Michigan Basketball: Projecting U-M’s starting lineup with Nojel Eastern

Michigan basketball picked up a surprise transfer in former Purdue guard Nojel Eastern and here’s how he fits in the lineup either this year or next.

It’s been a crazy offseason for the Michigan basketball program. There’s no other way around it.

The Wolverines missed out on two five-star recruits most believed would be part of their 2020 class and then three underclassmen left the program as David DeJulius, Colin Castleton and Cole Bajema all transferred. Isaiah Livers also entered the NBA draft.

We are still waiting to hear what Livers will do. Hopefully, he will return. But if he doesn’t, Michigan has been pursuing some other transfer targets and on Thursday, the Wolverines landed former Purdue guard Nojel Eastern, who surprisingly transferred from the Boilermakers Wednesday.

Eastern’s transfer was met with some surprise and part of the reason may be his limited offensive game. Despite being an elite defender, he attempted just 16 3-pointers in three seasons with Purdue and scored under five points a game last season even though he earned All-Big Ten honors on defense.

https://twitter.com/NEblessed_20/status/1260971079830515713

Eastern’s game is different but he has shown some potential in pick-and-roll situations and if he’s immediately eligible, having him as the Wolverines starting point guard, the position he played at Purdue, isn’t out of the question.

People get caught up in shooting and scoring, but this Michigan basketball team was in desperate need of some perimeter defense. That’s where Eastern makes this squad better right away and as a three-year player who has already declared for the draft before, he will likely try to play next season.

Either way, here’s what the lineup could look like if he plays immediately or if he sits.

2020-21 with Eastern

PG: Eastern SG: Brooks SF: Wagner PF: Livers C: Dickinson 

Eastern is a traditional transfer in the portal, but it’s possible he could play next season with a waiver or if the NCAA gives waivers to all transfers in a vote on May 20, although it’s not clear if that would impact next season.

It’s hard to see Eastern sitting out a year unless he has to. He would certainly get a lot of playing time if he was forced to sit out next season because Michigan would have just six scholarship players returning in 2021-22 if Franz Wagner goes pro after the season.

While fans are stoked about Mike Smith’s potential contributions, he always seemed like a better No. 3 guard to be. He’s 5-foot-11 and even though he’s a dynamic scorer, doing that in the Ivy League and the Big Ten are two very different things.

The combination of Eastern at the point and Eli Brooks at the two, or vice versa, is much better, at least defensively. And Eastern did average more than two assists per game. He’s 6-foot-7 and in a ball-screen heavy offense, surrounded by shooters, he could excel as a sort of point forward.

Brooks can play with the ball or off it. But Eastern playing right away would prevent Michigan from having to play Wagner at the two, where he wouldn’t have been as effective defensively.

A lineup of Eastern, Brooks, Wagner, Livers and Hunter Dickinson looks very promising. Zeb Jackson and Smith, as well as Brandon Johns, Austin Davis and Terrance Williams off the bench would give Howard plenty of other options too and more than enough shooting.

Even if Livers stays in the draft, adding a player with more size and rebounding would help. But if Eastern doesn’t play right away, he would still be in a great position to start in 2021-22 at either the one or the two.

That could all depend on the development of Jackson and Howard’s ability to recruit in 2021. If Howard lands an elite guard with ball-handling skills, Eastern could be play off the ball more and be used as more of a defensive stopper, which will be a huge part of his role either year.

Regardless of when and even with all of his limitations, Eastern will give Michigan a better chance to win.