Nimari Burnett’s return to Michigan is as impactful as any transfer addition

Plenty of new talent is headed to Ann Arbor, but Dusty May should be just as happy about Nimari Burnett coming back. Here’s why Burnett’s return to Michigan is as impactful as any addition through the transfer portal:

Sometimes the biggest wins involve the least amount of change. Sure, locking in prospects like Trey McKenney after years of recruiting feels very satisfying, and bringing in top transfers out of nowhere adds an exhilaration to the offseason of unprecedented proportion, but there is something different about being able to retain current talent.

Nimari Burnett was not wavering on an NBA decision like Danny Wolf, and he was not a threat to hit the portal, but his age made the end of his college career very possible. Instead, Burnett announced on Monday he is willing to return for one final season with the Michigan Wolverines , and his inclusion on next year’s roster cannot be understated.

Building blocks

Burnett has spent time with three different programs, but there is no debating where he has most thrived. While his first season in Ann Arbor came under difficult circumstances, Burnett decided to stick it out after Juwan Howard was dismissed, even with nearly everyone else exiting the program. As a former four-star recruit, he could have tested the portal again, but perhaps he saw the bigger picture.

His loyalty was rewarded with both individual and team success. Burnett started every single game last year, enjoying a Big Ten Tournament championship and a trip to the Sweet 16. His contribution to the team’s culture and clear leadership were non-quantifiable, yet imperative, as the only returnee among the top six Wolverines in terms of minutes played. Complete roster overhauls do not work without someone able to be the glue, and Burnett was the perfect person to play that role.

Puzzle pieces

There were ups and downs throughout the season, but Burnett still ended the year shooting exactly 40 percent, leading the team in both makes and percentage. His 9.4 PPG may have been the lowest from the starters, but his ability to hit a big triple made him a threat in a unique way, especially with the injury to Sam Walters down the stretch.

With Dusty May bringing in Elliot Cadeau, the need for Burnett feels even stronger next year. The dynamic point guard was one of the best assisters in all of college basketball last season, but the Michigan roster was not exactly full of knockdown shooters for the electric point guard to get the ball too. However, Burnett instantly becomes a clear target for Cadeau and someone who should find a ton of success just lurking behind the arc, filling in a gap that May did not have a great alternative for.

Predictability

Finally, perhaps the best part about getting Burnett back is Michigan knows exactly what he brings to the table. In Year 3, he is as much about the program as anyone, and as a sixth-year college player he is someone who can be trusted to lead by example and influence by intention. He might not be an All-Big Ten player, but he absolutely should make a splash from three, and that attribute is a great one to be able to count on.

Cadeau should be good, as should Morez Johnson and Aday Mara; if Yaxel Lendeborg actually enrolls, he could be great too. There is no should or could with Burnett, though — it is clear what he brings to the table. In today’s world of accelerated transfer sagas and pressure thrown on freshmen like McKenney, Winters Grady, and Oscar Goodman, it is a luxury to have a player that is a known quantity. There are no downsides to getting Burnett for another season, and everything he brings to the table is house money.