Trey Kaufman-Renn transfer portal: Top 5 landing spots for Purdue forward if he leaves the program ft. Auburn

Trey Kaufman-Renn has had a breakout season. As a junior, he leads Purdue in average points, rebounds and blocks. Kaufman-Renn averages an NCAA 14th-best 20.2 points per game and shoots 59.9% from the field, 15th best in the country.

The forward has seen significant improvement in every stat category this season and has been a difference-maker for the Boilermakers, who have a No. 4 seed in March Madness.

NCAA Basketball: NCAA Tournament First Round-High Point at Purdue - Source: Imagn

Purdue went 22-11 this season and finished sixth in the Big Ten. The squad is often a postseason contender and was the NCAA Tournament runner-up last season. However, the Boilermakers have never won a national championship.

If Kaufman-Renn wants to use his improved skill set to secure a title, he may need to look elsewhere to do it. Here are five possible landing spots for the star forward if he chooses to transfer.

Top 5 landing spots for Trey Kaufman-Renn

#1. Auburn Tigers

Auburn will aim to win its first national title this season as the Tigers enter March Madness with a No. 1 seed. If the team wants to continue performing at this high-level next season, it needs to find a replacement for Johni Broome.

Broome, Auburn's star forward, is out of eligibility after this season. He was one of two unanimous First-Team All-America selections this season and is expected to be a first-round NBA pick. Losing him will be a huge blow for the Tigers, who will need to search for a high-scoring forward with shooting ability.

That's exactly the kind of player Kaufman-Renn is. He averages 1.3 points more than Broome and shoots better from both the field and three. Broome averages more rebounds and assists than Kaufman-Renn, but the Purdue star could be a strong replacement option.

#2. Duke Blue Devils

The other unanimous First-Team All-American is Duke's star forward Cooper Flagg. Like Broome, Flagg is expected to be a 2025 NBA pick. In fact, the freshman phenom is expected to be the top overall pick in the draft.

The Blue Devils have a few forward commits who will aim to take Flagg's place, including Cameron Boozer and Shelton Henderson. However, coach Jon Scheyer may want to pick up a more experienced forward.

Kaufman-Renn has found more shooting success than Flagg and outscores him by 20.2 to 18.9 points per game. Flagg aids Duke defensively as the team's top stealer and blocker, both categories in which he outperforms Kaufman-Renn.

Replacing Flagg, who leads Duke in every major stat category, will be no easy feat. Picking up Kaufman-Renn could provide Scheyer's squad with a top-performing forward to aid the talented commits.

#3. Houston Cougars

The Cougars are a top seed in the NCAA Tournament for a third straight season. Houston has emerged as a top basketball program and is looking for its first national championship.

Houston is a guard-heavy team, with four of its top five scorers being guards. The sole forward in this group is J'Wan Roberts, who is out of college eligibility after this season. Roberts is a consistent starter for the Cougars, who excels in shooting from the field and rebounding.

Kaufman-Renn and Roberts have nearly identical average rebounds, and the Purdue junior shoots better from the field. A guard-heavy team may not allow Kaufman-Renn's skills to shine, but being a part of a top program and filling an open-forward spot might be intriguing to him.

#4. Kentucky Wildcats

Kentucky is also a guard-heavy team, leaning on star guard Otega Oweh. Like Houston, however, the Wildcats will soon be parting ways with their highest-scoring forward.

Andrew Carr is the star forward for No. 3 seed Kentucky. Like Kaufman-Renn, Carr finds success in rebounding and shooting from the field. Kaufman-Renn outperforms the Kentucky senior in every stat category except for blocks and free-throw percentage.

Kaufman-Renn would be a good replacement for Carr, but like with Houston, his talents may not best be on display for a team that likes to focus on guard play.

#5. Alabama Crimson Tide

We said Kaufman-Renn could fit in at Auburn, but there might also be a spot for him on rival Alabama. The Crimson Tide is a No. 2 seed in March Madness and finished the season third in a dominant SEC.

When the NCAA Tournament draws to a close, Alabama will bid farewell to Grant Nelson. The senior forward has become a star with the Tide in the past two seasons after beginning his college career at North Dakota State. Nelson leads the team in rebounding and blocks, and his absence will be felt by the Alabama squad.

This isn't the most likely landing spot for Kaufman-Renn, as he and Nelson aren't the same type of player. They're similarly sized, both listed at 230 pounds and Nelson being just two inches taller than the Purdue forward, but their style of play is different.

Kaufman-Renn shoots much more often than Nelson, but Nelson attempts far more 3-pointers. Nelson has found blocking success in his career that Kaufman-Renn hasn't. These differences make it unclear if Alabama is a possible landing spot for the Purdue star, but Alabama is a promising program with an opening.