I really like Maliq and have enjoyed watching him play. I bet he does well wherever he ends up. I will be rooting for him.
I think this move was driven by Donnie Freeman. While Maliq is a good PF, Donnie is a difference maker. He has to play the vast majority of the minutes at the 4.
He is IMHO already a better defender, shot blocker, rebounder and shooter than Maliq is. He is our ideal 4. Maliq has some limitations at the 4. He might break through some over time...in fact I think he will. But he is never going to be the all conference level player Donnie is going to be.
So he has to play center to play for us. While he did a fine job filling in at center this year, he isn't a great fit there either. We really need a center who can defend big strong guys, rebound well, block shots and have some polished moves around the basket.
Maliq is not that guy and never will be.
I wish him well. Sad I won't see him develop and play his last 2 years but this is the new landscape for college sports. Major roster turnover is going to happen, especially for programs looking to make major improvement.