Figured we could use this for discussion on potential roster changes and next year’s team in general. Man do I hope DeJulius brings along that jumper that he has in HS to the next level…
Honestly, this is probably the type of result that could get a guy like Wagner to come back.
Some really exciting talent is coming in, and he could help the transition with Castleton.
I know some work has to be done numbers wise with the roster, but I mean he probably maxes out into the high teens-20s whether this year or next. Isn’t he young for his grade too? It would be awesome to get another year from him.
Charles Matthews has done really well as of late, but I kinda hope the whole entering the draft without an agent thing doesn’t happen. I think Beilein and he both know what needs to be worked on (continuing to be work on ball handling, shooting, FT shooting,etc). I am not sure he is really going to get any magical feedback otherwise.
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I think Wagner will be gone. I expect Matthews to test the waters but ultimately return.
We should be good but will have some offensive question marks. I don’t think a lineup of Z, Poole, Matthews, Livers and Teske offers enough shooting. It’s a good defensive lineup but unless some guys make huge jumps with their outside shooting, it will be a problem.
I love Z but he will always have his deficiencies if he can never shoot off the dribble. I’m not sure he made one jumper off th dribble all year. Still expect him to be the leader of next year’s team and the best defensive PG in the country.
Poole is a big key. He’s got a lot of game but he needs to really mature as a player. He can be a big time scorer and they will need his shooting. I expect he will play a lot of minutes next year.
I think the interesting thing next year will be the 5. I like Teske as a change of pace center but I don’t see him playing more than half the game at most. Not sure Castleton will be ready to play much next year.
I like the idea of going small. Johns is probably most equipped to play the small ball 5. We should have plenty of guys to play the 3 and 4 with Matthews, Iggy and Livers so it makes sense for play someone like Johns at the 5.
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Personally I’d slot Isaiah as the small-ball 5. He’s physically strong and quick. Johns is 20# lighter and much better suited to the 4 imo.
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Intersting John’s looks bigger than livers to me weight wise.
Honestly I’m not worried about the offevse next year. I’m confident teske is going to make a huge jump. His face up game will develop. I also see Davis becoming a nice back up over castleton.
Again I’m ok with a small ball 5. A lineup of z Poole Mathews John’s and livers will have enough athlete to rebound. I also think livers will be tough enough to bang.
I really wonder about moe though. He might be so pissex he comes back to finish the job.
Wspn had us preseason 12. Even without moe that’s laughable to me. I really don’t think they still get how good some of these guys are.
I’m expecting z to burstcon the scene next year. In high school I saw a nice midrange game. He often shakes his guy so hard he’s got that pull up all day. I think he starts taking it next year.
I also expect Eli to settle in and show us way more. Kid can shoot despite what we saw. Livers too. I e orctva huve jump from everybody and for us to shock people. I’m calling a three peat big ten champs
Edit: Johns is listed at 206 and 215 depending on the source, Livers runs 230/235 and is an inch shorter.
Agree that a lineup with Matthews, Teske and Simpson is brutal shooting-wise. Poole would offer a deep threat but he is streaky, and Livers seems to have a decent stroke but definitely haven’t seen enough to say he will make up the slack of the others.
Definitely worried about the pg spot especially if Wagner is gone next year. Simpson has to make some huge strides with his offensive game. A lot of his offense was predicated off Wagners ability to pick and pop. Without that threat, can he provide a consistent scoring option? It’s a heck of a lot easier to defend a ball screen when the ball handler can’t shoot and the big always rolls or can only pop to fifteen feet.
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Changes that I want each player to make:
- Poole - defense. I have full confidence that he is going to make a Stauskas like jump from year one to year two. Kid is going to be a stud. He’ll be a great player if he gets his defense close to where his offense will be.
- Simpson - consistent jumper. If opponents have to respect his jumper, that opens up the offense alot
- Matthews - same as Simpson
- Teske - keep working on that jumper. Doesn’t have to extend out to three.
- Livers - aggression. Kids was great in that stretch where he showed absolutely no fear. He brought it down a notch once he became starter. I’m sure the injuries contribute to that somewhat, but he looked like he was afraid to make a mistake instead of just playing loose.
- Brooks - nailing down a role. He just needs to get good at something. He didn’t play alot the second half of the season, so it’s difficult to see where he is. If he can do one thing really well on offense, that’ll make his pathway to playing time much easier. DeJulius will be coming in ready to go, so Brooks needs to be ready too.
- Watson - Decision making - improved this over the course of the season IMO, but he still needs to work on his shot selection. Got lost on defense a bit too.
I think Moe is gone. I wouldn’t be surprised if Watson left, but it’s not a given.
Will Wagner go pro ?
Will Mathews test the waters ?
Based on next year’s scholarship situation, I’m assuming it was agreed upon that Moe was leaving no matter what after this season.
If by some odd scenario Moe does return, I’m guessing Watson is forced out?
Matthews should return by all means even if he decides to test the waters. His outside shot needs a lot of work.
It’s good for Matthews to get some feedback. Moe did the same thing last year and came back, improved his rebounding quite a bit.
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I cant imagine Beilein initiating that conversation with Moe about leaving after the season and I cant imagine Moe knowing what he was going to do already last summer when they over-recruited. I think it is just a situation of there always being attrition of some form outside of seniors leaving
The more I think about it, the less that I think Ibi leaves. He seems to have integrated into the team pretty well i.e. Drip Boys. Transferring is more than just PT and I think there is still an opening for him to establish himself next year.
If I were a betting man, I would take Wagner staying. That means we have 4 centers on the roster and the most likely to leave being Davis, but gosh I could see a number of guys leaving for one reason or another
I would bet on Wagner coming back just based on his draft position and personality.
Based on what we know about Mo, is a late 2nd round pick worth giving up his Senior year and playing for a possible national title contender? I doubt it.
Particularly if you look at the the guys who were drafted in that range last year. 13 of the last 14 guys drafted do not have full NBA contracts. They either have european contracts, two way G League contracts or normal G League deals. There is very little guarantee that Mo is on an NBA roster making more than 50-100k next year.
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And that is still more than he will make staying in school another year. And it’s not like he can’t finish his degree on that salary.
For NBA teams, the more potential you have the better. Another year in college doesn’t increase his potential. I think he’d be more likely to get a contract this year than next.
Depends on what is important to him. If he wants to win a title, then maybe he’ll come back. If he wants to further his basketball career in terms of development and finances, he’ll probably leave.
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This is what I keep coming back to. I’ll fully support him if he goes but he just seems like the kid who would rather be a legend in college, graduate, make a run at a top 5 season and another title appearance than be an afterthought on an NBA bench when Europe will always be there anyway.
He also seems like someone who would absolutely love and embrace the “villain” role in the national spotlight. There were times he got to do that this year but if he comes back it makes us a top 10 team immediately and he’s the face of college basketball that everyone loves to hate.
If his only reason to come back is to win a national title or improve his draft stock…honestly he should go now. There’s too much randomness involved in winning a title and his draft stock probably won’t improve much, if at all. But if he just enjoys college, loves the university, wants to play on the most talented team he has yet in college, needs a little more emotional development, or just plain isn’t sold on making the NBA as a second round pick being his dream…those are all respectable reasons.
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Yeah, it’s basically always the correct financial decision to leave if someone is willing to pay you (unless you can only get a G League deal).
But, Mo is a guy who clearly loves being in college and playing for Michigan. That combined with the very minimal upside of his possible salary, makes me think he’ll be back. It’s really closer to a normal college decision that it is a JJJ decision where he is possibly giving up millions (or even just hundreds of thousands if you’re an early second rounder) to come back. Would you rather start your 70k job a year early or have one more year of college? I would guess a lot of normal people pick college.
I think Moe ultimately goes, but the age argument is a bit overrated. Plenty of teams would love to take someone with 3-4 years experience in the mid-to-late first round. Just ask the Lakers how happy they are with Josh Hart and Kyle Kuzma.
If Moe decides to come back, that won’t hurt his draft stock at all by age.
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Castleton committed to M October 4 2017
Nunez committed to M October 2 2017
Makes me think Coach Beilein had a strong sense that somebody (Wagner) likely wasn’t returning.
Why have 4 Centers on the roster?
Why not save a scholarship for Wagner if you think he might be back for Senior campaign?
It’s not like Nunez was the capstone of the class. He may end up being best player in class but he is the least heralded amongst them.
We will know soon enough. I don’t want to see anybody leave!!!