Hours after Rodney Rice's transfer, USC guard Desmond Claude reportedly set to depart from Eric Musselman's Trojans 

In an unexpected turn of events, USC's top scorer, Desmond Claude, is poised to enter the transfer portal, just as the portal window nears its closure. This development surfaced merely hours after the Trojans secured Rodney Rice, a highly regarded guard transferring from Maryland.

On Tuesday, Tipton Edits posted on Instagram that, per On3, Claude will not only be entering the transfer portal but will also go through the NBA draft process while keeping open the possibility of a return to USC.

His departure would likely mark a significant shift in Eric Musselman's plans for the team's backcourt, as Claude was anticipated to be a key component.

"Claude was once believed to be central to the Trojans’ future plans after a season spent flashing his elite scoring potential," according to Ryan Kartje, a USC beat writer for The Los Angeles Times.

Musselman, who had to rebuild almost the entire roster after arriving at USC last offseason, looks like he will have to do the same this offseason.

Desmond Claude was a key cog for the struggling USC Trojans this past season. He racked up 15.8 points, 3.5 rebounds and 4.2 assists per game for the Trojans, who finished tied for 12th in the Big Ten standings with a 7-13 record.

His departure will now thrust Rice into a more pivotal role than before. As a sophomore at Maryland, he averaged 13.8 ppg, 2.2 rpg and 2.1 apg.

Desmond Claude joins 5 others who plan to exit Eric Musselman's program

Desmond Claude is the sixth USC player to enter the transfer portal since the start of spring. On Tuesday, along with Claude, senior Saint Thomas also announced his intention to transfer after just one season with the Trojans.

The other four are freshman forward Jalen Shelley, sophomore guards Wesley Yates III and Kevin Patton Jr. and freshman guard Isaiah Elohim.

With the portal window closing Tuesday night, two of USC's transfers have already committed to new schools. Yates is headed to Washington, while Patton is set to join New Mexico.

While players leaving is not always ideal, Musselman has done a fantastic job bringing players in via the portal. The Trojans have already landed seven players, as they had one of the busiest offseasons.

Including Rodney Rice, Musselman also added Ezra Ausar from Utah, Jaden Brownell from Samford, Jacob Cofie from Virginia, Gabe Dynes from Youngstown State and Keonte Jones from Cal State Northridge.