SB Nation - Mateen Cleaves

Detroit Pistons: Draft Day Open Thread

Packey — Thu, 25 Jun 2009 19:03:35 -0000

Draft day has finally arrived. Tonight at 7:30 PM EST on ESPN the 2009 NBA Draft will take place and officially mark the beginning of the Pistons "rebuilding" phase (well, more so than preceding events).

The Pistons will have four picks (15th, 35th, 39th, and 44th overall) in tonight's draft. We've had a few mock drafts and we've discussed almost every last possibility, so it's exciting that we'll actually get to see what really goes down.

Every pick is important, as any GM wants to get players that will be able to come in, make the team, and contribute eventually. In those terms, I'm hoping Joe Dumars can bat at least .500 with the four draft picks tonight.

So who will Dumars add to the following list of his past draft picks?

Mateen Cleaves
Brian Cardinal
Rodney White
Mehemet Okur
Tayshaun Prince
Darko Milicic
Carlos Delfino
Andreas Glyniadakis
Rickey Paulding
Jason Maxiell
Amir Johnson
Alex Acker
Will Blalock
Rodney Stuckey
Arron Afflalo
Sammy Mejia
Walter Sharpe (for D.J. White)
Deron Washington.

2009: ????, ????, ????, ????

This is your Draft Day Open Thread, so come and share your thoughts while watching or listening to the NBA Draft. The Pistons' four picks will give us plenty to discuss, but it will be interesting to see where everyone else falls in the first and second round, too. Hopefully we can get a good crowd; I consider this a building phase for this community.

Playoff Game Preview: #8 Bakersfield @ #2 Utah

Scott Schroeder — Wed, 15 Apr 2009 08:13:29 -0000

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Wait, the eight seeded team is playing the number 2 team? That's not how it works! Usually, you'd be right, but in the D-League's newfangled playoff format, the Colorado 14er's passed on the Jam. Looking at the matchup, I can't blame them, especially after thier big victory last night. Utah's big guns have more potential, but the Jam have a team of vet's. If Bakersfield shows up hungry, this will be a fun game to watch.

Utah Starters:

Morris Almond can score, and he can score in bunches. On assignment from the Jazz, he's one of the few players that actually requested to play in the D-League, as he wasn't getting any minutes with the Jazz. Almond's got good reason to want to play in the D-League, as it gives him free rein to score whenever, and where ever, he touches the ball - he broke the D-League scoring record by hanging 53 points on the Jam last season. Unfortunately, he's rarely going to contribute much else to the box score.

Kosta Koufos is another Jazz player, one whom I believe should play in the NBA over fellow Jazzers Kyrylo Fesenko and whatever Collins brother is currently getting minutes in the NBA. He's big, he usually knows what he's doing in the post, and he's good for at least two blocks per game. I've only watched one other complete game of his in the D-League, and that was against Bakersfield. He looked great - 21 points, 11 boards and 5 assists in 28 minutes. I can assure you Deane Martin, Bakersfield's defensive coordinator, has been masterminding a plan to slow the big man down.

JR Giddens, on assignment from the Boston Celtics, is versatile and uber-athletic, but also very raw. His scoring options are more hit-and-miss than anything, as he's not especially adept at creating his own shot or shooting the jumper. He is a rookie, and therefore, understandably inconsistent. He can dunk, which, like many is his best way to score. Some nights, Giddens dribbles off his shoe and clanks jumpers, looking overwhelmed in the pro-game. Others - he'll dominate like his first game against Bakersfield this season - 34 points, 7 boards, 6 assists, and 5 blocks. He also has a sweet profile picture on his D-League page, if you're into clouds.

Ronald Dupree is ball player. He's a leader. He's the lone veteran on this Flash team. Dupree's jumpshot is about as effective as owner Brandt Andersen's spell check, but he brings everything else you want in an NBA prospect. He's long, he can get to the basket, he'll lockdown the other teams best perimeter player (a huge benefit as defense is something Utah seriously lacks), and he hustles, working hard while out on the court. He's an efficient scorer, and brings either his rebounding or assisting mindset, rarely doing both well in the same game.

Kevin Kruger is the last starter, but probably the most important to the teams success, as he's their only real point guard. Kruger's a pure point guard, a distributor that doesn't rack up the assists, but keeps the offense running, executing it as a coach on the floor. This shouldn't be a surprise to you, as he's the son of Lon Kruger, a well respected coach in college. Kruger's not on that's going to look to impress on the court, but last weekend, he did, with his first 20+ points of the season. His turnover's seem to correlate with him looking for his shot - I haven't watched him enough this season to know for sure, but I'm assuming this comes from a propensity to make poor decisions when passing in traffic near the basket.

Miscellaneous Utah Notes

There's a new Jazz/Flash blog in the blogosphere run by Spencer Ryan Hall, who has also written for FreeDarko, so you know it's going to be great... Spencer doesn't let me down, as he summed up my thoughts on Brandt Andersen's recent outburst perfectly... The Flash's bench isn't very deep, but big James Lang would seem to deserve more than the five minutes he got last game... Andre Ingram could come in and shoot, but don't count on him for much else...

Bakersfield Starters:

Mateen Cleaves can run a team. He could run IceMan's Y-Ball team, he's run an NCAA championship team, he's even been serviceable when running NBA teams. His numbers will rarely blow you away unless you're a stats guy and love the assist-to-turnover numbers, which comes in at a pretty impressive 3-1, equal to the odds of me ever finding employment. He's got intangibles, a larger than average head, NBA decision-making skills, and finds the open man when the open man gets open. I'm a closest-Cleaves fan.

Trey Johnson is one of the best players in the D-League you still don't know. He's had two NBA call-ups (rumored for a third to Golden State.. Keep your eyes open) to the Cav's, he's had look in camp the past two seasons, he can run the point, and he shot over 40% from beyond the arc this season. Get to know this man! He's the most prolific scorer in the D-League not on assignment (what's up, Mr. Almond) and doesn't really do anything bad. He's a solid, NBA bench player.

Justin Reed is a stud. You may not know/remember this, but I do. From what I hear, he was the runner-up in the sportsman of the year "voting" (I kid), but besides that, I like everything about him. He's a stopper, he can play the 3/4 against the Flash, he's played in 136 NBA games, he can board and he's a hard-worker on defense. The one thing I'm down on is his offense, as it's not often there, as much as he believes it is. Essentially, he's a little bit younger Ronald Dupree, which should make this matchup interesting.

Derrick Byars was the 2007 SEC Player of the Year, yet he's the fourth starter we're profiling on Bakersfield - this team is better than you thought. Byars is 6'7", long, and despite his recent slump, he can literally shoot the piss out of the ball - I know people who've witnessed this. He can't really create his own shot, but that's not such a bad thing on this team, because both Cleaves and Johnson are more than capable of getting him the open shot. He can shoot and he can defend - two characteristics the Flash lack. I expect Byars to play well in this game.

Nick Lewis is mentioned last, but not least. Well, also least. I've never really liked the guy (don't ask why) but he's shown to be an asset for Bakersfield at times this season. He's blue collar - he'll bring his Spiderman lunch bucket to the arena, grab some boards, and head back out to surf, then shampoo his blonde flowing mane. He's putting up decent numbers this season on offense, but I'd assume that his +/- isn't looking good, as his defense is suspect.

Miscellaneous Bakersfield Notes

All three of their bench players bring good stuff to the court... Terrance Thomas is a D-League veteran that will go after the boards and play hard - love his hustle - when he's out on the court, you'll notice him... Terrell Everett is their only guard off the bench - his minutes have been inconsistent, along with his play, but the PG out of Oklahoma can play... David Berghoefer is a guy I've long been intrigued by in the D-League... Berghoefer is just a tall white dude, who despite injury woes this season, will still intimidate down in the block... If needed, Scott Roth could probably come off the bench, svelte as he's looking these days, leaving the coaching duties to Deane Martin, assistant extraordinaire...

Poll

Who do you think will win this game?

Utah Flash

11 votes

Bakersfield Jam

10 votes

Razor Ramon?

3 votes

24 votes | Poll has closed

D-League Call-Up Rankings - Hey Potential, Meet Reality!

Scott Schroeder — Wed, 01 Apr 2009 08:54:44 -0000

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We've done different versions of this over the past few weeks between my Prospect/Quick Fix list and Jon's playoff hopefuls (East and West). This morning though, I figured we'll go back to the list. It's pretty tough to do this list, as there are about six myself and Jon both agreed on and the rest were up in the air, so have mercy - not even Jon's going to agree with this.

1. Marcus Williams, Austin - Williams is the consensus for us as the player most deserving of a call-up. In the month of March, Williams averaged something ridiculous - 25.1 points, 7.1 rebounds, 5.8 assists, shooting 92% from the free-throw line along with showing improved range, hitting 36% from beyond the arc. He's also extremely long and handles the rock quite a bit for the Toros. Williams has had a little trouble adjusting to the recent additions of DeMarcus Nelson and Malik Hairston, but lines like his last game - 11-of-20 from the field for 29 points, including 3-4 on his threes, six rebounds and four assists are becoming the norm for him.

2. Josh Davis, Colorado - I sing his praises more than what is healthy, but I won't stop until he gets a look, so somebody better get on this guy pretty soon, as I'm running out of things to tell you that I haven't already. Davis is a player you need to see in person. Davis is a hard worker, got a sweet stroke, is too quick to guard in the post, but too much of a shooter to leave him alone on the perimeter, and as long as he's on the court, you can tell he's working his butt off. Love his game, as he's a tweener, but definitely serviceable as either a small forward or pick-and-pop power forward. In his 13 games in March, Davis' rebounding numbers dropped just a bit, but his percentages went through the roof. Davis averaged 19.6 points and 6.9 boards (in 32 minutes), but shot an incredible 47% from beyond the arc, along with a very efficient 52% from the field. As the glue guy to what I consider the best team in the D-League, he might get my MVP vote.

3. Blake Ahearn, Dakota - This might come off as a homer pick (Ahearn is a longtime favorite of mine), but Dakota wouldn't be the same team without him and every team could use a shooter with as sweet of stroke as Blake's. Ahearn is known for two things: His quirkiness and his shooting ability. While it'd be nice for him to round out his game and become more of a point guard, he's shown this season that he can somehow get to the basket, which is just as valuable for him as his point guard abilities. He's been to the line 261 times this season, making 248 freebies (95%). Along with the free-throw shooting, he stepped up his 3-point shooting in March, hitting 46% from beyond the arc. On the season, he's also averaging 22.6 points and 5.3 assists per game.

4. Othyus Jeffers, Iowa - I love watching good defense in the D-League, and Jeffers is, in my eyes, the premiere defender in the D-League (second: Brent Petway, Idaho). He is also a prolific scorer (inside the 3-point line) and rebounds at least as well as any 6'5" swingman that's ever come through the D-League. You want numbers? I'll give you numbers. The rookie and reigning NAIA player of the year played 11 games in March, averaging 22.2 points and 9.6 rebounds, showing a variety of ways to score while shooting 49% from the floor. The only flaw in his game is his shooting from beyond the arc, as he's just 7-of-25 from deep.

5. David Noel, Reno - Noel's been in the D-League all season, but this is really the first time I've focused on him - don't worry, his quick rise is warranted. Noel started with Albuquerque, was traded to Reno, and boom tho, he's dominating. I'm not sure what's in the water in Reno, but if you want to revive your D-League season, ask for a trade to Reno. In Noel's last two games, h'es averaged 20.5 points, 12 boards and 9.5 assists - Ridiculous. In March the former 2nd round pick of the Bucks averaged 20.6 points, 6.7 assists and 6.5 boards, shooting 55% from the field and 44% from beyond the arc. He's ready.

6. Jawad Williams, Rio Grande Valley - Williams is a 6'9" combo-forward that can score. He's not going to contribute much else to your team, but he will contribute points. Lots and lots, from all over the court. Since coming to the D-League after a couple of stints with the Cleveland Cav's, Williams is tearing the league up. Williams is averaging 25.5 points and shooting 45% from beyond the arc.

7. Dwayne Jones, Austin - He's already played six games in the NBA with the Bobcats to start the season, and I wouldn't be surprised if he doesn't get a couple more under his belt before the season is over. He's got an NBA body and NBA experience, two of the qualities that a league called the NBA should be looking to pick up during the season. Jones has had a double-double in all but two of his games in March. Averaging 15.7 points and 13 boards on 60% shooting. His best game of the season came on March 13, when he shot 14-18 for 33 points and 23 rebounds with three steals and a block. Jones also leads all centers in rebounds per 48 minutes. The downside is that he occasionally turns the ball over too much along with a tendency to get frustrated when things aren't going well.

8. Chris Hunter, Fort Wayne - He's kind of the yin to Jones' yang, as both are great big men, just differ in the way they went about getting those titles. With Jones, his defense and rebounding would be the reason for a call-up. For Hunter, it's going to be his offense. He's polished in the low post and has shown a serviceable jumper when it's called upon. While he's not a bad rebounder (9.1 per game), his 20.9 points and 87% shooting from the charity stripe are what's going to catch the attention of the scouts.

9. Walker Russell, Fort Wayne - Personally, I'm not as sold on him, but Jon has him ranked much higher than myself. He's younger than who I would have put here (Eddie Gill, maybe even Mateen Cleaves) and is excellent at penetrating and dishing along with running the fast break, averaging 10.9 assists per game. The thing I'm not sold on is his scoring. Even though he's averaging 16.3 points this season, he's shooting just 43% from the field and 32% from beyond the arc. Those numbers aren't going to help his chances.

10a. Rod Benson, Reno - I know, he blogs, he'll never get called-up, he's too entertaining and real! Well, sorry, I'm including him. Boom Tho himself had a very impressive March despite being traded and starting only half of his 12 games. We've talked about him at length this month, so I'm just going to give you the numbers he ended up with while averaging 31 minutes per game: 15.7 points, 9.2 boards, and 2.7 blocks. Boom tho, indeed.

10b. Dominique Coleman, Colorado - I should have let Jon write this, as I'm not sold on him, but he forgot about him when he sent me his original rankings! Regardless, I'll give it a shot. Coleman is extremely efficient and on the season, he's averaging 15.7 points, 7.9 boards and 4.8 assists and 2.8 steals, shooting 51% from the floor and 42% from beyond the arc. The negatives are that he's a 6'3" 2-guard shooting 69% from the free-throw line and his numbers across the board fell dramatically during March. I'm probably late to the game as he belonged here last month. This month, I'm not as sure.

Honorable mention: Trey Johnson, Bakersfield (3 point %'s, assists dropped big in March); Derrick Byars, Bakersfield (bad shooting month for Bakersfield, apparently); Kurt Looby, RGV (Rookie has been very impressive on defense and the boards); Richard Hendrix, Dakota (plagued by foul trouble and I'm questioning his motor); John Lucas, Colorado (bit on the small side, but he can run an NBA team); Eddie Gill, Colorado AND Mateen Cleaves, Bakersfield (Decided to promote the upside RU is known for).

Not again! Rick Kamla does show about top 10 D-League Prospects

Scott Schroeder — Wed, 25 Mar 2009 14:00:10 -0000

I'm working on a bigger post for later today and I had a bit of a game thread going for last night's lone D-League game, plus I thought you may want to read a bit more about my impending death with the blizzard/flood of 2009 creeping closer to myself, so this morning, I'll just break down the work of Rick Kamla on NBATV. Gross.

Of course, my favorite part of that screenshot is the bottom: It has nothing to do with this, but you can watch video of Sun Yue's game PLUS Sun Yue was re-assigned to the D-Fenders. Kudos, D-League, I wondered where all the Sun Yue coverage had gone! Sun Yue!

To give you a little background, I have to have respect Ryan Blake (as much as I didn't like him on the D-League's pre-draft show), as his dad, Marty Blake, has done excellent work for many, many years. Marty, along with Eric Chapman and Jim Hlavac, are the top minor league scouts - someday, I'm planning to the fourth. Mr. Kamla, on the other hand, was a noted fantasy basketball guru before taking over the NBATV D-League duties. I probably shouldn't rip apart Kamla and Blake, as they are reviewing Dime Magazine's call-up rankings, but I'd assume there has to be some better rankings out there (Hlavac would be the best bet, since he didn't get a fair shake last time, but I would gladly let them use mine. If they would like to publish the Chapman Report, that'd be even better!). Dime seems to have looked at the stats, or remembered names from yesteryear, but it doesn't appear they really watched (m)any games.

For starters, they don't include Trey Johnson, but they do include Jasper Johnson. Jasper is not sniffing an NBA roster anytime soon. When Blake compares a player to Antonio Meeking, it's usually not a good thing, and it especially shouldn't warrant the number two slot out of the top ten D-League prospects. If it does, why isn't Antonio Meeking included? Correct me if I'm wrong, but 6'7", 280 pound power forwards haven't fared well in the NBA. If I was still with the Minot SkyRockets of the CBA, I'd pay big bucks for a lefty undersized power forward, but there's no way he's the second most NBA-ready player in the D-League.

Trey Johnson, on the other hand, has had two 10-day call-ups with the Cleveland Cavaliers this season along with being a couple of NBA camps as well. If they would have switched Trey with Jasper, it'd be a great list. Johnson had 20 points and seven assists in a big Bakersfield victory last night. With his shot, versatility, and potential, there's no doubt he should have been much higher on the list.

At the 10 spot, they include Jared Jordan. While I liked Jordan at Marist, I don't like him as one of the top 10 D-League prospects. If they're going with a prospect as being a younger guy, I would have included Walker Russell, who scores seven more points and dishes 2.5 more assists per game, with similarly terrible shooting percentages. Russell however works harder to create in the games that I've watched, excelling in the fast break.

If they want to go with just any point with a better chance to make the league, I've got two more point guards I'd rank ahead of Jordan on this list: Eddie Gill, who has already had two 10-days this season and is leading the best team in the D-League, or Mateen Cleaves, who played an exceptional game last night, scoring 21 points on 12 shots, dishing 12 assists, and turning the ball over just twice, coming up HUGE when the Jam needed him.

While those are the only two players that I have a problem with their inclusion, they failed to mention a couple players that have equal or better chances at the D-League. Continue on to see some of the unheralded heroes of the D-League!

Josh Davis - I'm not even going to explain. It's just dumb they didn't include him.

Othyus Jeffers - the fact that they didn't include him blows my mind. The 6'5" swingman averages 20.6 and 9.1 rebounds per game. Over nine rebounds per game and he's 6'5" and not playing in the post and he hasn't even started 15 of the 40 games he's played in. He's also (in my opinion of course) the top perimeter defender currently in the D-League.

Richard Hendrix - Hendrix was a second round draft pick and is currently a beast for the Dakota Wizards. He's the league's top rebounder and has oodles of potential. In 31 minutes of action, he's averaging 13.6 points and 11.6 rebounds.

Dwayne Jones - Jones is an NBA veteran. He's tearing up the league right now. He doesn't get mentioned. This month, he's averaging 15.8 points and 13.5 rebounds in 35 minutes of action, shooting a whopping 61% from the field.

Kurt Looby - I'll admit, even we here at Ridiculous Upside don't talk about Kurt Looby enough. The 6'10" rookie out of Iowa has been mighty impressive for the RGV Vipers this season, though. His shot blocking and rebounding is what's going to get him a call-up, which isn't admittedly sexy, and therefore Dime wouldn't have noticed him. We do though! In the month of March, Looby is averaging 3.7 blocks and 13.1 rebounds, along with adding 9.2 points to boot.

Dominique Coleman - My esteemed colleague Jon L has recently turned me on to Coleman after incessantly telling me he's better than what I thought he was. Turns out, he's right. The problem is, with so many other players on Colorado, it's hard to focus on Coleman. I went back and watched the majority of a recent 14er game though, and he's impressive. Over his past 11 games, the 6'3" guard is averaging 18 points, 6.6 boards, and 5.2 assists, shooting a ridiculous 59% from the field.

NBA-Ready D-League Players? We got em!

Scott Schroeder — Tue, 17 Mar 2009 09:43:14 -0000

With NBA teams either gearing up for the playoffs or the draft, it's time to take a closer look at the D-League and see what it has to offer to both the have's and have not's!

What!? Why would I do one of these after I just released one last Tuesday? Because, since then, Patrick Ewing Jr. worked his way on to the list, (then quickly off with an ACL injury that led to his release (details coming)), Rod Benson turned into a scoring, shot swatting, Boom Tho-ing machine, and Demarcus Nelson, Mouhamed Sene, Herbert Hill, Quincy Douby, and the immortal Cezary Trybanski have all entered the D-League. With them, Shaun Livingston, Earl Barron, and Dwayne Jones have also showed they can still play basketball, thus garnering some attention.

The list above includes three first round picks, a second round pick, a player with an NBA championship, the reigning D-League Performer of the Week and two guys that would do wonderful in a remake of Twins - Demarcus Nelson and Cezary Trybanski!

With that, here are my new and improved call-up rankings, now cooler thanks to an idea I've stolen from DraftExpress's Jim Hlavac (he's much cooler than we said he was last week, FYI!

I got the idea to do this thanks to Atma Brother ONE of the GoldenStateOfMind crew - Richard Hendrix, Rod Benson, Demarcus Nelson - Golden State's well represented on this list!

To explain, the "Quick Fix" is going to be the guy your team should call-up if you're still in contention. He's more than likely a vet, he'll know his role, and should be able to step in when needed and grasp the system quickly. He probably won't have the upside to keep around for next season, however. Think Billy Thomas with Cleveland last year.

The "Prospect" is a guy that a team more than likely out of contention would call-up. While he's probably not going to help out immediately, he's definitely got Ridiculous Upside and would be worth signing, at least so you're guaranteed a longer look at Summer League. Think Blake Ahearn/Kasib Powell/Stephane Lasme with Miami last year.

Point Guards

Quick Fix: Eddie Gill, Colorado - While he's already been through a couple of 10-day's with Milwaukee this season, Gill is the savvy veteran that will be able to be a stop-gap back-up point for a contending team. Gill is averaging 15.6 points and 8.3 assists in 27 D-League games this season.

Honorable mention: Mateen Cleaves, Bakersfield; Will Conroy, Albuquerque

Prospect: Shaun Livingston, Tulsa - While Livingston's probably shouldn't really be considered a prospect still (fourth overall pick in 2004), he's still recovering from a serious knee injury, wearing a large brace on his knee (more pictures here). Regardless, he's got too much ridiculous upside, and should definitely get called-up before the end of the season to a team that might be in the market for a young point guard (Might I suggest Tulsa's owners, OKC?). Livingston is averaging just seven points and seven assists in four starts, but the 9-30 Tulsa 66ers are 2-2 in those games, with obvious improvements with Livingston on the floor.

Honorable Mention: Walker Russell, Fort Wayne; John Lucas, Colorado

Shooting Guards

Quick Fix: Quincy Douby, Erie - While Douby could also be considered a prospect, I have no doubt that if your team needs an athletic scorer off the bench, Douby could step in and heat up off the bench rather quickly. As I've mentioned before, he could be this years version of Dahntay Jones (got cut by NBA team, pit stop in the D-League, back to the NBA). In two games off the bench with the Bayhawks, Douby is averaging 15 points in 18 minutes, shooting 45% from the field.

Honorable Mention: JamesOn Curry, Iowa; Denham Brown, Iowa

Prospect: Trey Johnson, Bakersfield - Johnson's had two call-ups with Cleveland this season, but didn't get any burn. The versatile Johnson has gotten quite a few looks throughout his short career, and I expect he'll get at least one more this season. The 6'6" 2/1/3 is averaging 20.8 points and 4.7 assists, shooting 46% from the field.

Honorable mention: Blake Ahearn, Dakota; Gary Forbes, Tulsa; Joe Crawford, Los Angeles; Demarcus Nelson, Austin

Small Forwards

Quick Fix: David Noel, Reno - Noel has a season of NBA experience with the Bucks, good overseas experience, and played four years at North Carolina. What's not to like about him? He's a glue guy and would fit well into any role given to him in the NBA. This D-League season, he's playing very well on the defensive end (averages 2.3 steals) and is 50% from the field and 39% from beyond the arc. Noel's also averaging 5.9 rebounds and 4.3 assists. Bonus: he's got long term potential as well!

Honorable Mention: Kasib Powell, Sioux Falls; Renaldo Major, Dakota or Ron Howard, Fort Wayne (Defensively)

Prospect: Derrick Byars, Bakersfield - Byars, who was a stud his senior year at Vandy, was drafted by the Blazers in the second round but went overseas and hasn't had a shot at the NBA yet. Don't worry, worriers, his shot will come this season. He's got a great NBA body (6'7", 215) a sweet shooting stroke (48% from the field, 44% from 3) and all the physical tools needed to be a good NBA defender.

Honorable Mention: Othyus Jeffers, Iowa; Marcus Williams, Austin

Combo Forwards

Quick Fix: Josh Davis, Colorado - I like Josh. My mancrush is well known. Really, though, what's not to like about him. He can shoot the 3-ball, he can board, he brings his lunchpail (Love it!), and he can D-up. Consummate glue guy. Not much upside, but you know what you're getting. He's gritty. Davis is averaging 18.9 points and 7.6 boards in 33 minutes, holding together one of the top teams in the D-League.

Honorable Mention: Jawad Williams, RGV; Ronald Dupree, Utah

Bigs

Quick Fix: Dwayne Jones, Austin - If you're looking for defense and rebounding, which is what a quick fix would be called upon to do in most situations, I'm going to throw Mr. Jones at you. Jones has played in the NBA (Boston, Cleveland, Charlotte), was the A-10 Defensive Player of the Year, and is the reigning D-League Player of the Week. In the last week, Jones played four games, averaging 20.8 points and 16.5 boards. Not bad. Not bad at all.

Honorable Mention: Lance Allred, Idaho; Earl Barron, Los Angeles

Prospect: Richard Hendrix, Dakota - Hendrix is a beast. He's barely 22, he's built like a linebacker, he's smart (graduated in three years at 'Bama), and he was a second round pick this season. For some reason, however, he just can't get a look! This season, averaging just 30 minutes, he's averaging 13.9 points and 11.5 boards per game, shooting 55% from the field. He's also been improving on his range, which is random, but a bonus - he's made 4-of-9 from beyond the arc!

Honorable Mention: Courtney Sims, Iowa; Rod Benson, Reno; Herbert Hill, Tulsa; Chris Hunter, Fort Wayne

Blake Ahearn is Better than You - Last Night In The D-League

Scott Schroeder — Sat, 14 Mar 2009 14:30:08 -0000

Big news in Wizards world last night, as Blake Ahearn broke the career record for 3-pointer's made with 202 in just 75 games so far with Dakota. Considering next year is the 15th season of basketball, this is pretty cool. Congrats Blake!

Kinda like Marat Kogut and his magic, Ahearn can twist his body while shooting!

Continue on for highlights, lowlights and anything else I noticed in last nights D-League games! With five games, there was a lot!

Dakota 123 @ Erie 117

Dakota's best player, as we've already touched on, was Blake Ahearn. Not much I can say about Ahearn that everyone hasn't heard, so we'll just get to his line. In 40 minutees, he scored 35 points on 16 shots, hitting seven of his 10 3-point attempts. Blake Ahearn is a man. He's got the chest hair to prove it.

Other notables for Dakota include Mo Baker, who finished with 20 points, 10 boards and six assists from the point guard spot. This was Baker's seventh game this season with double-digit rebounds, and he's a 6'1" guard. Romel Beck, while starting to look like a black hole on offense, did have a clutch 3-pointer, so I've got to give him props on that. He finished with 15 points. Usually a Wizard big man would be in this space at all, but unfortunately, this game was officiated by Ben Taylor and Nick Buchert, who are fast becoming the worst refs in the D-League Congrats Marat. Still the D-League has them work together every game I see them. Dear D-League, please put a stop to this. For the good of D-League basketball.

Erie was led by Maureece Rice, who has been a man on a mission lately. His mission, apparently, has been making Erie win games, as they came in winning nine of their last ten. This game, Rice had 24 at the half, and somehow was open for every shot attempt. While I predicted a shootout between Ahearn and Quincy Douby, Rice really stole the show for Erie. Rice finished this game with 36 points, nine assists, and just one turnover. Great game from the rookie.

Other notables for Erie included Douby, who made his Erie debut. In 16 minutes off the bench, he had 16 points, jawed with Ahearn to the point where I figured they'd get double-technicals, and thoroughly impressed me with his defense. Possibly this years version of Dahntay Jones? According to Matt Brennan (I know - I'm popular), probably. Erik Daniels was a bit of a non-factor, scoring 17 points and grabbing just five boards. Not used to that. Nor am I used to the fact that he started the game guarding Ahearn. Awkward!

Austin 111 @ Tulsa 108 - Overtime

WTLC liveblogged this one, so I'm going to direct you over there. I've got nothing to include that they didn't, save for the fact that this was mentioned in the comments: "A 66er girl had a wardrobe malfunction…a la Janet Jackson." Plenty of pictures over there, but none of this. Sorry fellas.

Los Angeles 100 @ Idaho 111

This game wasn't futurecasted. Second night in a row that a game wasn't. First night was when Carmelo Anthony was going to do play-by-play at a 14ers game. Tonight, when Sun Yue was playing, the most marketable D-Leaguer worldwide. This is, as they say, not really good at all.

Idaho outrebounded LA by 24. That's a lot.

Stud for Idaho was Lance Allred. Wow. I don't have any analysis on this since I couldn't watch any of it, so here's his line: 29 points, 5 boards, 30 minutes.

Other notables for Idaho were Kevin Burleson with 14 points and 10 assists and Jason Ellis off the bench with 11 points and 15 boards. Nate Jawai had 15 points and nine boards before fouling out in 27 minutes. Needless to say, he has to calm that down a bit. Regardless, Idaho is 4-1 with Jawai in the lineup, Toronto is 0-6 with Jawai in the D-League. Coincidence? They doubt it.

Los Angeles was led by Dwayne Mitchell with 34 points. I have a feeling this team has chemistry issues. As per no futurecast, I have no other outlook on his stats.

Other notables for LA were Brandon Heath with 20 points, six boards, and five assists. Sun Yue is terrible. Case closed. I will not listen to any arguments. We've given him three games. He is not the guy I thought was coming over. This game, he had seven points, shooting 3-for-10 from the field.

Utah 108, Bakersfield 96

I didn't watch the majority of this game either, due to my frustration with the above. I'm really glad it's tournament time! Locally and nationally!

For Utah, as I assumed, Mo Almond beasted. This line shouldn't surprise you - 29 minutes, 29 points, 10-of-14 from the field. Unless he has a bad attitude, I can't understand why Utah wouldn't want to bring him back next year.

It seems Utah was pretty much a one man show, so I'll just mention Utah coach Brad Jones' rotation in this spot: Jones suited up eleven guys and ten played more than a quarter of action. Kevin Kruger had the most minutes, but still under 36.

Bakersfield was led by Trey Johnson. Johnson went off as usual, scoring 28 points on 16 shots. NBA teams, call him up. K? Thanks! Bye!

Nothing else too notable for Bakersfield, so we'll go with a former March Madness star: Mateen Cleaves had six points, six assists, and four turnovers. Not quite his Michigan State numbers.

Reno 118, Sioux Falls 116

The Boom Tho Movement is once again, well, a movement. After becoming stagnant overseas and then in Dakota, it appears Rod Benson, AKA Boom Tho, has found his mojo in Reno. Coming off the bench in 32 minutes, Benson scored 30 points (possibly a career high? Rod, let me know), grabbed seven boards, and swatted three shots. Since getting to Reno fives games ago, Benson is averaging 14.2 points, 6.2 boards, and THREE POINT SIX blocks per game, all off the bench. I like this.

Benson got the opportunity to go off due to a knee injury to Patrick Ewing Jr (Sorry Chris). The announcers speculated everything from a torn ACL to a knee sprain. I'll get the official report this morning. Ewing finished with 19 points in 22 minutes. Russell Robinson played well, even though his Kansas Jayhawks aren't, much to the chagrin of some D-League GM's. Robinson had 20 points, shooting 8-for-15 from the field. David Noel also had a solid game with 19 points, eight boards and eight assists.

Sioux Falls was led by Frank Williams, so R-Rob probably wasn't that great on the defensive end. Williams finished 31 points, two assists and five turnovers. Ouch. This just in: don't leave him open.

Other notables include David Bailey, who was injured mid-game, got blocked by Benson on Sioux Falls second to last possession, and then dribbled the ball off his foot as time expired. He finished with 11 points and six boards in 24 minutes. The Charlotte Bobcats assignees played well, although in limited minutes. Sean Singletary finished with 12 points and seven assists in 23 minutes and Alexis Ajinca had 12 points and six boards in 22 minutes. Bobby Jones was relegated to starting the game in the bench. I'd move Michael Joiner or one of the point guards to the bench instead.

Around the D-League

Scott Schroeder — Thu, 12 Mar 2009 14:15:08 -0000

Last night in the D-League, we learned that Springfield, Massachusetts is definitely the newest D-League team. This more than likely doesn't affect the Celtics affiliation with Portland, but with a D-League team in an NBA teams state, it made me wonder none the less.

I've also learned that either there are a lot of Dakota fans that check this site out or Dakota should be really good, as Blake Ahearn and Richard Hendrix have 22 of the 56 votes in the most recent poll. In a related note, Josh Davis has only two votes. Disappointing.

Speaking of Dakota fans, and speaking to even non-Dakota fans, I'd like to direct you to this site. Three Wizards (well, two current, Richard Hendrix and Renaldo Major, and one former, Rod Benson) are participating in this years "Brave The Shave" event. This is an event that entails that the three players will be shaving their heads to raise money for childrens cancer research. The thing is, they're looking for pledges to help out the research, with just a small $1,000 goal. If you can, go donate to a worthwhile cause. Even a small donation will do!

The Vipers have a little TV show on their website you can check out if you'd like, featuring interviews with Jared Jordan and Jawad Williams. Nothing groundbreaking, but interesting nonetheless.

There were also a couple of good, close games in the D-League last night, with Idaho barely beating a James White-less Arsenal squad, 91-90, and Reno upset Bakersfield, 116-110.

What was interesting about those games? Glad you asked! Not much from a viewers standpoint, so we'll get straight into the standout players after the jump. Spoiler: they include RU's favorite ref and Patrick Ewing Jr!

Marat Kogut reffed the first game, and thus, a technical foul was called that I considered questionable from my spot at home on the couch. Nate Jawai was putting together a huge, momentum filled string of plays, capped off with a big dunk over an Anaheim player, looked at the Anaheim player, got to half court, and Kogut's whistle blew. End of momentum for the home team. Good job Marat!

Luke Jackson started out hot for Idaho, but cooled down quickly. After 10 points in the first quarter, he finished with 23, though rounded his game out with nine assists, eight boards, and six turnovers. Watching Luke play, his body language does not impress me. Just always seems to have something wrong with him, possibly gas.

Marcus Campbell had a good game, despite battling foul trouble right out of the gate. Campbell is a dude that should probably go overseas and make a lot of money, as I like him a lot and don't believe he's got an NBA career ahead of him, but he'll more than likely stick around, maybe catch on with a Summer League team, and come back and enjoy life in the D-League. After all, he played for the Arkansas Rim Rockers way back when. If you're willing to come back to the D-League after playing in Arkansas, you like the D-League.

Patrick Ewing Jr., thanks for finally looking like you deserve a call-up. Not sure what Jay Humphries was doing with him on the bench for so long. Why start drug kingpin Damone Brown or Jesse Smith (who made his Dakota debut with one point, two fouls, a turnover, and making none of his three shots from the field the other day) when you have this ball of energy on the bench? Watching him and Rod Benson on the court is fun. Anyway, PEJr finished with 22 points, 15 boards, multiple alley-oops, and some AGGHHHS after and-ones.

Trey Johnson was Trey Johnson for Bakersfield. Point guard Mateen Cleaves was subbed out with Bakersfield losing 81-67 in the third, and was brought back with Bakersfield down 99-95 in the fourth. While Terrell (I'm kind of a point guard) Everett was subbed in for Cleaves, I'm giving Johnson the credit for bringing the Jam back. Johnson ran the offense, scoring 24 points, grabbing five boards, and dishing four assists.

Others for Idaho: Lance Allred had 18 points, 14 boards, and showed off a decent mid-range game at the end. Nate Jawai finally seemed to have settled in, though struggled with turnovers. Jawai finished with 15 points, six boards, five blocks, and five turnovers. Looked impressive from what I watched.

Others for Anaheim: Kedrick Brown had a clutch 3-pointer that kept Anaheim in the game, and finished with 20 points and eight rebounds. Good, not great. Cedric Bozeman had 23 points before fouling out. Also, I should probably give a shoutout to Cameron Bennerman, who mysteriously showed up on Anaheim's roster tonight without myself ever hearing of him before, playing 28 minutes and shooting 7-for-11 from the field. Good job, guy!

Others for Reno: David Noel had 23, Richie Frahm had 20, Russell Robinson had 18 points, seven assists, and Rod "Boom Tho" Benson remembered how to block shots. Benson finished with 10 points, seven boards, and five blocks off the bench. Would love to see him start over Alton Ford next time out.

Others for Bakersfield: Justin Reed had a big game, but once again, I just can't find myself to like him. Have fun out there, please, J-Reed. Reed finished with 19 points and 14 boards, six on the offensive end. Considering he missed 12 shots, I'm going to go ahead and say his boards are inflated. Nothing else impressed me in the box score.

Reaction to Yesterday's Rankings

Scott Schroeder — Wed, 25 Feb 2009 14:00:12 -0000

Looking at the rankings I put up yesterday, it would seem as if the D-League is pretty top heavy, as James White has 39% of the vote as of the time I wrote this for most likely to be the next call-up. However, I don't think is the case, as it was tough to pick just 10 that I believe have a chance of being called-up.

Now that Pops Mensah-Bonsu (love that name) has been called-up, I'd all but guarantee that James White will be next, if the overseas market doesn't come calling. He's got the athleticism and skillset to come off of the bench and produce, along with the basketball IQ and wingspan to play defense efficiently. After 'Flight' White, though, it's anyones guess.

If Steve Nash is out for any amount of time, I'd assume Phoenix would be looking to go with a point guard. Currently in the D-League, there are four, maybe even five, point guards that would be worth calling up, depending on what you're looking to bring to the team.

SBNation's resident Suns expert, Phoenix Stan, would prefer Will Conroy. Conroy is now the leading scorer in the D-League, after the Pops call up, but isn't a pure point guard, rather a 6'2" slasher. He does know how to get to the bucket, but I wouldn't count on him to run any sort of half court sets without running into turnover problems.

My pick would be Dontell Jefferson, who is basically a taller, more complete Will Conroy, however he isn't a scorer. He'll slash to the basket, but he's most comfortable as a playmaker this season. Deserves a call-up soon.

Blake Ahearn, who is getting the second most votes to be called-up next, is a stud, but not really a guy that you want playing back-up point guard to Goran Dragic. He shoots the ball very well, and surprisingly gets to the basket, but sometimes it looks as though he tries too hard to show that he can play the point. He'll make a behind the back pass or force the ball into a tight spot, which looks good when he completes these plays, but silly when it goes in the box score as a turnover, because it's basically an unforced error.

Although I have Walker Russell ranked eighth, I wouldn't recommend him over John Lucas III or Mateen Cleaves to the Suns. Both are heady point guards that would be able to come in and run the system without too many flaws.

It'll be an interesting week to see who gets released before March 1, as it seems as though a few agents are putting that as a deadline as to when they send their clients overseas.

RidiculousUpside's Ridiculous Call-Up Rankings

Scott Schroeder — Tue, 24 Feb 2009 15:00:11 -0000

Alright, I know not everyone's going to agree, so I'd love to hear some feedback on where I made my mistakes. It's tough to rank the top 10 call-ups, as it depends on what a team is looking to get, rather than how good a player is at his best position. It went a bit long, so my analysis is after the jump. UPDATE: Five votes for others? I'm assuming they're for Will Conroy, so I added him in there. Somehow forgot him. He will take the place of Pops Mensah-Bonsu, who had 16 votes before being called-up. I also removed "Other" with seven votes. Who did I miss?

1. James White, Anaheim -- I've recently caught up with some archived Anaheim games, as I felt I must really be missing something with Flight White. Obviously, he's more than an explosive athlete with an attitude problem if he's getting looks from the Knicks. He can get to the rim, he can rip it from deep, and he can 'D' up, thanks to his long arms and ridiculous athleticism. His consistency isn't quite what it should be, but with athleticism, he can off the bench in the NBA and do what's needed, as he won't be relied upon to score the 26 points he's averaging in the D-League. In an interview he recently said "Everybody thinks I have a bad attitude or I'm a bad guy because I show emotion. But that's what fuels me to play, my emotion." Well, I like the emotion and his attitude, by all accounts, seem to have improved tremendously over the past two years. Also, he can also still do this:

White is averaging 25.6 points and over five rebounds per game, shooting 55% from the field.

2. Pops Mensah-Bonsu, Austin -- Pops is killing it at this level, in the box scores anyway. Unfortunately, I haven't been able to watch a full game of his, but in the comments yesterday from Jon L, he noticed that Pops isn't the greatest defender out of the block and he doesn't box out well. The Pops apologist inside tells me that he's already averaging 26.6 points and 13 boards to go with 2.5 blocks, imagine if he starts to apply himself. However, I can't overlook the fact that it doesn't seem as if he's applying himself. Granted, he probably assumes he's not on some of these guys level, but with a guy like Pops, his motor is going to be a big reason for him getting an opportunity.

3. Jawad Williams, Rio Grande Valley -- Jawad can ball. Unfortunately, I'm not sure what position he should be playing. In the D-League, he's starting at the 4, but Erik Daniels plays the 5 in the D-League, so we can't really go by that. His post game is not pretty and perimeter shooting is lacking, regardless if he thinks it's there or not (by that, I mean he thinks it's there, but it's not, from what I've witnessed). Regardless, in the game I watched him, he looked like a basketball player, with a nose for the basket and the willingness to do the little things, two things that will always attract my attention. If the NBA is looking for a hard-nosed dude that can defend, I'm not sure why he hasn't gotten another look since the Cavs.

4. Dontell Jefferson, Utah -- I've said all I can about Jefferson. Although I'm disappointed he didn't work out well enough to earn a spot with the Knicks yesterday, he can ball. Let me refer you to my big post on him for more info.

5. Courtney Sims, Iowa -- Well, I'm learning he's a little timid, which isn't good for a big. Also, it's becoming increasingly apparent that you can take away his left shoulder and the rest of his post game fairly easily. He was also limited to just two rebounds in last night's game while being three inches taller than anyone on the other team. For positives, refer to this post.

6. Demetris Nichols, Iowa -- Nichols is a stud. Syracuse fans know it, Knicks fans love him, and he's even starting to grow on yours truly. Although I wasn't a fan of him in the D-League last year (he stood at the 3-point line and couldn't hit his shots), this year I am a fan (he stands at the 3-point line and hits his shots). The 6'8" small forward, over his past five games, is averaging 22 points, five rebounds and shooting 44% from 3-point land. Along with being a solid defender and having good size out of the 3-spot, I'm not sure what's not to like.

7. Blake Ahearn, Dakota -- Blake's a shooter. Plain and simple. Need a game clinching free-throw? Call Blake. Need a dagger 3-pointer while falling out of bounds to win a preseason game? Call Blake. Although he occasionally racks up the assists (and occasionally the turnovers to go with these) and can get to the line at a ridiculous rate, his calling card is still his shooting stroke. He's shooting 45% from 3-point land and over 95% from the free-throw line. He's averaging 23 points and six assists thus far in the D-League.

8. Richard Hendrix, Dakota -- Hendrix is a beast. A 6'9", 255 pound rookie who was drafted by Golden State though released before NBA action. He's averaging 14 points and 11.5 rebounds, along with nearly two blocks per game. He's got an NBA body and apparently an NBA mind (believe hegraduated from Alabama in three years), but lacks NBA intensity and focus. He occasionally gets lost on the court during offensive sets and doesn't seem to always care what's going on. If he did turn the intensity up, he'd jump about five spots on this list.

9. Walker Russell Jr., Fort Wayne -- Without Eddie Gill in the league, I think he's the best passer hands down right now. He's really improved his stock this season, as I wouldn't have even considered him a call-up candidate before the season started and now, if you're looking for a point guard to run an offense, he's the best in the business (D-League speaking). He's nothing if not consistent, and for Russell, that's a good thing. He's averaging 16 points and over 11 assists per game, along with being fourth in the D-League with 2.4 steals per game.

10. Will Conroy, Albuquerque -- He's recently been dealing with an eye injury and playing the 6'1" 2-guard role, which is never a good thing, but he's certainly got talent. Also there are rumblings of an attitude problem, which doesn't help. More about Conroy here.

11. Mateen Cleaves, Bakersfield -- Cleaves is a flat-out leader, the type of third point guard a team needs. The oldest player on this last, at 31, but he's the type of point guard that gets called up because he's NBA ready. He stuck around Bakersfield during a recent injury as a third coach, even after the Jam had released him. Learning from great basketball minds like Scott Roth and Deane Martin is never going to be a bad thing. It's not going to be his stats that get him called-up, but he's a leader that will come in and run the offense while demanding respect from his teammates. On the season, he's averaging 13 points and eight rebounds.

Next three: Othyus Jeffers, Iowa (Was at Knicks tryout, but really a 6'5" PF); Lance Allred, Idaho (Big man who hasn't been as impressive as he was last year to earn a deal with the Cavs); Josh Davis, Colorado (3/4 combo whose 3-point shot has been failing him lately.)

Poll

Who will be the next D-Leaguer to get an NBA Call-Up?

1. James White, Anaheim

65 votes

2. Jawad Williams, RGV

10 votes

3. Dontell Jefferson, Utah

10 votes

4. Courtney Sims, Iowa

8 votes

5. Demetris Nichols, Iowa

42 votes

6. Blake Ahearn, Dakota

24 votes

7. Richard Hendrix, Dakota

16 votes

8. Walker Russell Jr., Fort Wayne

11 votes

9. Mateen Cleaves, Bakersfield

10 votes

10. Will Conroy, Albuquerque

10 votes

206 votes | Poll has closed

Recapping a Busy Night In The D-League

Scott Schroeder — Sun, 22 Feb 2009 15:00:11 -0000

Just my thoughts as I peruse the box scores with close attention to potential NBA Gatorade Call-ups. I mean, seriously, there's like 40 former NBAer's with in the D-League with RidiculousUpside. Here's a rundown

Reno 102, Idaho 91 -- Reno was led by Richie Frahm, who scored 25 points, but contributed nothing else to the box score. Patrick Ewing Jr. came off the bench to score 20 points, had eight boards, and swatted four shots, though shot just 4-for-13 from the field. Gerry McNamara had 15 points and five assists off the bench, including 4-for-6 from 3-point territory. For the Stampede, Former Cav Lance Allred had 20 points and five boards, former Bobcat Kevin Burleson had 10 points, six assists, and former a-lot-of-teams Luke Jackson had 15 points, seven assists, and five turnovers.
Erie 98, Sioux Falls 96 -- Erie had four players in double figures, led by Erik Daniels, who scored 21 points, had seven assists, and six rebounds. For Sioux Falls, Bobby Jones had 22 points andd 1 boards. John Edwards had 15 points, eight rebounds. Kasib Powell missed his second straight game.
Albuquerque 120, Tulsa 114 -- For Albuquerque, 6'8", 320 pound Jasper Johnson dominated. He had 42 points and 19 rebounds. Keith McLeod had a career game, scoring 29 points and dishing 11 assists, somehow getting to the line TWENTY times. Will Conroy was a DNP, presumably with an eye injury. Tulsa was led by former Jazz first round pick Ryan Humphrey, who put up 42 points and 11 rebounds. Draft eligible Keith Clark scored 20 points and had eight rebounds.
Iowa 107, Utah 96 -- Iowa was led by 6'5" guard Othyus Jeffers, who scored 27 points and added nine rebounds. Demetris Nichols had 25 points, but turned the ball over five times. The Flash were led by Ronald Dupree with 22 points, five boards, five assists. Dontell Jefferson added 19 points.
Los Angeles 116, Anaheim 104 -- The D-Fender's were led by Gabriel Hughes, who I have no clue about. He finished with 22 points and 15 boards off the bench. Lakers' second round pick Joe Crawford had 20 points. CJ Giles, Dwayne Mitchell, and Longar Longar all didn't play. Anaheim was led by James White, who had a great all-around game. He scored 33 points, had 11 boards, and seven assists. Hawks send-down Othello Hunter had 10 points and 11 rebounds and teammate Thomas Gardner had 26 points and seven boards.
The Bakersfield Jam snuck by RGV, with a 107-106 victory. Derrick Byars led Bakersfield with 24 points and seven boards. Mateen Cleaves added 13 points and 14 assists. RGV was led by former Cav Jawad Williams, who had 24 points. Jared Jordan also had a good game, best in the D-League by far, with 23 points, nine assists, and six rebounds.