There is a general assumption that Maryland will be an NCAA men's basketball tournament team if point guard Melo Trimble returns for his junior year in College Park and a rebuilding team if he signs with an agent to take his chances on next month's NBA draft.

While the decision Trimble has to make by today's deadline will certainly affect the immediate future of Mark Turgeon's program, the Terps are neither a lock to be one of the 68 teams invited to the tournament with the 6-foot-3 point guard nor lacking the talent to get there without him.

Here is a look at the 2016-17 Terps, with or without their leading scorer the past two seasons:

With Trimble: If Trimble comes back for another season, the Terps will be deeper at point guard and in the backcourt than they've been at any time during Turgeon's six seasons. Trimble will clearly be the floor leader after deferring two years ago to Dez Wells and at times to Rasheed Sulaimon last season.

Unlike last season, when Turgeon was hesitant to use Jaylen Brantley on a regular basis until late in the year, incoming 5-11 freshman Anthony Cowan Jr. will likely be in the rotation from day one, as will another recruit, 6-61/2 wing Kevin Huerter.

Trimble's return will also take pressure off redshirt sophomore guard Dion Wiley, who after a promising preseason missed the regular season with a knee injury. Wiley and junior wing Jared Nickens, who struggled for long stretches last season, will still need to be able to score to make defenses play Trimble honestly.

Without Trimble: If Trimble decides to forgo his remaining eligibility, Turgeon will have an interesting decision to make at point guard. Unless he finds a graduate transfer with immediate eligibility, as he did two years ago with Richaud Pack and last season with Sulaimon, Turgeon will likely go with a point guard by committee unless one player steps forward.

The most likely candidate seems to be Cowan, who despite his size is a dynamic player who ESPN analyst Fran Fraschilla said “has a little Tyler Ulis in him,” referring to the former Kentucky Wildcats guard. Like Trimble, Cowan is considered more of a combo guard who is still learning how to play the point.

Should Cowan not be designated as Trimble's heir in order to ease his transition from high school, Turgeon could also use Brantley, who did play well in a limited role toward the end of last season, as well as Huerter, who played point guard on his high school team in upstate New York.

With or without Trimble: The possible departure of Trimble is only one matter facing Turgeon and the Terps, who have lost the other four starters from a 27-9 team that reached the Sweet 16.

While many believe Maryland will have a tough time replacing forward Robert Carter Jr. and center Diamond Stone, who both hired agents, the task of those taking over for Sulaimon and forward Jake Layman will be equally difficult for what each brought to the team last season.

There's an argument to be made that Sulaimon was Maryland's Most Valuable Player in 2015-16. Not only did he pick up his scoring once Trimble's play became more inconsistent after he injured his hamstring in early January, Sulaimon was the team's best perimeter defender and emotional leader throughout.

Layman, for all his frustrating lapses over his four-year career, finished his career in College Park on a strong note. His ability to play inside and on the perimeter gave the Terps a lot of flexibility with Turgeon's lineups and his improved 3-point shooting last season helped win a few games.

Unless Turgeon is successful in his pursuit of incoming freshman Justin Jackson — a four-star recruit from Canada who is reportedly deciding between Maryland and Oregon — the Terps don't have a true small forward other than incoming 6-7 freshman Micah Thomas, a three-star recruit.

Maryland has added 6-8 graduate transfer L.G. Gill, who averaged 10.1 points and 6.5 rebounds as a junior at Duquesne. Though he's more a 3-point shooter than post-up scorer, Gill could likely start at power forward and fill the role left by Carter and be backed up by redshirt sophomore Ivan Bender.

Turgeon will use a combination of senior Damonte Dodd and junior Michal Cekovsky at center. Though neither has the offensive skills of Stone, both are better defenders. Turgeon might also be able to play Cekovsky as more of a face-up power forward against bigger teams, with Gill at small forward.

The team's prospects: As crazy as it sounds, the Terps could have as good a record in the Big Ten next season if Trimble comes back as they did last season, when they finished with what was considered a disappointing 12-6.

A lot will depend on the decisions of the other marginal NBA prospects in the league who haven't yet signed with agents. Even without Trimble, Maryland could go over .500 in the Big Ten and finish in the top half of the league.

Purdue, which lost two Big Ten All-Defensive Team selections in center A.J. Hammons and guard Rapheal Davis, is waiting to see whether power forward Caleb Swanigan returns for his sophomore year. Wisconsin power forward Nigel Hayes tweeted on Tuesday that he is coming back for his senior year. Indiana will be over the scholarship limit if guard Troy Williams returns.

don.markus@baltsun.com

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