NBA G League Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Lakers Notes: Russell, Randle, D-Fenders

January 25th, 2017 at 1:30pm CST by Luke Adams

After a promising start to the season, the Lakers are now in a tie for the second-worst record in the NBA, as our 2016/17 NBA Reverse Standings show. While there was some optimism in Los Angeles in the fall that the team could compete for a playoff spot this season, the Lakers have lost 22 of 28 games since the start of December, effectively taking them out of the running.

As Kevin Pelton of ESPN.com (Insider-only link) details, D’Angelo Russell and Julius Randle have slowed down after hot starts, and it’s not clear whether either of those players – or Brandon Ingram – is a future star. If there’s no future star currently on the roster, the Lakers may have to hope they can keep their 2017 first-round pick (top-three protected) and land a player that fits that bill in the lottery. As Pelton observes, the league’s new Collective Bargaining Agreement will make it less likely that a top player will change teams in free agency, so the draft looks like L.A.’s best bet to land an impact player.

Let’s round up a few more Lakers notes…

With Kobe Bryant no longer on the roster, the Lakers are lacking a definitive leader, writes Mark Medina of The Los Angeles Times. “We don’t have a guy who’s naturally that person for us, so it needs to come from multiple people,” said head coach Luke Walton.
In the post-Kobe era, David Aldridge of NBA.com takes an interesting and in-depth look at the Lakers’ current situation, including Jeanie Buss‘ views on the franchise.
The Los Angeles D-Fenders are being rebranded as the South Bay Lakers at the conclusion of the 2016/17 D-League season, the team announced this week in a press release. “This is an opportunity to leverage the iconic Lakers brand, celebrate our amazing community and emphasize our franchise’s accomplishments over the last 10 years while we continue to compete for an NBA D-League championship,” said Joey Buss, the president and CEO of the Lakers’ D-League affiliate.

Central Notes: Cavaliers, Pistons, Bucks

January 25th, 2017 at 12:24pm CST by Luke Adams

LeBron James‘ call this week for the Cavaliers to add a playmaker to their roster represented the latest development in his full-court press on the club’s front office, writes Brian Windhorst of ESPN.com. Although he clarified that he doesn’t intend to criticize GM David Griffin or the job the club’s front office has done, James’ comments are meant to apply pressure to Cleveland’s decision-makers, as Windhorst details.

Cavaliers executives aren’t the only ones who took notice of James’ comments. As Emiliano Carchia of Sportando notes, multiple veteran free agents made an appeal to LeBron and the Cavs after the Finals MVP asked for another playmaker. Nate Robinson posted a message on Instagram imploring James to call him, while Jordan Crawford posted a similar message on Twitter. While Robinson and Crawford may be available, they probably won’t be the first players the Cavs pursue as the team looks to fortify its roster.

Here’s more from around the Central division:

The Cavaliers aren’t the only Central team whose point guard situation has been in the news. Reggie Jackson‘s name surfaced in a a trade rumor last week, but Rod Beard of The Detroit News makes the case that there just aren’t many point guards on the trade block that would be an upgrade over Jackson if the Pistons wanted to make a move.
With Kentavious Caldwell-Pope back in the lineup, the Pistons have a healthy roster for the first time in a while, creating some interesting decisions for Stan Van Gundy, Beard writes in a separate piece for The Detroit News.
The Oshkosh Common Council has approved plans for an arena that could serve as a home for the Bucks‘ D-League affiliate, according to a report from Fox 11 News. However, the Bucks have yet to commit to a specific city for a new D-League affiliate, and organizers say they won’t move forward and start building the $15MM arena until Milwaukee makes a decision. In addition to Oshkosh, the cities of Racine and Sheboygan are also believed to be in play for a D-League franchise.

Hollis Thompson To Join Spurs’ D-League Affiliate

January 25th, 2017 at 8:54am CST by Luke Adams

After being cut by the Sixers before this month’s salary guarantee deadline, swingman Hollis Thompson is headed to the D-League. According to Adam Johnson of D-League Digest (via Twitter), the Windy City Bulls have claimed Thompson, but will send him to the Austin Spurs, San Antonio’s affiliate, in exchange for Jarell Eddie. The deal will be finalized once both players pass physicals, tweets Johnson.

Thompson, 25, had been one of the longest-tenured players on the Sixers, having signed with the team back in September of 2013. In 256 games with the franchise, he averaged 7.9 PPG and 3.1 RPG, with a .417/.389/.709 shooting line. Although he has been a solid three-point shooter throughout his career, Thompson’s 36.6% mark this season was the worst of his career, and he also averaged just 18.1 minutes per game this year, another career low that led to his release.

Having signed a D-League contract, Thompson will remain an NBA free agent, meaning the NBA’s Spurs won’t hold his rights. However, San Antonio controls and operates the Austin Spurs, so the club will get a first-hand look at the Georgetown product during his time in the D-League.

Assuming Thompson plays well in the NBADL, he’ll be a strong candidate for at least a 10-day contract or two from an NBA team down the stretch this season, if not a rest-of-season commitment.

NBA D-League Recalls/Assignments: 1/24/17

January 24th, 2017 at 6:32pm CST by Austin Kent

Here are the D-League transactions from the day:

The Raptors have recalled point guard Delon Wright and forward Bruno Caboclo from their D-League affiliate, says the team’s media relations department over Twitter. In 15 games Caboclo has averaged 9.1 points for the Raptors 905 while Wright has missed the entire season thus far on account of a shoulder injury.
The Kings have assigned rookie big man Georgios Papagiannis to their D-League affiliate tweets James Ham of Comcast SportsNet. In 13 games with the Reno Bighorns, Papagiannis has averaged 10.9 points and 7.6 rebounds.
The Nets have assigned forward Chris McCullough to their D-League affiliate, the team has announced in a press release. In 24 games with the Long Island Nets, McCullough has averaged 19.0 points and 8.0 rebounds.

And-Ones: Bynum, Thabeet, NBA Draft

January 24th, 2017 at 5:14pm CST by Austin Kent

With NBA teams like the Cavaliers and Bulls looking for point guard help, one name that ESPN’s Chris Haynes has heard thrown around is Will Bynum. At 34 years of age, Bynum has plugged away in the D-League since he was waived by the Hawks during training camp. Though he was used sparingly by the Wizards in 2014/15, he had established himself as a key rotation player for the Pistons over the half decade leading up to it.

Now eligible to hop on with a team for either a 10-day deal or for the rest of the season, Bynum will look to show that he can contribute right away. During the recent D-League Showcase, the veteran guard set out to demonstrate that he’s still in shape and capable of playing the right way. The message was sent loud and clear in the form of a 43-point showing when his Windy City Bulls tipped off against the Delaware 87ers last Wednesday.

There’s more general news from around the league:

Former NBA player Hasheem Thabeet has signed on to play with the Philippines-Mighty Sports of the Dubai International Basketball Championship, says international basketball reporter Charles Tiu. Thabeet, out of NBA action since 2013/14, was the No. 2 overall pick in the 2009 NBA Draft.
The depth of this year’s draft class could have teams reconsidering the moves they make ahead of the February 23 trade deadline, write Chad Ford and Kevin Pelton of ESPN (Insider), especially with regard to the point guard position. This year’s class, anchored by Markelle Fultz and Lonzo Ball, is particularly rife with playmakers.
Several NBA prospects have seen their value fluctuate of late and three of them have been profiled by Jonathan Givony of The Vertical. Arizona’s Lauri Markkanen is starting to establish a case for a Top 10 selection, Givony says.
The season of 10-day contracts if upon us, the most recent player to sign a deal being Johnny O’Bryant earlier today. Jake Fischer of Sports Illustrated spoke with Sean Kilpatrick and Tim Frazier to discuss the call-up process.

NBA D-League Assignments/Recalls: 1/23/17

January 23rd, 2017 at 3:31pm CST by Luke Adams

Here are Monday’s D-League assignments and recalls from around the NBA:

Bruno Caboclo and Delon Wright have been sent to the Raptors‘ D-League affiliate, the team announced today (via Twitter). The duo figures to be in action for the Raptors 905 tonight against the Texas Legends.
The Pacers have recalled Rakeem Christmas and Joseph Young from the Fort Wayne Mad Ants, according to a press release issued by the club. Both players have played sparingly for Indiana this season.
Rookie forward Joel Bolomboy has been recalled to the NBA by the Jazz, per a press release. Bolomboy put up 19 points and nine rebounds for the Salt Lake City Stars on Sunday.
The Trail Blazers are sending 2016 second-rounder Jake Layman on an assignment with the Windy City Bulls, a league source tells Adrian Wojnarowski of The Vertical (Twitter link). Portland doesn’t have a D-League affiliate of its own, so Layman will play for Chicago’s team via the flexible assignment rule.
The Nets have recalled Chris McCullough from Long Island in advance of Brooklyn’s game against San Antonio tonight, the team announced in a press release.

Grizzlies, Wolves To Control New D-League Affiliates

January 23rd, 2017 at 2:18pm CST by Luke Adams

Two NBA teams have made major announcements this afternoon regarding their partnerships going forward with D-League affiliate. The Grizzlies, who are affiliated with the Iowa Energy this season, have acquired an expansion NBADL franchise which will be owned and operated by the Grizz. According to Michael Wallace of Grizzlies.com, Memphis’ new D-League franchise doesn’t yet have a name, but the team will play its home games at the Landers Center in Southaven, Mississippi.

“It’s a complete game-changer,” said Grizzlies EVP of basketball operations John Hollinger. “Our affiliation with Iowa has been very effective for several years, both in terms of player development and basketball ops to both cities. To operate our own D-League team in your backyard – the direct access to the development process of our player talent – makes the process so much more efficient.

Meanwhile, with the Grizzlies set to end their partnership with the Energy, the Iowa franchise will be bought and controlled by the Timberwolves, who had been without a D-League affiliate up until now. While the acquisition isn’t officially finalized, an agreement is in place between the two sides, as the Wolves announced today in a press release.

“We’re thrilled to bring the Iowa Energy into the Timberwolves family,” said Wolves owner Glen Taylor. “It’s great knowing that we can develop our young players so close to home and enjoy all the other benefits that come with owning a D-League team. We look forward to growing our relationship with the greater Des Moines area, the state of Iowa and basketball fans across the Upper Midwest.”

The D-League continues to grow each year as the majority of the NBA’s 30 teams move toward controlling and operating their own affiliates. In addition to expanding the number of NBADL teams, NBA clubs have increasingly been focused on making their affiliates more geographically accessible — NBA teams whose affiliates play nearby – like the Nets and Lakers – have been able to make certain players active for both NBA and D-League games in the same day at times this season.

Unlike some of those teams, the Grizzlies haven’t used their D-League affiliate to frequently assign and recall players this season, since the Energy’s Wells Fargo Arena in Des Moines is located more than 600 miles from the FedEx Forum in Memphis. Memphis’ new NBADL affiliate will be located about 20 miles away, while the Wolves will be located less than 250 miles from their new affiliate in Iowa — still a trek, but not nearly as significant as the distance between Des Moines and Memphis.

Today’s announcement ensures that there will be at least 23 teams in the D-League next season, and a recent report from Scott Howard-Cooper of NBA.com suggested that the league expects at least one more new franchise for the 2017/18 season.

The Hawks, Nuggets, Clippers, Bucks, Pelicans, Trail Blazers, and Wizards are the remaining seven teams without an affiliate lined up for ’17/18, though Atlanta will control and operate its own team by the 2019/20 season and the others are reportedly exploring their options.

NBADL teams figure to be more important than ever beginning next season, since the NBA’s new Collective Bargaining Agreement will permit teams to sign two players apiece to two-way contracts. NBA teams will be able to freely shuttle players on those two-way deals back and forth between the NBA and D-League, paying them at one rate in the NBA and at a lesser rate in the NBADL.

NBADL Expects To Add Multiple Teams In 2017/18

January 23rd, 2017 at 8:59am CST by Luke Adams

The NBA D-League is close to finalizing the addition of multiple teams for the 2017/18 season, league president Malcolm Turner tells Scott Howard-Cooper of NBA.com. The NBADL is expected to make an announcement on expansion within the next few weeks, perhaps before this year’s NBA All-Star Game, with the league likely to add at least two new teams.

For now, there has been no definitive word on which cities or NBA teams may be involved in the latest round of D-League expansion, but as of this season, there are only eight NBA clubs without an affiliate, so the possibilities are limited.

The Magic have an agreement in place to buy their current affiliate, the Erie BayHawks, and move the team to Lakeland, Florida. According to Howard-Cooper, there’s speculation that Erie could retain a D-League team, with the Hawks replacing the Magic as the club’s NBA affiliate. Atlanta has an affiliate of its own lined up, but that team isn’t expected to begin play until the 2019/20 season.

According to Howard-Cooper, the Wizards and Bucks are among the other NBA teams currently without affiliates that could have an NBADL team in 2017/18. The Clippers have also explored some Southern California venues, but aren’t expected to be ready to launch a D-League team by next season, Howard-Cooper writes.

Meanwhile, the D-League may also change how it runs its annual showcase event, which took place in Mississauga, Ontario last week. The D-League’s showcase serves as an opportunity for NBA and international scouts to assess the league’s talent in one place without having to travel to scout individual teams and games. Per Howard-Cooper, the league would like to either hold the showcase in the same place every year, or establish a rotation of three or four locations for the event.

“I couldn’t tell you specifically where, but I do think we would like to explore, A, whether or not there is such a thing as a permanent home for Showcase or, B, are there two or three venues that we can have in a rotation to different parts of the country, different parks of North America,” Turner said. “Those are a couple scenarios that we would like to spend a little bit of time understanding.”

NBA D-League Assignments/Recalls: 1/22/17

January 22nd, 2017 at 9:01pm CST by Austin Kent

Here are the D-League transactions from the day:

The Grizzlies have assigned forward Jarell Martin to their D-League affiliate in Iowa, the team has announced on their website. In 40 game, including three starts, with Memphis so far this season, Martin has averaged 3.9 points and 3.8 rebounds per game.

Magic Sign Anthony Brown To 10-Day Deal

January 22nd, 2017 at 8:57am CST by Milo Taibi

JANUARY 22: The signing is official, according to a tweet from the team.

JANUARY 20: The Orlando Magic are lining up a 10-day contract for Anthony Brown, reports Marc Stein of ESPN (Twitter link). Currently playing for the Erie BayHawks at the D-League showcase in Ontario, Brown would be the first player to receive a call-up from the four-day scouting event.

Brown, 24, has played in parts of two NBA seasons with the Lakers and Pelicans. The former Stanford Cardinal appeared in nine games with New Orleans earlier this season, totaling 34 points and 26 rebounds. Brown has excelled in the D-League, averaging 21.7 points through 15 games with the BayHawks.

Brown is a logical fit with the Magic, whose struggles on offense this season have been well-documented. Brown would provide depth at the two and three, where Orlando is missing Evan Fournier and Jodie Meeks due to injury. The team also has an open spot on its 15-man roster, so no corresponding move would be required.