Several NBA teams secured returning rights for players who were in camp with them but failed to make the 15-man roster. Raptors 905 acquired center Eric Moreland from the Canton Charge, Cleveland’s affiliate, for forward Kyle Wiltjer, according to a G League release. The Raptors waived Moreland a week ago. Raptors 905 pulled off a similar deal with the Texas Legends, the Mavericks’ affiliate, to acquire guard Kyle Collinsworth, who was waived at the same time as Moreland. Texas acquired the returning player rights to forwards C.J. Leslie and Kennedy Meeks, according to a G League release. The Delaware Blue Coats, the 76ers’ affiliate, gained the returning player rights of forward Cory Jefferson in a three-team swap with the Agua Caliente Clippers and the Legends, according to another G League post. The Sixers waived Jefferson on October 13th.
We have more from the G League:
- The league is putting together a “working group” that will determine which players are eligible for select contracts, G League president Malcolm Turner said in a Q&A session posting on the league’s website. “That group will be charged with identifying appropriate, eligible, elite talent, not only in terms of on-court performance and potential, but also in terms overall readiness for the G League. In addition to identification, that working group will really help us monitor the rollout and execution of this professional path … that working group will be charged with developing its own framework and lens for eligible players.” Beginning next year, the G League will offer “select contracts” worth $125K to top prospects who are at least 18 years old but aren’t yet eligible for the NBA draft.
- Numerous NBA and G league executives, coaches, agents and players feel the select contract concept is intriguing, but there is widespread skepticism how much appeal the program will have to top-level prospects and how it will be implemented. Sam Vecenie of The Athletic takes a deep dive into the topic in a lengthy analysis piece.
- The Arizona Suns traded away the returning player rights of Shaquille Harrison to the Memphis Hustle in a deal involving four players and a draft pick, according to another G League release. Harrison was the odd man out in the Suns’ point guard competition, as he was waived early this week. It was still somewhat surprising they traded away his rights. The Grizzlies gave themselves a little extra depth at the G League level as protection against another Mike Conley injury.
- NBA veterans such as Willie Reed, Hakim Warrick, DeJuan Blair, and Arnett Moultrie could be among the higher selections in the annual G League draft, which takes place on Saturday, Adam Johnson of 2Ways10Days.com reports. The Salt Lake City Stars own the top pick.
If the “select” players are judged as HS seniors then they may as well take players after their junior year too. A lot of quality players adopt bad habits their senior year, especially on-court, because why not… Everyone wants diaper dandies regardless.
Make them grind it out against equal competition on a for-profit basis, instead of them doing what teens do– seeing what they can get away with.
They should have to go to college but I guess we’re setting that aside.
Why is it so required that they go to college? It’s nonsense to call it “for education,” since college b-ball players (at least pre-NBA types) are essentially unpaid money makers for their institutions and not real students within the meaning of a normal college student. Moreover, there’s nothing to suggest that if a kid wanted to take a chance in the nba, that he couldn’t ultimately go back for an education after playing days. In soccer, for instance, academies begin training kids on their athletic craft much earlier without this bullshit college experience. Why can’t the same exist for basketball?
And international soccer players have their growth stunted by these academies, pretty much on purpose, in order to mold them as parts in the machine. Have you ever heard them talk in interviews? They sound like little kids, and will not stray from very basic script. It’s embarassing.
And in reality, almost nobody ever goes back to school.
I think society needs pro basketballers to be role models, especially since they can speak more freely than players in other sports.