Former second-round pick Alec Brown signed a contract with the Suns last week, but was waived by the team just three days later, according to RealGM’s transactions log. Per RealGM, Brown signed with Phoenix on Wednesday and was cut by the team on Saturday.
Brown, 24, was selected by the Suns in the second round of the 2014 draft with the 50th overall pick, after having averaged 15.7 PPG and 5.7 RPG with a 42.0% three-point percentage in his senior year. With his NBA rights held by Phoenix, the former University of Wisconsin-Green Bay center agreed to play for the Suns’ D-League affiliate, the Bakersfield Jam, in his rookie year. Last season, he headed to Galicia to play for Rio Natura Monbus Obradoiro.
In order to continue to hold Brown’s NBA rights, the Suns tendered him a contract offer – presumably a one-year, non-guaranteed deal – earlier this month. Teams typically have understandings with players who they don’t intend to bring to camp that those tenders are only meant to retain their rights, and they usually go unsigned. However, it seems Brown decided to sign his offer even though he wasn’t in Phoenix’s plans.
It’s possible that the Suns were willing to give Brown the freedom to potentially join any NBA team, but if that had been the case, it would have been easier for Phoenix to simply renounce his rights. The fact that Brown signed the team’s tender offer, then was waived later in the week, suggests the Suns weren’t expecting him to sign it.
In any case, Brown has since cleared waivers, according to RealGM. That makes the big man an unrestricted NBA free agent, though he’s probably more likely to end up overseas or with a D-League squad for the 2016/17 season.