March 30th, 2020 at 12:01 PM ^
Good luck to him. I’d be happy for him to come back, but these guys need to take the money when it’s on the table.
But will the money be on the table? not a consensus pick in even the second round. Is Iggy playing anywhere or was he?
March 30th, 2020 at 12:08 PM ^
I expected this all along.
Why should he stay another year? He would not increase his value. Seniors have no leverage at all. NBA figures if they were good enough they'd have left sooner.
Thanks Isaiah! You were great man!
Your statement assumes that no (or negligible) additional development and growth occurs in the senior year, which is not always the case (not to mention how the market/competition for draft players for various positions changes year to year). There are many cases of players (including juniors) staying one more year and significantly improving their draft stock. I'm not saying he should go or stay, but this is not as clean and easy of a decision as you suggest.
It seems like it would be hard for him to improve his draft stock if there are no pre-draft workouts, and he looks to need that. Plus going to Europe for a year doesn't look promising considering the COVID-19 situation.
While it looks like staying another year would help him, I don't know if Cassius was better off coming back to MSU for his senior year.
Cassius is no better nor worse off, but I don't think that entered into it. He is not a high level prospect and I think he wanted another year to play at a level he was elite at.
March 30th, 2020 at 12:08 PM ^
There's no reason for him to not go through the draft process and receive feedback from NBA scouts on what he may need to work on for next year. If he then decides to return to UM, I know we'd welcome him back with open arms. However, if he does end up going pro, we'll be rooting for a successful and long career, hopefully with a great organization. He was a joy to watch during his time here!
March 30th, 2020 at 12:11 PM ^
I don't think he's necessarily gone for sure. I think he's just thanking everyone in case that is the decision he makes.
Best of luck to him and I hope he gets the feedback he needs to either stay in the draft or come back for his senior year and improve.
Would love to have him back but also completely understand him leaving. I think he's got solid potential as a 3 and D player
March 30th, 2020 at 12:12 PM ^
Maybe he stays, maybe he goes, but nothing in his statement gives any indication that he's leaning one way or the other.
March 30th, 2020 at 12:20 PM ^
Other than already signing with an agent. Most guys (Tillman for example) dont go that far. My guess is even if he doesnt go NBA, he has an agent to start looking at Europe. He gone.
March 30th, 2020 at 12:30 PM ^
Signing with an agent literally means nothing anymore. There's no downside to hiring one now
March 30th, 2020 at 12:18 PM ^
Sport news is so 'February 2020
March 30th, 2020 at 12:19 PM ^
Think he is more than likely going the pro route..
"According to Michigan's press release, Livers does plan to sign an agent during the process."
Reference: https://247sports.com/college/michigan/Article/Michigans-Isaiah-Livers-declares-for-NBA-Draft-145392772/
March 30th, 2020 at 12:28 PM ^
He can still fire said agent by the deadline and return if he doesn't like what he hears from the NBA/Overseas.
March 30th, 2020 at 12:21 PM ^
Despite the door being open to him returning, I do feel as though his injuries may be the final factor in deciding to go pro. Why risk injuring yourself again when you can go pro and make some money? I feel he is a better pro prospect than Iggy was last year and he will make a roster one way or another (G league etc.).
With that being said, I would love to have him back next year.
March 30th, 2020 at 12:30 PM ^
That's interesting. As, with the injury discussion, I actually feel the opposite. Doesn't he have something to show the NBA around injuries? Feels like this was the first season where he was a full-fledged starter and he missed, what? Half the season? 40% of the season? I'm no NBA draft expert but that would be a concern I'd have.
March 30th, 2020 at 12:44 PM ^
I totally get that, I always felt the injury argument is backwards. If I KNEW I was injury prone (which athletes do) I would always lean towards making the money instead of risking going back to an unknown. Say he gets a late grade, maybe goes undrafted but makes a g league roster. He is still getting paid and has the benefit of possibly making a roster. If he gets hurt in the g league, he still can collect and is in the system. However, if he comes back to school and gets hurt, where does that leave him?
Ultimately I don't think there is a right answer, I just know that I'll be pulling for him regardless of what he picks.
March 30th, 2020 at 12:47 PM ^
I don’t think hiring an agent means anything if he’s coming back or not. They help with setting up workouts and meeting with teams. I would think they could be very useful right now when the NBA scouting combine likely isn’t happening and private workouts might have restrictions as well.
March 30th, 2020 at 12:51 PM ^
Good luck to him. I think he sticks and has a long career.
March 30th, 2020 at 12:53 PM ^
It's all going to be about getting into the right fit and getting a chance. Who in a million of years would have thought D-Rob would be as successful as he has been? Had he been signed by a different team, who knows he maybe never even makes it out of the G-League.
Similar situation with Livers. If you can be great at one thing, you can find a home in the NBA. Players like D-Rob (elite 3-point shooter), Marcus Smart and Patrick Beverley have carved out careers by being great at one thing, despite having major deficiencies in other aspects of their game.
FWIW -- Livers is not hiring an agent.
Doesn't matter either way.
Really hope he decides to return.
Averaged 12.9 points, 4 rebounds and 1.1 assists per game this season. I could see him improving all of those in 2020-21.
I don't know about that. There will be a lot more talent on the court next year and there won't be a PG who can distribute like X did. Consistent shots could be hard to come by.
I think a lot of it hinges on Wagner's decision, too.
If Livers does return, I could see him and DeJulius running a lot of the show offensively.
Simpson had some positive moments but I'm ready for Michigan basketball to give some other guys some extended minutes in the backcourt. Simpson had the ability to convert some nifty finishes, but I thought he was a limited offensive player.
He could improve all of those things and not improve his draft stock all that much. For him its going to come down to some athletic testing numbers and whether teams think he can hold up on defense in the league. If convinces a team he can guard multiple positions in the NBA he'll get drafted in the second as a diet version of Tobias Harris, if he doesn't he won't. Next year isn't going to change that all that much, he's not going to turn into a shot creator and he's not going to get more athletic.
To quote Tim Brando on more than one occassion: "He will always be remembered for that shot." LOL.
Good luck Mr. Livers.
What is interesting for me is the direction Howard will go with this. They don't have to decide until way after signing day their intentions one way or the other. Teams like UK, Duke, etc recruit for attrition and basically sign everyone in the November signing period. You basically dont have a roster spot right now for JC if Livers and Wagner return and nobody leaves. I feel like this benefits the kids and the NBA but not the college teams. You can sit around and lose out on late deciding 5 stars while these guys (deservedly so) go through the process and then they opt to go in May or June and you are stuck with a 10 man roster or you over sign and have no scholarships available. I know Beilein got frustrated with the process every year, I'll be interested to see how Howard navigates through it. Also, it affects the transfer portal when decent prospects become available...they are in high demand and dont have all the time in the world to decide.
I got a feeling he'll be back.