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Michigan State Basketball: Analyzing the Spartans’ rotation for 2018-19

DETROIT, MI - MARCH 16: Head coach Tom Izzo of the Michigan State Spartans reacts during the first half against the Bucknell Bison in the first round of the 2018 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament at Little Caesars Arena on March 16, 2018 in Detroit, Michigan. (Photo by Elsa/Getty Images)
DETROIT, MI - MARCH 16: Head coach Tom Izzo of the Michigan State Spartans reacts during the first half against the Bucknell Bison in the first round of the 2018 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament at Little Caesars Arena on March 16, 2018 in Detroit, Michigan. (Photo by Elsa/Getty Images) /
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DETROIT, MI – MARCH 16: Head coach Tom Izzo of the Michigan State Spartans reacts during the first half against the Bucknell Bison in the first round of the 2018 NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament at Little Caesars Arena on March 16, 2018 in Detroit, Michigan. (Photo by Elsa/Getty Images)
DETROIT, MI – MARCH 16: Head coach Tom Izzo of the Michigan State Spartans reacts during the first half against the Bucknell Bison in the first round of the 2018 NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament at Little Caesars Arena on March 16, 2018 in Detroit, Michigan. (Photo by Elsa/Getty Images) /

Michigan State Basketball has lost a ton of talent, yet retains plenty for the 2018-19 season. How will the minutes and roles being given out for this new team?

When it comes to Big Ten Basketball programs, Michigan State has taken a step above the others when it comes to the overall talent up and down the rosters. Take no better look than what the Spartans lost and still is able to bring back.

Michigan State will not have 2018 NBA Draft lottery picks Miles Bridges and Jaren Jackson Jr. in the frontcourt, but returns a pair of former top-100 big men as well as a solid recruiting class. It might not be the best frontcourt in the country as many thought they were a season ago, but it’ll be more than formidable for the Big Ten and other opposing big men.

As far as the perimeter goes, veteran Lourawls “Tum Tum” Nairn has graduated and moved on from the team. But the leadership and poise he displayed will transfer onto the two rising juniors projected to share the backcourt yet again for the Spartans.

The purpose of this piece is to project the minutes for each Spartan player for the following season. It’ll be obvious for the key players but with the loss of star guys, it’s important to find rotation pieces to preserve the depth.

*Two scholarship players Aaron Henry and Thomas Kithier are both freshmen forwards and part of the 2018 recruiting class. I project in this piece that they redshirt this season but the coaching staff may have other plans.