Jacob Grandison visiting Duke is bad news for Michigan Baskeball

Jacob Grandison has been one name mentioned as a possible transfer for Michigan basketball but he’s visiting Duke today and that’s not good for the Wolverines. 

Once Michigan basketball officially knew it had spots open for next season’s team after the departures of Caleb Houstan and Moussa Diabate, Jacob Grandison quickly became a transfer target.

As soon as Grandison hit the transfer portal, I wrote that he would be a great fit for the Wolverines and that’s still true. He’s a combo-wing that at 6-foot-6 was one of the best 3-point shooters in the Big Ten last season, especially on spot-ups and that would be perfect playing alongside Hunter Dickinson. Here’s what Dylan Burkhardt of UMHoops wrote:

"“There are players left in the portal with more upside than Jacob Grandison, but I’m not sure there’s a better plug-and-play fit. Grandison doesn’t have much offensive versatility — 115 of his 197 half-court shot attempts were catch-and-shoot jumpers last season — but he was the most efficient catch-and-shoot player in the Big Ten with at least 75 attempts last season, per Synergy.”"

It’s possible that Grandison could even play some minutes at the four, but it seems like his best position would be the three. Yet, that’s also where Jett Howard is expected to play, so I’m not sure how the lineup would work out, but Michigan basketball wants him.

The Wolverines were among the teams still in the mix a few days after he entered the transfer portal and they still are. However, Grandison apparently has a strong interest in Duke and he’s taking a visit there today, and if the Blue Devils want him, my guess is he commits.

So that’s probably going to end up taking him off the board. So what’s next?

Joey Baker visited Ann Arbor this week but he’s also interested in Georgia. It seems like Michigan basketball could seal the deal with Baker, if they pushed, but the Wolverines are also recruiting Emmanuel Akot from Boise State.

There’s no reason the Wolverines couldn’t take both. At this point, the Wolverines haven’t really shown interest in any guard types. Grandison can play guard if needed and averaged more than two assists per game last season for Illinois, while Akot is a point-forward type.

But no true guard type seems to be in play. Akot has played things close to the vest and it’s hard to know which teams he’s still considering.

All this leads me to wonder when Michigan would start showing real interest in Emoni Bates? Baker would be a great fit and his 3-point shooting would be key. But he can’t create his own shot and won’t replace the talent left by Moussa and Caleb.

Guys like Akot or Pete Nance or Bates at least have that NBA-level talent. It would be nice to add a guy with that ability, as well as a sharpshooter.

Right now though, much is still up in the air.