Joey Baker to decide soon and Michigan Basketball is the favorite

Joey Baker is set to make a decision on where he will transfer this week and Michigan basketball seems like it could be the destination. 

Even with the 11 players currently on the roster, Michigan basketball should have a solid team for next season. But the Wolverines need more shooting and they could add some to the roster soon.

That’s because former Duke player Joey Baker, a 6-foot-6 wing who was a top-40 recruit coming out of high school and is a career 38-percent shooter from beyond the arc, is set to make a decision this week among Michigan basketball, Georgia, and George Washington.

Those are the three schools that Baker has visited. He’s the only transfer that Michigan basketball has hosted although the Wolverines showed interest in Jacob Grandison, Pete Nance, and Emmanuel Akot among others after Caleb Houstan and Moussa Diabate said they were staying in the NBA draft.

Chris Balas of The Wolverine reported that Baker is set to decide soon, maybe as early as sometime this week. He also said Baker’s visit went “very well.”

Is Michigan basketball the favorite for Joey Baker?

While there haven’t been any expert projections or crystal ball predictions, the On3.com prediction machine gives Michigan a 100 percent chance to land Baker. That doesn’t mean that it’s going to happen but the Wolverines offer a chance to win and have a bigger role.

Baker averaged 12 minutes a year ago for the Blue Devils on a Final Four team. At Michigan, he would certainly play more than that, especially with the need for shooting on the wing.

Baker could compete for a starting job and worst case, he would likely be one of the first guys off the bench. We all remember how effective Duncan Robinson was playing that role and with Hunter Dickinson in the lineup, Baker would get open looks.

Of course, he may want to go somewhere he can play 30 minutes a game, as opposed to 20. Who knows? But from the outside looking in, the Wolverines have a good shot at getting Baker.

Will that be the end of roster moves? There have been rumors about Emoni Bates but nothing concrete at this point and the addition of Baker might be enough to make the staff feel comfortable with what they’ve got heading into next season.