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G League Notes: K. Brown, Nets, Djurisic, Pacers, Cavs, Suns

October 27th, 2024 at 7:48pm CST by Luke Adams

After being waived by Indiana’s NBA team earlier this month, Kendall Brown won’t suit up for the Pacers‘ G League squad this season either. The Long Island Nets announced in a press release on Saturday that they’ve acquired Brown’s returning rights from the Indiana Mad Ants in exchange for the returning rights to guard Au’Diese Toney, a 2025 second-round pick, and a 2026 first-rounder.

Brown was the 48th overall pick in the 2022 draft, but played sparingly in his first two professional seasons with the Pacers, appearing in just 21 games and logging 103 total minutes at the NBA level. The 6’7″ swingman had a far more substantial role in the G League, where he put up 17.3 points, 5.0 rebounds, and 2.8 assists in 34.1 minutes per contest across 36 total outings for the Mad Ants last season.

Brown is one of several players with NBA experience who is part of Long Island’s training camp roster, which the team announced on Sunday (via Twitter). That group of former NBA players also includes A.J. Lawson, Amari Bailey, Colin Castleton, and former NBA lottery pick Killian Hayes.

Here are a few more notes from around the G League:

  • As expected, Hawks forward Nikola Djurisic, the No. 43 overall pick in this year’s draft, signed a G League contract and will open the season with the College Park Skyhawks while he recovers from offseason foot surgery. He said during Sunday’s media day that he’s started doing on-court work but isn’t taking contact yet and is still doing 1-on-0 drills, tweets Kevin Chouinard of Hawks.com. Atlanta will continue to control Djurisic’s NBA rights, so he’s essentially a draft-and-stash player who’s playing domestically rather than in a league overseas.
  • The Indiana Mad Ants formally announced their training camp roster on Sunday (via Twitter). The Pacers‘ G League affiliate includes former NBA players like swingman Dakota Mathias, forward Cameron McGriff, and former No. 3 overall pick Jahlil Okafor.
  • The Cleveland Charge (the Cavaliers‘ affiliate) has officially announced its coaching staff and its training camp roster for the coming season. First-year head coach Chris Darnell will lead a group that includes former NBAers Jacob Gilyard, Chandler Hutchison, and Zhaire Smith, among others.
  • Veteran NBA forward Mamadi Diakite and former second-round pick Cassius Stanley are among the headliners on the first training camp roster announced (via Twitter) by the Valley Suns, who are embarking upon their first year in the G League.
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Nets Convert Tyrese Martin To Two-Way; Waive Killian Hayes, Amari Bailey

October 19th, 2024 at 9:42am CST by Tristan Tucker

The Nets have converted forward Tyrese Martin to a two-way contract and waived guards Killian Hayes and Amari Bailey, according to HoopsHype’s Michael Scotto and New York Post’s Brian Lewis (Twitter links).

Brooklyn’s roster now stands at the regular season limit of 18 players, with 15 on standard contracts and all three two-way slots filled.

Martin, the No. 51 overall pick in the 2022 draft, spent the first year of his career with the Hawks. He only saw action in 16 games and was waived the following offseason. Martin played last season for the Timberwolves’ G League affiliate in Iowa, averaging 16.9 points and 7.7 rebounds in 39 games.

A former UConn standout, Martin signed to an Exhibit 10 deal with Brooklyn this offseason. He stood out in four preseason appearances with the Nets, averaging just 4.8 PPG but often receiving playing time alongside the Nets’ bench players and other two-ways. He was ahead of Bailey and the other non-guaranteed training camp invitees in minutes.

Hayes spent the first four seasons of his career in Detroit after being drafted with the No. 7 overall pick in 2020. He showed chops as a play-maker, averaging 5.2 assists per game across 210 career appearances, but he only shot 38.2% from the field in those games. After being waived by the Pistons at last season’s trade deadline, he didn’t catch on with another team for the rest of 2023/24.

This offseason, Hayes signed an Exhibit 10 deal with the Nets. While his four years of NBA service made him ineligible for a two-way deal, he’ll still qualify for a bonus worth $77.5K if he spends at least 60 days with Brooklyn’s G League affiliate in Long Island.

Hayes didn’t suit up in a preseason game with the Nets while dealing with a hip injury. According to Charania, he’ll rehab the injury in the G League this season.

Bailey was a one-and-done prospect after suiting up for UCLA in 2022/23. He was the 41st pick in the 2023 draft by the Hornets and spent last season on a two-way deal. However, Bailey only got into 10 NBA games and the Hornets opted not to bring him back in free agency, leading to him signing an Exhibit 10 deal with the Nets.

He played more extensively in the G League as a rookie, averaging an impressive 18.8 points and 4.3 assists on a .452/.358/.705 shooting split. Like Hayes, he’ll be eligible for a $77.5K bonus if he winds up spending at least two months with Long Island.

Given that both players are 23 or younger, there’s a chance the rebuilding Nets could revisit one or both if they open up roster spots via trade this season.

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Nets Sign Amari Bailey To Exhibit 10 Contract

September 21st, 2024 at 7:38pm CST by Luke Adams

SEPTEMBER 21: Bailey has officially signed with the Nets, according to RealGM’s NBA transaction log.

SEPTEMBER 19: Free agent guard Amari Bailey has agreed to sign a non-guaranteed Exhibit 10 contract with the Nets, agent Kevin Bradbury tells Michael Scotto of HoopsHype (Twitter link).

A one-and-done college player at UCLA, Bailey was drafted 41st overall by the Hornets in 2023. He spent his rookie year on a two-way deal with the club, appearing in just 10 games at the NBA level for Charlotte but playing a significant role for the Greensboro Swarm in the G League.

In 36 Showcase Cup and regular season games for the Swarm, Bailey averaged 18.8 points, 4.8 rebounds, and 4.2 assists in 30.9 minutes per contest. His shooting line was .451/.358/.695.

The Hornets opted not to tender Bailey a qualifying offer in June. As a result, he became an unrestricted free agent.

Bailey is one of several players to have reached Exhibit 10 agreements with the Nets this offseason, along with Killian Hayes, Mark Armstrong, and KJ Jones. Brooklyn has a pair of two-way contract slots available, so it’s possible Bailey will get a chance to compete for one of those spots this fall.

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Southeast Notes: Hornets, Bridges, Fultz, Coulibaly

March 4th, 2024 at 8:57am CST by Arthur Hill

Injuries and losses continue to pile up for the Hornets after a brief upturn last month, but head coach Steve Clifford won’t consider tanking over the final 21 games, writes Roderick Boone of The Charlotte Observer.

With five rotation members sidelined, Charlotte dropped a close game at Toronto on Sunday night for its fifth loss in the last six games. At 15-46, the Hornets have the league’s fourth-worst record and are two games ahead of San Antonio for a chance to become one of three teams with the best odds at the No. 1 pick, but Clifford doesn’t want to approach the rest of the season that way.

“Look, we’re shorthanded and there’s a big difference between in some of the games you play, there’s going to be a real challenge to win,” he said. “But that doesn’t mean you play losing basketball. And there’s a big difference between teams that just pack it in and teams that play the right way and win. And I think as an organization, I think trying to win every game is a big thing.”

Seth Curry, Cody Martin and Nick Richards are the latest additions to Charlotte’s injured list, and they were on the bench in street clothes Sunday along with LaMelo Ball and Mark Williams. Boone notes that two-way players Amari Bailey and Leaky Black have been called up to provide some depth, and Marques Bolden was re-signed to a two-way contract last week two days after being waived.

Clifford points out that the remainder of the season will be crucial for those inexperienced players as they try to establish themselves in the NBA, and he doesn’t want to expose them to a culture that’s focused on losing.

“With younger players, to me, it’s absolutely critical that they understand the importance of getting better every day,” Clifford said. “I’m a firm believer, especially for younger guys, that their first experience is the way they view the league, the way they have to be taught how to be a good NBA player. I think they have to gain an understanding of how to win.”

There’s more from the Southeast Division:

  • Miles Bridges didn’t experience any customs issues during this trip to Canada, Boone tweets. The Hornets forward was denied access to the country during the team’s December 18 visit because of his legal issues.
  • Markelle Fultz was the only Magic reserve to score in double figures Sunday night as he continues to come off the bench after missing three games due to an aching left knee. Fultz told Jason Beede of The Orlando Sentinel that he isn’t concerned about not starting (Twitter link). “If I’m in the game, [I’m] playing as hard as I can,” Fultz said. “But I don’t really care about that, man. I care about winning any way possible.”
  • After missing three games with a pelvic contusion, rookie Bilal Coulibaly isn’t on the Wizards‘ injury report for tonight’s game at Utah, tweets Josh Robbins of The Athletic.
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Eastern Notes: Bailey, Herro, Wiseman, Butler

August 14th, 2023 at 10:41pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Second-round pick Amari Bailey averaged 9.3 points in 16.1 minutes per game in Summer League and the Hornets rookie found the experience very beneficial, he told Sarah Efress of The Charlotte Observer.

“It was just an amazing experience, being able to spend time with some of the guys on the team and the coaches as well. I feel like we have a great family dynamic around the whole organization,” Bailey said. “Given us being somewhat of a younger team, I feel like I can come in and just work right with everyone else. I feel like we’re very hungry, so there’s a lot to look forward to here.” Bailey signed a two-way contract with the Hornets last month.

We have more from the Eastern Conference:

  • If Tyler Herro is re-routed in a potential blockbuster between the Heat and Trail Blazers, the Raptors should only be moderately interested in being the third team, Eric Koreen of The Athletic writes in a mailbag piece. While the Raptors could use a high-level shooter and scorer like Herro, he’s a defensive liability and the Raptors are not in a position where they should be giving away more first-round picks, Koreen opines.
  • If the Pistons can unlock James Wiseman‘s overall game to match his physical gifts, they’ll have two premier young centers, Keith Langlois of Pistons.com writes. Wiseman is expected to share minutes with Jalen Duren, a late lottery pick last year who turned heads during his stint with the USA Select Team. Wiseman felt reinvigorated merely by getting an opportunity to play through his mistakes after he was traded from Golden State, Langlois notes.
  • Jared Butler was arguably the Thunder’s best player during his four Summer League appearances, averaging 20.0 points and 4.3 assists per game, Bijan Todd of the NBC Sports Washington writes. Todd takes a closer look at Butler, who signed a two-way deal with the Wizards last month.
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Hornets Sign Amari Bailey To Two-Way Contract

July 14th, 2023 at 1:34pm CST by Luke Adams

The Hornets have officially signed second-round pick Amari Bailey to a two-way contract, the team announced today in a press release.

A one-and-done college player, Bailey spent his lone NCAA season at UCLA, averaging 11.2 points, 3.8 rebounds, and 2.2 assists in 26.9 minutes per game (30 contests) before declaring for the NBA draft as an early entrant.

The 6’5″ shooting guard was the 41st overall pick last month, drafted by the Hornets with a pick they acquired from Oklahoma City. Of the eight players selected in the 2023 draft who have officially signed two-way deals in the last two weeks, none were picked higher than Bailey.

[RELATED: 2023 NBA Draft Pick Signings]

Bailey’s two-way contract will pay him just shy of $560K (half of the rookie minimum) and will allow him to be active for up to 50 regular season games as a rookie. The 19-year-old will likely see plenty of action with the Greensboro Swarm, Charlotte’s G League affiliate.

The Hornets now have 14 players on standard contracts and a pair on two-way deals, with Leaky Black also expected to join the team on a two-way pact.

However, there will likely be more roster shuffling to come, given that P.J. Washington and Theo Maledon are still restricted free agents, No. 31 pick James Nnaji remains unsigned, and JT Thor and Kobi Simmons are on non-guaranteed contracts.

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Draft Notes: Ausar Thompson, Nnaji, Hornets, Hawks, Wizards

June 17th, 2023 at 7:34pm CST by Arthur Hill

Ausar Thompson pulled out of a scheduled workout with the Pacers on Friday, according to an Indianapolis Star story. No official reason was given, but it’s possible that the Overtime Elite star has received information that he’s likely to be selected before Indiana picks at No. 7. The article also suggests that Thompson may prefer to be drafted by a team picking later in the lottery.

The canceled workout doesn’t mean the Pacers wouldn’t consider Thompson if he’s still on the board, as he would provide a defensive boost to a team that ranked 29th in that category this season. The Star story notes that president of basketball operations Kevin Pritchard is looking for a player with a “high ceiling” in the draft, and Thompson appears to fit that description.

Indiana holds five picks and has brought in more than 60 players during the pre-draft process. Most have been in group sessions, but projected lottery picks such as Thompson have been given individual workouts. The Pacers have already hosted Villanova’s Cam Whitmore, Houston’s Jarace Walker, Central Florida’s Taylor Hendricks and Kansas’ Gradey Dick.

There’s more on the draft:

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Draft Notes: Wembanyama, Lively, Mocks, Lewis, Warriors, Wizards

June 6th, 2023 at 11:00am CST by Arthur Hill

Las Vegas is a glitzier setting for Victor Wembanyama‘s first game with the Spurs, but the NBA won’t be upset if it happens in Sacramento instead, writes Tim Reynolds of The Associated Press. San Antonio is one of six teams involved in the California Classic Summer League, which will take place during the first week of July — shortly before the Las Vegas showcase that includes all 30 teams.

“All summer leagues are NBA Summer Leagues,” commissioner Adam Silver said. “I’m very supportive of the Sacramento summer league. I remember when (Kings owner Vivek Ranadive) first came to the league and said this was something he wanted to do. I said, ‘As long as you have enough other teams who support it and players who want to play in it, it’s a good thing.’”

Reynolds points out that the Hornets will also be playing in Sacramento, so the top two picks in this year’s draft could be on display.

There’s more draft news to pass along:

  • Dereck Lively II may be the second-best shot blocker in the draft outside of Wembanyama, per Christian Clark of NOLA. The Duke center has reportedly been rising up draft boards and could be under consideration for the Pelicans at No. 14. Clark notes that Lively’s skills are still raw and he’s coming off a disappointing season with the Blue Devils, but he points out that New Orleans has a history of gambling on players with size and athleticism.
  • Lively is mentioned among the risers in the latest mock draft from Krysten Peek of Yahoo Sports. Joining him are Wembanyama’s teammate, Bilal Coulibaly, and UCLA’s Amari Bailey.
  • Ausar Thompson might be a better fit than his brother for the Rockets with the No. 4 pick, according to Jonathan Givony and Jeremy Woo of ESPN (Insider link). In their latest mock draft, the authors consider team fit as well as talent in projecting the first round. Among the surprises with fit factored in are Gradey Dick going No. 6 to the Magic and Amen Thompson slipping to the Wizards at No. 8.
  • Pepperdine’s Maxwell Lewis will hold a workout with the Pelicans this week after already having sessions with the Mavericks and Thunder, who are also in the lottery, tweets Jonathan Wasserman of Bleacher Report. In addition, Lewis has worked out for the Hawks at No. 15, the Lakers at No. 17 and the Rockets at No. 20.
  • The Warriors hosted Kansas State’s Keyontae Johnson and Kansas’ Jalen Wilson for a workout on Monday, tweets Adam Zagoria.
  • The Wizards are holding a workout on Tuesday with Arkansas’ Ricky Council, Memphis’ Kendric Davis, Marist’s Patrick Gardner, Overtime Elite’s Jazian Gortman, Alabama-Birmingham’s Trey Jemison and Providence’s Noah Locke, the team announced in an email.
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Draft Notes: Whitmore, Black, Bailey, Podziemski, Wembanyama, Morsell

May 21st, 2023 at 7:18pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Villanova forward Cam Whitmore is held in higher esteem by The Athletic’s John Hollinger than many other draft experts. Hollinger ranks Whitmore as the No. 3 prospect in the draft, one spot ahead of Alabama forward Brandon Miller.

Hollinger believes Whitmore’s level of athleticism and scoring ability as a wing makes him a top-three prospect. Arkansas point guard Anthony Black also makes Hollinger’s top five, while his top 10 includes a couple more surprises, including Michigan guard Kobe Bufkin.

We have more draft-related notes:

  • UCLA’s Amari Bailey helped himself at the draft combine in Chicago and now deserves first-round consideration, according to Jonathan Wasserman of Bleacher Report. Another combo guard, Santa Clara’s Brandin Podziemski, may also have earned a first-round ticket. On the flip side, North Carolina State guard Terquavion Smith and Kansas forward Jalen Wilson were among the prospects who didn’t make favorable impressions in Chicago, per Wasserman.
  • Why is Victor Wembanyama considered the best prospect since LeBron James? The Athletic’s Sam Vecenie goes into great detail on that subject, concluding that Wembanyama has the upside to be the best player in the world at some point and the ability to be enshrined in the Hall of Fame when his career is over.
  • North Carolina State guard Casey Morsell is withdrawing from the draft and returning to the Wolfpack, CBS Sports’ Jon Rothstein tweets. Morsell has one more year of eligibility remaining.
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NBA Reveals Players Expected At 2023 Draft Combine

May 9th, 2023 at 6:36pm CST by Dana Gauruder

The NBA has announced 78 players that are expected to attend this year’s draft combine, scheduled for May 15-21 at in Chicago, Jon Rothstein of CBS Sports tweets.

Additionally, a select number of standout players from the G League Elite Camp, which takes place May 13-14 in Chicago, will be invited to participate in the combine.

Players will have interviews with NBA teams and participate in five-on-five scrimmages, as well as shooting, strength and agility drills. Some top prospects opt out of the scrimmages.

Victor Wembanyama, the projected top pick, is not on the list. His French League season is still ongoing.

The list of invitees is as follows:

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