Just when it seemed like Michigan basketball wasn't going to have any more departures, in terms of coaches or players, since none had left since Mike Boynton took over, L.J. Cason, the backup point guard last season, surprised fans and pundits by entering the transfer portal.
NEWS: Michigan guard LJ Cason plans to enter the @TransferPortal following Dusty May’s departure for the Dallas Mavericks, he told @On3.https://t.co/0BOvxLnwQ3 https://t.co/d20zlr575O pic.twitter.com/Qe4O8a9PRN
— Joe Tipton (@JoeTipton) July 14, 2026
The transfer portal actually isn't open yet. It will be, but Cason has announced his intention to enter. Hopefully, he won't be the only player to do so.
Every other player on the roster, 13 of them, has committed to returning, either through an announcement or a media report. In the world of the transfer portal, things can always change.
Since Boynton was hired on Friday, the portal opens for two weeks, five days after that. So if another Michigan basketball player is going to leave, it will have to happen in the next two weeks.
Cason is recovering from an ACL injury. He won't be able to play the entire season, but he is expected back at some point this season.
In the grand scheme of things, Cason's departure isn't that shocking. He was committed to FAU when May was the head coach. He followed May to Ann Arbor. Now that May is the head coach of the Mavericks, Cason might not feel as tied to the program.
Cason would have had a role this season. He was excellent last season coming off the bench, averaging 8.4 points and 2.4 assists while shooting 40 percent from 3-point range. While it is a blow for depth purposes next season, Michigan has a question mark now about the future starting point guard.
Cason was going to be that guy after Elliot Cadeau, although with the new 5-for-5 legislation, Cadeau could play five seasons, and might be better off doing that, since he doesn't seem to have a super bright NBA future because of his lack of size.
Mike Boynton still gets high marks for player retention
Either way, this departure hurts more in the long term than the short term. Still, if you had told me when Boynton was named the interim head coach that he would be able to retain 13 of the 14 players on the roster, I would have been overjoyed.
Boynton kept the entire starting lineup together, didn't allow any of the transfers to leave, especially the bigs, and kept all the top-100 signees (four) from the 2026 class. That's an A+ effort, despite the departure of a talented player in Cason.
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