Rick Barnes gives short response when asked about Jonas Aidoo entering the NCAA transfer portal

Aidoo wasn't the only Vols big man to enter the portal this month. Tobe Awaka entered the portal before Aidoo made his surprising decision. 

Barnes left the door open for Awaka to return to the program on Thursday, though he noted that Tennessee can't wait around on the New York native, so he'll need to make a decision quick if he's going to return to Rocky Top. 

"We respected Tobe a lot and we still do, but oftentimes we’ve had guys tell us that after they had left they’ve made mistakes," explained Barnes. "And sometimes in a rush, in the moment, people can listen to people and realize that maybe they maybe should have waited and thought it all out a bit more. But Tobe, obviously, we all respect him and love him for what he did for us. But if he feels he’s got to go through the process, he needs to do it. But with that said, we’re not waiting, because we’re going to move forward and build this roster as quickly as we can.”

With Aidoo moving on, it would open up some more playing time for Awaka. But like Barnes said, Tennessee can't wait around on him to make a decision. Otherwise, the Vols could find themselves in a situation where they miss on a talented transfer player because they were waiting around on Awaka.