In its first season of the post-Zach Edey period, the Purdue basketball workforce largely exceeded expectations however in the end collapsed within the Candy Sixteen with a heartbreaking loss to Houston. With out a clear sense of route on the workforce’s speedy future, Matt Painter is pressured to convey the Boilermakers again to title competition by way of the school basketball switch portal.
The workforce’s two greatest stars, Braden Smith and Trey Kaufman-Renn, have but to make clear their subsequent selections. Each gamers have one 12 months of eligibility remaining however might doubtlessly enter the 2025 NBA Draft. Nevertheless, neither could be thought-about first-round picks of the upcoming draft, making it possible each return to West Lafayette within the fall.
Even when Smith and Kaufman-Renn each return, Painter will nonetheless have to switch quantity of his 2024-2025 workforce. Though Purdue is often identified for its excessive retention price within the school basketball switch portal period, 4 rotational gamers have already confirmed their departures. Caleb Furst is the lone participant who exhausted his eligibility, whereas Camden Heide, Myles Colvin and Will Berg all entered the switch portal.
Ought to Smith and Kaufman-Renn verify their returns, Purdue will instantly be ranked among the many high preseason title contenders. However with out a stable affirmation, Painter nonetheless has an opportunity to maintain the Boilermakers in that dialog with a number of key switch portal additions. With the dedication of Oscar Cluff, Purdue already has one massive portal addition in its again pocket. The Boilermakers simply want a number of extra to start the season with affordable expectations.
PF Darrion Williams (Texas Tech)
Matt Painter loves his massive males, and Darrion Williams is one of the best one accessible. After a heroic run with Texas Tech within the NCAA Event, Williams entered his title into the portal after two seasons in Lubbock. Coming off a first-team All-Massive 12 season, Williams would match proper into Painter’s workforce.
If Kaufman-Renn decides to depart, Williams could be the person within the center and the focus of the offense. However in a extra possible situation, he would as an alternative pair with the 2025 third-team All-American to type arguably one of the best frontcourt within the nation. A Williams and Kaufman-Renn duo down low would simply lead some of the bodily groups within the Massive 10.
Whereas Painter likes to play two massive males anyway, Williams’ taking pictures potential would open up the offense, permitting Kaufman-Renn to regulate the paint. Although he hit simply 34 % of his three-point makes an attempt as a junior, Williams linked on 45.8 % of his photographs from deep in his first 12 months at Texas Tech. The pick-and-pop potential with Williams and Smith would simply make an already environment friendly offense top-of-the-line within the nation.
What might really promote Williams on a transfer to Purdue could be the prospect of enjoying with some extent guard like Smith. As top-of-the-line facilitators in school basketball, Smith would simply be one of the best playmaker Williams would play with in his profession. Massive males love nothing greater than sharing the courtroom with a high quality ball handler, and Smith is definitely top-of-the-line in Division I.
PG Xaivian Lee (Princeton)
Although Smith’s dimension prevents him from being a bona fide high NBA prospect, he has nonetheless carried out sufficient to listen to his title referred to as on the 2025 NBA Draft if he decides to declare. All indicators level to him ending out his profession at Purdue, however there’s not far more he can do to bolster his draft inventory if that’s certainly his profession purpose.
If Smith leaves, Matt Painter would indisputably want a brand new level guard. Shedding an All-American is rarely straightforward to switch, however Princeton’s Xaivian Lee could be a superb comfort prize. Had Princeton crushed Yale within the Ivy League Event and superior to March Insanity, there’s a very actual likelihood Lee would have been the event hero.
As a junior, Lee blossomed into an all-around contributor, averaging 16.9 factors, 6.1 rebounds and 5.5 assists per sport. For the second consecutive season, his taking pictures additionally improved, hitting 36.3 % of his threes in 2024-2025.
Every time Painter’s groups are probably the most profitable, he has an elite playmaker operating level. If Smith does resolve to depart, that might be a sizeable gap for him to fill. As arguably one of the best playmaker left within the school basketball switch portal, Lee could be an incredible addition for Purdue. He has all of the instruments wanted to succeed in opposition to a better stage of competitors.
SF Jamir Watkins (Florida State)
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In his 4 years of faculty basketball, Jamir Watkins has improved his scoring numbers every season. His supporting numbers have grown every season as properly, however most of his worth nonetheless comes as a scorer. With Caleb Furst, Camden Heide and Myles Colvin leaving, Matt Painter and Purdue have a number of holes to fill at ahead within the school basketball switch portal.
Although Watkins will not be one of the best shooter, hitting simply 32.1 % from behind the arc in 2024-2025, his slashing play type would slot in seamlessly subsequent to Smith and Fletcher Loyer. Purdue has lacked a real athletic scoring wing since Jaden Ivey left in 2022. Including that issue again into this offense would take it to a wholly new stage.
As prolific as Watkins is as a scorer, he’s additionally an adept defender identified for his pesky size. Perimeter protection is an space by which Purdue struggled in 2024-2025. Including a two-way participant like Watkins, who can swap any place one by way of 5, would do wonders in bringing the workforce again to title competition.
A participant like Watkins, who has already entered and withdrawn from the NBA Draft, appears to love having the ball in his fingers and room to function. Enjoying with a Bob Cousy Award-winning level guard wouldn’t give him that flexibility. But when Watkins’ purpose is to win a nationwide title, he might need his finest likelihood to take action at Purdue.
PG Zaon Collins (Fresno State)
Up to now, Zaon Collins’ transient, two-year school basketball profession has not gone based on plan. After being the defendant in a lethal automotive crash case, he was given an opportunity to rebound at Fresno State. Regardless of averaging a formidable 12.4 factors, 4.0 rebounds and 4.6 assists per sport, a betting scandal almost derailed his profession for a second time.
After every part he endured in his lone season in Fresno, Collins entered the school basketball switch portal hoping to revive his as soon as highly-touted profession. His checkered previous might scare some groups away, but when Collins is prepared to simply accept a backup function, he could be the proper sixth man to a contending workforce.
With Smith having no multiple 12 months remaining with the Boilermakers, Collins might set himself as much as be Matt Painter’s level guard of the long run. Although he prepares for his junior 12 months academically, he nonetheless has three years of NCAA eligibility remaining. One 12 months as a stout backup in West Lafayette, adopted by two extra as a high-level level guard within the Massive 10, would put him again on the NBA radar. Along with his play type, few touchdown spots could be higher for Collins than committing to Purdue from the school basketball switch portal.
PF Prince Aligbe (Seton Corridor)
Furst’s departure will not be a noticeable one on paper, however it should damage Purdue greater than it may appear upon preliminary look. Furst’s physicality and tenacity on the glass paired completely with Kaufman-Renn within the frontcourt, opening up a void Matt Painter must tackle.
If it isn’t a participant like Darrion Williams, Purdue would profit most from changing Furst’s manufacturing with a bodily ahead like Prince Aligbe. In his lone season at Seton Corridor, Aligbe posted a career-high 7.8 factors per sport to go along with 3.6 rebounds in 23.3 minutes per sport. The numbers don’t bounce off the web page, however Aligbe is the precise sort of glue participant each championship workforce wants.
Including Aligbe wouldn’t make headlines, however it might be a transfer that would repay in March. Although he has by no means averaged double digits, Aligbe has began 74 of his 94 profession video games throughout two seasons with Boston School and one with Seton Corridor. Subsequent to Smith and Kaufman-Renn, Painter doesn’t want so as to add a lot scoring within the portal. Nevertheless, sneaking in a participant like Aligbe from the school basketball switch portal could be instrumental for Purdue.