Michigan Basketball Holding Final Roster Spot for Morez Johnson But Dusty May Prepared to Pivot

With the NBA Combine underway, Michigan is waiting for word on one player: Morez Johnson Jr. It's apparent Aday Mara is off to the NBA, as he is now being projected as a lottery pick, and while Johnson's stock is rising, he realistically could return to Ann Arbor for another season as the staple of the offense.

Head coach Dusty May has been around watching things unfold in Chicago and he recently sat down with Andy Katz to discuss his roster for the 2026-27 season. With one spot open, May said it's a wait-and-see approach when it comes to filling that last spot, and if Johnson opts to remain in the draft — Michigan will have to pivot.

"Well, we have one spot," May said of his roster. "We're just waiting to see an approach with Morez and certainly anticipating him having a difficult decision because of how well he's played in Chicago. We'll support him and then if he does stay in, we'll be prepared to pivot. But we like our team regardless, but obviously he raises our ceiling like Yax did last year."

A new-look front court next season

If Johnson does indeed stay in the 2026 NBA Draft, Michigan will have lost all of its front court from the national title team. Mara and Johnson were as good as they came down low, and All-American Yaxel Lendeborg was a versatile piece that May could use in a variety of ways.

"Both of those guys are irreplaceable," May said of Lendeborg and Mara. "We do really — we value the guys we brought in, but they're different and we'll have to recreate, reinvent ourselves again. Just to see how well these guys, Yax, Aday and Mara, especially the three guys that are here, how well they play together."

The cupboard won't be bare in Ann Arbor. On top of returning both Elliot Cadeau and Trey McKenney, Michigan brought in talented bigs, including one of the top transfers: Moustapha Thiam. Tennessee transfer J.P. Estrella would likely start if Johnson stays in the draft, and LSU transfer Jalen Reed is an athletic big.

"We loved his motor, his physicality," May said of Estrella. "We went back and looked at a lot of his high school film and AAU film and he shot the balll well from the perimeter. He was very adept as a triple handoff guy. So, we think he has some things that we would use in our offense and really value.

"Also, we think he checks the Will Tschetter box as far as being a connector, energy guy. He brings a lot of intangibles in. Obviously, big Mustapha checks a lot of boxes for us with his rim protection, with his skill level, with his ability to stretch the floor. He's a 7'2", 7'3", guy. And then if Jalen Reed can get healthy, then we think we've got another queen on the chessboard."

Add us as a preferred source on Google