Michigan State Basketball: 3 players who should be getting less minutes

Michigan State forward Thomas Kithier (15) looks to pass against Rutgers during the first half at the Breslin Center in East Lansing, Mich., Tuesday Jan. 5, 2021.
Michigan State forward Thomas Kithier (15) looks to pass against Rutgers during the first half at the Breslin Center in East Lansing, Mich., Tuesday Jan. 5, 2021. /
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Michigan State basketball is in a hole, partly due to an oversized rotation. Which players should see reduced minutes so that MSU can find its groove?

You may have read Connor Muldowney’s article earlier this week about Michigan State basketball players who need to receive more playing time. If not, give it a read after this. If the players in Connor’s article do see more time on the court, there are players who have to sit on the bench more often to even things out.

The idea of this article is not to call out certain players for being bad, it’s simply to acknowledge that some guys do not fit in the current rotation. Every player that I will list today is capable of making an impact, but we’re at a stretch in the season that really matters, so now is the time to reach maximum effectiveness.

Yes, I technically think these players are making the team worse, but that does not mean that I don’t think they have a spot on this basketball team. Some guys who were extremely effective last year simply don’t have the pieces around them to succeed since the departure of Xavier Tillman and Cassius Winston.

As Spartan Avenue’s resident pessimist, it is my responsibility to do the dirty work. Michigan State basketball likely won’t win any championships this year, but this team still has a ton of potential. It’s Tom Izzo’s job to find the perfect balance between development and effectiveness out on the court, and this is simply my opinion on how he can reach that goal.

So without further ado, here are three players in Michigan State’s rotation who should be receiving less playing time (in no specific order).