Michigan Basketball: Justin Pierce could add key element to offense

Michigan basketball will host graduate transfer Justin Pierce and here is why the William & Mary wing would be an ideal fit with the Wolverines offense.

At this point, it would be an upset if either Ignas Brazdeikis or Jordan Poole returned to Michigan basketball for the 2019-20 season.

Iggy made it pretty clear in his comments after declaring for the NBA draft that he wasn’t coming back. As far as Poole, the friction between he and head coach John Beilein is a factor. He also probably wants to get paid for playing basketball and more time on the court is what he needs.

Unless either player is told, flat out, they won’t be drafted, I doubt they return. Even if they aren’t picked, two-way contracts and the G-League have changed things and those are still very good options.

So, Michigan basketball has to find replacements and the Wolverines have already been working to do that. Lester Quinones, a four-star shooting guard from 2019 that is undecided will be visiting this month and according to Tom Nole of the South Bend Tribune, UM is the next stop for graduate transfer Justin Pierce.

Pierce is a graduate transfer who scored 14.7 and 14.9 points per game the last two seasons. He would also be eligible to play immediately. The 6-foot-7 forward could fit in right away on the wing and he could be an ideal replacement in the lineup for Brazdeikis.

We know for certain that Zavier Simpson, Jon Teske and Isaiah Livers will be starters next season. That leaves two spots open. Jalen Wilson, a 6-foot-8 wing could take one of those spots too and as a top-50 player, should be a serious contender.

If Pierce came aboard, that would create an interesting competition between he, Wilson and Cole Bajema, another incoming freshman that can shoot. At the very least though, Pierce should establish a spot in the rotation in large part because of his offensive capabilities.

Not only is he a strong scorer and shot better than 54 percent on 2-point field goals the last two seasons, but he also averaged 4.1 assists a year ago. He’s very good at moving the ball and finding open teammates but he’s also skilled at basket cuts and moving without a ball, something Michigan basketball lacked this past season.

Iggy was a very good player and one of the best freshmen Beilein has coached at Michigan. But he didn’t create shots for others, averaging just 0.8 assists. Poole also wasn’t a great distributor, averaging just 2.2 assists, despite having the ball in his hands a lot.

Pierce isn’t a great isolation player necessarily, but he is outstanding in transition according to UMhoops ($) and he’s a career 34 percent shooter from beyond the arc, although he shot 41 percent as a sophomore before dipping back down to 32 percent last season.

Much of the offense will be centered around the screen-and-roll of Simpson and Teske. Simpson needs to improve as a finisher and so does Teske, who will need to be better both in the post and from beyond the arc next season if Michigan basketball is going to be really good again.

Yet, Pierce would fit well within that structure. He can catch-and-shoot from beyond the arc, while also being adept at the extra pass. Ball movement used to be a key part of the Beilein offense and last season especially, it seemed to fall off.

Pierce also led William & Mary in rebounding, so he and Livers would be a solid starting duo. He would also be valuable coming off the bench because there is a big difference between the Big Ten and the Colonial Athletic Association, so who knows for sure what his production will be like.

Regardless, Pierce is known for his basketball knowledge and his ability to score around the basket and inside the arc, in general, is something Michigan needs.

Even without Iggy and Poole, Michigan has the building blocks for a really good team. It just needs to find a couple of solid offensive pieces that can play their part defensively. Finding the right guys could be the difference between being a top-10 team capable of reaching the Final Four or a fringe top-25 team just hoping for a run to the Sweet 16. Pierce could be one of those pieces.