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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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Next best scenario

  • Point Guard: Rocket Watts
  • Shooting Guard: Aaron Henry
  • Small Forward: Gabe Brown
  • Power Forward: Joey Hauser
  • Center: Xavier Tillman

While we went pie-in-the-sky crazy in our last scenario, the odds remain slim Langford will actually opt for that medical redshirt. Langford indicated earlier in the season he wouldn’t take that option, and while his recent comments indicated a softening of that stance it would take a lot to fully change Langford’s mind.

This is a bit problematic for Michigan State basketball, which is already thin on proven guards with Winston graduating. The presence of Joey Hauser helps significantly in this regard though, enabling the Spartans to go with a bigger lineup.

Henry, who plays the three in the best-case scenario, slides up to the two here. That opens up a spot in the lineup for Gabe Brown, who played a key role off the bench in his sophomore season.

Hauser’s ability to space the floor as a perimeter shooter will help balance the lineup since Henry and Brown are more effective scorers attacking the basket. Tillman is still around in this lineup so he will remain the focal point of the Michigan State offense.

This lineup does not have quite the upside of the best-case scenario but should still be a top-15 entrant in the preseason polls. Izzo will likely have to tinker with his rotations a bit but there is still plenty here for him to build a title contender by March.