Michigan Basketball: Investigating the state of the program in a critical offseason

Now that this incompetent season is in the rearview mirror, Juwan Howard can focus on how to fix the issues that plagued his Michigan basketball program and get back on track or else.

Earlier in the week Jett Howard darted to the NBA draft following one bumpy season at Michigan. Some fans trashed him on social media for leaving too early and said the team was better without him in the lineup anyways. They had a reasonable point, but his mind seemed to have been made up that he was going to be one and done no matter how Michigan basketball faired.

Replacing him will not be easy as the hopes are that Joey Baker gets granted another year of eligibility. If he does get rewarded by that, then he’s a shoo-in to start unless they find someone better in the transfer portal. Youssef Khayat will get a look as well, but he still appears to be too raw at the moment.

Kobe Bufkin is on course to move on too as a projected late first-rounder. He actually had to work a lot harder in his sophomore campaign because he doesn’t have the resources that Howard has at his disposal. Bufkin could use one more go around to reach his ceiling and become a top 10 pick fully, but all signs are pointing to him leaving. He’ll probably decide on his future with how things go at the combine.

Getting back to the transfer portal, Michigan is in it with a handful of guys already. They’ve contacted Chris Ledlum of Harvard, John Hugley of Pitt, and B.J. Mack of Wofford. This says that they are more worried about the big men than they are about the guard positions.

Perhaps this means Jaelin Llewellyn and Bufkin are leaning to return and Michigan basketball is hoping to land a starter at the power forward position instead.

That could also say that Hunter Dickinson is coming back for his last hurrah. Even if Dickinson does bolt for higher grounds, Taris Reed Jr. should be ready to battle in the post as the man in the middle. He showed enough flashes to have faith in his abilities moving forward. Spending another run behind Dickinson will solidify that rotation as one of the best in the Big Ten if not the country.

Dug McDaniel is primed to take over the full-time point guard spot. He is another freshman who had an up-and-down year, but the signs are there that he’ll be the next success story after Mike Smith, Zavier Simpson, Derrick Walton, Trey Burke, and so on. If he returns, he’ll split some time with Llewellyn but is on the fast path to superstardom.

George Washington III and Papa Kante will see time as the newest class to enroll at the university in the fall. In the meantime, though advising Bufkin, Baker, and Dickinson to come back and landing at least two transfers has to be the priority for this group to get back to playing for championships and not the second-rate NIT.