Mike Boynton Jr. contract with Michigan basketball sets lofty goals

Mike Boynton Jr. already knew he’d have high expectations to follow in his first season as Michigan basketball coach, after his old boss won a Big Ten tournament title in his first season and then a Big Ten regular-season title and the NCAA championship in his second.

>Just how high those expectations are were made clear by Boynton’s contract signed this month and acquired by the Free Press this week under Michigan’s FOIA laws.

>The 44-year-old Boynton, entering his first season replacing Dusty May, who left Ann Arbor last month to coach the NBA’s Dallas Mavericks, has a two-year deal at U-M, with a base salary of $3.6 million in Year 1 and $4 million in Year 2. But the second season comes only if Boynton hits certain requirements in his first.

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Mike Boynton contract details at MichiganSection 3.01c-ii of the deal states that the Wolverines under Boynton must hit two of the following four benchmarks on the court: Win 24 regular-season games, finish among the top four teams (including ties) in the Big Ten regular-season race, win the Big Ten tournament or reach the Sweet 16 in the NCAA tournament.

>Even if the Wolverines accomplish only one of those four marks, the second season of the contract vests if U-M returns to the Final Four.

>Boynton is also required to ensure that “all Men’s Basketball student-athletes on the team and academically eligible at the beginning of the Fall 2026 term remain academically eligible at the beginning of the Winter 2027 term.”

>The good news for Boynton: He'll be returning 13 of the 14 players who were eligible for the 2026-27 season, with only injured guard L.J. Cason entering the transfer portal after May's departure.

>In addition to making sure he returns for the 2027-28 season, hitting some of those benchmarks will give Boynton some big bonus money, including potentially $200,000 for Big Ten regular-season and tournament titles and $1.5 million for winning the NCAA title.

Mike Boynton Big Ten bonuses at MichiganOutright Big Ten regular-season title: $100,000. • >Share of Big Ten regular-season title: $50,000. • >Big Ten tournament championship: $100,000.Mike Boynton NCAA tournament bonuses at Michigan

>(Only the bonus for the highest round reached is paid out.)

Second round: $100,000. • >Sweet 16: $500,000. • >Elite Eight: $750,000. • >Final Four: $1 million. • >National championship game: $1.2 million. • >NCAA championship: $1.5 million.Boynton will also get $50,000 bonuses if he wins Big Ten Coach of the Year (either from his fellow coaches or the media) and if he wins a national coach of the year award from the Associated Press, Naismith Awards or USA Today.

>He won’t receive the bonuses, however, if the Wolverines’ Academic Progress Rate drops below 960. (U-M’s most recent APR for men’s hoops came in at 978.)

Mike Boynton buyout details at MichiganIf Boynton is fired without cause during his first season, before he has met the performance criteria above, U-M would owe him only the remainder of his $3 million salary. If he’s fired before his second season, but after reaching the criteria to earn another year, he’d get $4 million.

>If he’s fired without cause during his second season, he’ll receive the remainder of his $4 million salary.

>If Boynton opts to leave U-M before seven days after the end of his first season (including postseason tournaments), he would have to pay a $3 million buyout within 60 days.

>This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Mike Boynton Jr. contract with Michigan basketball sets lofty goals