The 2026-27 Michigan basketball roster came more into focus on Tuesday, as a 40-game starter for the national champions, Morez Johnson, announced he was staying in the NBA draft.
The 6-foot-11 forward/center was stellar at the NBA draft combine. That boosted his draft stock to the point he's now being talked about as a lottery pick. It seems almost guaranteed that Johnson will be a top-20 pick, so it's in his best interest to leave Michigan basketball.
What does that mean for the Wolverines?
It's not like this was unexpected. Michigan fans held out hope that Johnson would return. Dust May did, too, although he said last the Wolverines were ready to pivot.
There are a few players to watch in the portal. Some could withdraw from the NBA draft, which could open the door for Michigan to pursue them. However, there's already a player, who can help fill the void on the roster: Jalen Reed.
Jalen Reed can be Michigan's X-factor, if he stays healthy
The 6-foot-10, former top-100 recruit, could be an underrated addition for the Wolverines. Reed, who transferred from LSU, averaged 11 points in 23 minutes in 2024-25. He also scored 9.9 last season in 18 minutes. The problem is that Reed only played 14 games over the past two seasons and is coming off an Achilles tendon injury back in November.
When he's been on the court, he's been productive. Last season, Reed shot 42.9 percent from 3-point range and is 22-for-58 from deep for his career (37.1 percent). The big man also made 47 of 77 2-point shots the past two seasons (61 percent).
Reed has had a usage rate of over 20 percent the past two seasons. It was 26 percent with LSU last season, albeit in just six games, but he also had an offensive rebounding rate of 13.5 percent. Those numbers will surely regress over the course of a season, and in a larger role, but still, it's clear he can play.
As a 20-game starter back in 2023-24 for the Tigers, Reed shot 39 percent from 3-point range and averaged 7.9 points in 22 minutes. He was 14th in the SEC in blocked shots, too (28). The sample size hasn't been very large the past two seasons, due to injury, but that's been the biggest thing holding him back.
That's why this was a solid, low-risk move for Michigan. If Reed is truly 100 percent, a big if, the Wolverines will be getting a starting-level big from the SEC, who will likely be coming off the bench as a third big behind Moustapha Thiam and J.P. Estrella.
Reed is a solid defender. He can protect the rim, is great on the glass, and can knock down the 3-pointer with efficiency, in addition to being a solid finisher around the bucket.
If the LSU transfer can play 30 games at around 20 minutes a night, Michigan basketball fans will be pleasantly surprised by his production.
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