Another NBA big man is headed to Israel, as Justin Patton has agreed to sign with Hapoel Eilat, according to a report from Yakov Meir of Israel Hayom (via Twitter). A source confirmed the news to our JD Shaw (Twitter link).
Word of Patton’s agreement comes on the heels of former No. 10 overall pick Thon Maker signing a deal with Israeli club Hapoel Jerusalem.
Patton, 24, was selected with the 16th overall pick in the 2017 draft and began his career with the Timberwolves, having been included in the deal that sent Jimmy Butler to Minnesota. However, a series of foot injuries limited the center’s availability in his first few years in the NBA as he bounced around from Minnesota to Philadelphia to Oklahoma City to Houston.
In four total seasons, Patton has appeared in just 22 NBA games. Thirteen of those appearances came in 2020/21, as he spent several weeks on a two-way contract with the Rockets, averaging 5.4 PPG, 3.8 RPG, and 1.1 BPG in 19.0 minutes per contest. He was released in April, then suited up for the Jazz and Knicks in Summer Leagues in Utah and Las Vegas earlier this month.
Just on a stats basis, with pick number and expectations factored out and not counting draft and stash guys that have not yet played in the NBA, I think he is in the bottom five of all first round picks of the 2010s decade.
My bottom five would be (from bottom up)
1 Royce White
2 Fab Melo
3 Zhaire Smith
4 Tyler Lydon
5 Justin Patton
Anthony Bennett was obviously a bad pick, but he still greatly outplayed these guys.
Royce White could’ve been a great player if not for his mental health issues.
He couldn’t travel with the team by plane because of his anxiety disorder.
I agree he could have been. But Houston should have also known. His fear of flying was a known problem before he was drafted. They gambled he could get over it and lost.
And all the rest of them were good players in college. It just didn’t translate.
The “A Team” had a solution that worked for:
B A Baracus
That’s a thought there. They could have had Omer Asik knock him unconscious before every flight.
BTW, I would have said James Harden, but I don’t think he would be tough enough to do the job, so I had to look up who else was on the 2012 Rockets.
Remember spy vs spy from Mad magazine.
Jeru got their Hope-ol up but Eilat had a counter justin time.
Ha right.
Dante Exum has to be in the conversation
Definite disappointing pick, but he has at least played in the league a few years.
Payton had real injuries. No one with injuries should ever be in this conversation. He still got a shot to make it in NBA. This is a good move for him. Gotta play to get better. Today’s world you can have a good career overseas. Even a good financial career. I wish him the best.
Nice to see PATTON taking up space on yet another team’s injured list. Just another nail in the coffin of the TIMBERPUPPIES, in their history of LAME first round picks.
In fairness, Patton was technically a Bulls draft pick. I know he never played for Chicago, but in the future when someone looks back at the 2017 draft, they likely won’t remember the Butler trade they will just see Patton is listed as a Bulls pick.
Justin Patton is one of the most underrated youngsters at the center position. Yes he has had injuries. But what he has proved with OKC and Houston is different. As he was never injured. He is a great defender and is a good scorer who has a high basketball IQ for a big man. Hope to see him back in the league