Michigan Suffers Roster Loss Under Mike Boynton Jr. as LJ Cason Enters Transfer Portal

It's somewhat of a shocking move.

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According to several reports on Monday night, Michigan guard L.J Cason is set to enter the transfer portal.

It marks Michigan's first roster loss since Mike Boynton Jr. took over as the head coach of the Wolverines. Boynton Jr. had secured commitments from every player on Michigan's roster since Dusty May departed for the Dallas Mavericks.

Cason was the final player to hear from, and despite seeing Cason work out with the Wolverines on Michigan's X account in recent days, he is leaving Michigan after two seasons.

Cason was originally committed to May's FAU team prior to him leaving for Michigan. May brought Cason along, and the bond was likely really tight between Cason and May.

Michigan suffers a big loss

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Cason was in Ann Arbor for two seasons, and with the new 5-for-5 NCAA rule, he was set to have three more years of eligibility. Last season, Cason was arguably the best backup point guard in the nation, spelling Elliot Cadeau.

Cason averaged 8.4 points and 2.4 assists for Michigan, playing in just over 18 minutes per game. But a torn ACL against Illinois late in the season ended Cason's second year in Ann Arbor. The original plan was for Cason to redshirt this upcoming season.

But with the NCAA passing the new rule, Cason had a shot to come back and make a big impact for Michigan late in the season, ahead of both the Big Ten Tournament and NCAA Tournament.

Michigan doesn't have a clear backup point guard

Even with the return of both Cadeau and Trey McKenney, Michigan doesn't have an ideal backup point guard entering the new season. Five-star freshman Brandon McCoy Jr. has a chance to start alongside both Cadeau and McKenney, and while McCoy Jr. can handle the ball — he isn't Cason.

It's not too late to go add a potential ball handler in the recruiting class, as reclassification is still an option for some players, along with a few recruits still lingering unsigned. However, the Wolverines' roster is likely set and Boynton Jr. will be tasked with figuring out who is best suited to back up Cadeau this season.

Injuries are another concern. While Cadeau, nor McKenney, missed anytime this past year, the injury bug can always hit. And if that happens, Michigan might not be suited to handle that. Even if Cason would've come back to Michigan, the Wolverines would've needed to figure something out either way — now it just makes things more complicated.