitimate"

Todd Kirk's stuff became traceable, though. To call Cade Phillips ahead of his decision, well ahead of it I will add, is some all-time good "guessing". Akin to guessing Faizon Brandon will transfer and next Monday, it happens.

 

[YankeeVol]

I'm just concerned we start playing in the waters with the teams hell bound on being basketball schools with money and get left at the alter. I'm not shocked JP got that number given the analytics suggesting more production is possible, but it's concerning if we can't retain our rotation guys due to cost. Logic would suggest better players would cost even more

They really need to hit on at least 3 high impact players (A PG, a SG/SF, and C), keep Burg, Evans, and Brown. Assuming we get Lundblade and Dowd, that's not a bad core.

It's not due to cost, it's due to what the staff think they are worth.

 

[Vols410]

This portal **** is wild we went from boosters love Barnes and are willing too pay too get him over the hump, too losing most the team and wondering if we can land some big fish and if we will pay what it takes its so crazy wild wild west

If I have $15 million to spend on a (hopefully) championship roster, I'm not spending half of it on Estrella/Cade/Boswell. Love those guys, but the sky isn't falling.

 

[Ttucke11]

It's not due to cost, it's due to what the staff think they are worth.

Thats all fine and dandy until you're late in the portal cycle, everyone good is gone because they weren't "worth" the money, and you end up with Abram and Burg and have a black hole of scoring at the 2.

I think we are a little too methodical. Identify who you want and go get them/retain them.

The bargain bin will always have a few guys with a pulse at the end to fill out a roster.

 

[Vol49er]

Todd Kirk's stuff became traceable, though. To call Cade Phillips ahead of his decision, well ahead of it I will add, is some all-time good "guessing". Akin to guessing Faizon Brandon will transfer and next Monday, it happens.

Given what’s going on with the basketball teams let’s not tempt fate by even typing these words

 

[cncchris33]

It's not due to cost, it's due to what the staff think they are worth.

This. Staff sets a value on guys and makes an offer. Getting goaded into doubling your offer because others will pay more is how you poorly handle negotiations. You set a value with room for flexing and don't budge above your flex, especially when you have a big budget. If you let a player drive your values, you will constantly be playing (and paying) from a position of weakness. Everyone will see it and want theirs.

 

[orangejuice]

This portal **** is wild we went from boosters love Barnes and are willing too pay too get him over the hump, too losing most the team and wondering if we can land some big fish and if we will pay what it takes its so crazy wild wild west

I mean honestly, thats about how every portal season has gone in every sport. We usually end up fine to much more than fine and we usually have a very good portal class, but we have yet to have a portal class match the hype of pre-portal opening.

Edit: I want to add that this post isnt negative, in fact the opposite. I think we will end up in a good spot, it just wont be the headline grabbing portal class of all these HUGE names and big fish that everyone hypes up in their dreams.

 

[cncchris33]

Given what’s going on with the basketball teams let’s not tempt fate by even typing these words

That's actually more than fair.

 

[bleedingTNorange]

Thanks for the insight. You sounding this pessimistic about the overhaul definitely gives me pause about how this works out for us in the end. I do think we’ll sign some good players, and I don’t think we’ll be bad next year, but if the goal is to finally break through the Elite 8 barrier, likely just returning 2-3 guys on the roster, none of them majors contributors, feels like a huge risk going into next year.

Who knows, doing it the Barnes way has gotten us to the E8 3 straight times but no F4, maybe this strategy is more like for a F4

 

[orbs son]

It's not due to cost, it's due to what the staff think they are worth.

I feel like other schools are going to pay JP and BB more than what they are worth to our team. Yeah we can probably match what they are getting, but for the roster we are looking to build, they aren't worth matching.

 

[bleedingTNorange]

This portal **** is wild we went from boosters love Barnes and are willing too pay too get him over the hump, too losing most the team and wondering if we can land some big fish and if we will pay what it takes its so crazy wild wild west

I would suggest taking a step back and calming down a bit

 

[i2amavol]

Thanks for the insight. You sounding this pessimistic about the overhaul definitely gives me pause about how this works out for us in the end. I do think we’ll sign some good players, and I don’t think we’ll be bad next year, but if the goal is to finally break through the Elite 8 barrier, likely just returning 2-3 guys on the roster, none of them majors contributors, feels like a huge risk going into next year.

The problem, to me, is not the NCAA Tourney. It's everything that comes before it. Just like this past season, can we avoid a high number of losses that locks us out of the top seedings? Maybe so, it we bring in enough experience AND talent, but that would be my biggest concern: we have to gel as a team, which won't come overnight.

 

[VOLATNES]

Leaving: Ja'Kobi, Felix, Abram, JP, Cade, Bishop, Massamba
Returning: Troy, Evans, Brown, Burg, Carey
Incoming: Lundblade, Scott, Green, Clark

9 of 15 spots taken...I think we've got a HS F set to commit and they also likely have a portal target or two ready to announce once things open up officially.

Is Massamba official or still just assumed he will go?