Oregon Lost 9 Players to the Portal and Still Needs a 7-Footer to Fix This Roster

Dana Altman had to rebuild from scratch. Nine players gone to the NCAA transfer portal from the 2025-26 roster, and suddenly the Oregon Ducks roster looked like Swiss cheese heading into the offseason. The good news? Altman's been working overtime to fill the holes. The bad news? There's still one position that's keeping him up at night, and the portal window is closing fast.

Fred Payne and Dwayne Aristode Are In, But Oregon's Hunt Isn't Over

Altman just landed two solid pieces. Fred Payne, a 6-1, 185-pound redshirt junior point guard from Boston College, fixes the starting lineup at lead guard. He's got real ACC pedigree, too. Last season he averaged 15.8 points on 39.9% shooting, 4.2 rebounds, 2.7 assists, and 1.1 steals per game. He's lined up to run the offense alongside Kentucky freshman combo guard Jasper Johnson in the backcourt.

Then there's Dwayne Aristode, a 6-8 freshman forward coming over from Arizona. The four-star recruit had a quiet year in Tommy Lloyd's Final Four rotation, averaging just 3.8 points and 1.7 rebounds per game, though he shot 46.2% from three. He got 13.5 minutes per 35 games played. Aristode adds depth at the four, but he's got to prove he belongs in a bigger role.

One Big Problem: Oregon Needs Height at Center

Here's what keeps Altman up at night. The Ducks have filled 14 of 15 roster spots. That one remaining scholarship? It needs to be a big man. Real big. Oregon's got Alabama's Taylor Bol Bowen, a 6-10 junior center, but they need another rim protector with actual size alongside him.

Altman's got his eye on two names: Peyton Marshall, a 7-0 junior from Georgia Tech, and Austin Maurer, a 7-0 sophomore from Seattle University. Maurer's got local roots, too. He played at Cascade Christian in Medford and was named the 2023-24 Oregon Gatorade Player of the Year. But the portal's drying up fast, and options are getting thin. Altman better move quick.

This article was created with AI assistance and reviewed by Seattle On Tap editorial staff. Always verify information with official team sources.