There is a finality that comes with playing and losing in the NCAA tournament. Michigan basketball lost out on Friday but it feels like forever ago.
Now, the process of building the 2025-26 Michigan basketball has begun. The 2024-25 season is in the books and it was great. The Wolverines will hang a Big Ten tournament championship banner and got back to the Sweet 16.
That's what blue bloods do and Michigan basketball is a blue blood, just ask John Beilein.
Staying there next season will be a challenge and will take some quality work over the next few weeks. The reports of Michigan basketball transfer portal interests have been hard to keep up with, that's how busy the Wolverines have been, but let's set the table for what Michigan needs to do this offseason, with a transfer portal to-do list.
What does Michigan basketball lose?
This seems like a good starting point. Vlad Goldin and Rubin Jones are two starters who don't have any eligibility left. Nimari Burnett could have another year, but he hasn't talked much about his future.
Roddy Gayle and Will Tschetter both confirmed that they will be back next season, although the coaching staff needs to make sure it wants them, although I expect it will.
Jace Howard is also leaving via the portal and seeking a waiver, and Danny Wolf is probably headed for the NBA. Maybe Michigan basketball will make him a huge NIL offer, but it's fair to assume he won't be back either. If we assume that Justin Pippen is the last transfer portal entrant for Michigan, a big assumption, the Wolverines would have three spots available -- if Burnett returns (now that Elliot Cadeau has committed and Sam Walters has entered the portal).
However, there could be more departures. If there are, they should be coming this week. My hope is that Burnett returns for another season and the rest of the roster remains intact. It wasn't perfect last season but with more of a core to build around than last offseason, even without Wolf and Goldin, it will be interesting to see what Michigan basketball does.
Address the frontcourt
This is obvious, and Michigan's early transfer portal interests reflect that. The Wolverines know they need two bigs to replace Goldin and Wolf. Tschetter can serve as the third guy off the bench, as he did this past season pretty effectively.
Tschetter was happy to play that role and I'm sure he will be again next season. Replacing the 2-point scoring production of Goldin is essential. He was also Michigan's best rim protector. The Wolverines also need to replace Wolf, but that's a much different story.
There will be centers that mirror what Goldin did for Michigan, even if it looks a little different. However, you won't find many fours that facilitate offense and serve as a quasi point guard.
Wolf played that role for Michigan basketball last season. He was not only one of the Wolverines but scorers, but their best playmaker too. Wolf averaged 3.6 assists but also led the Big Ten in rebouds per game while making 38 3-pointers (33 percent) and shoting 56.7 percent on 2s.
Goldin shot 63.4 percent and led the Big Ten in field-goal percentage for a good chunk of the season. Filling those spots has to be the top priority for May.
The Wolverines could have to replace their entire starting five, save Tre Donaldson, if Burnett doesn't return, but Roddy Gayle was interchangeable with Jones and is a starting-level player.
Michigan doesn't have to replace Goldin and Wolf with like stars, meaning two NBA players, but the Wolverines need two quality bigs, or making the Sweet 16 will be nearly impossible.
More playmaking
There wasn't enough playmaking on the 2024-25 Michigan basketball team. That's something Dusty May talked about near the end of the season.
Donaldson led the team in assists with 4.1, so that's one reliable playmaker. Gayle also had his moments with 2.2 assists per game. Still, the Wolverines need to find a way to replace what Wolf did, which will take more than one player.
A big man can likely replace some of the scoring and rebounding, but not the playmaking. That's why Michigan is after guards. Guards who can shoot the ball and make plays. Jalen Jackson is a great example of that.
Michigan conducted an in-home visit with him on Sunday night. He'd be an ideal fit. But regardless of who and at what position, the Wolverines need more playmaking on this roster.
Defense
Rubin Jones was one of the more underrated aspects of Michigan's run down the stretch. When he was healthy, the defense was on a different level.
That's something Michigan can't forget about. Jones was the best wing defender but also had the versatility to guard multiple spots. He didn't shoot the ball well this past season from 3-point range, so the Wolverines adding another plus defender who can space the floor should be a priority.
Rim protection goes along with addressing the frontcourt, but that's still an essential piece. Defense wins championships. All four teams still playing are ranked in the top 10 in terms of adjusted defensive efficiency via Kenpom. Michigan basketball finished 13th this season and it feels like there's a path to being even better on that end of the floor in 2025-26.
3-point shooting
Michigan shot the ball great during the first part of the season but ended up 225th in 3-point percentage (33.2). The Wolverines shot the three at a high volume, but they need to connect on a higher rate if they are going to have a shot to reach the Final Four next season.
Getting Sam Walters back healthy would help. He could also play some of the minutes vacated by Wolf and even Jones at the three.
It's clear there is plenty to do, but Dusty May doesn't mess around and I'm excited to see what he does in year two.