What Vanderbilt basketball's roster could look like in 2023-24

Vanderbilt basketball made it to the NIT quarterfinals of the second straight season. But once again the Commodores fell short of the semifinals, this time to UAB.

Now, entering coach Jerry Stackhouse's fifth season, Vanderbilt must enter an uncertain offseason in an era where the transfer portal is front and center in the world of basketball recruiting.

The Commodores, who finished 22-15, have already seen several departures. On one hand, that gives them an opportunity to reload their roster with players of their choice But academic restrictions on transfers still exist and NIL considerations are now a reality in trying to land the top players in the portal.

Vanderbilt will also retain a few key players from the 2022-23 team that won 10 of its final 12 games but a few players still have decisions to make.

Here's what the roster could look like for 2023-24:

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Who's returning

While we won't get a clear picture of exactly who is returning until after the transfer portal deadline May 11, Vanderbilt can currently bank on at least two key pieces coming back, as point guard Ezra Manjon and center Quentin Millora-Brown both said at the SEC Tournament that they planned to return. Both will be in their final season of eligibility in 2023-24.

Guard Paul Lewis and forward Colin Smith, both incoming sophomores, signed NIL deals with the Anchor Impact Fund, also likely indicating that they plan to return.

There are two scholarship players whose futures with the program are murky.

Starting shooting guard Tyrin Lawrence declared for the NBA Draft but will maintain his eligibility, giving him until June 12 to decide whether to return. Center Lee Dort has not yet entered the portal, but he also hasn't signed with an NIL collective or otherwise indicated whether he plans to return.

Who's gone

Center Liam Robbins, an All-SEC First Team selection, played his final game with the Commodores on March 1 when he suffered a season-ending injury in a win over Kentucky. Robbins is out of eligibility, as is forward Emmanuel Ansong.

Vanderbilt has also seen several players enter the transfer portal. Wing Jordan Wright was the most significant of that group, but reserve guards Trey Thomas and Noah Shelby and reserve forward Malik Dia also plan to transfer.

Wright and Robbins will be the toughest to replace production-wise, but it's also a blow to lose Shelby and Dia, two members of the 2022-23 recruiting class who could have developed into strong contributors.

Who's coming

Vanderbilt currently has three players signed for 2023: guard Isaiah West, forward JaQualon Roberts and center Carter Lang. With the number of open scholarships available, it's also possible that the Commodores pick up a late commitment like they did with Lewis a year ago.

There are currently three open scholarships, and that number could rise if Dort or Lawrence opts to leave. Most of those spots are likely to go to incoming transfers. Nobody has committed to Vanderbilt yet − not a surprise with the NCAA Tournament ending Monday − but by all accounts the Commodores have been active in reaching out to players and Wofford transfer BJ Mack included Vanderbilt in his top 10 schools.

While it's too early to say exactly which transfers could commit to the Commodores, Vanderbilt is most likely looking for help at center and wing primarily.

This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Vanderbilt basketball: What roster could look like for 2023-24