SB Nation - Charles Gaines

Waive Goodbye, Part 2

Jon L — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 13:00:42 -0000

Go ahead and smile, Derrick Byars. You made the team. (AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh)

Today we continue our look at the players waived or, occasionally, kept by NBA teams as the regular season begins. Next up we move into the middle of the country, or as I like to call it, "America's already-bloated snackhole." (I can say that because I live there.) That's right, it's the Central and Southwest Divisions. (Except that I was looking at the wrong division list when I wrote this and it's actually the Northwest Division. Deal with it, America.) And if you're just tuning in, don't forget to check out part 1.

Chicago Bulls

Who got cut: Curtis Stinson, Chris Richard, Steven Hill

Who got kept: Derrick Byars

Forget Stinson and Hill, this really came down to Byars vs. Richard for the last roster spot. And with all due respect to Richard, they made the right call. Richard played okay, although he averaged less than seven points per 36 minutes, and given that the team that already sports Joakim Noah in the frontcourt they really probably can't handle yet another guy who can't produce on offense. Not that Richard unequivocally can't, he just didn't demonstrate that sort of ability in the preseason, which is when he needed to demonstrate it. Byars helps the team in case Deng gets hurt again, or if John Salmons starts creaking (he turns 30 later this year). I won't discuss Byars in great detail here, because you can read this. It probably makes up for the Bulls cutting DeMarcus Nelson, maybe. Stinson and Hill are both probably headed to Europe, though I could see Stinson sticking around the D-League.

Cleveland Cavaliers

Who got cut: Luke Nevill, Andre Barrett, Russell Robinson, Rob Kurz, Darryl Watkins

Who got kept: Coby Karl

See Marge? These guys get it. Karl actually didn't play particularly well in the preseason, but he had a pretty good Summer League with Denver, and he's definitely talented. He's a nice multi-faceted player who can shoot (and make) threes, help distribute the ball, pick up some steals and rebound a little bit. So in other words he's exactly the right kind of guard for Cleveland. He's also worked damn hard, and he deserves another shot at the NBA. It never feels good to get cut (I'm assuming), but it's probably especially hard for Rob Kurz, who was starting for the Warriors just last season. He'd definitely be a prime call-up candidate should he go to the D-League, as he's a 6'9" guy who can make threes, although he could stand to pick up his rebounding and defense. He also profiles well as a Euroleague guy, so he could end up there. Russell Robinson also could pick either option. He played pretty poorly both in Summer League and the preseason, with turnovers being the major problem. Another stint in the D-League could help that, as he averaged just two and a half per 36 minutes for Reno last season. I'll mention again that I haven't been including Jawad Williams in this discussion because he was signed at the end of last season and has a partially-guaranteed deal, so while he theoretically could be waived later on, the team has been somewhat more committed to him than these other guys. I'm somewhat optimistic about Williams's playing time, since at this point he's more capable than J.J. Hickson or Darnell Jackson, but Leon Powe and maybe Jamario Moon are around to take most of the backup forward minutes.

Denver Nuggets

Who got cut: James White, Kurt Looby, Keith Brumbaugh, Dontaye Draper

Who got kept: Joey Graham

Massive disappointment here, although there's nothing personal against Graham. There was just so much hope that this would be White's year in Houston, then the team decided it wouldn't be, then Denver decided it wouldn't be his year for them, either. Looby getting cut isn't a huge surprise, as he's still carpaccio-raw. But, White getting the boot on top of Sonny Weems being sent away is enough to make one question Denver's commitment to ~~Sparkle Motion~~ the D-League. That would be rash, of course, and unfair to Denver who is clearly trying to win soon. Graham's per-36 numbers are almost identical to White's NBA figures, but I guess there's still too much uncertainty over what White can do when there really shouldn't be. He's headed over to Europe now, I assume, since he's said he's done with the D-League, and who can blame him. If an NBA team says they're committed to your development, then semi-promptly gets rid of you, that would be disheartening for anyone.

Detroit Pistons

Who got cut: Maceo Baston

Who got kept: No one.

Sorry, Maceo. Have fun at your House Party. (Admit it, that's not the clip you were expecting.) (Also, note to self: when you get older, shave your head but leave the sideburns and add a mustache.) But hey, here's a crazy idea; the Pistons also waived their second round pick Deron Washington, who's a 6'7" small forward. James White is a 6'7" small forward. WHAT IF THEY'RE ABOUT TO SIGN JAMES WHITE? They're probably not, but they should be. While Austin Daye looked really, really good in Summer League, and Jonas Jerebko could be pretty good, it seems a bit crazy to rely on three rookies (remember DaJuan Summers) as key bench contributors, rebuilding or no rebuilding. And while James White doesn't have that much more NBA experience, he's been around for a few years and he can contribute. Come on, Joe Dumars. LET'S DO THIS.

Indiana Pacers

Who got cut: Rod Benson, Demetris Nichols, Lawrence Roberts

Who got kept: No one.

Rod Benson is probably going back to Europe this year, even though he didn't have the best experience there last season (although being injured didn't help). I'd guess Nichols goes the same route, and both of them are good enough to play in the NBA right now. (Roberts is already over there.) As for the biggest question, whether we'll seee a return of Boom Tho-ness, I have no idea. Personally I wouldn't expect too much except maybe a continuation of his posts over at Ball Don't Lie. If this website were FreeDarko I'd probably launch into a discussion about whether this year's return to (or first crack at) seriousness for Benson and Gilbert Arenas reflects some kind of "down to business" vibe given off by the Obama Administration, but I have neither the time nor the ability to get into that right now. Or who knows, maybe Benson could write a book that would probably be better than Paul Shirley's (which I haven't read, but Benson's a better writer than Shirley so it's pretty much a lock.)

Milwaukee Bucks

Who got cut: Marcus Hubbard, Mark Tyndale, Charles Gaines, Dominic James

Who got kept: No one.

This was bound to happen eventually, but I don't really have much to say about these guys. Hubbard could do with another season or two in the D-League and work on either a.) becoming a proper interior player, or b.) shooting better than .256 on his three-pointers. Because this in-between thing isn't working. Gaines played well for Austin last season, averaging 15 points and 10 rebounds per 36 minutes, and shot a good percentage with Maccabi Tel Aviv. I'd like to see him in the D-League again this season, but I'm not sure he's close enough to a call-up to make it worth his time. Let's see, what else can I talk about with these guys...uh hey, I think Ersan Ilyasova can be pretty good, but that's not really under the purview of this series. Three or four players likely going over to Europe. Whee.

Minnesota Timberwolves

Who got cut: Jack McClinton, Alonzo Gee, Jared Reiner, Devin Green, Mustafa Shakur

Who got kept: Jason Hart

I don't have much to say about Jason Hart since he's 31 years old now and last played in the D-League eight years ago. This is probably a stale comment by now, and the team waived Antonio Daniels so they haven't gone completely crazy, but what's the deal with Minnesota and point guards? Who are these people? Who are the ad wizards that came up with this one? I've already written about this, but whatever NBA team ends up with McClinton (and there will be one, eventually) is going to love having him, and kick themselves for not having him earlier. Reiner got a raw deal by getting cut right before the game in his hometown, sure. But Nate Jawai is in Minnesota now, and that's something, right? It's at least as much a something as Oleksiy Pecherov being there, certainly.

Oklahoma City Thunder

Who got cut: Michael Ruffin, Tre Kelley, Mike Harris

Who got kept: Ryan Bowen

I saw Kelley play a little bit, and he looked pretty good. He's very quick, and he can get to the basket. Of course, he was being guarded by Curtis Jerrells at that point so take it with a grain of bacon salt. He's almost certainly headed to Europe. Michael Ruffin, eh. I have a sort of personal animus against him through no fault of his, since Eddie Jordan overused him when they were both with the Washington Wizards, but he's already landed on his feet overseas. The question of what Bowen can give the team at this point in his career is a good one, as he's 34 years old and has been pretty inconsistent the last few seasons. I just have to keep telling myself that the Thunder still have D.J. White and Serge Ibaka, and be content with that.

Portland Trail Blazers

Who got cut: Ime Udoka, Jarron Collins, Donell Taylor, Quinton Hosley

Who got kept: No one.

I wonder what will happen to Udoka, as he's probably still good enough to contribute at the back of someone's rotation, but he's also 32 years old and most of the teams that would be interested in him are already full up. He's a solid candidate for a mid-season replacement in case some small forward somewhere gets hurt. He can shoot the three a bit, his rebounding has improved the past few years and he doesn't turn the ball over much.

What, you want me to talk about Jarron Collins?

Utah Jazz

Who got cut: Ronald Dupree, Alexander Johnson, Paul Harris, Spencer Nelson

Who got kept: No one.

Wes Matthews and draft pick Goran Suton aren't really included in this, but in the interest of full disclosure Matthews is in and Suton is out. Suton would be a solid big man in the D-League should he decide to go that route. You're probably expecting me to express disappointment at Dupree being waived, but the fact is that he didn't play well in the preseason. At all. Well, I suppose that's not completely true as he averaged about ten points per 36 minutes, but he's capable of much more than that, and he didn't really contribute much in the way of rebounds, assists or steals. He's really only had one good game, though, against the Clippers when he shot 4-7 from the field and 3-4 from the free throw line, and in the rest he shot 5-13 overall. I'd like to see him in the D-League again this year, and maybe if he plays his normal solid, slashing game he'll restore some of his call-up-ability.

Saturday Notes: Open practice today, Minnesota opener tomorrow, all about Ersan

Frank Madden — Sat, 03 Oct 2009 17:43:09 -0000

Paschketbell: Charlie Bell and Scott Skiles

Bradley Center open practice at 1 pm
Tailgating starts at 11:30 am ($1 food items), the practice starts at 1 pm (free). Get over there.

Sunday opener in Minnesota
The Bucks' open their preseason tomorrow night at 5 pm against the T'Wolves in Mankato, Minnesota. From Charles Gardner comes news that Scott Skiles is planning to start Michael Redd and Andrew Bogut, though it's unlikely that either sees extended minutes. I'd guess for this game we see a veteran-heavy starting lineup of Ridnour, Redd, Mbah a Moute, Warrick and Bogut, but I'll probably be wrong (and as noted previously, I prefer Ilyasova at PF). A year ago these teams opened against each other and the Bucks rolled out Ramon Sessions, Redd, Richard Jefferson, Charlie Villanueva, and Francisco Elson. Bogut and Ridnour didn't play as the Bucks were thrashed 117-79.

Ironically, the Bucks get to face Sessions in his first NBA action since leaving Milwaukee--three days before they face Charlie Villanueva in Detroit. Just as I'm curious to see how quickly Brandon Jennings snags the starting spot in Milwaukee, our buds at Wolves blog Canis Hoopus are seeing if Jonny Flynn can do the same. The big difference is that Flynn has to beat out Sessions, not Luke Ridnour. SnP at Canis Hoopus is pretty unequivocal about the situation: "Sessions is the best guard and point on this team." Considering Flynn was supposedly higher on the Bucks' board than Jennings, the whole situation underscores the teams' differing approaches to developing young guards. Acquire as many good youngsters as possible (Minny) or pick one and groom him to be the guy (Milwaukee). I still prefer David Kahn's approach.

No word yet if there will be any streams of the game, but I wouldn't bank on it. I assume NBA.com will have at least one audio stream.

All About Ersan
Here's my rule of thumb when reading season previews: if it's more than one paragraph in length and doesn't mention Ersan Ilyasova at all, then I know the writer hasn't really done his homework. There's no guarantee Ilyasova starts at PF, but I'd be shocked if his shooting and rebounding ability didn't earn him consistent minutes in the forward rotation. It's no surprise then that both Gery Woelfel and Charles Gardner had features on Ilyasova this week. Gardner spoke to Skiles about the challenges of managing his PF rotation:

"Within our team defense, can he guard some of the bigger power forwards?" Skiles said. "On the offensive end, he can make threes and spread them out a little bit.

"Or if he's matched up with some of those quicker power forwards, can he move his feet well enough to guard them off the dribble?

"That position now, one night it's a 7-foot guy, the next night it's a 6-7 guy, and (it changes) in the course of the same game."

The majority of teams don't have bruising power forwards anymore, which definitely helps a team hoping to feature both Ilyasova and Warrick at the 4. But as confident as he looked offensively, I didn't think Ilyasova's lateral movement looked as good at the Eurobasket as it had previously for Barcelona. Nothing worth a panic, just saying.

As you may remember, Ilyasova had another big reason to leave Barcelona for colder pastures: his wife is from Wisconsin. Woelfel writes:

"She is very excited to be here again,'' Ilyasova said. "It's more easy for her here.

"(But) it wasn't why I came here. ... I see myself as an NBA player.''

Roster shrinking
The Bucks have too many guys on the roster as is, so it's no surprise to see the non-roster invites going home now that the first week of practices is over. Via Gery Woelfel, Dominic James has left camp after signing a one-year deal with Turkish team Mercin. Charles Gaines, Marcus Hubbard, and Mark Tyndale have also been officially cut.

Summer League Recap: Budinger, Dorsey shine in Vegas

Tom Martin — Fri, 17 Jul 2009 04:23:54 -0000

Chase Budinger, of the Houston Rockets, drives up the sidelines against the Los Angeles Lakers. The Rockets won the game 92-77 to finish the 2009 NBA Summer League with a record of 5-0. (Photo by Garrett Ellwood)

View full size photo »

The Houston Rockets capped off an exciting Summer League experience by defeating the Los Angeles Lakers 92-77, propelling the Rockets to a 5-0 record for the week.

Today's contest didn't differ much from the rest. We won, and each individual performance hardly deviated from what we've come to expect over the last seven days. Chase Budinger had another outstanding game, scoring 25 points on only 9 shots. James White had another underwhelming scoring output, with only nine points on 2-11 shooting. And Joey Dorsey continued to wreak havoc underneath the basket, collecting 20 rebounds...to go along with five assists. I'm already picturing it: Dorsey and Andersen, the next C-Webb and Divac. It's fun to dream.

With the 2009 Summer League in the bag, it's time to take a look at (nearly) each individual player and gauge his performance, as well as his future with the Rockets.

(in descending grade order)

Joey Dorsey: A+

It was the perfect week for the Kraken. The brunt of my praise doesn't pertain to the fact that he lead the Summer League in rebounds, blocked shots at will, and showed off his passing touch. Instead, I was overly impressed by how committed Dorsey was to his role on the floor. He didn't try to score against weaker competition; only when he was clearly lined up for a post move did he utilize the spin or the power dribble. Every time Dorsey caught the ball, he would hand it back off to a guard, and immediately find position down low for a rebound or entry pass. He played very maturely and very efficiently, and did what was asked of him: to rebound and play defense. The passing skills were an added bonus. Joey's performance should guarantee him a spot on the opening day roster.

Chase Budinger: A

What was the most impressive aspect of Chase Budinger's Summer League performance? He improved from each game to the next. As his role on the squad became clearer, Chase adjusted swiftly and without any problems. You could tell that Bud Light was much more comfortable with the offense in Game 5 than he was in any other contest. His catch-and-shoot plays were much smoother, and he began to attack the basket with more grit than he had shown earlier in the week (if you didn't see a couple of his dunks, they were really nice).

Chase does need to work on his defense, especially against the drive, but with his athleticism and quickness, it should only be a matter of motivation and committment. That's good news for us, as Budinger, once projected to be a lottery pick, is already playing with a chip on his shoulder. If he can prove to Daryl Morey and the Rockets that he is capable of being a reliable, but not necessarily imposing defender, Budinger should have no problem finding a spot on the active roster by the All-Star break.

Will Conroy: B+

Will Conroy, aside from piling up a bunch of three point plays, didn't dazzle anyone in Las Vegas. To begin with, there wasn't much hype surrounding Conroy, and for good reason. He, much like our own Kyle Lowry, is hardly noticeable in the boxscore and even on the court at times. But he doesn't do anything wrong. In total, Conroy turned the ball over only six times - Jonny Flynn had seven turnovers in his first game! Conroy ran the offense well and jumped at every chance to drive at the bucket. I don't remember anyone easily beating him off the dribble, and his toughness and dedication to hard-nosed basketball surely impressed the Rockets' front office. I thought he did just enough to earn consideration for a roster spot, and while he may not find any room initially, there is a chance he could receive a call-up or two during the regular season.

Jermaine Taylor: B

I liked what I saw from Jermaine Taylor the minute he touched the ball in his first game. He possesses the ball with strength, and he attacks the basket with the determination of a scorer. From what I've heard, Taylor can shoot it well from deep. He may not have lit the nets up this week, but you can see why the Rockets spent a couple million to get him. He's got plenty of tools to succeed on both the offensive and defensive end. Unfortunately, they didn't translate to points this week, so I'll give him a B. But don't let that discourage you about the talent that Taylor has. He's got just as good of a chance to make the team as anyone else on the summer squad. But there may not be room for both Taylor and Budinger. It's going to be a tough decision for Morey to make, assuming he can't take each of them.

Maarty Leunen: B-

Maarty has some nice touch from long range, but his shot didn't fall too much in the team's five games. Nevertheless, Leunen played farely well against much tougher and more physical big men. He rebounded well, and he, like Dorsey, showed that he can pass from anywhere on the floor. I don't see a place for Maarty on the Rockets this year, but if he keeps working, he could get a call-up if Dave Andersen, Carl Landry, or Chuck Hayes were to go down. Another season overseas would definitely help Leunen's case for a permanent roster spot next season.

James White: C

For a guy who scored 26 points per game in the NBDL last season, I expected more. Call me what you want for raining on White's parade - after all, he did have three fairly successful games, scoring 16, 14, and 14 points. But a good chunk of those points came from the free throw line, and while it's great to see a player who can collect charity trips consistently, I would have liked to see more polish from White. I wanted to see White, who was considered to be our top scorer coming into Vegas, take over games and (deep breath) impose his will upon the competition. But it never happened, not even once. Instead, he collected scrap points. He drove to the basket quite recklessly at times, and you just know that he's going to have an even tougher time against NBA competition.

For a well-known finisher, White failed to finish effectively throughout the week, and especially against the Lakers. He's athletic as hell, is fast as hell, can defend, and can make his free throws, but his shortcomings with his ballhandling, outside shooting, and basic coordination are going to hold him back in the NBA. From what I saw from White this week, he doesn't look ready. Even after years with the Pacers and the Spurs, even after time spent playing in Turkey and in the NBDL, Flight White still does not look ready for take off.

However, it remains to be seen what his status with the team is. There's a good chance he could still make the active roster, but with how Budinger, Dorsey, and even Taylor played this week, you have to wonder if he missed his chance to impress the men upstairs.

Brad Newley: C

Newley's got a solid outside shot, and he has good size for a shooting guard. But he lacks athleticism and quickness, and he's not good enough in any other areas to make up for it. While he can score well and hustles to every ball, he's not an NBA-caliber shooting guard. I'd be shocked if he got a call-up at any point this season. And if he doesn't make the team, it's more than likely that he goes back to Australia, though that's a blind assumption. Knowing my luck, there's probably some contract situation that's preventing him from returning to an Australian club or something.

Garrett Temple: C

There wasn't a whole lot to expect from Temple in the first place, but with a 6'6 point guard on the market, the Rockets decided to stick him on the SL roster. He's very athletic, very long, and can get to the basket against smaller guards. But Temple didn't look comfortable as a point guard. He only had two assists in the 62 minutes that he played this week, to go along with nine turnovers. He won't be playing for the Rockets this season - his game, at least at the point guard position, isn't ready yet. Yet, I do think he will eventually find a way into The Association. Just not sure when that's going to be.

Mike Green: C

Initially, I was impressed by how Green ran the offense and passed the ball. Then I saw Green's defense, and I jumped off the bandwagon ASAP. He's got good basketball skills, but he can't keep up with bigger, faster guards. Green is probably better off playing in Europe for a few more seasons before trying to come back to the NBA. If he decides to try again next year, though, it most likely will not be with the Rockets. We pride ourselves in defense, and Green does not defend well enough to merit a good look.

Other players of note:

Daryl Watkins - Didn't play much, and didn't do much in those minutes. He's in between a good offensive center and a scrappy, Dorsey-like center. The Rockets are going to want one or the other. Watkins won't cut it.

Rod Benson - Sorry, Boom Tho. You're going to be back in the D-League this year.

Charles Gaines - Sam Hinkie has stated how much he and the Rockets like Gaines. Then he said that they "probably won't have room for him." So much for that.

So, now what?

Overall, it was a good week for the Rockets. Going 5-0 is nice, but to see the talent displayed by Budinger, Dorsey, Taylor, and others was a treat. Now the Rockets have some more time off until training camp and preseason ball begins. There will be practices before that, of course, but I'm not going to cover that. So, for now, we wait.

NBA Summer League Rosters Taking Shape

Scott Schroeder — Mon, 29 Jun 2009 02:00:21 -0000

UPDATED - check after the jump for everything updated in the past three days.

Alright, we got all of the personal mumbo-jumbo out of the way - let's begin with the Summer League coverage!

The Orlando of the NBA Summer League schedule (July 6-10) is here, the Vegas portion of the NBA Summer League schedule (July 10-19) is here and the NBA Summer League roster of your favorite team (so far) is... After the jump!

I was all drafted out, so sorry for the lack of posting going on this weekend - I sincerely apologize to all thirteen of you that were disappointed. As a show of goodwill, I worked feverishly throughout the weekend to scour my sources, google the news, and do anything and everything I could to start piecing together an accurate view of what your team will look like this Summer.

Granted, it's probably not likely to expect much out of some of these players, but each year there are players that pop up from nowhere in Summer League and impress enough to earn a spot on an NBA roster. The most recent example would be Bobby Brown from last season, though there are plenty more (and we'll look at them throughout the next week heading into the Orlando portion of NBA Summer League's).

After the jump, I've put together a list of which players I've (all but) confirmed. If you're aware of anymore, let me know in the comments! If you're unsure of one of the players, click on the link - it'll either take you to their SBNation page or, if they're a bit more obscure, whichever source linked them to said Summer League team.

[Note by Scott Schroeder, 06/29/09 9:21 AM CDT ] Added Wink Adams to New York

[Note by Scott Schroeder, 06/29/09 11:15 AM CDT ] Added Daniel Artest to Houston

[Note by Scott Schroeder, 06/29/09 9:34 PM CDT ] Added Paul Harris to Minnesota, from Cleveland

[Note by Scott Schroeder, 06/30/09 12:02 AM CDT ] Added Kevin Kruger to Utah

[Note by Scott Schroeder, 06/30/09 12:48 AM CDT ] Added Acie Law to Golden State

[Note by Scott Schroeder, 06/30/09 8:58 AM CDT ] Added Lee Cummard to Phoenix, Luke Nevill to New Orleans

[Note by Scott Schroeder, 06/30/09 10:27 AM CDT ] Added Alex Ruoff to Washington

[Note by Scott Schroeder, 06/30/09 12:59 PM CDT ] Added Trent Plaisted, Deron Washington, Will Bynum, Dwayne Jones, Clay Tucker, Ibrahim Jaaber and Matt Freije to Detroit

[Note by Scott Schroeder, 06/30/09 1:42 PM CDT ] Added Mohamed Tangara to Milwaukee

[Note by Scott Schroeder, 06/30/09 8:50 PM CDT ] Added Rod Benson to Houston, Demetris Nichols to Toronto

[Note by Scott Schroeder, 07/01/09 12:19 AM CDT ] Added Dar Tucker and Kevin Rogers to Dallas; Jaycee Carroll to New Orleans; completed Minnesota, Golden State and Utah

[Note by Scott Schroeder, 07/01/09 11:54 AM CDT ] Completed San Antonio, Orlando and Boston roster

[Note by Scott Schroeder, 07/01/09 2:08 PM CDT ] Added Phoenix roster, Robert Swift to Boston

[Note by Jon Lewallen, 07/01/09 2:50 PM CDT] Added Jim Baron to Washington

[Note by Jon Lewallen, 07/01/09 5:00 PM CDT] Completed Chicago, Sacramento and New Orleans rosters

[Note by Scott Schroeder, 07/01/09 6:40 PM CDT ] Completed Indiana, Milwaukee, New York, Oklahoma City, LA Clippers

[Note by Scott Schroeder, 07/01/09 8:02 PM CDT ] Completed Washington

[Note by Scott Schroeder, 07/02/09 4:05 PM CDT ] Completed Houston

[Note by Scott Schroeder, 07/02/09 5:31 PM CDT ] Completed Portland, Memphis

[Note by Jon Lewallen, 07/02/09 8:10 CDT ] Completed Philadelphia/N.J. roster

[Note by Scott Schroeder, 07/03/09 11:12 AM CDT ] Completed (?) Denver roster

[Note by Jon Lewallen, 07/07/09 7:45 PM CDT ] Completed Dallas, Detroit and D-League Select rosters

2009 ORLANDO SUMMER LEAGUE ROSTERS

Boston Celtics

Bryan Mullins, Lester Hudson, Chris Lofton, Gabe Pruitt, Bill Walker, J.R. Giddens, Michael Sweetney, Coby Karl, Darius Washington, Bryce Taylor, Kevin Rogers, Robert Swift,

Indiana Pacers

Aaron Jackson, Leo Lyons, Tyler Hansbrough, Brandon Rush, Josh McRoberts, A.J. Price, Roy Hibbert, Will Blalock, Trey Johnson, Anthony Smith, Derrick Byars, Courtney Sims, Scott Vander Meer,

Philadelphia 76ers/ New Jersey Nets

Blake Ahearn, Jrue Holiday, Marreese Speights, Dionte Christmas, Chris Johnson, Rob Kurz, Gary Forbes, Marcus Slaughter, Terrence Williams, Chris Douglas-Roberts, AJ Abrams, Jeff Adrien, Jason Ellis,

Oklahoma City Thunder

Serge Ibaka, Shaun Livingston, BJ Mullens, James Harden, Robert Vaden, DeVon Hardin, Russell Westbrook, Kyle Weaver, D.J. White, Marcus Dove, Moses Ehambe, DeAngelo Alexander, Richard Roby, Kyle Hines, Doug Thomas, Keith McLeod,

Orlando Magic

Ryan Anderson, Levance Fields, Richard Hendrix, Russell Robinson, Darian Townes, Maurice Ager, Lance Allred, Brian Chase, Ronald Dupree, Courtney Fells, C.J. Giles, Steven Milosevic, Jeremy Pargo, Milovan Rakovic, Jeremy Richardson

Utah Jazz

Eric Maynor, Gary Wilkinson, Goran Suton, Kosta Koufos, Kyrylo Fesenko, Wesley Matthews, Kevin Kruger, Kevin Lyde, Andre Ingram, James Augustine, Cedric Bozeman, Justin Reed, Josh Duncan, Jim Baron, Reyshawn Terry and Larry Turner

2009 VEGAS SUMMER LEAGUE ROSTERS

Chicago Bulls

Luke Zeller, James Johnson, Taj Gibson, Bryan Mullins, Tyrell Biggs, Mario Austin, AD Vasallo, Anthony Roberson, Linton Johnson, Chris Davis, Taurean Green, Lorenzo Mata-Real, DeMarcus Nelson, Julius Hodge, Brandon Costner, James Augustine, Nick Lewis

Cleveland Cavaliers

Maureece Rice, Christian Eyenga, Danny Green, Jawad Williams, Darnell Jackson, Tarence Kinsey,

Dallas Mavericks

Aaron Miles, Rodrigue Beaubois, Ahmad Nivins, Curtis Jerrells, Dar Tucker, Kevin Rogers, Quinton Hosley, Damjan Rudez, Luke Jackson, Henry Dugat, Nick Calathes, Mickael Gelabale, Herbert Hill, Shan Foster, Trent Strickland, Andre Owens, Alfred Aboya, Moussa Seck, Bryson McKenzie

Detroit Pistons

Austin Daye, DaJuan Summers, Jonas Jerebko, Walter Sharpe, Trent Plaisted, Deron Washington, Will Bynum, Dwayne Jones, Clay Tucker, Ibrahim Jaaber, Michael Bramos, Andre Owens

Denver Nuggets

Richard Hendrix, Ty Lawson, Derrick Byars, Ronald Dupree, CJ Giles, Coby Karl, Kareem Rush, Cedric Simmons, Sonny Weems

Golden State Warriors

Stephen Curry, Anthony Morrow, Anthony Randolph, Jermareo Davidson, Acie Law, Connor Atchley, Lawrence Hill, Joe Ingles, Jared Jordan, Cartier Martin, Quan Prowell, Lawrence Roberts, Jamal Sampson

Houston Rockets

Garrett Temple, Will Conroy, Jermaine Taylor, Chase Budinger, Rod Benson, Hassan Adams, Marcus Cousin, Joey Dorsey, Charles Gaines, Mike Green, Brad Newley, Maarty Leunen, Darryl Watkins, James White

Los Angeles Clippers

Kyle McAlarney, Kevinn Pinkney, Blake Griffin, Eric Gordon, DeAndre Jordan, Mike Taylor, Sean Banks, Dionte Christmas, Marcellus Kemp, Nik Caner-Medley,

Los Angeles Lakers

Tony Gaffney, Chinemelu Elonu, Alan Anderson, Aron Bynes, Dominique Coleman, Terrel Harris, Justin Hawkins, Ben McCauley, David Monds, Adam Morrison, Taylor Rochestie, Luke Schenscher, Mustafa Shakur,

Milwaukee Bucks

Brandon Jennings, Salim Stoudamire, Luc Richard Mbah a Moute, Joe Alexander, Jodie Meeks, Dominic James,Mohamed Tangara, Will McDonald, Juan Palacios, Chris Richard, Szymon Szewczyk, Lorrenzo Wade

Minnesota Timberwolves

Ben Woodside, Corey Brewer, Jonny Flynn, Wayne Ellington, Paul Harris, Oleksiy Pecherov, Bobby Brown, Pat Carroll, Devin Green, Gerald Henderson, Steven Hill, Rob Kurz, Garrett Siler,

Memphis Grizzlies

Jeff Adrien, Hasheem Thabeet, DeMarre Carroll, Sam Young, Darrell Arthur, Hamed Haddadi, Daniel Ewing, Greg Stiemsma, Erik Daniels, Trey Gilder, Longar Longar, Brion Rush, Donta Smith, Marcus Williams

New Orleans Hornets

Marcus Thornton, Terry Martin, Darren Collison, Julian Wright, Luke Nevill, Jaycee Carroll, Earl Barron, Earl Calloway, Bryan Cusworth, Larry Owens, Marc Salyers, Courtney Sims, Anthony Tolliver, Quinton Watkins

New York Knicks

Jordan Hill, Blake Ahearn, Toney Douglas, Alex Acker, Wink Adams, Morris Almond, Warren Carter, Joe Crawford, Patrick Ewing Jr., Ron Howard, Yaroslav Korolev, David Noel, Mouhamed Sene, Rashaad Singleton, Nikoloz Tskitishvili,

Oklahoma City Thunder

Phoenix Suns

Earl Clark, Taylor Griffin, Goran Dragic, Robin Lopez, Lee Cummard, Alando Tucker, Micah Downs, Zabian Dowdell, Josh Carter, Kaspars Berzins, Jiri Hubalek, Geary Claxton, Chris Rodgers, Carlos Powell

Portland Trail Blazers

Jeff Pendergraph, Dante Cunningham, Jerryd Bayless, Patrick Mills, Thomas Gardner, Pooh Jeter, Bobby Jones, David Padgett, Deji Akindele, Matt Freije, Dwayne Mitchell, David Moss

Sacramento Kings

Tyreke Evans, Omri Casspi, Jon Brockman, Donté Greene, Jason Thompson, Wesley Matthews, Jerel McNeal, Spencer Hawes, Robert Battle, John Bryant, Pat Calathes, Marcus Landry, Brian Roberts, Victor Stowes, Ryan Toolson

San Antonio Spurs

James Gist, Jack McClinton, DeJuan Blair, Eric Dawson, Malik Hairston, George Hill, Romel Beck, Nando de Colo, Carldell "Squeaky" Johnson, Antonio Anderson, Marcus Vinicius, Ian Mahinmi, Alonzo Gee,

Toronto Raptors

Brent Petway, DeMar DeRozan, Nathan Jawai, Demetris Nichols, Quincy Douby, Roko Ukic, Patrick O'Bryant, Carl English, Ekene Ibekwe, David Doublas, Paul Davis, Smush Parker

Washington Wizards

Tyrese Rice, Nick Young, Javaris Crittenton, JaVale McGee, Alex Ruoff, Jim(my) Baron, Alade Aminu, Ryan Ayers, Jon Edwards, Josh Heytvelt, James Lang, Dominic McGuire, Tywain McKie, Jason Rich, Diamon Simpson, Kyle Spain, Brandon Wallace

NBA D-League Select

Coleman Collins, Walker Russell, Will Frisby, Gary Forbes, Marcus Hubbard, Othyus Jeffers, Jasper Johnson, Trey Johnson, Kurt Looby, Curtis Stinson

NBA GM's: Call Up Some More!

Scott Schroeder — Thu, 29 Jan 2009 20:34:43 -0000

Dear NBA General Managers,

Today, I'd like to go over a few more guys that deserve a call-up, even though you all have a done a fine job over the past two weeks of deciding to look to the D-League for some help. My main concern is this: If you guys don't look to the D-League, and instead look at players that have had their shot(s) and blew it, we're going to keep losing players overseas. This month, we've lost Charles Gaines, Coby Karl, Smush Parker, Alton Ford, and Andre Brown, among others. All of these guys, save for maybe Alton Ford, would have been suitable NBA pick-ups, and certainly have more upside than guys like Austin Croshere and Fred Jones, who've recently picked up 10-day contracts.

First on my list is going to Walker Russell, Jr., AKA, according to ShamSports, "I made the Knicks training camp roster only because my dad is a scout there." This, at the time, was probably true, because a kid that averages six points and four assists in 15 games, shooting less than 35% from the field in the D-League probably doesn't deserve an NBA camp invite. For some reason however, since then, he has went off! Russell is averaging 18 points and 12 assists in nearly 40 minutes of action for the Mad Ants! That he hasn't been called-up is almost as big of a traveshamockery as the time last season when Too Much Rod Benson averaged his double-doubles, including that big 28 point, 28 rebound game, and still didn't get a callup! In the month of January, Russell is averaging 19 points, 13 assists, and 2.4 steals, playing over 40 minutes per game! Tell us, NBA GM's, why isn't he called-up yet?

Next, let's talk about Will Conroy. Here's a guy that's played well in the D-League, but hasn't really had his chance in the NBA. He can score, though not really shoot, and is a great floor general that will 'D' up. Certainly someone could use him as at least a 3rd point guard. This season, Conroy is averaging 25 points, eight assists, and five rebounds, to go with two steals. He also apparently has unlimited stamina, as he's AVERAGING 45.5 MINUTES PER GAME!

A third point guard I'm going to have you look at is Dontell Jefferson. Jefferson's numbers aren't outstanding, 18, 5 and 5, but he's a floor general, a leader, that learned from one of the best point guards in the D-League the past two seasons in Maurice Baker, and now has a bit more upside. When needed, he's the best player on the floor, though this season he's been playing along side JR Giddens, Billy Walker, and Kyrylo Fesenko from the NBA, so he's just had to lead the team, and he's done that very well. When he needs to take over however, he will. In his most recent game, an overtime victory over Walker Russell Junior's Fort Wayne Mad Ants, Jefferson had 38 points, five assists, making 15 of his 27 attempts, and putting in 14 of Utah's final 15 points in the fourth quarter to force overtime!

If you're looking for a swingman, I'd say you should be looking at Marcus Williams. The good one, not the Golden State one. Williams is averaging 21 points, seven boards, and four assists, on a stacked Austin team that included Andre Brown and Charles Gaines until recently, and still includes Malik Hairston. Now that Williams is becoming more of a focal point, I'm sure his numbers will only go up. In his last game, and first without Andre Brown, Williams scored 34 points, grabbed 12 rebounds, and dished six assists. I'm not really seeing the downside on this kid.

Now, on to the big men. My first choice is going to be Richard Hendrix, the 2nd round pick out of Alabama and current Dakota Wizard. Though he's not the most consistent player, when he's on, he's on, and when he's not, he's still a big man with a good body and RIDICULOUS upside. He had 25 boards in a New Years Eve game against Erie -- that's a lot! Also, over his past three games, he's averaging 17 points and 14 rebounds. A young kid who is going to work in the post and grab the boards certainly should get a look this season.

Chris Hunter is going to be my darkhorse pick. A teammate of current Phoenix Sun Courtney Sims in college, Hunter is doing work right now in the D-League. Hunter is currently averaging 17.6 points and 10 boards a game (4 offensive), shooting an efficient 55% from the field. Over his past four games, he's averaged 20 points, 10.5 boards and a block, playing less than three quarters per game. His best game of the season was Courtney Sims last in the D-League, when he matched up against his fellow Michigan alum. In that game, Hunter scored 23 points and grabbed 18 boards in 33 minutes of action. Talk about efficient!

Also, NBA GM's, if you don't like those picks, I've got a few that I'll mention in passing that probably deserve a break. If you're looking for a shooter, pick up Dakota's Blake Ahearn. Thinking about a veteran point, why not Dakota's Maurice Baker or Colorado's Eddie Gill? Looking for a defensive specialist on the wing that can play the Scottie Pippen/Stephen Jackson point-forward role, go with Renaldo Major. If you need lots of scoring and some high-flying dunks, James White is your man. Pick up Othyus Jeffers, just to make me happy.

RidiculousUpside's Ridiculous Breakdown of the D-League Showcase

Scott Schroeder — Fri, 09 Jan 2009 22:06:34 -0000

Well, the Showcase has come and gone and we’ve already seen our first major defection. Smush Parker, who was playing for the Rio Grande Valley Vipers, has decided to head overseas. Parker left Thursday to play for Guangdong, a team in the Chinese Basketball Association, according to Todd Mavreles. Parker probably made the right decision, playing very poorly at the Showcase, averaging just 11.5 points, 5.5 assists, five boards, and OVER SIX TURNOVER’s per game. Obviously, this is not going to help his stock, as there were quite a few players that played pretty well throughout the Showcase. Alex Del Barrio, Director of Broadcasting for Smush's former team, the Rio Grande Valley Vipers, breaks it down on his blog as well. Here are my top guys, broken down by position:

Bigs

1. Courtney Sims, Iowa – As usual, he was a monster. He averaged 22 points, 12 rebounds, 3 blocks, and shot 57% from the field. If any NBA GM’s read this, please email at the email listed in my profile and remind me why this man has not been called up yet. It’s almost starting to irritate me. Sims is averaging 23 points, 12.5 boards, and nearly three blocks per game, while shooting 59% from the field.

2. Antonio Meeking, Reno – You know what you’re getting with Meeking, and he showed he’s still a big, consistent force in the paint this week, but also showed that he’s got some range. While Meeking won’t get a call-up (He’s been doing the same thing for the past five years, and he hasn’t sniffed the NBA yet), I’m sure he probably upped the overseas offers this week. He averaged 24 points, 11 boards, hit three of his eight 3-point attempts, and was 17-of-31 from the field altogether.

3. Nick Lewis, Bakersfield – Lewis surprised me this week, though he had to as Bakersfield played just seven players one of their games. On the week, Lewis averaged 20 points and 14 boards, though he shot just 38% from the field. Good week, but with that shooting percentage, the NBA’s not going to be looking.

4. Josh Davis, Colorado – Davis had to step it up this week, as his parter-in-crime James Mays went down for the year with a torn ACL, and step it up he did. Davis averaged 20 points, nine boards, and 4.5 steals. Not sure he’ll get an NBA look this season, but he’s shown in the past he’s not afraid to head overseas if the money is right. Luckily for Colorado, Elton Brown is not on good terms overseas and will probably come back to the D-League soon.

5. Charles Gaines, Austin – Gaines is a bit of an unknown, having not played in the states since his rookie campaign with the Michigan Mayhem in the CBA. Making his return stateside this season, however, he’s showing he can definitely play with the big boys, being one of the last cuts from Spurs camp in the Fall. At the Showcase, he put up averages of 15 points and 12 boards, not far off his averages of 14 and 10 on the season down in Austin.

6. Glen McGowan, Sioux Falls – Glen is another guy that surprised me this week, and someone most people probably aren’t familiar with. Without a big man on the Skyforce’s roster, McGowan had to play some big minutes this week. He averaged 43 minutes a game and put up numbers while he was at it. He averaged 15 points, 13 boards, and two blocked shots while at the Showcase. His numbers on the season are pretty good as well: 17 points, 9 boards, 52% from the field and 40% from 3.

7. Erik Daniels, Erie – Daniels wasn’t as good as he’s been this season at the Showcase, but he still played pretty well, besides his shooting percentage. He averaged 16 points, seven boards, and two steals per game. On the season, Daniels is averaging 20 points and nine boards per game.

Swingmen

1. Coby Karl, Idaho – Coby Karl probably played the best of anyone at the Showcase. Not sure if it’ll earn him a call-up or not, but he did what he had to to give himself a chance. Karl shot 56% from the field, over 50% from 3 (8-of-15), plus he averaged 25 points, nine assists, and six rebounds, with 2.5 steals per game. A player like Karl who’s got experience, great basketball IQ, and can shoot the ball should be exactly what the NBA is looking for.

2. Trey Johnson, Bakersfield – At the Showcase, Johnson played as a 2/3, though he’s probably better a 2/1 in the NBA. Johnson was one of the leading scorers coming out of college with 27 points per game, and he’s trying to equal that while in the D-League, waiting for his first call-up. At the Showcase, he went a long way to getting there, averaging 30 points and six assists, shooting a blistering 59% from the field. Most interesting to me, is he shot just seven 3-pointers (less than Meeking!?), showing he can do work inside (or, alternately, he can’t shoot the 3-ball). On the season, Johnson is averaging 18 points, 4 boards, and 3 assists, so he certainly picked a great time to step his game up.

3. James White, Anaheim – White has shown he can put up big scoring numbers this year, but hasn’t done much else, which probably won’t get him a call-up but rather another nice overseas contract. At the Showcase, White averaged 34 points, four rebounds, and three assists.

4. Marcus Williams, Austin – Marcus Williams probably deserves to be in the NBA more than the Marcus Williams in the NBA deserves to be in the NBA. At the Showcase, Williams played well, averaging 22 points, nine rebounds, three assists, and three steals. This season, Williams is averaging 21 points, eight boards, and four assists per game. If those numbers don’t at least get him called up to the Spurs, I’m not sure what’s going on.

5. Gary Forbes, Sioux Falls – Forbes came off the bench in both games at the Showcase for Sioux Falls, but played well in his 31 minutes per game. Forbes averaged 23 points, seven rebounds, and four assists, shooting 66% from the field. Coming off the bench most games for Nate Tibbett’s in Sioux Falls, Forbes is averaging 17 points and five rebounds. While this won’t get him called-up, he certainly got noticed in Orem this week.

6. Cartier Martin, Iowa – Cartier (Love that name) Martin is probably the biggest surprise in the D-League this season. He’s the fifth leading scorer (21.5 ppg) in the D-League right now, and I hadn’t heard much about him before this season! At the Showcase, Cartier averaged 27 points and four rebounds. While he’s probably not a call-up candidate, he is another one that definitely gave himself a chance at catching on at least an NBA camp roster next season.

7. Ronald Dupree – With Dupree, what you see is what you get. Luckily for Dupree, what you see is a very good, well-rounded basketball player. At the Showcase, he did what he’s done all season, averaging 18 points, and five assists, but putting up nine boards, four more boards than what he averages.

8. Othyus Jeffers, Iowa – Jeffers is an interesting player, as he’s basically a 6’4”power forward coming off the bench for the Energy. At the Showcase, Jeffers averaged 23 points, six rebounds, and three steals per game. On the season, Jeffers is averaging 19 points and eight rebounds in 32 minutes OFF THE BENCH!

9. Derrick Byars, Bakersfield – Byars has great size, a good pedigree, and is currently putting up numbers after spending the preseason with Oklahoma City. Byars averaged 22 points, six boards, and three assists at the Showcase. On the season, Byars is averaging 17 points and 4.5 boards, starting under half of the Jam’s games.

10. Bobby Jones, Sioux Falls – Bobby has been with about 25 NBA teams, and I assume he’ll be on a few more this season. At the Showcase, he averaged 18 points, 8 boards, and four assists, shooting 58% from the field. Couple those stats with his known ability to shut down the other teams best player, and he ‘ll more than likely be called up soon.

Guards

1. Will Conroy, Albuquerque – Bobby Jones former teammate at Washington, Will Conroy is putting up numbers this season, and the Showcase was no different. Granted, he doesn’t have much around him to work with, but 25 points, 7 assists, and 5.5 boards at the Showcase at least showcased himself and led the 3-10 at the time Thunderbirds to back-to-back victories. The one problem I’ve got is his turnovers, though he’s starting to shore them up. On the season, Conroy is averaging 25 points, eight assists, and four rebounds, leading the league in scoring and 3^rd in assists.

2. Dontell Jefferson, Utah – Jefferson was traded from the Wizards at the beginning of the season because they had an already crowded back court and DJ wouldn’t get much burn at the point. In Utah, Brad Jones has essentially handed the offense over to Jefferson and let him run with it. Jefferson is playing very well and didn’t let up at the Showcase, as he averaged 21 points, six boards and 3.5 assists. This season, the former Razorback is averaging 15 points, five assists, and five rebounds, with the only big down fall on his game is shot selection.

3. Blake Ahearn, Dakota – Ahearn is a great shooter, but not a great point guard, which is what a 6’2” kid would project to be in the NBA and what he has been trying to do in the D-League. At the Showcase, he averaged 20 points, six assists, and five turnovers, shooting just 42% from the field. Fortunately, if you bring him off the bench and just tell him to get the ball and shoot, he’ll be the best in the D-League. As a focal point of the starting offense however, watch out. I think he threw the worst behind the back pass I’ve ever seen Monday night, unless he really wanted to get my buddy Vance Palm the ball.

4. Maurice Baker, Dakota – Mo is probably the 2^nd best pure point guard currently in the D-League, but his upside is limited and he’s not a great shooter. If you need a 3^rd point guard to come in and run the offense however, sign him up. He left shortly after the Showcase after playing well and not getting a call-up last year, and I have a feeling something similar will happen this season. At the Showcase, he averaged 17 points, seven boards, and four assists, pretty close to his averages this season: 17 points, 7 rebounds, and five assists. Also, consider this: When he got called-up twice from the Wizards in 2005, he was averaging 17 points, seven assists, and five rebounds.

5. Curtis Stinson, Iowa – Stinson is definitely not an NBA prospect (Though he did play with the Clippers at Summer League this season) but he can put up some well-rounded numbers. At the Showcase, he averaged 9.5 points, eight boards, and eight assists, along with three steals per game. This season, Stinson is averaging 14, 8 and 8, but I have a feeling with Courtney Sims on your team, assists aren’t too tough to rack up.

6. Carl Elliott, Sioux Falls – For some reason, I like Elliott. Elliott averaged 21 points and four assists at the Showcase, shooting 54% from the field. On the season, Elliott is averaging 16 points, four assists, and 3.5 boards per game.