Top Three Scorers Bolt for the NBA. Optimistic Fan Still Believes.
First off, before I get ahead of myself, I want to say that I do not blame Jordan Poole, Ignas Brazdeikis, and Charles Mathews for wanting to earn a paycheck playing the game they love to play. They deserve the opportunity. I do, however, blame the NCAA for allowing this to happen. And by that I do not mean there should be rules against it. No, what I mean is that there really is very little incentive for these guys to stick around for another year at the college ranks except for the possibility that they may be able to raise their draft stock. I must admit, that does not sound very appealing when they know that at the very least they could be making a paycheck in Italy or Croatia without the added pressures and responsibilities that come with being a student-athlete, as well as the hunger pangs. Nobody ever misses those.
That mission will soon be accomplished one way or another for the Michigan trio. My guess is that two out of the three get drafted and the third will get picked up as a rookie free agent. All three might play in the G League right away.
Mathews has potential as a role-playing defender who can score and retrieve some rebounds near the rim due. His wingspan is exceptional and it will serve him well wherever he plays basketball, which will probably be the G League this year.
Poole is a hit or miss kind of prospect. He can hit memorable shots. He is a solid free throw shooter. He is athletic enough. But he is often plagued with inconsistency and an apparent 'hero-ball' mentality that often goes nowhere. He has looked foolish at times when he is trying to take control of a game by himself. He is at his best when playing team basketball as the second or third option scorer on the floor. In the NBA he could find himself a spot on a team with the time to develop him for a year or two. With a lot of hard work he could be big time contributor on the offensive end of the floor for the right team. Like Mathews, he looks like G League material this year. At least he will be getting paid though.
Brazdeikis is more of a surprise for me because he is just a freshman. Having said that, he might be NBA-ready as much as Mo Wagner was last year. I do feel he could've used another year to get his body into NBA form and develop his game. Still, his prospects of getting drafted are good and I could even see him going as high as the middle of the first round. The kid has a solid all-around game and he can score from deep. Whoever drafts him will understand that he might need a year or two to get up to speed too, but that doesn't mean he can't find a way to contribute on a team right away either. Worst case scenario is that he too plays in the G League for a year before being a contributor in the League.
The Wolverines will move on without those three whether they like it or not. Honestly, it's as bad as it appears on the surface. There is plenty of talent currently on the roster already (or signed to play in 2019) to put a formidable starting unit on the floor. Zavier Simpson is one of the top starting point guards in the country returning for 2019. Isiah Livers was the best shooter on the team last season despite playing as a backup most of the year. He should actually benefit from the attrition. The team will benefit from both of their leadership. Jon Teske returns as one of the top shot-blockers in the country. He is also the team's top rebounder and will definitely help hold down the defensive end of the floor while putting 10 points on the board per game. I also expect Brandon John's role to expand in year two of his career. In fact, look for a huge increase in minutes and a possible breakout season. Eli Brooks might have the edge right now in regards to taking over the shooting-guard position, but he will face a tough battle with two or three other guys, including a couple highly-touted freshmen.
The depth chart should look something like this:
Point Guard
Zavier Simpson
David DeJulius
This positions is still as solid as it gets. Simpson could stand to improve his shooting range and I suspect he will improve upon his 30% rate from three point range. DeJulius should get increased minutes in year two of his career.
Two Guard
Eli Brooks
Adrien Nunez
Cole Bajema
This position is a mess now. More recruits need to be brought in so keep your eyes and ears open for any Lester Quinones or Harlond Beverly sightings in Ann Arbor. Both kids are Top 100 players that are not committed to anybody else and they would fit in perfectly in that two spot.
Guard/Forward
Isiah Livers
Jalen Wilson
Livers is the best overall player on the team. He was the top three point shooter from last season and he brings a big game on defense too. Watch for him to become a true leader on this team and possibly the team's top scorer.
Forward
Brandon Johns
Austin Davis
It will be time for Johns to step up and live up to his billing as the 70th ranked prospect in the country last year. Though he only played about four minutes per game last season, he hit 50% from the field, 75% from the free throw line, and 33% from downtown. If he can maintain that type of production while stepping into a starting role then he will definitely be on the right path. At this point in his career Davis should be a good backup.
Center
Jon Teske
Colin Castleton
Teske is one of the league's best returning defenders and is the Wolverine's top rebounder and shot-blocker. He and Castleton should do a fine job of shutting down anything close to the basket while cleaning up loose balls underneath it. Just don't expect too much production from them outside of the paint on the offensive end of the floor.
Top Shooters:
Top Defenders:
That mission will soon be accomplished one way or another for the Michigan trio. My guess is that two out of the three get drafted and the third will get picked up as a rookie free agent. All three might play in the G League right away.
Mathews has potential as a role-playing defender who can score and retrieve some rebounds near the rim due. His wingspan is exceptional and it will serve him well wherever he plays basketball, which will probably be the G League this year.
Poole is a hit or miss kind of prospect. He can hit memorable shots. He is a solid free throw shooter. He is athletic enough. But he is often plagued with inconsistency and an apparent 'hero-ball' mentality that often goes nowhere. He has looked foolish at times when he is trying to take control of a game by himself. He is at his best when playing team basketball as the second or third option scorer on the floor. In the NBA he could find himself a spot on a team with the time to develop him for a year or two. With a lot of hard work he could be big time contributor on the offensive end of the floor for the right team. Like Mathews, he looks like G League material this year. At least he will be getting paid though.
Brazdeikis is more of a surprise for me because he is just a freshman. Having said that, he might be NBA-ready as much as Mo Wagner was last year. I do feel he could've used another year to get his body into NBA form and develop his game. Still, his prospects of getting drafted are good and I could even see him going as high as the middle of the first round. The kid has a solid all-around game and he can score from deep. Whoever drafts him will understand that he might need a year or two to get up to speed too, but that doesn't mean he can't find a way to contribute on a team right away either. Worst case scenario is that he too plays in the G League for a year before being a contributor in the League.
The Wolverines will move on without those three whether they like it or not. Honestly, it's as bad as it appears on the surface. There is plenty of talent currently on the roster already (or signed to play in 2019) to put a formidable starting unit on the floor. Zavier Simpson is one of the top starting point guards in the country returning for 2019. Isiah Livers was the best shooter on the team last season despite playing as a backup most of the year. He should actually benefit from the attrition. The team will benefit from both of their leadership. Jon Teske returns as one of the top shot-blockers in the country. He is also the team's top rebounder and will definitely help hold down the defensive end of the floor while putting 10 points on the board per game. I also expect Brandon John's role to expand in year two of his career. In fact, look for a huge increase in minutes and a possible breakout season. Eli Brooks might have the edge right now in regards to taking over the shooting-guard position, but he will face a tough battle with two or three other guys, including a couple highly-touted freshmen.
The depth chart should look something like this:
Point Guard
Zavier Simpson
David DeJulius
This positions is still as solid as it gets. Simpson could stand to improve his shooting range and I suspect he will improve upon his 30% rate from three point range. DeJulius should get increased minutes in year two of his career.
Two Guard
Eli Brooks
Adrien Nunez
Cole Bajema
This position is a mess now. More recruits need to be brought in so keep your eyes and ears open for any Lester Quinones or Harlond Beverly sightings in Ann Arbor. Both kids are Top 100 players that are not committed to anybody else and they would fit in perfectly in that two spot.
Guard/Forward
Isiah Livers
Jalen Wilson
Livers is the best overall player on the team. He was the top three point shooter from last season and he brings a big game on defense too. Watch for him to become a true leader on this team and possibly the team's top scorer.
Forward
Brandon Johns
Austin Davis
It will be time for Johns to step up and live up to his billing as the 70th ranked prospect in the country last year. Though he only played about four minutes per game last season, he hit 50% from the field, 75% from the free throw line, and 33% from downtown. If he can maintain that type of production while stepping into a starting role then he will definitely be on the right path. At this point in his career Davis should be a good backup.
Center
Jon Teske
Colin Castleton
Teske is one of the league's best returning defenders and is the Wolverine's top rebounder and shot-blocker. He and Castleton should do a fine job of shutting down anything close to the basket while cleaning up loose balls underneath it. Just don't expect too much production from them outside of the paint on the offensive end of the floor.
Top Shooters:
- Isiah Livers
- Jalen Wilson
- Cole Bajema
- Adrien Nunez
Top Defenders:
- Zavier Simpson
- Jon Teske
- Isiah Livers
- Colin Castleton
Top Rebounders:
- Jon Teske
- Isiah Livers
- Brandon Johns
- Colin Castleton
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