Mickeal Desgranges is getting ready to join a new team. The center has spent parts of 4 seasons with Maine, signing just days after the franchise was integrated into a division 5 league that the Claws promoted out of the following season, Desgranges was arguably the most important player on that team, putting up monster numbers on the defensive end of the floor. Desgranges has become less and less effective on the offensive side, which is largely the reason why he is no longer with the team. Phil Bowens is expected to replace Desgranges in the starting lineup, though the team could move 34 year old veteran Manolo Herencia to the PF slot to act as a stretch 4 in the team's patented run and gun style, Tom Bajlovic would move down to the center spot in that case and they would start a three headed backcourt of Lefever, Radford and Eguilez. The team is now just a bunch of spare parts thrown together for the most part, Othello Lefever and Joseph Radford are the only real long term players they will hold onto as they try to advance to DIII. With a promising young backcourt set in place, Maine will now turn it's attention to cleaning house and starting over. With 4 wins this season, they are not in danger of demotion, giving the coaching staff a chance to properly evaluate the young and unproven talent on the roster and weed out who will be here long term and who will be auctioned off. Veterans such as Salva Eguilez, Tomislav Bajlovic and Manolo Herencia will likely soon find themselves in different uniforms. Maine is looking to become a defensive minded team, right now they have one of the worst defensive clubs in IV.57. The club is a long ways away from truly being a contender in this league, but in time they should be right in the thick of things. The Radford-Lefever duo alone will keep the Red Claws at least entertaining to watch, but the overall play this season from here on out could be ugly. Fans do see a light at the end of the tunnel though with this electric young backcourt, and this season Maine will have a "lottery" pick in the upcoming draft for the first time in the team's existence. A good young draft pick could help speed up this rebuild, but most likely the Claws will have to fill out their future starting 5 by buying young talent. Patience is a virtue, and it could pay off big if Maine can match the frontcourt talent with what they have in the guard slots. In 3 seasons this team could be a force.