JULY 10: The Nets have officially signed Hall as a substitute player, the team announced today in a press release.
JULY 9: The Nets have agreed to sign free agent big man Donta Hall to a rest-of-season contract, reports Marc Stein of The New York Times (Twitter link).
Hall, who will turn 23 next month, spent last fall with the Pistons after going undrafted out of Alabama. He was waived by Detroit before the regular season began, but spent most of his rookie year with the Grand Rapids Drive – the Pistons’ G League affiliate – before eventually earning a call-up to the club’s NBA roster.
In 38 games (28.6 MPG) for Grand Rapids, Hall averaged 15.4 PPG, 10.6 RPG, and 1.4 BPG on 66.9% shooting, earning All-NBAGL Second Team honors. He signed a pair of 10-day contracts with the Pistons in February and March, logging limited minutes in four NBA games during that time. His 10-day deal was still active when the NBA went on hiatus on March 11, but didn’t carry over to the summer, making him a free agent.
The Nets have ruled out Spencer Dinwiddie, DeAndre Jordan, Taurean Prince, and Wilson Chandler for the NBA’s restart due to positive coronavirus tests or voluntary opt-outs. As a result, the team is eligible to sign four substitute players. It appears those players will be Michael Beasley (whose deal is already official), Justin Anderson, Jamal Crawford, and Hall.
As Stein tweets – and previously reported – the Nets strongly considered signing Amir Johnson to add frontcourt depth. The club also reportedly had some interest in Lance Thomas. However, having already reached deals with multiple veterans, Brooklyn will opt instead for youth in signing Hall.
Hall’s rest-of-season contract won’t include any form of Bird rights, and he’ll become an unrestricted free agent this fall. Still, if the Nets like what they see this summer, they could try to get him back for the 2020/21 season.
Should have signed a center
Hall can play center
True centers are becoming a thing of the past. Both the Warriors and Rockets are proving that. Neither team has a player taller than 6 -8 or 6-9 in their rotation. Expect even more teams to follow this in the years to come.
Criss & Looney are not small, they’re just not that good. They haven’t proved anything yet, nor have the Cavs, with the biggest at 6-9 238 until they got Drummond.
The best example is Boston, who are deep at center, but start Theis and Tatum, both 6-8, around 210. I think too small for a title.
I hope you wrong, ’cause the day centers disappear from the NBA it will be the day I will stop watching it! It’s fun in a kind of silly way to see a team playin’ small ball… but the reality is that the league to be in good shape needs the big men to dominate, as simple as!
Poor Andris Biedrins still looking for work.