7:35pm: Davis is officially a member of the 87ers, the team announced.
10:18am: The 87ers would technically be claiming Davis rather than signing him, as Adam Johnson of the D-League Digest and Chris Reichert of Upside & Motor clarify (Twitter links).
8:01am: Davis is expected to sign with the Sixers’ D-League team, Charania writes in a full-length story, which appears to clarify that he hasn’t done so yet.
7:47am: Two-time NBA All-Star Baron Davis has signed with the D-League affiliate of the Sixers, reports Shams Charania of The Vertical on Yahoo Sports (Twitter link). The team, known as the Delaware 87ers, hasn’t made an official announcement, but Charania indicates the signing has taken place. The 36-year-old Davis, who’s been out of the NBA since the 2011/12 season, went unclaimed on D-League waivers when he signed with the league in January. He remains free to join any NBA team, though given the tepid response to his free agency on the D-League level, it appears Davis will have to prove his capabilities before returning to the Association.
Davis has said he indeed plans to use the D-League as a springboard to a return to the NBA, and agent Todd Ramasar claimed that he was drawing NBA interest. Rumors surfaced that the Mavs were eyeing him, but owner Mark Cuban clarified that his team only regarded him as a D-League possibility. One NBA assistant GM told Bleacher Report’s Ric Bucher earlier this season that Davis merits consideration if he’s engaged and in shape, though multiple NBA executives didn’t think his comeback attempt was serious because of a film Davis made two years ago that appeared to parody the notion of his return to the league, as Bucher also noted.
The 13-year NBA veteran started four playoff games for the Knicks in 2012, suffering a gruesome knee injury in the last of them that left him with complete tears in his ACL and MCL and a partially torn patella tendon. His contract expired that summer, leaving him with a tough road back to action.
I love Baron but when you’re outclassed in the Drew league, it might be time to hang em up.
I’m not exactly sure how the D-Leauge works, but say Baron does extremely well. Will his rights belong to the 76ers since he’s apart of their development team?
Philadelphia recently seems like the last stop for a lot of of injury prone former stars. ( Jason Richardson and Elton Brand specifically )
If I was a D-League GM I would be making moves like this all the time. Not only will it bring more fans in, players like him (former all-stars) have so much experience/knowledge to bring to your younger guys.
Just taking a spot from a more deserving younger player. If you’re broke, go get a real job bro, don’t know why GMs give these guys shot after shot.
As Jake B. said, having former NBA All Stars drives up attendance, and with it revenue.
Does this mark the first time that a D-League Affiliate was better than their NBA counterpart?