one and done when the one wasn't fun

It won't be among the greatest careers by the Howard family at Michigan, but it's also hard to argue it's not the best thing for him. After one season of playing for Dad, Jett Howard is off to play for a paycheck.

Jett's single season in Ann Arbor demonstrated the kind of rising outside shot that the NBA covets. By midseason, his scoring ability had draft observers talking about a lottery pick, which is an opportunity few could pass up. But as the season went along, and as it became harder not to notice Michigan often looked better in games Jett missed—including the NIT run, apparently by choice—than those he played in, that draft stock started slipping. Dogged by questions about his focus, effort, and most of all defense—none of these plagues exactly rare among true freshmen—there was some hope he might help his dad out by coming back to develop his skills.

Unfortunately for Michigan, those aspects of his game are relatively less important to the NBA than scoring. And there's no doubt that Jett did plenty of it, with a smooth as silk jumper he could unleash from virtually anywhere. That alone makes Howard a better prospect right now than last year's early entries Moussa Diabate and Caleb Houstan. He can also point at injuries to either ankle that slowed down his production in the second half. It's hard to imagine a mid-round NBA team would pass up that all-important size, shooting, and athletic upside, or fear a few years of development in the G-League. Neither do I fault Jett for passing up a chance to do his pops and us a solid so he can start earning his own money from the skills he's been developing for longer than Juwan has been coaching.

What's good for Jett unfortunately sucks for Michigan. It's one thing to grit through a true freshman's growing pains, especially if he's offsetting them by filling the bucket. It's another to make it to the other end of those growing pains with nothing to show for it. And then have it happen the next year. Just as they did with Houstan last year, Michigan spent a season experiencing up a talented young wing, and there will be no payoff year to follow.

They still await word from Hunter Dickinson and Kobe Bufkin. The former seems likelier to return given the NIL potential at Michigan is probably better than what awaits in his pro career. The latter played himself into a potential first rounder before a practice injury knocked Kobe out of the NIT. Bufkin could leave as well to get a jump toward his second NBA contract, or he could stick around and hope to Jaden Ivey his way into the Lottery. Both options seem equally good for him. It would be nice for Michigan if they didn't have to replace yet another lead guard, especially since next-year Bufkin projects to an even bigger game-changer than next-year Howard.

Either way, expect Juwan to be shopping for wings in the portal. Wofford PF BJ Mack is a likely candidate to fill last season's sore four-spot. Even if they can get another year for Joey Baker and see good things in the development of Youssef Khayat, they're now in the market for a three as well.

There is no content after the jump. If you're going to comment, please keep the decisions being made in mind.