Michael Malone has essentially been asked to build North Carolina’s roster from the ground up during his first month on the job, which is simply the reality of the Transfer Portal era in modern college basketball.
So far, the results have been uneven. A look at UNC’s projected starting lineup raises legitimate concerns, as the roster no longer resembles that of a traditional blue blood. At the moment, the Tar Heels appear more likely to be fighting for a tournament spot than competing at the top of the ACC with teams like Duke, Louisville, or Miami.
And the situation could soon get even worse.
While UNC’s frontcourt lacks intimidation, Malone did manage to add some promise in the backcourt by bringing in Terrence Brown from Utah and Matt Able from NC State. Able, however, is currently going through the NBA Draft process, and his availability for Chapel Hill is far from certain.
Reports indicate Able is not a lock to arrive at UNC. His strong showing at the NBA Combine reportedly pushed him into late first-round or early second-round draft consideration. If he receives a first-round commitment, Able could choose to remain in the draft, leaving Malone in a difficult position with no obvious replacement for the projected starting shooting guard.
Losing Able would be a major blow for Malone and the program.
Even analysts sympathetic to UNC acknowledge the severity of the situation. If Able stays in the draft, the timing would make finding a replacement extremely difficult. Portal options are essentially gone, the international market offers little hope this late in the process, and any last-minute alternatives would likely come with major complications.
In that scenario, UNC could be forced to look internally—most likely relying on rising sophomore Isaiah Denis, a former Top 60 recruit who averaged just 1.9 points per game as a freshman. That would be a significant downgrade from Able and would place the Tar Heels in a precarious position during a season when meaningful progress under Malone is crucial.
Given how shaky the roster construction has been, another setback—combined with disappointing results next season—would only intensify scrutiny surrounding Malone’s hire and quickly test the patience of the UNC fan base.