Isaiah Livers undergoes successful surgery on right foot

Michigan Basketball
61

As the leader of the #NotNCAAProperty movement Isaiah could make some lemonade out of lemons here, especially with the support of Coach Howard. Train in Ann Arbor, work with the team in some capacity, and get started on earning with coaching clinics, autograph sessions, merchandising, whatever. Rehab the foot and prepare for the professional career all while showcasing the future of NIL rights.

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62

If GRIII, Duncan Robinson, Jordan Poole, can play in the NBA there is absolutely 0 reason he canā€™t.

Right now there is a very big reason why he canā€™t - his foot. Foot injuries are weird and unpredictable. He has to demonstrate to pro teams that his foot is healthy and that he can be the same player as before. Unfortunately he wonā€™t get the chance to do that until very late in 2021, at the earliest.

63

If Franz comes back, takes .3 of a second off his release time on catch and shoot shots, learns to drive left, and makes shoot or drive decisions quicker, he makes tons of $$ more.

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64

Seems like things he can work on while making millions of dollars as a lottery pick in the NBA.

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65

I mean the league prescribes what each draft slot gets paidā€¦so not really, if heā€™s currently a lottery pick.

66

not really. He would never be a top 5 pick and he is still going mid first round. Small room to improve draft stock weighed against a year younger at free agency.

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67

Yeah, I didnā€™t mean to suggest you donā€™t want the same. Iā€™m definitely not of one opinion or the other, I just probably strongly leaned to it being time for him to make the leap before this news, and now I think itā€™s a more complicated call. And I just love the guy and wonder if with NIL and being on what could be a special team - well, Iā€™d love to have him back if itā€™s the right thing for him.

68

Does Isaiah come back if NIL gets approval?

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69

He also pushes his 2nd contract out another year.

70

Yeah. You donā€™t come back if youā€™re already a first-round pick. At the very best you move up a few slots. But something goes wrong and you move down or donā€™t get drafted at all, and lose a year of earnings besides.

Even if Franz does all those things he could move down, because the NBA drafts on potential. Older guys are much closer to the finished product and have their flaws exposed.

Franz would be insane to come back.

71

Much better to make all of those improvements while being paid millions to play basketball.

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72

I would set the high/low percentage of Franz going pro now at 98.5%.

73

The argument for Franz for stay wouldnā€™t be about basketball or money, but about the fact that he only got to have a normal college experience for about six months before Covid hit. His brother got to be a big man on campus in his time, while Franz had to spend his sophomore year isolating and getting nasal swabbed every day.

But it sounds like heā€™s ready to move on.

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74

Has he said something?

75

Not as far as I know, but insiders have hinted that the plan was for this to be the last year.

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76

Logic dictates it too.

Go make that money, big fella.

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77

I hope Livers has built up enough draft equity that he can get an NBA team to pay for rehab. In case he hasnā€™t, I donā€™t doubt and agent would front him the money but it would be taken out of the contract down the road I would think. And skilled PT is even more expensive than plumbing! Such a bummer, but this might be a case where the $ argues to come back. Awful. I would imagine they could take their time with this and if there is a late decision to stay, at least their is no roster cap to worry about. This is a rare moment when team and player can simply make the best decision for the player.

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78

It is looking now like Livers decision to come back last year was not the right one for him. Does anyone remember why he decided to come back? I certainly hope that he can still find a way to establish himself in the NBA.

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79

I think part of it was he wasnā€™t able to do workouts with teams because of COVID. So he couldnā€™t erase impressions of his injury compromised play at the end of the season.

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80

He definitely raised his stock this year pre-injury. He really wasnā€™t on the NBA draft radar last year. I didnā€™t see him taken in any mock drafts and since he went through the draft process, Iā€™m sure he was told less than favorable information that he didnā€™t really want to hear. This year he was at least going second round in a lot of mock drafts before this injury. Just unfortunate luck for him

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