What Rick Barnes could address for Tennessee basketball with two roster spots

Tennessee lost its top six scorers from last season. Guard Bishop Boswell (Maryland), forward J.P. Estrella (Michigan) and forward Jaylen Carey (Missouri) all transferred. Seniors Ja'Kobi Gillespie and Felix Okpara depleted their college eligibility and will turn to professional careers along with freshman forward Nate Ament, who declared for the 2026 NBA Draft.

Guards Amari Evans (Texas) and Clarence Massamba (UC Davis) and forward Cade Phillips (Texas A&M) also transferred. The Vols' seven portal additions bring a combined 85.9 points, 23.8 rebounds and 12.9 assists per game through 322 career starts.

Here's a glimpse at the depth chart for the 2026-27 season.

Guards

• Dai Dai Ames, 6-foot-2 Cal transfer, one year eligibility
• Marquis Clark, 6-1 high school signee, four years eligibility
• Troy Henderson, 6-1 Tennessee returner, three years eligibility
• Terrence Hill Jr., 6-3 VCU transfer, two years eligibility
• Tyler Lundblade, 6-5 Belmont grad transfer, one year eligibility

Wings

• Manny Green, 6-6 high school signee, four years eligibility
• Jalen Haralson, 6-7 Notre Dame transfer, three years eligibility
• Juke Harris, 6-7 Wake Forest transfer, two years eligibility
• Ralph Scott, 6-8 high school signee, four years eligibility
• Chris Washington Jr., 6-9 high school signee, four years eligibility

Forwards

• DeWayne Brown II, 6-8 Tennessee returner, three years eligibility
• Braedan Lue, 6-9 Kennesaw State transfer, two years eligibility
• Miles Rubin, 6-10 Loyola (Chicago) transfer, one year eligibility

Remaining needs for Tennessee basketball

The current roster displays a lack of depth in the frontcourt rotation. Tennessee had five forwards entering last season, though it was cut down to four after Phillips' season-ending shoulder injury.

The Vols fared well with injuries to Estrella and Okpara because of their forward depth. In its current state, an injury would force them to play small by moving Haralson or one of the freshman wings into the post. Tennessee recently hosted high school recruit Favour Ibe, a 7-1 center from Maryland, per media reports. The four-star recruit and No. 5 player in the state could help fortify the frontcourt room.

Another facilitating, pass-first point guard could also prove useful for the Vols. Hill is slotted in that role now as a potential starter, though both Ames and Henderson will likely be asked to handle playmaking responsibilities. Ames has never averaged more than 2.2 assists per game in his career, and Henderson's freshman season was stunted by injury. Another ballhandling guard could relieve pressure in the backcourt.

Wynton Jackson covers high school sports for Knox News. Email: wynton.jackson@knoxnews.com

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This article originally appeared on Knoxville News Sentinel: Tennessee basketball roster needs for 2026-27 season includes forward, guard depth