Let's get the metaphor out of the way first.

A key opens things, often doors, but in this metaphor, Trey Kaufman-Renn opens up what's available to Purdue basketball and head coach Matt Painter when it comes to the five players on the court.

Kaufman-Renn's versatility has already been on full display in his first two seasons after redshirting his freshman year at Purdue. In his freshman season, Kaufman-Renn was primarily a back-up to Zach Edey at the five spot. He was the offensive punch that Painter could go to when Edey was sitting or in foul trouble from the center position.

But towards the end of that first campaign, Painter started to want to expand Kaufman-Renn's role and have him on the court more at the four position, but it was too late to make any wholesale changes to the rotation and Kaufman-Renn's preparation.

In Kaufman-Renn's second season, Painter announced the big man would start alongside Edey, manning the four spot as a traditional, borderline oversized four after existing as a tweener, undersized five his freshman year.

In both seasons, Kaufmen-Renn flashed his potential - a unique blend of back to the basket scoring, power moves in the post, finesse spins, and a jumper that was just good enough to keep defenses honest.

But in both years he was shadowed by Purdue greats. Zach Edey manning the center spot, maybe the greatest college basketball player of this generation, and Mason Gillis who was one of the most efficient scorers in the country.

It left Kaufman-Renn often on the bench, despite being a starter, and his touches to not be indicative of his talent.

Now, in his third season, Gillis and Edey are gone and his two years of experience at both positions will allow Purdue to go big or small, Matt Painter told Jon Rothstein on his Rothstein's podcast this week.

"For him[Kaufman-Renn], he's really worked towards it," Matt Painter said about Kaufman-Renn and the state of the team next year without Zach Edey. "He works really hard. The thing that I like the most about it is the flexibility that he'll serve us. He allows us to play smaller. He allows us to play bigger just by being that undersized five or traditional four."

This flexibility will be paramount for a Purdue offense that won't have Edey to rely on being the most efficient scorer in the country and the nation's best deterrant at the rim.

Kaufman-Renn spent his first two seasons trying to find ways to fit around a better playing - sacrificing touches inside, defensive assignments, and doing the dirty work to help facilitate Edey's dominance inside. Now, Purdue's offense and defense could rotate around the unusual mix of size and skill Kaufman-Renn offers.

There will be a bevy of new faces taking advantage of Kaufman-Renn's ability to play at the four or five.

Daniel Jacobsen is a near 7-4 unicorn of a big man, capable of knocking down shots, chasing down blocks from anywhere, and running in transition. William Berg is 7-2 or 7-3 and a beefier option inside. Both of them are bigs that would slide Kaufman-Renn to the four.But Jacobsen as a true freshman, and Berg as a redshirt freshman two years ago and a back up last season, aren't battle tested. It will be a good sign for Purdue that Kaufman-Renn plays a lot of time at the four. That will mean Berg and Jacobsen are giving Purdue quality minutes at the five.

Returning is Caleb Furst for his final season at Purdue. Furst's versatility is the inverse of Kaufman-Renn's. Furst can play anywhere on defense while not finding a consistent role on the offense end. When Furst and Kaufman-Renn are on the floor together, Purdue's bigs will be fluid and capable of moving between match ups, helping on the perimeter, and rebounding the ball well on both ends.

True freshman Raleigh Burgess, a likely redshirt candidate, would operate in a similar role as Furst and Kaufman-Renn, playing a bit of both forward and center.

Painter has never lacked confidence in Kaufman-Renn, and wanted Kaufman-Renn to enter the starting lineup last season to add skill and scoring power. That's something he still believes Kaufman-Renn provides.

Purdue is going to need it with Edey leaving. There were times last season when Purdue had just two things working for it on offense, Painter said.

"The only time we could really get a real good shot is when Braden could get away from people or Zach had the basketball," Painter told Rothstein.

While Smith will take control of the offense and players on the margins should improve, Kaufman-Renn offers a release valve on offense when he has the ball in the post. He'll also be a stable, proven counterpart to whoever Purdue plays around him.

That includes Cam Heide, who Painter said will likely play some time at the four, offering Purdue a small lineup that could give team's fits.

But for once in Kaufman-Renn's career at Purdue, it'll be Purdue's other bigs revolving their play around him.