NBA G League Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Emeka Okafor To Play For Sixers’ G League Team

October 14th, 2017 at 12:44pm CST by Luke Adams

Former second overall pick Emeka Okafor has opted to join the Sixers’ G League team, the Delaware 87ers, after being cut today by Philadelphia, tweets Ian Begley of ESPN.com. According to Begley, Okafor will look to boost his value with his G League play, in the hopes of signing with an NBA team at some point this season.

Okafor last played in the NBA during the 2012/13 campaign, making 77 starts at center for the Wizards that season. However, injury issues – including a herniated disc in his neck – derailed Okafor’s career. The 35-year-old center indicated earlier this summer that he had been medically cleared and hoped to make it back to the NBA, but he wasn’t able to break camp with the 76ers.

Because Okafor has never played in the G League before, the Sixers have the opportunity to make him one of their affiliate players. Teams can assign up to four players they’ve waived to their G League affiliate, assuming those players sign G League contracts. Okafor figures to be joined in Delaware by James Blackmon, Andrew Andrews, and Marc Loving.

Southwest Notes: Moore, Aldridge, Pensacola

October 12th, 2017 at 7:31pm CST by Austin Kent

The absence of Rajon Rondo during the first month or so of the regular season will open up more of an opportunity for Pelicans combo guard E’Twaun Moore, William Guillory of The Times-Picayune writes.

Moore, who head coach Alvin Gentry says will probably start the club’s October 18 season opener, averaged a career-best 9.6 points per game for the Pelicans last season.

Back at full health after a 2016/17 campaign in which he nursed turf toe, Moore will look to validate the Pelicans’ decision to ink him to a four-year, $34MM contract last summer.

In limited time with the Pelicans’ starting core, Guillory writes, the group posted an impressive plus-16.4 net rating.

There’s more from the Southwest Division:

Heading into his third year with the Spurs, big man LaMarcus Aldridge is embracing a larger leadership role, Tom Orsborn of the San Antonio Express-News writes. “I’m not the rah-rah guy,” Aldridge said. “I think people know that about me from my Portland days. But just trying to make sure guys are in the right spot, trying to teach guys how to play defense and know the principles and help guys stay positive and things like that.“
The wheels are in motion for the Pelicans to land a G League team, now they’re searching for a city to host the franchise. The current favorite, Chris Reichert of 2 Ways, 10 Days writes, is Pensacola.
The Grizzlies will welcome Tony Allen back to the FedExForum this week and both general manager Chris Wallace and owner Robert Pera have released statements about his time with the franchise. In a post on the team’s official site, Pera goes so far as to say that the Grindfather’s jersey will one day hang in the rafters.

And-Ones: Pay Cuts, Rookies, Returning Rights

October 6th, 2017 at 7:40pm CST by Austin Kent

The idea of an NBA player taking a pay cut in order to help a franchise save funds for other players is a noble one but it doesn’t always work out for the individuals who sign at a discount, Steve Kyler or Basketball Insiders writes.

Most recently, Warriors shooting guard Klay Thompson was asked if he would consider taking less pay when he hits free agency in the summer of 2019, like his teammate Kevin Durant did this summer.

“I probably could, yeah. That much? I don’t know. I don’t make as much as Kevin off the court,” Thompson told The Athletic. “If it’s a few million… It’s a blessing whatever contract I sign. I would definitely consider it cause I don’t want to lose anybody.”

Kyler discusses several cases of players who took pay cuts to play for a winner only to see that shot at a title quickly fade. Back in 2015, David West left eight digits on the table in order to chase a ring with the Spurs but ultimately came up short. The following summer he had to sign on with the Warriors instead, in order to take home a championship.

Jameer Nelson is another striking example of what can go wrong for a player. Nelson was bought out by the Magic in the summer of 2014 and turned around to sign at a discount with the Mavs. Dallas, however, shipped the veteran guard off less than two months into the 2014/15 campaign in the deal that landed them Rajon Rondo.

Of course there are success stories and Kyler references both Dirk Nowitzki and Dwyane Wade taking pay cuts to appease franchises that have supported them over the course of their careers. Tim Duncan is another example of a superstar that happily left money on the table in order to preserve the Spurs‘ financial flexibility.

There’s more from around the NBA:

While it’s only natural to get excited about the potential of the point guards at the top of the 2017 NBA Draft, don’t expect them to steamroll their way through the league right away. Kevin Pelton of ESPN (Insider) took a deep dive into the statistical projections of players like Lonzo Ball, Markelle Fultz and Dennis Smith Jr. only to conclude that genuinely performing as a Top 100 player in the NBA is exceedingly difficult for a first-year guard.
The NBA’s age limit has been a common talking point ever since it was implemented last decade but change could be inevitable, Steve Kyler of Basketball Insiders writes. The scribe writes that the prohibition of traditional high school seniors in the NBA draft isn’t about skill but rather about maturity. He also highlights the fact that many of the eligibility rules related to the NCAA-to-NBA pipeline come from the NCAA and not from the big league, itself.
Ever wonder what G League writers like Chris Reichert of 2 Ways, 10 Days are talking about when they refer to players’ returning rights? Consider the following an introduction to the contract mechanism and a crash course in who the most valuable players to whom returning rights apply currently are.

And-Ones: All-Star Game, Head Coaches, Ellis

October 4th, 2017 at 2:04pm CST by Luke Adams

While the changes made by the NBA and the NBPA to the All-Star Game for 2018 have generally been well received, Warriors head coach Steve Kerr wouldn’t have seeing the league take the changes one step further, as Nick Friedell of ESPN.com writes.

“I think it really would have been interesting if they would have picked 24 All-Stars total,” Kerr said. “And not necessarily made it 12 from each side. If they really wanted to do it and get the 24 best players, maybe that would have been the way to go, but I respect the fact that the league is looking to alter the format, trying to make it better. I think it’s good.”

While I voiced the same complaint in our initial story on the All-Star changes, I wonder if there was some push-back against changing the way All-Stars were selected due to the incentive bonuses in many players’ contracts for making an All-Star team.

Just this offseason, free agents like Paul Millsap, Jrue Holiday, and Kyle Lowry were among the players to have All-Star bonuses added to their new deals. Changing the selection format would have changed some players’ All-Star odds significantly, impacting those bonuses, which may not have thrilled certain players or teams.

Here are a few more odds and ends from around the NBA:

Dan Feldman of NBC Sports identifies three NBA head coaches who may be on the hot seat for the 2017/18 season, singling out Alvin Gentry (Pelicans), Jeff Hornacek (Knicks), and Fred Hoiberg (Bulls) as coaches under pressure to impress.
With Monta Ellis still on the free agent market and no indication that he’s close to catching on with an NBA team, Alex Siquig of RealGM takes a closer look at the veteran combo guard, exploring whether Ellis is on the verge of “extinction.”
The G League announced some rule changes and tweaked its playoff format today, as Chris Reichert of 2 Ways & 10 Days passes along. In some instances, the NBA tests rule changes in the G League before implementing them in the NBA, so the list is worth checking out.
Speaking of rule changes, a handful of NBA head coaches weighed in with their thoughts on the league’s shortened preseason and reduced timeouts for the 2017/18 campaign. Steve Aschburner of NBA.com passes along their comments.

Four Teams Without G League Affiliates For 2017/18

October 1st, 2017 at 5:00pm CST by Luke Adams

The NBA G League – known as the D-League before a sponsorship deal was struck with Gatorade – continues to expand as the 2017/18 season approaches. A record-high 26 NBA teams will have direct, one-to-one relationships with G League squads this season, with most NBA clubs owning and operating their own affiliates.

That leaves just four teams without affiliates for the 2017/18 season. That doesn’t mean those four clubs aren’t allowed to assign players to the G League — the flexible assignment rule allows teams without an affiliate to assign players to other G League teams. Still, those clubs are at a disadvantage in a handful of ways.

NBA teams that control their own affiliates have hand-picked coaches to help develop their young players, and can ensure that the same systems are taught in both the NBA and the G League. When a team without an affiliate assigns a player to the G League, that player could end up with a different squad each time and won’t have the same sort of support system. Last season, for instance, Pelicans rookie Cheick Diallo spent time with the Austin Spurs, Greensboro Swarm, and Long Island Nets on various assignments.

Additionally, teams without a G League squad won’t have the opportunity to designate affiliate players when the regular season begins. Those affiliate players aren’t technically under control of an NBA team, but they often stick with a club’s G League squad after spending the preseason with that club.

Here are the four NBA teams without a G League affiliate for the 2017/18 season:

Denver Nuggets

Candidates for assignment: Malik Beasley spent some time in the G League last season and could do so again in 2017/18. 2017 first-rounder Tyler Lydon may also see some G League action, since Denver has a pretty deep roster and may not have room for him in the rotation.
Two-way players: Torrey Craig, SF; Monte Morris, PG
Timeline for affiliate: A report from October 2016 suggested the Nuggets were eying a possible G League affiliate for the 2017/18 season, but it didn’t happen. It’s clearly on the club’s radar, and I’d be surprised if Denver doesn’t have an affiliate in place within the next couple years.

New Orleans Pelicans

Candidates for assignment: As noted above, Diallo was a regular in the G League last year. He’s still raw and could see assignments again this season. Rookie guard Frank Jackson may also see G League action if he doesn’t crack the backcourt rotation in New Orleans.
Two-way players: Charles Cooke, SG; Jalen Jones, G/F
Timeline for affiliate: The Pelicans have reportedly narrowed their search for a G League home to two cities: Shreveport, Louisiana and Pensacola, Florida. The plan is to get a G League franchise in place for the 2018/19 season.

Portland Trail Blazers

Candidates for assignment: The Blazers added a pair of rookies in this year’s draft, snagging Zach Collins and Caleb Swanigan. Both guys have the potential to make an impact in year one, but could be sent to the G League if they don’t earn regular minutes out of the gate. Jake Layman is also a candidate to return to the G League this year.
Two-way players: C.J. Wilcox, SG
Timeline for affiliate: There have been no clear indications that the Blazers will have an affiliate ready to go for 2018/19. It’s hard to imagine the franchise will remain on the sidelines for too much longer though.

Washington Wizards

Candidates for assignment: If players like Sheldon Mac, Carrick Felix, or Daniel Ochefu make the opening night roster, they’ll be candidates for G League stints. Otherwise, this is a roster heavy on veterans — Chris McCullough might be the only other viable option for an assignment.
Two-way players: Devin Robinson, SF; Michael Young, F
Timeline for affiliate: The Wizards intend to set up a very local affiliate in time for the 2018/19 season, according to a June report.

Glen Davis Considers Playing In G League

September 18th, 2017 at 1:56pm CST by Arthur Hill

Glen Davis may be headed to the G League as the next step in what he hopes will be an NBA comeback, relays Marc J. Spears of The Undefeated.

An eight-year veteran and a valuable reserve on the Celtics’ 2008 championship team, Davis hasn’t played in the NBA since the Clippers chose not to re-sign him after the 2014/15 season. At age 31, he still believes he has a place in the league.

“I want to play. That’s my next step,” Davis said. “Whatever I have to do to show I can play the game at a high level still and help a team win, I will do. I know it’s going to be a process because I haven’t played in two years. But I feel like I’m at the prime in my game and I still have a lot to offer. I am considering the G League. It’s a great opportunity to show all 30 teams that I can play without getting hurt. They can see what I can still do. This is the best opportunity to make my steps back to the NBA.”

Davis’ NBA resume includes 514 games with the Celtics, Magic and Clippers, averaging 8.0 points and 4.4 rebounds over his career. He also has a long injury history that began in 2013 with Jones fracture surgery on his left foot. He had ligament surgery on his left ankle two years later, then broke the ankle in a 2015 playoff series.

Davis expected to recover within two to three months and said he was contacted by both the Clippers and Mavericks, but no offers materialized.

He claims to be “100 percent” recovered from the physical problems and can go through workouts without pain. Davis has dropped 20 pounds and lists his playing weight at 295. He also says he has improved his 3-point shot and is ready to be a stretch forward. He wants to prove he can contribute to an NBA team, even if he has to go to the G League first.

“I want to play. That’s my next step,” Davis said. “Whatever I go out there to do to show I can play the game at a high level still and help a team win, I will do. I know it’s going to be a process because I haven’t played in two years. But I feel like I’m at the prime in my game and I still have a lot to offer.”

Southwest Notes: Pelicans, Gay, Clark, Harden

September 14th, 2017 at 12:38pm CST by Luke Adams

The Shreveport City Council voted on Tuesday against moving forward with the plan to invest $30MM into building an arena capable of housing a G League franchise for the Pelicans, according to William Guillory of The Times-Picayune. As we heard last month, Shreveport and Pensacola, Florida are considered the two finalists for the Pelicans’ G League affiliate.

A new facility in Shreveport would likely have made the Louisiana the strong favorite to become the home of the Pelicans’ G League squad, which is expected to begin play in 2018/19. However, even with the city reluctant to commit financially to the project, Shreveport remains in the conversation, per Pelicans VP of communications Greg Bensel.

“We are still moving in the process,” Bensel said, per Guillory. “Shreveport is part of our Saints and Pelicans family and we value that market and both teams will continue to promote our community outreach efforts throughout the area.”

Here’s more from around the Southwest division:

Less than eight months after tearing his Achilles, Rudy Gay has been cleared for all basketball activities and is ready to begin his first season with the Spurs, writes Jeff McDonald of The San Antonio Express-News. As McDonald notes, it remains to be seen how long it will take Gay to get back to full strength, but the veteran forward is optimistic. “I’m feeling great,” Gay told reporters on Wednesday. “I know a lot of people say that. I don’t think you’d expect me to say anything else. But I actually feel great.”
After winning a title with the Warriors last season, Ian Clark is looking forward to a new challenge – and a potentially larger role – with the Pelicans in 2017/18. Jim Eichenhofer of Pelicans.com has the story on Clark, who explains why he decided to sign a one-year contract with New Orleans this summer.
While James Harden was happy to play some pickup ball with Chris Paul and Carmelo Anthony this week, he was focused more on meshing with his new teammate CP3 than he was on the rumors that Anthony could become a member of the Rockets as well, writes Jonathan Feigen of The Houston Chronicle.

Sixers Name Elton Brand GM Of G League Team

August 28th, 2017 at 4:13pm CST by Luke Adams

The Sixers have formally named longtime NBA big man Elton Brand as the new general manager of their G League affiliate, the team announced today in a press release. The move to hire Brand as the Delaware 87ers’ GM was reported earlier today by Shams Charania of The Vertical.

“We are thrilled that Elton has agreed to take on the GM position of the Sevens, a natural next step given both his personal and professional skillset,” Sixers president of basketball operations Bryan Colangelo said in a statement. “The transition from a terrific playing career to team management was something that we have been talking about for some time and this opportunity is both timely and appropriate. I look forward to working side-by-side with Elton as we continue to grow and develop our overall basketball program.”

Brand, who announced his retirement as a player last fall, finished his career with the Sixers and then stepped into a front office role with the team during the 2016/17 season. The former No. 1 overall pick joined the 76ers as a player development consultant last December.

NBA teams have used G League affiliates for years to develop young players and coaches, and are increasingly taking advantage of those G League squads to mold young executives as well. While Brand enjoyed a successful 17-year run as an NBA player, he remains fairly inexperienced as an executive. However, if he does well with the Sevens, he could take on a larger role in the Sixers’ basketball operations department within the next few years.

Sixers Notes: Brand, Simmons, Summer Moves

August 28th, 2017 at 1:57pm CST by Dana Gauruder

The Sixers are expected to hire former player Elton Brand as the GM of their G-League affiliate, the Delaware 87ers, Shams Charania of The Vertical tweets. Brand has served as a development consultant for the franchise, Charania adds. Brand would fill the vacancy left by the departure of Brandon Williams, who was hired by the Kings late last month as their assistant GM. Brand played for the Sixers from 2008-12, then rejoined them for the final 17 games of his career during the 2015/16 season.

In other news involving the club:

Ben Simmons says he’s “ready to go” for training camp after recovering from the foot injury that prevented him from playing last season, he told Roy Ward of The Age. Simmons said he’s eager to prove himself after his rookie season was delayed by the surgery. “A lot of people maybe doubt me now but I’m ready to come back stronger and get to work,” he vowed to Ward. Simmons has been medically cleared for all basketball activities. He ran a basketball camp in Melbourne, Australia last week but flew back to Philadelphia on Monday to prepare for training camp, Ward continues. The Sixers sent two coaches to Melbourne to work with Simmons, including a shooting coach, but the point forward isn’t concerned about his jumper. “My shot has always been fine,” he insisted to Ward.
The Sixers sent a message to their players and fans that they’re finally serious about winning when they traded up for the top pick in the draft, Shaun Powell of NBA.com notes in his offseason recap. The Sixers could have just taken the best available player at the No. 3 spot but GM Bryan Colangelo made a bold move by trading up for point guard Markelle Fultz, Powell continues. The Sixers now have solid building blocks with Joel Embiid, Simmons, Fultz and Robert Covington but still have to figure out what to do with Jahlil Okafor, Powell adds.

2017 NBA G League Expansion Draft Results

August 23rd, 2017 at 4:08pm CST by Luke Adams

The NBA G League conducted its expansion draft today, allowing the league’s four new franchises to add the returning rights to 11 players apiece. The league’s previously-existing 22 teams had been permitted to retain the rights to nine players each, leaving the rest of their players unprotected and free to be drafted, though no team can lose more than two players. Adam Johnson recently outlined the full details of the expansion draft process in a piece for 2 Ways & 10 Days.

The G League’s four new teams this year are affiliates for the Hawks (Erie BayHawks), Grizzlies (Memphis Hustle), Bucks (Wisconsin Herd), and Clippers (Agua Caliente Clippers of Ontario). The Erie BayHawks have been in the G League for years but are technically an expansion team since the old iteration of the BayHawks was purchased by the Magic and moved to Lakeland, Florida — the Lakeland Magic will retain returning rights for former BayHawks players.

The players added today by the G League’s four expansion teams won’t necessarily play for them this season — in fact, it’s not all that common for expansion draftees to suit up for their new clubs. Many of those players will try to catch on with an NBA team or will end up playing overseas, if they’re not already on an NBA or international roster. Still, the expansion draft gives the G League’s new teams some assets as they start to build their rosters for the coming season.

Listed below are the results of today’s expansion draft, per the G League’s official announcement. The player’s former G League team is noted in parentheses, and picks are ordered by round. The teams will hold their players’ rights for the next two seasons:

Erie BayHawks (Hawks)

DeAndre Daniels (Raptors 905)
Sean Kilpatrick (Delaware 87ers)*
Ronald Roberts (Reno Bighorns)
Terran Petteway (Maine Red Claws)
Casey Prather (Windy City Bulls)
Jordan Crawford (Grand Rapids Drive)*
Jordan Sibert (Iowa Energy)
Beau Beech (Long Island Nets)
Raphiael Putney (Rio Grande Valley Vipers)
Luke Harangody (Lakeland Magic)
Will Bynum (Windy City Bulls)

Memphis Hustle (Grizzlies)

Marquis Teague (Fort Wayne Mad Ants)
Okaro White (Sioux Falls Skyforce)*
D.J. Stephens (Iowa Energy)
Omari Johnson (Fort Wayne Mad Ants)
Jamaal Franklin (Long Island Nets)
Adonis Thomas (Grand Rapids Drive)
Manny Harris (Texas Legends)
Mark Tyndale (Reno Bighorns)
Jordon Crawford (Canton Charge)
Jimmer Fredette (Westchester Knicks)
Terrence Drisdom (Santa Cruz Warriors)

Wisconsin Herd (Bucks)

Vince Hunter (Sioux Falls Skyforce)
Gracin Bakumanya (Northern Arizona Suns)
Perry Ellis (Greensboro Swarm)
Corey Walden (Maine Red Claws)
Josh Davis (Greensboro Swarm)
Michael Dunigan (Canton Charge)
Jarvis Summers (Rio Grande Valley Vipers)
James Siakam (Raptors 905)
Kyle Casey (Northern Arizona Suns)
Cady Lalanne (Austin Spurs)
Tyler Harvey (Lakeland Magic)

Agua Caliente Clippers of Ontario (Clippers)

Andre Dawkins (Texas Legends)
Bryce Cotton (Oklahoma City Blue)
Corey Hawkins (Delaware 87ers)
Will Cummings (Delaware 87ers)
J.J. O’Brien (Salt Lake City Stars)
Jamil Wilson (South Bay Lakers)
Keith Steffeck (Santa Cruz Warriors)
Julian Jacobs (South Bay Lakers)
Aaron Craft (Salt Lake City Stars)
Thanasis Antetokounmpo (Westchester Knicks)
Youssou Ndoye (Austin Spurs)

Players marked with an asterisk (*) are currently on an NBA roster. If they remain under contract and are assigned to the G League, they would join their current NBA team’s affiliate.