So If I have got this right

[Jason94]

As of right now the players we have for sure coming back (or at least have not announced they were going into the portal or declaring for the draft) are as follows:

Ezra Manjon
Colin Smith
Lee Dort
Paul Lewis
Isaiah West
JaQualon Roberts
Carter Lang

Lawrence could come back and in my mind would seem likely to come back assuming he also doesn't want to enter the portal.

Assuming he does our depth is as follows:

PG - Manjon, Lewis, West
SG - Lawrence, West
SF - Roberts
PF - Smith
C - Dort, Lang

We are a bit thin and inexperienced in the post now that we've had Robbins, QMB, Stute and Dia leave, but there is talent there. Seems like CJS has to be hitting the portal hard for the following (in order of need)

PF/C (2)
Wing (2)
SG (1)

The good news is that there are currently 1315 transfers in the portal according to verbal commits, though I don't know how updated it is any how many of those have already found new homes. A cursory (and by no means exhaustive) search of centers who haven't found new homes came up with three intriguing names (without any idea of interest or academic compatibility):

Keegan Records from Colgate;
Micah Handlogten from Marshall;
Kel'el Ware form Oregon

I'd be ecstatic if we landed Handlogten based on his numbers, similarly excited about Ware, and slightly less so about Records, but think all three would be a potentially large improvement over QMB.

Again, this is just looking through the first 30 or so centers listed on verbal commits in the portal and giving a quick review of the numbers. Assuming there are 200 centers that are on the portal, I would guess that there are probably close to two dozen who would be pretty large improvements over QMB, and of those I'd guess at least a half dozen would be able to get into Vanderbilt.

I imagine if we did similar searches at wing we would find 50 players who are a solid improvement over Thomas and 15-20 of those could get into Vanderbilt.

This is to say that odds are there are a lot of players out there who would represent an improvement over who we just lost to the portal. The question is how do we identify them and get in touch. Were it my full time job I think this would be relatively easy. But the staff has to approach the portal much like they would recruiting HS prospects. The difference is that there is a much better chance of identifying players who are likely to be strong contributors immediately. Plenty of tape of all of these players playing against D1 competition exist. Advanced stats are very good at picking out players who are likely to succeed in the SEC.

In previous seasons this amount of turnover would result in us having a rebuilding year, like 2013 or 2014. The correct approach in this environment can not only avoid a rebuilding season, but also give us a chance to immediately improve us over last year.

While some may see what has gone with the portal as potential disaster, I see it as a really big opportunity if the staff embraces the new landscape which we currently find ourselves. Especially if Lawrence returns, then the core consists of two guards who should be on any expanded all-SEC list.

[Minoadoc]

1-2 transfers can be transformational. There is a new world order, and it is being a player in the portal

[Versus75]

Lewis has a good outside shot. I thought he teamed well with Manjon in the backcourt.