10 factors determining if Vols head coach Rick Barnes leaves for UCLA

8. Salary

The most hopeful thing from Tennessee basketball fans is that Rick Barnes is just using the UCLA Bruins as a play for a better contract and a higher salary. John Calipari did that just last week and in the process secured a lifetime contract with the Kentucky Wildcats.

Calipari now makes as much as Nick Saban with the Alabama Crimson Tide in football, despite Saban leading a program that generates four times as much revenue and him winning five times as many national championships. If Calipari can do that, why shouldn’t Barnes try it?

Barnes was the second highest paid coach in the SEC to Calipari this past year, but he still only made about one-third of Calipari’s salary at just over $3.2 million. Given the Vols’ athletic budget, they can afford to shell out a bit more to keep Barnes, especially when Alford never made more than $2.7 million in a year. Their revenue generates about 40 million more than UCLA’s.

So if it does come down to this, well, the Vols have the advantage. But there’s a flaw in this argument if reports are true, and it’s one that could hinder the Vols and favor other factors. It also is why we have this one so low.

Pay may not be a factor for Barnes. That’s one thing that has leaked. And, if this 247Sports report about the Bruins already offering him a five-year deal is true, then UCLA will have already taken this into account.

The only thing left to favor the Vols is if they can hope that their offer was low-balled since they likely have to pay pay the $5 million buyout. Considering they didn’t want to pay Jamie Dixon’s $8 million, it’s hard to see them being able to surpass what the Vols can pay. At the same time, though, Barnes may be a more proven hire to UCLA than Dixon.