Roster Outlook: Michael Durr
After Joey Brunk announced he would be transferring to Ohio State, Indiana had a massive size deficiency in the roster. Seeing this, Mike Woodson went out and snatched up Michael Durr, a 7-foot 0-inch, 250-pound mammoth of a man.
Durr played three seasons at South Florida and started 85 of 87 games played. He is a proven player who addresses Indiana's crucial need for size in the paint. How can he improve and fit in with his new team? Let's take a look.
2020-2021 Recap
2019-2020 Stats: 8.8 points, 7.9 rebounds, 0.9 blocks, 41.0% field goal
Durr's stats don't jump off the screen, but he does his job as a center. He is an effective rebounder due to his size and strength and can score around the basket when needed.
A huge positive of Durr's game is his ability to shoot free throws. The big man came into college with no touch, shooting 53.6% from the line in his freshman season. He bumped that number up to 63.3% as a sophomore, and then to a fantastic 79% last season.
The maturation of Durr's free-throw shooting ability may transfer to three-point shooting eventually. He shot 20 threes last season and hit only 20% of them. However, considering Durr had only shot four total threes in his entire career up to last season, four makes in a season is considerable progress.
Improvements for this season
Durr needs to be a presence around the rim defensively, and his block numbers are lower than expected for most seven-footers. This partly due to his slow foot speed. Durr doesn't have great quickness, which shows when he tried to rotate over and help defensively. Improving help defense instincts and agility could help his block numbers increase.
Another point of improvement for Durr is efficiency on offense. He shot an awful 41% from the field -- especially bad for a big man. Considering he scores mostly on dunks and layups, the seven-footer needs to boost that number to at least 50%.
The cherry on top for Durr's development would be a three-point shot, which is far from a guarantee. His form looks nice, but it is tough to go from a complete non-shooter to a reliable one in just three seasons. However, Mike Woodson has expressed confidence in Durr's shooting stroke, and adding an outside shot would allow him to play alongside Trayce Jackson-Davis.
Expectations for this season
This season, Durr is unlikely to be much more than a role player. Trayce Jackson-Davis will probably be Indiana's starting center, surrounded by four shooters who can guard multiple positions. Durr doesn't fit that mold, but he will still play a role off the bench.
The only situation in which Durr may start is if he really works on his shot and proves to be reliable from beyond the arc. Even if he does become a reliable shooter, starting alongside Trayce Jackson-Davis would make it hard to guard quicker teams.
It is a luxury to have a career starter coming off the bench. If Durr can accept that role, then he will be a great piece for a deep Hoosier team. His time to shine will likely come next season, however, when he will be the number one candidate to be the starting center.
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