2021-2022 Season: Who Stays/Who Goes?

[DocVol]

Silver lining to this historic slide—maybe we don’t see Springer and Keon leave as one-and-dones?

Or are they out either way?

What’s next years roster realistically look like now (if anything has changed)?

 

[supersmo18]

I think Springer is gone. Keon, I'm feeling 50/50 on. He's super talented but I'm just not seeing it consistently enough, and maybe that's got some to do with the rotation, I don't know. I think we'll still have JJJ next year as well.

 

[OrangeBeachVol]

Unless Barnes hits the transfer portal for bigs, we are going to have no real presence in the paint. May have to play with a 5 guard scheme. Will not end well.

 

[Stoerner Fumbles]

I think Springer is gone. Keon, I'm feeling 50/50 on. He's super talented but I'm just not seeing it consistently enough, and maybe that's got some to do with the rotation, I don't know. I think we'll still have JJJ next year as well.

Keon is a top ten pick, and there isn’t much he can do wrong to change that outside of committing a felony. His floor is established, and everything else is upside. You just can’t tell a lottery pick to come back and work on his game.

 

[VolFreakJosh]

I think Springer is gone but Keon comes back.

Kennedy Chandler takes the starting PG role and SV is moved over to the wing.

Corey Walker should be back up to date next season.

 

[bleedingTNorange]

I believe Springer is more likely to go than Johnson, but I would bet both leave...Johnson’s family would be totally fine with him coming back if his stock slips past mid-1st round, if he’s projected Top 15 though he has to go. Springer on the other hand is out either way imo, his family has long banked on him being a one and done and that has been the plan in place for him.

As for next year, let’s say both Springer & Johnson leave along with Pons, but Anosike and Fulky return (they essentially won’t “count”), you have Chandler & Mashack incoming...

Chandler/Vescovi
Bailey/Mashack
James/Gaines
Walker/ORN/Pember
Fulk/Anosike/Plavsic

In the above scenario we have room to add 3 more players, again Fulky and Anosike wouldn’t count towards the scholarship limit. Either of them not returning doesn’t increase that number, but say Johnson or Springer returning would, essentially it’s 13 scholarships not counting Fulky/Anosike/Pons.

2 guys mentioned a good bit are Handje Tamba and Brandon Huntley-Hatfield, adding both of those guys changes the look quite a bit and would still allow room for 1 more.

Chandler/Vescovi
Bailey/Mashack
James/Gaines
Hatfield/Walker/ORN/Pember
Fulk/Anosike/Plavsic/Tamba

Although I will say I see Barnes leaving a spot open, this staff wanted Caleb Mills and to pursue Tschiebwe and they just didn’t have that option with their scholarship situation.

 

[keenobserver]

I think the best case scenerio is either JS or KJ decides to stay but I believe it's likely Pons, Springer, and K. Johnson are all gone. I predict Fulkerson opts to return for another season.

Landing a quality 6'9"-6'11" athletic transfer should be the absolute top priority for our team next season. One would think it would be an extremely attractive landing spot!

 

[TennesseeFan07]

Both freshman leave. You cannot turn down lottery pick money.

 

[BigOrangeFanatic]

Johnson, Springer, Pons are all gone.

Fulky is 50/50. He ain't making an NBA roster, but it will depend on if he decides to play overseas or get on with his life and pursue employment somewhere. Not sure what his current academic situation is, I assume he has his undergrad, not sure if he's working on a masters or has any desires there. But that could certainly play in to it as well.

I personally would go on and cut ties with Annosiki if we can get a suitable replacement. He's been extremely disappointing this year.

All JMO of course.

 

[BigOrangeFanatic]

Unless Barnes hits the transfer portal for bigs, we are going to have no real presence in the paint. May have to play with a 5 guard scheme. Will not end well.

It's been extremely worrisome to me why we haven't been able to recruit any bigs on or at least close to the level of the guards we've locked down the last couple of years.

 

[CAVPUT]

Think both Springer and KJ are gone. Hopefully Barnes will clean out the dead weight on the roster and be very, very active in the transfer market. Personally, I think Plavsic and Anosike need to move along. Not sold on Pember either. As for Fulky, I've kinda had enough of him, too. Might be a good fit in Europe.

If UT can find banger/rim protector and another solid guard to go along with Chandler, I think we'll be fine. If Huntley-Harfield reclassifies and signs with UT, we have the making of a very good roster.

 

[Thunder Good-Oil]

Johnson, Springer, Pons are all gone.

Fulky is 50/50. He ain't making an NBA roster, but it will depend on if he decides to play overseas or get on with his life and pursue employment somewhere. Not sure what his current academic situation is, I assume he has his undergrad, not sure if he's working on a masters or has any desires there. But that could certainly play in to it as well.

I personally would go on and cut ties with Annosiki if we can get a suitable replacement. He's been extremely disappointing this year.

All JMO of course.

Why cut Anosike? To save money?

 

[Border Vol]

I think Fulkerson and Pons stay while Johnson and Springer leave

 

[VOLED]

I believe Springer is more likely to go than Johnson, but I would bet both leave...Johnson’s family would be totally fine with him coming back if his stock slips past mid-1st round, if he’s projected Top 15 though he has to go. Springer on the other hand is out either way imo, his family has long banked on him being a one and done and that has been the plan in place for him.

As for next year, let’s say both Springer & Johnson leave along with Pons, but Anosike and Fulky return (they essentially won’t “count”), you have Chandler & Mashack incoming...

Chandler/Vescovi
Bailey/Mashack
James/Gaines
Walker/ORN/Pember
Fulk/Anosike/Plavsic

In the above scenario we have room to add 3 more players, again Fulky and Anosike wouldn’t count towards the scholarship limit. Either of them not returning doesn’t increase that number, but say Johnson or Springer returning would, essentially it’s 13 scholarships not counting Fulky/Anosike/Pons.

2 guys mentioned a good bit are Handje Tamba and Brandon Huntley-Hatfield, adding both of those guys changes the look quite a bit and would still allow room for 1 more.

Chandler/Vescovi
Bailey/Mashack
James/Gaines
Hatfield/Walker/ORN/Pember
Fulk/Anosike/Plavsic/Tamba

Although I will say I see Barnes leaving a spot open, this staff wanted Caleb Mills and to pursue Tschiebwe and they just didn’t have that option with their scholarship situation.

Interesting that you included Walker as a starter. Are you hearing anything about him?

 

[bleedingTNorange]

Interesting that you included Walker as a starter. Are you hearing anything about him?

It was more just to paint a picture oh who could be here than a prediction, if that was the roster I could see them going small with James at the 4, Vescovi the 2 and Bailey the 3.

 

[zjcvols]

Springer, Pons and Johnson are 100% gone. Springer and Johnson have talent and they will be first round picks. No way they come back. Pons already hurt his stock coming back bad enough, he can at least get a G-League salary.

Fulkerson will probably stay but who knows. Anosike already said he’s coming back.

I could see Pember or Gaines leaving. Neither will ever get minutes at UT. I’d say the same for Uros but he already transferred once.

 

[Thunder Good-Oil]

Springer, Pons and Johnson are 100% gone. Springer and Johnson have talent and they will be first round picks. No way they come back. Pons already hurt his stock coming back bad enough, he can at least get a G-League salary.

Fulkerson will probably stay but who knows. Anosike already said he’s coming back.

I could see Pember or Gaines leaving. Neither will ever get minutes at UT. I’d say the same for Uros but he already transferred once.

Gaines has been getting minutes right now.

 

[zjcvols]

Gaines has been getting minutes right now.

He’s averaging less than 4 mpg in the last 5 games and that’s mainly because JJJ is hurt. I guess if you want to be literal then yes he is getting minutes but they are not meaningful and probably will be back to 0 when JJJ comes back.

 

[Thunder Good-Oil]

He’s averaging less than 4 mpg in the last 5 games and that’s mainly because JJJ is hurt. I guess if you want to be literal then yes he is getting minutes but they are not meaningful and probably will be back to 0 when JJJ comes back.

Gaines has 3 years remaining after this one and when Springer, Keon, and JJJ leave there will be more minutes to go around. I could see Gaines and Vescovi as the primary wing defender and outside threat in 2 and 3 years.

 

[zjcvols]

Gaines has 3 years remaining after this one and when Springer, Keon, and JJJ leave there will be more minutes to go around. I could see Gaines and Vescovi as the primary wing defender and outside threat in 2 and 3 years.

Vescovi/JJJ/Bailey/Chandler/Mashack will all be ahead of him next year. That’s five guys. JJJ/Vescovi/Bailey/Mashack will all be around through 2023. And that’s not including any grad transfers or 2022 recruits. Gaines can’t shoot now and he’s still incredibly skinny despite being at UT for almost two years now. Where are the consistent minutes going to show up for him? Hell his minutes are down from last year.

 

[Thunder Good-Oil]

Vescovi/JJJ/Bailey/Chandler/Mashack will all be ahead of him next year. That’s five guys. JJJ/Vescovi/Bailey/Mashack will all be around through 2023. And that’s not including any grad transfers or 2022 recruits. Gaines can’t shoot now and he’s still incredibly skinny despite being at UT for almost two years now. Where are the consistent minutes going to show up for him? Hell his minutes are down from last year.

You said he won’t get any minutes. I don’t anticipate that JJJ stays beyond next year. Gaines has one more year than anybody other than Vescovi and Mashack and Mashack could easily be 2 and done.

 

[zjcvols]

You said he won’t get any minutes. I don’t anticipate that JJJ stays beyond next year. Gaines has one more year than anybody other than Vescovi and Mashack and Mashack could easily be 2 and done.

Not in the literal sense no. But if he wants consistent playing time it most likely won’t be at UT.

 

[Thunder Good-Oil]

Not in the literal sense no. But if he wants consistent playing time it most likely won’t be at UT.

You said it twice. The second time you said he will get zero minutes.

 

[zjcvols]

You said it twice. The second time you said he will get zero minutes.

Yes for this year when JJJ comes back I doubt he will be in the rotation.

You wanna place money on Davonte Gaines getting consistent minutes at UT be my guess but if it’s not happening now it probably won’t happen in the future.

 

[PACKERVOL]

I believe Springer is more likely to go than Johnson, but I would bet both leave...Johnson’s family would be totally fine with him coming back if his stock slips past mid-1st round, if he’s projected Top 15 though he has to go. Springer on the other hand is out either way imo, his family has long banked on him being a one and done and that has been the plan in place for him.

Very interesting. That's exactly what Rob Lewis said on the Volquest podcast on 2/23/21.