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Michigan State basketball: 3 starting lineup options for 2020-2021 season

By Mike Phillips

EAST LANSING, MI - FEBRUARY 15: Head Coach Tom Izzo watches the game between the Maryland Terrapins and the Michigan State Spartans at Breslin Center on February 15, 2020 in East Lansing, Michigan. (Photo by G Fiume/Maryland Terrapins/Getty Images)
EAST LANSING, MI - FEBRUARY 15: Head Coach Tom Izzo watches the game between the Maryland Terrapins and the Michigan State Spartans at Breslin Center on February 15, 2020 in East Lansing, Michigan. (Photo by G Fiume/Maryland Terrapins/Getty Images) /
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Best-case scenario

This lineup is, without a doubt, the ideal configuration of players for Michigan State basketball next season. The two big keys to this lineup are Langford opting to take a medical redshirt and return for his senior year while Tillman defers his NBA decision for one more year.

Langford’s return would give the Spartans some serious punch from the perimeter, an area where they struggled at points last season. It took Michigan State basketball a while to figure out their ideal rotation with Langford out so Tom Izzo would be thrilled to keep one of his team captains around for another year.

Tillman offers Michigan State basketball a potential first-team All-Big Ten big man and potentially be the focal point of the offense with Winston graduated. In this case, Tillman sees the benefit of being the leading man in the Spartans’ offense as enough of a justification to potentially bolster his draft stock for 2021.

The other big news for Michigan State basketball is former Marquette product Joey Hauser is eligible after sitting out last season. Hauser offers the Spartans a true stretch four, something they haven’t really had since Jaren Jackson went pro.

If the Spartans can assemble this lineup they would be a bona fide title contender once again. Michigan State basketball may not be the preseason no. 1 again, but they would have a great shot to be ranked inside the top 10.