Michigan basketball took a hit Monday when LJ Cason announced he intends to enter the transfer portal, leaving Mike Boynton with a roster hole to patch after what had been a near-perfect run of additions.
Cason’s exit matters because he was trending up before the injury. He is expected to miss a large portion of the 2026-27 season after suffering a season-ending injury against Illinois, and before that setback he was averaging just over eight points and two assists per game while shooting 40 percent from 3-point range.
His production was even stronger in Big Ten play. He brought playmaking and defense, and those are not easy traits to replace.
Boynton still has ways to cover the loss, and the first answers are already on the roster. Brandon McCoy, who is expected to start for Michigan basketball, could absorb some of the backup point guard minutes.
Trey McKenney can also handle the ball in short bursts, the way Yaxel Lendeborg did at times in 2025-26 for Elliot Cadeau. McCoy could end up logging time at the 1, 2, and 3 spots.
Another freshman worth watching is Joseph Hartman. The 6-foot-6 guard has the kind of skill set that fits on the wing, but he can also handle and shoot.
If the situation calls for it, he could play the one, the two, or probably even the three. Quinn Costello and Ricky Liburd are other names on the roster, too.
Still, Michigan may have another route if it wants to add outside help. Mike Martin’s move from Brown to Boynton’s staff could eventually open the door for one of his former players to enter the portal, and one name stands out: Jeremiah Jenkins.
Jenkins was a former three-star recruit ranked No. 204 in the 2024 class, and he started 27 games for Brown last season. He led the Ivy League in assists at 5.2 per game and steals at 1.9 per game, while also posting 39 made 3-pointers at a 36.4 percent clip. Over the season, he finished with 160 assists, 50 steals, 105 rebounds, and 2.8 turnovers per game.
The 6-foot point guard has three years of eligibility left. It would be a major jump to Michigan, but Martin would know his game better than anyone. Jenkins also had offers from Boston College, UMass, and Western Kentucky among his seven Division I offers.
Michigan still has two roster spots open, and the options are limited. If Boynton decides to keep adding, Jenkins looks like the most intriguing name available.
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Egans background fits the direction Michigan has been pushing in this reset, with experience across both recruiting operations and transfer portal management at the FCS level. It is another sign that Kyle Whittingham is continuing to reshape the programs recruiting infrastructure, even as the full scope of the overhaul is still coming into focus. [Read more 🡒]
Warde Manuel Just Gave Michigan Fans Another Reason To Boil
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The timing made his comments especially combustible because this is not just about one coaching change. Fans have been upset about the handling of Mays situation, including the extension that was announced after the season but never signed, and Manuels public defense of himself only adds another layer to the tension. For a fan base already looking for answers, the interview did little to calm the temperature. [Read more 🡒]