Should Juwan Howard Pursue Another Transfer For 2020-21?

For the past month, since Wake Forest transfer Chaundee Brown had committed to Michigan May 19, the Wolverines' 2020-21 roster was complete. All 13 available scholarships would be in use, including the additions from the transfer wire of Columbia point guard Mike Smith, Brown and Purdue wing Nojel Eastern. However, yesterday (June 17), Eastern announced he had not been admitted to U-M and would re-open his recruitment, leaving the Maize and Blue with an open spot for this season. 

Here's what the current roster looks like, assuming senior Isaiah Livers returns to Michigan (he has until Aug. 4 to take his name out of the NBA Draft).

This roster has all the pieces necessary to go eight (or even nine) deep, offers immense potential at all five spots on the floor and will be one of the Big Ten's best rotations if Brown is granted immediate eligibility. 

That is reason No. 1 head coach Juwan Howard should stand pat and prepare for the 2020-21 season with the roster he currently has in place. There are no significant weaknesses on this Michigan team, as long as the team feels good about Livers returning (and reports are highly suggestive they do). 

Smith is a little bit of an X-factor at the '1' as he makes the transition from the Ivy League to a Power 5 Conference, but even if he's not a scorer, he should be able to handle the rock effectively enough for the Maize and Blue. 

Senior Eli Brooks showcased himself a year ago at the '2', posting career bests in effective field-goal percentage (50.2% - a definitive metric used by KenPom) and three-point field-goal percentage (36.4%). He's also versatile enough to play the '1' when necessary, though he is truly at his best 'off-ball.'

He is also Michigan's best defensive player against guards, getting credit for frustrating Big Ten Player of the Year Cassius Winston (5 of 18 shooting) in the Wolverines' 77-68 upset of rival Michigan State Feb. 8.  

At the '3', sophomore Franz Wagner was named to the Big Ten All-Freshman Team this past season and was one of Michigan's two-best players as U-M went 8-4 in its final 12 games. During that stretch, he averaged 13.3 points per game, shooting 65.6% from twos as he figured out he could get to the rim at will. 

He did struggle some behind the arc (32.7% over those 12 games) but he improved in all facets, especially on the boards, where he grabbed 7.1 rebounds per contest. 

In Livers and junior Brandon Johns Jr., Michigan probably has the best '4' duo in the conference, Livers once again shooting better than 40% on threes (40.2%) in 2019-20. He battled injuries and some inconsistencies offensively but still projects to be an all-conference performer this season. 

Johns excelled in early February as an injury replacement for Livers, averaging 14.7 points in three contests, shooting 61.5% on twos and 63.6% on threes. He couldn't keep up such staggering offensive numbers as the season wore on (though his minutes dropped when Livers returned), and is still seeking to find consistency offensively, but he can be counted on for ferocious defense that led to the second-best block rate on the team last year.  

With Johns and Livers (and Brown), Michigan can play small ball if it so desires but in senior Austin Davis, the Wolverines have a legit low-post threat offensively. Davis had the best points per 40 minutes on the team (among eligible players - 10-game minimum) at 18.3 points per contest last season, though there was a reason he averaged only 10.7 minutes in 24 contests.

Davis must improve his footwork, quickness and stamina to be a more competent defensive player that Howard would trust to play 25 minutes. Regardless of whether he can, the team is excited about freshman Hunter Dickinson, the top-ranked recruit in the rookie class (No. 38, Rivals.com). 

Clearly, there is reason to feel good about the roster the Maize and Blue will feature (and that didn't even include Brown or freshman Zeb Jackson). 

The second reason for standing pat: there are no good options. 

Among the Top 28 basketball transfers, 23 of them are already off the board, with Eastern a no-go. Illinois' transfer Tevian Jones announced his decision to leave Champaign in April but Michigan didn't actively pursue him. Nor has anyone got involved with Eli Wright, who left Western Kentucky last October. 

Former Florida point guard Andrew Nembhard, a five-star in the Class of 2018 that only entered the transfer portal June 1, is set to decide June 22 and has a top six of Duke, Gonzaga, Stanford, USC, Memphis and Georgetown. Perhaps Howard could make a late push for Nembhard but it's probably too late. 

Meanwhile, Nike Sibande, a 6-4 standout shooting guard at Miami (Ohio), has a Top 5 of Xavier, Georgia, Alabama, Arkansas and Georgetown, and is also expected to announce soon. 

Anyone else Michigan pursued at this point would be a reach, filling a spot to fill a spot, and U-M doesn't need that, especially as the team is back on campus and will begin voluntary workouts June 22. The players will be building chemistry with each other and don't need to have a late addition dropped into the huddle.