Jordan Gainey Transfer To Tennessee

USC Upstate guard Jordan Gainey has transferred to the Tennessee Volunteers.

Tennessee landed a big-time transfer on Tuesday afternoon. USC Upstate guard Jordan Gainey announced that he will transfer to Tennessee, joining head coach Rick Barnes and a litany of other guards. He is the son of Tennessee associate head coach Justin Gainey.

Gainey averaged around 15 points per game and shot 33% from three during the 22-23 season. On the surface, those numbers are somewhat in line with Tyreke Key's numbers the season before he transferred to Tennessee. The positive difference is that Gainey was just a sophomore this year, while Key only had one year of eligibility left.

Jordan Gainey, USC Upstate G

The numbers Gainey put up from a scoring and three-point shooting perspective do need context. Gainey posted just a 92.2 offensive rating in a somewhat high usage role. His effective field goal% and true shooting% were low, so the question that has to be asked is what role could Gainey succeed in at Tennessee?

If Gainey were to come in and be a spot-up shooter, that is definitely a role he could succeed in. However, if he tries to be anything more, Tennessee fans could be disappointed. Tennessee has not been a place where players want to come to improve their efficiency numbers, especially if their usage doesn't decrease.

One thing that could excite Barnes is that Gainey was a positive defensively for USC Upstate this year. His Defensive Bayesian Performance Rating isn't very high, but he had a positive defensive on-off split margin.We don't know yet what schools have reached out to G, including Tennessee. If Santiago Vescovi were to leave, Gainey would not be an optimal replacement, but if Vescovi were to stay, Gainey would be a great relief option and floor spacer.

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