Michigan won a national championship by dominating the rim. So, it makes sense that after constructing the terrifying three-big lineup last offseason, Dusty May’s first addition in this year’s Transfer Portal cycle was 6-foot-11 Tennessee transfer J.P. Estrella.
The Maine native averaged 10 points in just over 18 minutes a game last season for the Volunteers and has an elite 17.1 percent offensive rebound rate. While he’s not much of a rim protector with a 2.5 percent block rate, he’ll be an excellent Aday Mara replacement if the Spaniard opts for the NBA, and more and more, it appears that’s where Mara is headed.
Estrella is an excellent pickup, but the first head coach to ever win a national championship with an all-transfer starting lineup, certainly isn’t going to stop there. With Yaxel Lendeborg gone, Mara’s status a mystery, and key depth pieces like Nimari Burnett, Roddy Gayle Jr., and Will Tschetter out of eligibility, May will be making a few more moves, and now is the perfect time to predict them.
Is Michigan’s front-court a finished product?
If both Mara and Morez Johnson Jr. are coming back to Ann Arbor next season, there’s no reason to make another major move in addition to Estrella. However, the early indications are that Mara is likely gone, and there’s a chance Johnson tests the NBA Draft waters as well.
That explains Michigan’s interest in Kansas transfer Flory Bidunga and Bryson Tiller. Both remain a possibility even with Estrella, though they will not be a package deal.
Then there’s the back-court. Elliot Cadeau has a year of eligibility back, and he spoke so highly of May and his staff during the NCAA Tournament run that it’d be a major shock to see him enter the portal. Trey McKenney just kept getting better throughout his freshman year, and honestly, it wouldn’t be a shock if he were a first-team All-Big Ten caliber guard next year.
If LJ Cason can get back to 100 percent off his torn ACL, then Michigan has three great options in the backcourt. Plus, five-star Brandon McCoy Jr. will factor in that group or on the wing as one of six incoming freshmen in May’s No. 2-ranked 2026 high school class.
So, with 6-foot-7 playmaking wing Juke Harris also on May’s portal radar, the question is whether the Wolverines supersize with a Bidunga swing, attempting to play the reigning Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year with Estrella and (likely) Johnson, which could realize the concerns about a lack of shooting many prognosticators had after last year’s portal haul. Or if they value the shooting and on-ball creation of Harris, who at 6-foot-7 profiles as a less physically imposing, more ball-dominant version of Lendeborg on the wing. My guess: the latter, but with a caveat.
Predicting Michigan’s next 2 portal moves
1. Juke Harris, G, Wake Forest
Harris reportedly took a visit to Michigan on Thursday, and while he hasn’t committed yet, it could be the precursor to a move. It’s fair to project that May would prioritize size after his three-big lineup laid waste to college basketball this March. However, that lineup was made possible by Lendeborg’s improved shooting and wing playmaking.
Harris isn’t quite as big, but he’s a good shooter, especially off the catch, can attack downhill with his long strides, and, critically, is an excellent rebounder. His high usage rate is a bit of a red flag, but that could be coached out of him with better teammates in Ann Arbor.
2. Bryson Tiller, F, Kansas
Tiller, at least theoretically, can provide the spacing Michigan would need to make a three-big lineup with Johnson and Estrella work. He shot over 30 percent on corner threes this year as a redshirt freshman, and at 6-foot-10, he was a 70 percent free-throw shooter. Additionally, while he’s not Bidunga as a defensive anchor, his 5.4 percent block rate is promising.
Tiller isn’t a surefire pickup, but he’s talented and makes sense as a piece of the puzzle for the Wolverines in the front court. It’s not a binary, but given the choice of only Bidunga or Harris and Tiller, while Bidunga, in my opinion, is clearly the most impactful player of the three, I’d take Harris and Tiller. Then, I’d hope Harris can work out a few kinks, and Tiller can make good realize his potential as a stretch five.