On Monday I took a look at the potential returners and departures from this year's roster as well as possible offseason additions. One longshot came off the board yesterday when five-star 2021 center Charles Bediako committed to Alabama. [ALMOST IMMEDIATE UPDATE: Mike Smith announced on his Instagram that he's not coming back and will enter the NBA Draft. A full post is coming shortly.]

Most everything else is still on the table. Sam Webb even added a scenario I'd dismissed as unlikely in a quick note:

I still expect Michigan to be active in the portal, but I expect the focus lead guard help to be the focus. And that’s even if they get Eli Brooks or Mike Smith back (I haven’t received word on either yet).

I've seen a couple insider-y message board posts (which I now cannot locate, I apologize) that suggested Minnesota's All-Big Ten point guard Marcus Carr isn't going to be a Michigan target. There are still a lot of intriguing lead guard options out there. Your guess is as good as mine regarding possible transfer additions at the moment, though that process can move fast, as we saw last year with Mike Smith. (It took a little longer to get Chaundee Brown on board.)

Now that we have a handle on the many ways the roster can take shape, it's time examine the potential lineup combinations and how they project to fare.  Let's get this over with: any realistic roster projection for next season doesn't include Isaiah Livers or Franz Wagner, or at least that's how we're going to protect ourselves from disappointment.

To avoid confusion, I'm referring to the five players who've already played their senior year but have the option to return without counting against the scholarship limit as "super seniors," while Brandon Johns and Adrien Nunez are the two regular seniors.

Two Super Seniors, No Grad Transfer

Point? [Campredon]

It's sounding more and more realistic to expect at least one senior to utilize the extra year of eligibility. 247 hoops insider Dotman has dropped hints that both Eli Brooks and Chaundee Brown could be back for another season. The Wolverine's staff is also mentioning that possibility. Let's start with that scenario: every other super senior leaves, as does Wagner, and Juwan Howard decides not to hit the transfer market.

Here's one way that roster's depth chart could look, keeping in mind that most of the roster is capable of playing multiple positions, including the entire starting lineup outside of Hunter Dickinson:

[Hit THE JUMP for this group's outlook and several more lineup combos.]

Strengths: There's plenty of experience in this group and a whole lot of size. Howard can throw out some different looks up front with Dickinson/Diabate/Johns/Williams. If one of the young guards—whether it be Zeb Jackson, Frankie Collins, or Kobe Bufkin—emerges as a viable starter, Chaundee Brown can slide into a sixth man role or start over Caleb Houstan at small forward. Either way the team would have some serious scoring punch coming off the bench. 

Weaknesses: Is Eli Brooks a true point guard? He's never quite been that level of playmaker in his career. The team may end up short on perimeter shot creation if Jackson doesn't break through or Collins isn't ready to play a huge role right away. While they're plenty talented up front, they lack a traditional center aside from Dickinson, and Moussa Diabate is probably going to be more impactful on defense as a four than a five at around 6'10/220. 

Outlook: A lot hinges on Houstan's ability to be a high-level scorer right away, which I believe he's more than capable of doing. This would be a really good defensive team that may be a top-end distributor away from having an elite offense. A Big Ten contender, to be sure, but perhaps not a national one.

Replace Brooks with Smith and you answer the distributor issue but open up some questions about the perimeter defense.

Three Super Seniors, No Grad Transfer

there's always room for a productive center [Campredon]

A similar outcome that looks to be on the table is Austin Davis also coming back, which redistributes the frontcourt minutes a bit and could very well make room for Diabate to start at power forward if he doesn't also have to be the primary backup center. (The Big Minutes Brandon Johns believer in me feels conflicted about this; it's a good problem to have.)

Just for fun, I've moved this depth chart around to show the Zeb Jackson breakout scenario:

Strengths: Same as the previous section, but now add more frontcourt depth and flexibility that opens up a lot of possibilities for Howard. Johns shoots well enough that he could conceivably be a small forward in some truly massive lineups that could be dominant on defense.

Weaknesses: Same as previous minus the big man stuff.

Outlook: The added depth and versatility raises the ceiling on the team a bit, in large part because they'd be in much better position to overcome an injury in the frontcourt.

One Super Senior, Transfer Guard

it'd be nice if these started dropping [Campredon]

If Michigan is going after a lead guard in the transfer portal, I'm assuming a Mike Smith situation where that player steps right in as the starting point guard. That also fits well with Brooks as the most likely of the super seniors to come back; he can reprise his role as an off-ball glue guy and part-time offensive initiator, which best fits his game.

It's easy to add in other super seniors and go "yes, this makes the team better," so let's stick with Brooks as the only returner among the five in this scenario:

Strengths: Assuming the transfer is at least a decent Big Ten starter (not always safe, I realize, though one of the young guards could also emerge), Brooks would be able to play his natural position. As long as one of the young guards is functional as a backup, the backcourt will be a strength, and the team starts looking pretty similar to this year's.

Weaknesses: Diabate (or Johns) would be a great sixth man in a different way than Chaundee Brown, but the bench is very green and may lack scoring punch—this group might need Terrance Williams to start hitting jumpers. Like with the first scenario, the team is also a little thin in the frontcourt.

Outlook: A lot rides on which transfer signs up, of course, but guaranteeing Brooks can reprise his role would be huge. This group may need too much adjustment time to win a conference title but if the young players have a solid improvement curve during the season and the transfer point guard settles in late like Smith did, it's not a team anyone would want to face when rotations get tighter in the postseason.

No Super Seniors, Transfer Time

I'm starting to really like the idea of these super seniors:

Strengths: Any team with two five-star recruits joining Hunter Dickinson in the frontcourt is going to be pretty good.

Weaknesses: Total turnover of the starting backcourt plus losing Brown raises a lot of questions about playmaking, scoring, and defense, in addition to depth. If the team has to run most of its offense through the post, there's a cap on how effective they'll be. 

Outlook: This might need to be an elite defensive team to make up for some offensive shortcomings, at least to contend for the Big Ten again, and having to rely on unproven guards and possibly an up-transfer from a mid-major puts their ability to shut down opponents into question.

The Worst Case, I Hope

I'll preface this one by saying it's unlikely to happen, but also that if I didn't at least mention the slim possibility that none of the super seniors come back and the team suffers the most brutal loss it could, the universe would surely respond with evil laughter. Here's what it'd look like if Dickinson went pro and Michigan's attempts to strike gold in the portal only result in backup-quality players:

Strengths: Honestly? There are much worse situations than having to watch the #1 class in the country learn on the fly. This starting lineup would be very athletic and switchable. They could be a surprisingly good defensive squad despite their youth.

Weaknesses: Very thin. Very young. Could run into serious trouble against Big Ten centers. Might not have enough shooting outside of Houstan.

Outlook: A fun young team but probably not one that's going to make another Elite Eight run.

Fine, Let's Imagine The Roster of Doom

please oh please oh please [Campredon]

If I did the above, I'm also doing this thought exercise, which I couldn't even commit to entirely because to fill out the depth chart I felt compelled to free Brandon Johns, because...

...lol.

Strengths: Burning down the countryside

Weaknesses: lmao

Outlook: Banners