Dusty May truly threw Michigan basketball quite the curveball last week when news broke that he was taking the Dallas Mavericks head coaching position. While Michigan fans were happy to see May land in the NBA, there was frustration when he chose to leave, and questions were swirling about who would take over and whether the roster would stay intact.
There were a few good things about the timing of May's departure. For one, many rosters are already filled, so any players who choose to enter the 15-day period during which the Transfer Portal is open after Mike Boynton was announced as the interim coach wouldn't have too many choices. However, it left Michigan with few coaching choices, and Boynton seemed like the best choice to keep the roster together.
Michigan vet Trey McKinney was a big advocate for Boynton to take the job, which came as no surprise with the coach-player relationship they built in Ann Arbor last season. For the new transfers, it was a bit more of a decision, especially if they chose the Wolverines because of May.
One major transfer, Moustapha Thiam, officially announced he would stick with Michigan this season, leaving J.P. Estrella as the biggest name left without a decision. Estrella was one of the top names in the portal this offseason, and Michigan could really use his size and experience in its hunt for back-to-back titles.
J.P. Estrella still has yet to make a decision about returning to Michigan or hitting Transfer Portal
May was able to land three players out of the portal shortly after winning the National Championship. Some might have thought the Wolverines should have landed more after winning a national title, but money was a key factor in Michigan just not being able to match what some programs like Louisville were offering.
In the end, Michigan got the players it needed in order to fill the gaps in the roster, mainly an entire frontcourt with Yaxel Lendeborg, Aday Mara, and Morez Johnson Jr. all going to the NBA. Thiam and Estrella were key pickups for May, but when the news broke of his leaving, there were questions about whether or not they would still be around.
Thiam announced his return earlier Tuesday morning, leaving Estrella as the biggest name in question for the Wolverines. Michigan needs the strength and presence that Estrella brings to the court if they want the best chance at going back-to-back. Estrella has even been shown in a video stretching his range, trying to hone his three-point shot, another thing the Wolverines could use next season.
Estrella doesn't have much longer to make his decision, as the 15-day period opened when athletic director Warde Manuel announced that Boynton would be the interim head coach. That was last Monday, which leaves Estrella roughly five days to make his decision.
If he were to enter the Transfer Portal, it is truly a toss-up as to where he would land, as most rosters are full and there probably isn't much NIL money to give either. It might be best for Estrella to stick around and try to help Michigan win another title.
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