Michigan Basketball Could Turn to Mike Martin's Old Team to Find L.J. Cason Replacement

With another open roster spot, the Wolverines could turn to Brown to find Cason's replacement.

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On Monday night, Michigan suffered its first and only roster loss under new head coach Mike Boynton Jr. Since Dusty May left for the Dallas Mavericks, Boynton Jr. nearly kept the Wolverines' roster 100% intact. But that changed when two-year guard L.J. Cason announced he planned on entering the transfer portal.

Cason suffered a torn ACL late last season and wasn't going to see the court for most of the year. But the explosive playmaker was going to be a large part of what the Wolverines did over the course of the next couple of seasons, and there was a chance Cason could've made a return late this year.

When healthy, he was the backup point guard to Elliot Cadeau, and played the position as well as anyone in the entire country. And with Cason being hurt — and now transferring — the backup point guard position is the only glaring hole on Michigan's roster.

The hiring of Mike Martin could change that

In what was his first big move as the new head coach of Michigan, Mike Boynton Jr. went out and hired 44-year-old Mike Martin from the Brown Bears.

Martin was the head coach of Brown and was set to enter his 14th season at the position. He led the Bears to their first-ever 20-win season back in the 2018-19 season, earning Ivy League Coach of the Year. He won 171 total games as Brown's head coach, leaving as the program's winningest coach in Brown's history.

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With Martin leaving Brown for Michigan, the Bears' roster will be able to enter the transfer portal at some time in the next several weeks.

When the Bears hire a new head coach, after a five-day window, the portal will open for 15 days for the players on Brown's roster. If Brown doesn't hire a head coach within a 30-day window, the portal will automatically open for a 15-day window.

Leading the Ivy League in assists

And that's where, if Michigan wanted to, it could make a move at Brown's starting point guard, Jeremiah Jenkins.

The 6' guard out of Connecticut led the Ivy League last year, averaging 5.2 assists per game. He also flashed his defensive ability, leading the conference in steals with 1.9 per game. Jenkins isn't much of a scorer, averaging 8.2 points per game, and shooting just 35.8% from the floor.

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The rising junior started all 27 games for Brown last season, and he would fit exactly what Boynton Jr. would want in his backup point guard. Someone who could spell Cadeau for short periods, run the court, play defense, and make plays for his teammates.

Michigan isn't a stranger to finding Ivy League transfer players, either. In the last several years, the Wolverines have added guards Mike Smith (Columbia) and Jaelin Llewellyn (Princeton).

Brown wouldn't be tasked with playing many minutes for Michigan, likely coming in at short spurts at a time, and the Wolverines would have to see if he could handle the confines of the Big Ten Conference, but with another open roster spot, the risk would be worth taking.