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2020/21 NBA G League Draft Results

January 11th, 2021 at 1:03pm CST by Luke Adams

The NBA G League held its draft for the 2020/21 season on Monday afternoon.

In a typical year, the G League draft lasts four rounds and teams are only required to make two selections. However, this year’s draft was just three rounds and teams weren’t required to make any picks.

Because only 17 of 28 NBA G League affiliates (plus the G League Ignite) are participating in the revamped season at Walt Disney World in Florida, and because teams aren’t permitted to bring extra players to training camp for health and safety reasons, roster spots will be at a premium in the NBAGL this season, and the draft reflected that. Only 25 players were selected.

With the first overall pick, the Greensboro Swarm – the Hornets‘ affiliate – nabbed former Wizard Admiral Schofield. The 42nd overall pick in the 2019 NBA draft, Schofield averaged 3.0 PPG and 1.4 RPG in 33 games (11.2 MPG) as a rookie before being traded to the Thunder during the offseason. Oklahoma City waived him last month.

With the second overall pick, which they acquired in a trade earlier in the day, the Memphis Hustle selected former Baylor standout Freddie Gillespie, who had been in camp with the Mavericks. Gillespie recently spoke to JD Shaw of Hoops Rumors about his desire to make it to the NBA and his plans to begin his professional career in the G League. He’s now in position to suit up for the Grizzlies‘ affiliate.

Here are the full 2020/21 G League draft results:

Round One:

Greensboro Swarm (Hornets): Admiral Schofield (Tennessee)
Memphis Hustle (Grizzlies): Freddie Gillespie (Baylor)
Canton Charge (Cavaliers): Antonio Blakeney (LSU)
Iowa Wolves (Timberwolves): Allonzo Trier (Arizona)
Lakeland Magic (Magic): Tahjere McCall (Tennessee State)
Canton Charge: Anthony Lamb (Vermont)
Oklahoma City Blue (Thunder): Zavier Simpson (Michigan)
Lakeland Magic: DJ Hogg (Texas A&M)
Westchester Knicks (Knicks): Justin Patton (Creighton)
Rio Grande Valley Vipers (Rockets): Armoni Brooks (Houston)
Raptors 905 (Raptors): Kevon Harris (Stephen F. Austin)
Rio Grande Valley Vipers: Jarron Cumberland (Cincinnati)
Oklahoma City Blue: Vince Edwards (Purdue)
Austin Spurs (Spurs): Jonathan Kasibabu (Fairfield)
Raptors 905: Gary Payton II (Oregon State)
Memphis Hustle: Anthony Cowan Jr. (Maryland)
Iowa Wolves: Dakarai Tucker (Utah)
Salt Lake City Stars (Jazz): No pick
N/A

Round Two:

Delaware Blue Coats (Sixers): Jemerrio Jones (New Mexico State)
Fort Wayne Mad Ants (Pacers): Oshae Brissett (Syracuse)
Westchester Knicks: No pick
Iowa Wolves: No pick
Long Island Nets (Nets): No pick
Agua Caliente Clippers of Ontario (Clippers): No pick
Fort Wayne Mad Ants: Quincy McKnight (Seton Hall)
Agua Caliente Clippers of Ontario (Clippers): No pick
Santa Cruz Warriors (Warriors): Selom Mawugbe (Azusa Pacific)
Raptors 905: No pick
Memphis Hustle: No pick
Austin Spurs: Anthony Mathis (Oregon)
Erie BayHawks (Pelicans): No pick
Greensboro Swarm: No pick
Austin Spurs: Kaleb Johnson (Georgetown)
Santa Cruz Warriors: No pick
Memphis Hustle: No pick
Oklahoma City Blue: Rob Edwards (Arizona State)
Salt Lake City Stars: No pick

Round Three:

Greensboro Swarm: No pick
Erie BayHawks: No pick
Westchester Knicks: No pick
Delaware Blue Coats: Braxton Key (Virginia)
No picks from 43-57

The teams that didn’t make any picks will fill their rosters with affiliate players and returning rights players, meaning they didn’t need to draft anyone and/or didn’t have the open spots to do so.

As Jonathan Givony of ESPN and Blake Murphy of The Athletic noted (via Twitter), NBAGL teams overwhelmingly opted for youth, passing on most of the notable veteran NBA players in the draft pool. That group included Michael Beasley, Mario Chalmers, Lance Stephenson, Emeka Okafor, and Shabazz Muhammad, among others.

Former Nets first-rounder Dzanan Musa removed his name from the draft pool before the event began, per Marc Stein of The New York Times (Twitter link).

Pacers' Jeremy Lamb Nearing Return

January 10th, 2021 at 7:16pm CST by JD Shaw

Pacers guard Jeremy Lamb will travel with the team on its upcoming road trip, Michael McCleary of the Indianapolis Star writes. Lamb, who’s recently been a full-practice participant, suffered a torn ACL in February of 2020, with head coach Nate Bjorkgren waiting for the “green light” to play him. “He’s getting close,” Bjorkgren said, “he’s getting very close to playing.” Indiana has upcoming games against the Kings on Monday, Warriors on Tuesday, Blazers on Thursday and Suns on Saturday.

Fans Will Be Allowed Later This Month

January 8th, 2021 at 7:54pm CST by Dana Gauruder

The Pacers will allow a limited number of fans to home games beginning on January 24, according to a team press release. The Pacers will limit sales to approximately 1,000 tickets per game through January 25 and consider gradual increases for remaining games. The Marion County Health Department will currently allow 25% capacity, or roughly 4,500 fans.

Warren Has Hip Surgery, No Timeline For Return

January 7th, 2021 at 9:26pm CST by Alex Kirschenbaum

Starting Pacers small forward T.J. Warren went under the knife on Tuesday, January 5, to repair a small navicular stress fracture in his left foot, according to Scott Agness of Fieldhouse Files. Agness added that there is no timeline for Warren’s return to the floor following his surgery.

In his four healthy games this season, Warren averaged 15.5 PPG (on 52.9% shooting from the field), 3.5 RPG, and 1.3 APG for the Pacers.

Jalen Lecque Out Indefinitely Due To Ankle Injury

January 6th, 2021 at 9:29am CST by Luke Adams

Pacers guard Jalen Lecque has suffered a Grade 2 left ankle sprain and has been ruled out indefinitely, the team announced in a press release. Lecque, acquired by Indiana in an offseason trade, will be re-evaluated in two weeks.

Warren Faces Long Recovery From Foot Issue

January 4th, 2021 at 5:46pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Pacers forward T.J. Warren faces a long recovery from his foot injury, as Scott Agness of Fieldhouse Files details. One of the team’s top offensive threats, Warren is dealing with a small navicular left foot stress fracture that will require surgery.

Pacers' Goga Bitadze Expected Back Soon

January 2nd, 2021 at 5:09pm CST by Arthur Hill

The Pacers expect second-year center Goga Bitadze to make his season debut soon after being sidelined by a Grade 2 right ankle sprain, tweets J. Michael of The Indianapolis Star. “He’s moving a little bit more every day,” coach Nate Bjorkgren said. “I’m not sure on the time frame when he’ll be back yet. I wouldn’t think too much longer.”

Herb Simon Praises Retiring Donnie Walsh

December 31st, 2020 at 7:45pm CST by Alex Kirschenbaum

After 79-year-old Pacers executive Donnie Walsh announced he would be vacating his position as team consultant, team owner Herb Simon released a statement praising the longtime Indiana staffer. “Over my thirty-year relationship with Donnie, I have been amazed to watch him help lead this organization to what it has become,” Simon said in part.

T.J. Warren Out Indefinitely With Left Foot Stress Fracture

December 31st, 2020 at 5:27pm CST by Alex Kirschenbaum

Starting Pacers small forward T.J. Warren has incurred a small navicular left foot stress fracture and will need surgery to address it, according to Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN. There is no timetable for his return to the hardwood, but Warren is expected to miss a decent portion of the 2020/21 season, says Wojnarowski.

New Pacers head coach Nate Bjorkgren could look to compensate for Warren’s loss by giving additional minutes to Justin Holiday, Doug McDermott and Kelan Martin at the wing.

This season, Warren was looking to build on a scorching run he enjoyed in the Orlando 2019/20 season restart, averaging almost 31 PPG in six regular season Orlando games. He was Indiana’s fourth-leading scorer during the young ’20/21 season, averaging 15.5 PPG (on 52.9% shooting from the floor) and 3.5 RPG across Indiana’s first four games. The Pacers were 3-1 in those contests.

Wojnarowski notes that the 6’8″ forward out of North Carolina State underwent a similar surgery on his right foot while with the Suns in 2016. Bobby Marks of ESPN adds (via Twitter) that Warren has thus far missed 119 of a possible 569 regular season games since being drafted with the No. 14 pick by Phoenix in 2014.

Warren, 27, has two years and $23.9MM remaining on his current contract with Indiana.

Pacers’ Donnie Walsh Stepping Down From Consultant Role

December 30th, 2020 at 11:57am CST by Luke Adams

Veteran NBA executive Donnie Walsh is stepping down from his position as a Pacers consultant, league sources tell Scott Agness of Fieldhouse Files. Walsh confirmed the news to Matthew VanTryon of The Indianapolis Star.

“I’m getting older and don’t have the energy,” said Walsh, who is 79. “It’s a young man’s sport. This job has always occupied a great deal of my time. The Pacers were always in my head. This gives me an opportunity to pay attention to my children, my grandchildren and my wife (Judy) of 58 years.”

According to Agness, team employees were informed of the news on Wednesday during a company conference call.

Walsh, who first joined the Pacers in 1984, has been a crucial part of the franchise over the last few decades. He became the club’s general manager in 1986 before being promoted to president of basketball operations in 1988.

Walsh held that role for 20 years, overseeing a period in which Indiana made the playoffs in 16 of 17 seasons. Although the Pacers never won a championship during that time, they appeared in the Eastern Conference Finals six times and represented the East in the NBA Finals once.

Following a four-year stint with the Knicks from 2008-12, Walsh returned to the Pacers as the team’s interim president of basketball operations when Larry Bird took a one-year sabbatical. Since 2013, Walsh has been a consultant, working with current president of basketball operations Kevin Pritchard, GM Chad Buchanan, and the rest of the Indiana front office.

“The best period of my life was running the franchise,” Walsh told The Indianapolis Star today. “I accomplished every dream I had. We established a winning tradition and I got the opportunity to work with really good people. The Simon family has been great ownership. I liked everybody that we had in the franchise. We worked well together and strove to make it one of the better franchises in the league.

“As I’ve come back as a consultant, I believe we’ve gotten better. I’m happy with my part in it, but I’m also happy that the franchise has continued to improve.”