On the offense

The portal wheels kept churning on Wednesday. Additions unfolded across the power conferences, with some tournament teams reloading and a perennial contender finally bolstering its roster. Oh, and Rick Pitino's quest to turn St Johns into the Big East Iona continued. So without further ado, let's get to the news.

1. Three-man Wolfpack

The backcourt trio of Terquavion Smith, Jarkel Joiner and Casey Morsell gave NC State one of the nation’s most explosive offenses last season. They combined for nearly 47 points a game and were the driving force behind the Wolfpack's return to the NCAA Tournament.

Now? Smith (NBA Draft) and Joiner (eligibility) are gone. Morsell is testing the waters but will probably return. Nevertheless, coach Kevin Keatts had to find some new backcourt options.

Check, check, and check.

NC State added former Kansas wing MJ Rice on Wednesday, capping a series of portal moves that also brought in guards Jayden Taylor from Butler and DJ Horne from Arizona State. How will that three fare in Raleigh?

Horne (36 percent from the field, 35 percent from 3) and Taylor (40 percent from deep, 32 percent from 3) were key cogs for their respective high-major teams, but both struggled in one major area: Scoring efficiently.

Those two are primarily shooting guards. They could arguably replace Smith's scoring, but Joiner is another story. Without a true point guard on the roster, it's hard to see how it functions. Could Alabama transfer Jaden Bradley, who visited NC State this week, be that guy? Hold that thought.

Rice could be the lottery ticket that brings NC State back to the NCAA Tournament. A former top-35 recruit in the class of 2022, Rice appeared in only 23 games at Kansas, averaging 2.2 points on 40 percent shooting in seven minutes per contest. While he struggled to settle into a consistent role in Lawrence, he could grow into a quality starter thanks to his driving skills and athleticism. NC State needs to rely on Rice to maximize its upside. 

It's a talented roster with interesting pieces (not to mention returning big man DJ Burns), and it might be the biggest wild card in the ACC next season.

2. Kansas in sync with Timberlake

The Kansas Jayhawks made Wednesday's biggest splash, landing Towson transfer Nicolas Timberlake, a 6-4 sharpshooter who averaged 17.2 points and shot 40 percent from downtown. He spent five seasons at Towson and overcame some serious injuries to develop into a First Team All-CAA player in his final season with the Tigers.

Kansas needed a shooter like a fish needs water. Starters Dajuan Harris and KJ Adams return, along with bigs Ernest Udeh and Zuby Ejiofor, but those aren't floor stretchers. Among their incoming recruits, only Marcus Adams, who just re-classified to the class of 2023, has that ability. 

Timberlake should be a seamless fit into the role previously occupied by Gradey Dick, who left early as a projected first-round NBA selection. Does Timberlake provide the same versatility or NBA talent that Dick did? No, but he could certainly replace his production of 14 points per game on 40 percent 3-point shooting.

Not that Kansas is done in the portal, either.

They're hosting former Stanford forward Harrison Ingram this weekend. And the biggest prize would be former Michigan big Hunter Dickinson. Landing both seems like a stretch. But just one would be enough to cement Kansas as a Top 20 team.

3. A Rocky Top newcomer and other portal moves

Tennessee was actively looking to replace outgoing forward Olivier Nkmahoua — and finally found the right piece to the puzzle with Harvard transfer Chris Ledlum.

He's comparable to former Colorado State standout David Roddy, as a smaller four-man in height but has the overall build and athleticism to overwhelm less agile forwards off the dribble. Ledlum's an All-Ivy and All-District player, who averaged 18.8 points, 8.5 boards and shot 49 percent from the field for the Crimson. 

It's been a big few days for the Vols with the additions of Ledlum and Jordan Gainey, plus the return of Santiago Vescovi.

I’m a huge fan of Tennessee’s current roster. The Vols can mix and match with sophomore guard Jahmai Mashack and Gainey. Mashack can enter the game in defensive situations, while Gainey is ready to rise and fire from downtown in scoring situations. Once point guard Zakai Zeigler is back to 100 percent following an ACL tear in February, the Vols will be among the SEC favorites. 

Rick Barnes addressed the lack of offensive firepower and did so with two key off-season additions. On the surface, Ledlum probably seems like a strange fit, but it shows that Barnes is willing to adjust his philosophy to improve the team. Ledlum can play different roles as a burly wing or stretch four, but he's a shoo-in starter regardless of position.

Other portal moves to know:

UNLV adds Keylan Boone, Kalib Boone and Jalen Hill: Kevin Kruger should have lit up a nice cigar on Wednesday. The Boone twins (Keylan and Kalib) bring floor spacing and post scoring. Hill, a multi-year starter for Oklahoma, returns home for his final season of college, as he instantly becomes one of the fiercest defenders in the Mountain West. 

Quinn Slazinski picks St John's: The St John's Gaels  Red Storm add their third transfer from Iona. Quinn Slazinski, a solid stretch-four option, only appeared in seven games this season but averaged 11 points and five rebounds per contest. 

Javian McCollum to Oklahoma: Sure, McCollum is a smaller guard, but he's an absolute BUCKET GETTER. His ability to create shots, score over taller defenders and off the bounce will translate to college basketball's most competitive conference. He's not a one-to-one replacement for Grant Sherfield, but McCollum can put up similar numbers. 

Zane Meeks is a Sun Devil: Meeks averaged 10 points and five rebounds for San Francisco last season — and scored nine points against the Sun Devils in the Dons' win vs. ASU. Expect him to man a bench role for ASU.  

Jace Carter goes to Texas A&M: The 6-5 Carter posted 16 points and seven boards from the wing in his sophomore season at UIC. He doubled his scoring average and developed into an All-MVC player. In addition to Carter, Texas A&M should return most of its core from a 25-win team, including point guard Wade Taylor IV and versatile wing Tyrece Radford. The Aggies should sit near the top of the SEC again next season. 

Big East, Big Beast

Get ready for the DTF podcast to spend most of the summer talking up the Big East. Not that they're wrong — it's hard to argue with the 2023 NCAA Tournament success, plus the coaching moves in the league. But it's gonna be months of this, right? 

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Links as you prepare for a day filled with 4/20 jokes.

• Former New Mexico State players allege they were sexually assaulted in a lawsuit brought on Wednesday.

• Adem Bona will go through the NBA Draft process.

• Bob Bowlsby isn't thrilled about the idea of athletes being classified as employees.

• How the future of NIL could be shaped by statehouses.

Thanks for reading The Field of 68 Daily! If you have a news tip or feedback, email us at [email protected].