The stock value of the highly-touted 2014 NBA draft class has taken a dip thanks to numerous injuries and the overall underwhelming play of the group. Hoops Rumors’ Chuck Myron previously looked at the playing time that the first round draft picks were receiving as rookies, which saw only five out of the 30 opening-round selections logging more than 20 minutes on a nightly basis.
This lack of playing time holds true for the men selected in the second round of the draft as well. Only one player, K.J. McDaniels, is logging more than 20 minutes per contest, but in all fairness he is doing so for the Sixers, who are more about rebuilding through the draft than they are about trying to snag a playoff berth this season. But the early-season success of McDaniels doesn’t necessarily represent a huge surprise, and is something that I predicted in his pre-draft prospect profile. If McDaniels’ solid play continues he will likely make the Sixers regret only inking him to a one-year deal, setting the rookie up to become a hot commodity as a restricted free agent after the season.
McDaniels’ agent Mark Bartelstein will also be able to cash in on the decision to pass on Philadelphia’s original four-year offer. In regards to his client signing a one-year deal, Bartelstein had said, “The 76ers have a philosophy that they’re adhering to, and we totally respect that, but it doesn’t fit for K.J. and us. I just totally disagree with the idea of doing a four-year deal that includes a structure of two non-guaranteed years. We think K.J. is going to be a good player, and it came down to doing a one-year deal and letting the market determine his value. There’s no hard feelings. The Sixers’ philosophy has worked for them. It just doesn’t work for us.”
Out of the 30 second-rounders chosen this year, 13 of them either didn’t sign NBA contracts or make it out of training camp on an NBA roster. Though there are some players like Thanasis Antetokounmpo and Semaj Christon who opted to head to the D-League, and others such as Louis Labeyrie and Vasilije Micic are considered “draft and stash” prospects who will play overseas for the time being. A number of the others will pin their NBA hopes on potentially snagging a 10-day contract after January 5th when the league begins allowing such arrangements, though most will more than likely have to wait until the Summer League begins to try and rekindle any NBA interest in their services.
Here’s a look at how many minutes each second-round pick is playing, ranked by minutes per game, with their respective draft positions in parentheses and additional notes where appropriate:
More than 20 minutes per game
- K.J. McDaniels, Sixers (No. 32) — 25.2: Has appeared in 26 games
Between 15-20 minutes per game
- No players
Between 10-15 minutes per game
- Spencer Dinwiddie, Pistons (No. 38) — 12.4: Has only appeared in seven games
- Jerami Grant, Sixers (No. 39) — 12.3: Has appeared in 12 games
- Nick Johnson, Rockets (No. 42) — 11.1: Has appeared in 15 games
- Jordan Clarkson, Lakers (No. 46) — 11.0: Has appeared in 15 games
- Cory Jefferson, Nets (No. 60) — 10.4: Has appeared in 14 games
- Joe Harris, Cavs (No. 33) — 10.3: Has appeared in 23 games
Between 5-10 minutes per game
- Cameron Bairstow, Bulls (No. 49) — 10.4: Has only appeared in seven games
- Johnny O’Bryant III, Bucks (No. 36) — 8.5: Has only appeared in four games
- Cleanthony Early, Knicks (No. 34) — 7.7: Has only appeared in seven games, Out for at least a month due to injury
- Russ Smith, Pelicans (No. 47) — 6.5: Has only appeared in four games
- Markel Brown, Nets (No. 44) — 5.4: Has only appeared in seven games
Fewer than 5 minutes per game
- Glenn Robinson III, Wolves (No. 40) — 4.3: Has appeared in 12 games
- Jarnell Stokes, Grizzlies (No. 35) — 3.9: Has appeared in 10 games
- Dwight Powell, Mavs (No. 45) — 1.7: Has appeared in only 6 games, recently traded to Dallas
- Devyn Marble, Magic (No. 56) — 1.0: Has played in only five games
Haven’t appeared in an NBA game yet
- Damien Inglis, Bucks (No. 31) — Out indefinitely with a broken right foot
Not on an NBA roster
- Thanasis Antetokounmpo (No. 51)
- Alec Brown (No. 50)
- Semaj Christon, (No. 55)
- Nemanja Dangubic (No. 54)
- DeAndre Daniels (No. 37)
- Alessandro Gentile (No. 53)
- Nikola Jokic (No. 41)
- Louis Labeyrie (No. 57)
- Jordan McRae (No. 58)
- Vasilije Micic (No. 52)
- Lamar Patterson (No. 48)
- Walter Tavares (No. 43)
- Xavier Thames (No. 59)