Rick Barnes and the Tennessee Vols are in a tough spot with the transfer portal, but a late portal entry could be a perfect solution

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Rick Barnes and the Tennessee Vols have been on fire in the NCAA transfer portal this offseason, but there’s still work to be done. The Vols still need to add another scoring threat from the portal.

Rick Barnes and the Tennessee Vols have been very productive in the NCAA transfer portal this offseason, landing five transfer additions so far.

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The Vols’ work this offseason, however, isn’t done yet.

Tennessee still needs to add an elite scorer.

The top two options to fill that role for the Vols next season are Nate Ament, who is considering the 2026 NBA Draft after a solid freshman season on Rocky Top, and Wake Forest transfer guard Juke Harris, who is also considering the draft, along with considering Michigan and North Carolina.

There’s no guarantee either player will suit up for the Vols next season, and their decisions could drag out for another month.

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“You’re looking at another month (for a decision from Ament),” said VolQuest’s Austin Price this week on 104.5 The Zone. “These kids are going to go through the NBA Draft process. I think, at minimum, another two to three weeks (for a decision). Same thing with Juke Harris in a lot of ways. And so you’re really at their mercy. That’s the hard part for Rick (Barnes) and company is they could end up with a big late addition, or they could see both end up going to the NBA. Or you could have Nate go to the NBA and Juke come back to college and not pick Tennessee.”

A “backup option” for Tennessee just entered the NCAA transfer portal

Some folks may disagree, but I think landing either Ament or Harris is more of a need for the Vols than a want. I think Tennessee needs a dynamic go-to scoring option to truly make this a championship-contending roster next season.

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I also think there’s a good chance that Tennessee ends up with either Ament or Harris, but the Vols would be wise to protect themselves in case they miss out on both.

That’s why Tennessee should check…

Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/articles/rick-barnes-tennessee-vols-tough-113700740.html

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Publish date : 2026-04-23 11:37:00

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