Should Michigan State basketball pursue Ohio State players in transfer portal?

Michigan State basketball coach Tom Izzo has been against the portal in recent years, but should that change with OSU players?

There’s been a change to the head coaching landscape of Big Ten basketball, and probably not the one you’d most expect. Ohio State has fired Chris Holtmann and that could actually directly affect Michigan State basketball.

With Ohio State firing Holtmann, Ohio State players will now be granted a 30-day window to enter the transfer portal.

The transfer portal will now open up for the Ohio State basketball team for 30 days, giving them a jumpstart on the window that opens March 18. https://t.co/eL1j8JXMXn pic.twitter.com/b7yXsCquwR

— Pete Nakos (@PeteNakos_) February 14, 2024

It’s not nearly as common to see mid-season firings in college basketball as opposed to college football. While it’s entirely possible that Ohio State retains its full roster through the end of this season, we also can’t dismiss the allure of the transfer portal in the NIL era. Teams will undoubtedly be contacting Buckeyes players at the least.

The question is, should Michigan State basketball and Tom Izzo make a run if any players do enter?

The case for pursuing OSU transfers

The Spartans currently have an unused scholarship which would make adding another player to the roster easy. It’s no secret that Michigan State has a major deficiency specifically in the post area. If a player that could add value in the post is available, fans will be clamoring for Tom to make a call.

Unfortunately, these players would not be eligible for the remainder of the season as they have to be enrolled in classes in order to play and it’s already halfway through the semester.

Tom Izzo has notably been a little resistant to the transfer portal but we can’t overlook the fact that his two best players over the last few years (Tyson Walker and Joey Houser) both came via the portal.

The case against pursuing OSU transfers

Michigan State has been struggling to establish a rotation of players that feels natural and functional. This Saturday’s win over Illinois may be the most functional we’ve seen the team look and that may have been by mistake. Jaxon Kohler was thrown into playing more minutes for the Spartans than he has all year due to foul trouble. While he was in the game, he contributed on both ends of the floor. He likely wouldn’t have seen the same usage if Mady Sissoko and Carson Cooper didn’t pick up their early fouls.

Tom Izzo still wasn’t able to find minutes for Xavier Booker yet again after saying pre game he needed to get him more minutes.

The hope for the Spartans will be that they can take Saturday’s momentum and continue to build on it.

In the end, while fans will inevitably push for the Spartans to add a piece for next season, don’t expect Tom to pick up the phone anytime soon. He has his hands full enough already.