Michigan basketball head coach Mike Boynton has had a busy offseason, maybe busier than any other head coach in college basketball.
For starters, Boynton didn't even become the head coach until this summer, after Dusty May left to be the head coach of the Dallas Mavericks after two seasons in Ann Arbor.
Boynton worked tirelessly to keep the roster together. He was successful, as the Wolverines only lost L.J Cason to the transfer portal, a player Michigan essentially replaced, at least for this season, by adding former Columbia guard Kenny Noland on Wednesday.
Noland, a dynamic, 3-point shooter and playmaker, might not be the only addition for the Wolverines to the 2026-27 roster. Another player who has been on the radar, Roddy Gayle, could still be added ahead of this season.
A bold prediction for Michigan basketball
According to Tim McCormick, a program insider, not only will Gayle come back to Ann Arbor, taking advantage of the 5-for-5, he will also end up in the starting lineup.
Boynton wasn't shy when he was asked recently about the possibility of adding Gayle back to the roster. Boynton said that if he wanted to return, the door is basically open. There is still a roster spot available, and there could be a starting spot, too.
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"I expect Roddy Gayle to join the team and he will be the starting small forward," McCormick said via Hail Media. "It's the biggest question mark on the team and when it became a possibility, all of a sudden what I thought might be a problem, has become a strength."
Gayle hasn't been officially added to the Michigan basketball roster, but it makes sense. Gayle isn't really an NBA player. He can be a really good college player for the Wolverines next season. He would be one of the best wing defenders in the Big Ten.
The national champion stepped up in a major way for the Wolverines when Cason went down with a season-ending injury. March Roddy had two double-digit scoring efforts in the NCAA Tournament on top of everything else he does. Many expected five-star freshman Brandon McCoy to be the three.
The elite defender could probably have handled the role fine, but there wasn't much depth behind him, and McCoy could be better suited to play in the backcourt. If Gayle and McCoy are each on the roster, that would be ideal for depth and could help the Wolverines maintain their identity of elite defense.
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