Former lottery pick Thomas Robinson has signed an NBA G League contract as he looks for a path back to the NBA, reports Adam Johnson of 2 Ways & 10 Days (via Twitter). According to Johnson, the veteran power forward is eligible to be claimed off waivers by an NBAGL team.
Robinson, who was selected fifth overall in the 2012 draft, never developed into a reliable rotation player in the NBA. Over the course of five seasons, he appeared in a total of 313 regular season games, averaging 4.9 PPG and 4.8 RPG for the Kings, Rockets, Trail Blazers, Sixers, Nets, and Lakers. Although he was in camp with the Hawks last fall, he hasn’t seen regular season action since the 2016/17 season, when he played 48 games for the Lakers.
Having continued his career in Russia and China over the last two seasons, Robinson is hoping to catch on with an NBA team in advance of the playoffs. In fact, Johnson tweets that the 27-year-old is specifically hoping to land with the Maine Red Claws in the G League, since he’d like to earn the open spot on the Celtics‘ 15-man roster for the postseason. The Red Claws are Boston’s NBAGL affiliate.
Claiming a roster spot on a playoff team may be a long shot for Robinson, but he’d be postseason-eligible if he signs anytime before the end of the regular season, since he hasn’t been on an NBA roster yet this season.
I still remember in the days before the 2012 draft there were a lot of “experts” that were saying this guy should be the #1 pick over Anthony Davis. Not just 1 or 2, it was about a 50-50 split. That proves two things. One, there is no such thing as a “draft expert.” And two, the draft is such a gamble even at the very top.
Think your remember that about MKG. Thomas was not even a top four pick. That’s what’s up though
No not MKG. I am a UK fan, so I would have remembered that. He was actually a surprise at #2 as he was projected around 4 or 5. Robinson did not end up being a top 4 pick, but he was PROJECTED as a top 2 pick. He slid a little for unknown reasons, but before the draft the experts were 50-50 on him and Davis.
Its not hard. I called the Jabari Parker bust and Malik monk looks like a crapshoot. If I put time into it I could easily predict with good accuracy who works out or not
As most of the draft experts do. It’s not incredibly difficult to do with high accuracy, but perfect accuracy is impossible. I think the experts for the most part tend to do pretty well but only the ones they get wrong are the most memorable.
Parker wisely “locked in” his supposed equivalence to Wiggins and Embiid in that draft by attaching himself to #2-picking Milwaukee, which pleased them. I think doing that avoided a possible slide under increased scrutiny.
Smart, and too typical of Parker, who should maybe try more committment instead.