The biggest question hanging over Michigan Basketball this offseason is whether star big man Morez Johnson will stay in the NBA Draft—and the answer is starting to look like a "no" for the Wolverines. With the NBA Combine just around the corner, Johnson is one of three members of the national championship team expected to attend, and early projections have him as a fringe lottery pick. If he impresses in Chicago, it’s hard to imagine him returning to Ann Arbor.

If Johnson does leave, Michigan would be replacing four starters from a title-winning squad. That’s a tall order, even with elite returnees like Trey McKinney and Elliot Cadeau. But here’s the good news: head coach Dusty May has been working the transfer portal like a master chef, and he’s already stocked the pantry with some intriguing options to fill the void left by Johnson and Aday Mara.

At the end of April, Michigan announced a wave of new additions, and a few names stand out as potential replacements. Among them is 7-foot-3 freshman Marcus Moller, who stepped away from basketball midseason after a cancer diagnosis. May hasn’t been shy about his expectations, saying, "We believe he can contribute early."

If Moller is indeed ready to play at this level, the roster flexibility gets really exciting. What if—and it’s a big if—he turns out to be a starting-caliber big man right out of the gate? "He really plays with a poise beyond his years," May said of Moller. "He can handle, pass, and shoot, and he processes the game quickly, which fits our pace-and-space style. He is comfortable making simple plays, stretching the floor, and guarding multiple positions."

Now imagine a lineup that features Moller alongside the crown jewel of Michigan’s portal class: 7-foot-2 Cincinnati transfer Mustapha Thiam. Thiam was a Big 12 Honorable Mention last season and scored in double figures in 21 games. He led the Big 12 in blocks as a freshman at UCF, and his offensive game took a big leap during his sophomore year at Cincinnati. The potential is clearly there, and May hasn’t hidden his excitement about what Thiam can bring to the table.

If Johnson stays in the draft, the Wolverines may not miss a beat—they’ll just be a lot taller. Whether it’s Moller’s poise or Thiam’s raw power, Michigan has options. And in the high-stakes world of college basketball, having options is half the battle.