Prospect Profile: Julius Randle
Julius Randle has looked like a man amongst boys during much of his first season at Kentucky. While he didn’t enter his freshman year with quite the same hype that surrounded Andrew Wiggins or Jabari Parker, Randle nevertheless was seen as a potential top three pick in the upcoming 2014 NBA draft. Randle has had a strong, but inconsistent season, and though he is still projected as an early lottery pick, scouts are concerned he might not have a defined position in the NBA. Randle is currently ranked No. 5 on Chad Ford of ESPN‘s Big Board, Draft Express has him being take fourth in their latest mock draft, and NBA Draft.net has him slotted in at No. 7 overall.
On a talented Kentucky team Randle was more often than not their best player on the floor. His numbers on the season were strong. In 32 games he averaged 15.1 PPG, 10.7 RPG, 1.3 APG, and 0.8 BPG in 30.7 minutes per game. His slash line is .504/.188/.702. Good numbers, but not as dominant as some thought he would be upon entering college.
Randle’s value is as an offensive player, though his offensive game at the NCAA level is mostly considered “bully ball”. He is stronger than most of his college peers and can physically dominate them when trying to put the ball in the basket. His superior strength works against most teams, but it can also lead to forced shots and turnovers. Randle is actually coughing it up 3.2 times a game, an awfully high number for a big man. This is mainly because he tends to recklessly attack defenses by trying to plow his way through them. He uses his natural left hand and can take any contact when hit to finish, but isn’t as confident when using his right.
One of the biggest complaints against Randle’s offensive game is that he doesn’t play on the box as much as he should, and is far too perimeter oriented. He needs to focus more on refining his post game which will be what will make or break him as a pro. Randle settles for too many jumpers at times instead of imposing his will inside. He’s shown enough ability on the block however to suggest he will continue to improve his game down there. He reminds me of Derrick Coleman when he first came into the league in this regard. Randle’s jump shot isn’t ugly by any means, and looks like it should improve with time, but it just might be his biggest weakness offensively. He has no problem taking his man off the dribble when using a pump fake, but if his outside shot ever becomes a reliable weapon, Randle could become a scoring star.
Randle hasn’t made much of an impact on the defensive end, which can probably be attributed to a combination of short arms and below-average awareness. Whether Randle ever evolves into a true 4 or becomes a combo forward like Lamar Odom, defense does not project as one of his strengths at the next level. Randle may have some trouble contesting the big leapers and towering big men in the NBA. He’s not an above the rim type player, and relies on strength more than athleticism when defending. Randle averaged 0.5 SPG and 0.8 BPG, which is poor production for a big man. Kevin Pelton of ESPN.com (insider subscription required) has found that block and steal rates in college are important tools when projecting big men prospects.
One major physical trait that is the most talked about as a negative regarding Randle is his wingspan. He has been called a “T-Rex” thanks to his big body and short arms. He has a 6’11” wingspan, per Draft Express, which is enormous in most contexts, but not the “super-sized world” of the NBA. When matched up against the best power forwards in the league, he’s going to have a significant length disadvantage, a problem that could impact his game on both sides of the ball. According to Jonathan Tjarks of SB Nation, in almost any basketball context, having longer arms than your opponent is helpful. Athletes with longer arms can shoot over the top of defenders more effectively. On defense, they can play a step farther back and still contest shots, and will also have an easier time reaching for rebounds and getting hands in passing lanes. The closer you get to the basket, where there is less room to maneuver, the more important this becomes.
The final verdict on Randle is that he is an extremely unique prospect due to his combination of size (6’9″ 240 pounds), strength, scoring instincts and ball-handling skills. It’s rare to find players with his skill-set, at any level of competition, which makes him an intriguing draft candidate. He has a lot of work to do, on the defensive end in particular, but he’s clearly a top-notch prospect for the NBA. His ceiling as a pro seems to compare favorably with Zach Randolph‘s, which would make him worthy of a top ten selection in the upcoming draft. His final ranking will depend on which underclassmen declare for the draft, as well as how his pre-draft workouts fare in assuaging teams worrying about his shorter wingspan. My prediction is he goes within the top five picks.
Pistons Notes: Gores, Dumars, Isiah
It’s been a tumultuous season in Detroit this year. Team owner Tom Gores expected better than a 25-44 record when he approved the acquisitions of Josh Smith and Brandon Jennings. These expectations not being met led to the firing of coach Maurice Cheeks, and could result in Joe Dumars losing his position as president of basketball operations when his contract expires after this season. Don’t expect the decision on Dumars to linger once the Pistons season is over, writes David Mayo of MLive. Gores said, “Yeah, after the season, we’re going to address it right away. We have to. We have to let the season play out, then we’ve got to get it done.”
More from Motown:
- In a separate article, Mayo discusses the possibility of Isiah Thomas taking over for Dumars next season. When asked about the possibility of joining the Pistons front office, Thomas sidestepped the issue, but Thomas has made it known that he wants another NBA position. Thomas was also asked if he saw the current team as a number of ill-fitting pieces, and he said, “I’m not in a position to really critique the team or look at it that way. I’m just a fan that roots for the team. Every night I watch them, I want them to win and I want them to play well. I’m always going to be a fan that roots for the Pistons and loves the Pistons.“
- Tom Gores made his first public comments about the Cheeks firing last night, writes Vince Ellis of the Detroit Free Press. Gores said, “It was the right thing to do. I feel good about it. It’s a very young team so we have to put them in a position to do well as much as possible. I felt they were not in a position to grow as much as possible so I feel good about it.”
- Gores still feels good about his team despite their poor record, writes Vincent Goodwill of The Detroit News. The team owner also shot down any notion of the team tanking at this point in the season, according to the article. Gores said, “Well first of all I’m not giving up. No way. It’s not possible. We have to keep building. We have great building blocks in our young guys. Look, we have a lot to do. There’s no way that anything great happens without tough times. That’s the way it goes. So I’m comfortable.”
Prospect Profile: Marcus Smart
What a difference one season can make. If Marcus Smart would have entered last year’s draft he would have been in the discussion for the first overall pick. He had earned Big 12 Player of the Year honors and was seen as the top player in an otherwise underwhelming draft class. Instead, Smart opted to return to Oklahoma State for another season, and now finds himself unlikely to even be the first point guard to come off the board.
Back in April of last year when he announced his choice, Smart said, “There’s a lot of speculation going. I’ve been bashed and criticized that I probably made a mistake of coming back here, the NBA will be there, I should have took it, and this year’s draft class is much weaker than next year’s. But I think I made the right decision. All that was telling me, from those people that said that, is they don’t have confidence in my ability and my game to compete with those players next year. You guys have given me that confidence to do that, so I chose to stay here. I’m aware of how much money I am giving up.”
Smart’s sophomore numbers have remained mostly in line with his freshman production. He did raise his shooting percentage slightly, from .404 to .425, which helped him increase his scoring average, but everything else is nearly identical. This can be looked at a couple of ways. The positive spin is that he has shown remarkable consistency in his game and proved last season was no fluke. The negative perspective would be that he hasn’t shown much growth offensively in his second year. Smart’s season stats are 17.8 PPG, 5.7 RPG, 4.7 APG, and 2.8 SPG in 32.5 minutes per contest. His slash line is .425/.302/.736. His career numbers are 16.5 PPG, 5.7 RPG, 4.4 APG, and 2.9 SPG over 33.0 minutes. His career slash line is .414/.297/.756.
Shooting is the main aspect of Smart’s game that he will need to continue to improve on in order to become a more effective offensive player at the next level. He has solid form and looks to have good overall mechanics, but he is just not a consistent shooter at this stage in his development. He is a 30.3% spot-up shooter, 22% coming off of screens, and in isolation he shoots 30.8% from the field, according to NBA Draft Insider.com. Part of the issue is that Smart displays poor shot selection, which has been criticized during his college career. Smart would be better served to stop settling for long-range jump shots and to instead take better advantage of his explosiveness by driving to the basket more. He has shown a slight improvement in this area, raising his free throw attempts per game from 6.5 his freshman season to 7.7 this year.
Smart has the capability of playing either of the guard positions, but he’s spent most of his career at point guard. As a playmaker Smart is an excellent passer within the flow of an offense, but creating for teammates off the dribble isn’t his specialty. Smart is a score-first point guard. He’s also rates as just an average ball-handler, but he has improved in that area this season, cutting his turnovers from 3.4 to 2.5 per game.
His build is NBA ready, and at 6’4″, 220 pounds, he will be able to compete physically in the league right away. With his size and strength Smart is able to defend multiple positions. He has good body control and moves well with his man on or off the ball. When guarding ball-handlers he has shown quick hands that he uses to bother his man and force turnovers. When defending off the ball he tracks the ball well, gets in passing lanes to make plays, and applies timely double-teams to force turnovers. It is as a defender that Smart has the most immediate value in the NBA. His 3.4 steals per 40 minutes shows just how active a player he is on the defensive end. Smart has to use his basketball IQ and strength to his advantage as he isn’t the fastest player, and he may struggle against some of the quicker guards in the league.
Smart has shown flashes of immaturity during his time at Oklahoma State. There was an incident where he kicked a chair out of frustration during a game against West Virginia, which was a relatively minor flare-up. The major incident occurred a few weeks later during a game versus Texas Tech, when Smart pushed a vocal Red Raiders fan. The fan reportedly used a racial slur toward Smart, but the NCAA still suspended the point guard for three contests. “Unfortunately for Smart, there is going to be a fallout after this,” an NBA executive told Marc J. Spears of Yahoo! Sports. “His reputation has taken a hit. That is all people and the media are going to want to talk about with him before and after the draft. Some teams won’t want to deal with that.” Yet when asked if the push affects Smart’s draft stock, an NBA GM told Spears that his decline on draft boards was solely because of concerns about his game.
NBA teams have shown a willingness to overlook incidents like these in lieu of talent. Smart also just turned 20 years old on March 6th, and he has plenty of time to mature. Based on recent mock drafts, Smart is still projected to be a top-10 pick. NBADraft.net has him being taken fourth, Draft Express has him sixth, and Smart also currently sits sixth on Chad Ford of ESPN.com‘s Big Board.
While he doesn’t have the unlimited raw athleticism of some of the other prospects in this draft, Smart’s strength and explosiveness coupled with his understanding of the game should assure him of being drafted in the middle of the lottery. There are no questions about his drive or overall skill set, but he’ll have to significantly improve his outside shot to be a star at the next level. Smart will also have to show he has matured and developed a thicker skin to quiet down any talk of him being a risky selection. Scouts have compared his game to Baron Davis and Jason Kidd‘s, and Draft Insider.com has projected his “ceiling” as Dwyane Wade and his “basement” as Marcus Banks. His ability to defend both guard positions will make him valuable, and that should guarantee him a roster spot for years, but if he can’t improve his outside shooting, he won’t achieve greatness at the next level.
Eastern Notes: Vasquez, Miller, Stoudemire
Jimmy Smith of The Times-Picayune details the close relationship between Pelicans coach Monty Williams and Raptors point guard Greivis Vasquez, who played for New Orleans last season. The trade that split up the pairing last summer stung Vasquez, who’ll be a restricted free agent at season’s end. “It hurt,” Vasquez said. “It really touched me a little bit. I was close not only with Coach Monty, but I was close with (assistant) Fred Vinson, all the coaching staff, the guys, messing around with Austin Rivers, Chief (Al-Farouq Aminu), Anthony Davis . . . . it was hard for me to let it go. But it’s part of the business.”
More from the east:
- The Wizards‘ Andre Miller says the Nuggets unfairly portrayed him as the bad guy, writes Marc J. Spears of Yahoo! Sports. When Miller’s streak of playing in 239 consecutive games ended with the first “Did Not Play-Coach’s Decision” of his career, Miller screamed at coach Brian Shaw. The Nuggets suspended him for two games without pay after the incident before excusing him from team activities with pay until the trade to the Wizards. Miller said,”They gave me an opportunity to represent Denver. I tried to do that the right way, but I was looked at as the bad guy, a disgruntled player. [The Nuggets said] I was complaining about minutes and that was never the issue. They made it look that way, and that I was upset. I understand that they have to protect themselves as an organization, but don’t blast the player.“
- Sixers coach Brett Brown said the team will pick the best player available in the upcoming draft, and not for need, writes Dei Lynam of CSNPhilly.com. Brown does not think need should influence who a team select in the NBA draft, and cites the example of the Spurs drafting Tim Duncan despite having David Robinson already, writes Lynam.
- Amar’e Stoudemire says that it was his idea for the Knicks to trade for Carmelo Anthony, writes Brian Spurlock of USA Today. In an interview with Bleacher Report Stoudemire said, “I also knew that I needed a star teammate, and that’s something I talked to Mr. Dolan about when I signed. I mentioned a few players to Mr. Dolan who would be fun to play with, and Melo was one of them. Mr. Dolan and I talked about, ‘Which players in the near future are going to be available?’ Then we said, ‘Let’s make the move and try to trade for ‘Melo.’ That’s how things first started with the Knicks going after Carmelo Anthony.”
Chuck Myron contributed to this post.
Western Notes: Buss, White, Mekel
The Lakers ownership and decision making has been complicated since the passing of Jerry Buss, but Jeanie Buss has stated emphatically that she’s the “boss”, writes Ramona Shelburne of ESPNLosAngeles.com. In an interview on the “Mason and Ireland”show, Buss said, “I am responsible ultimately for anything with the team and decisions that are made. In my position, I empower people that are in positions to do their jobs. [Executive vice president of player personnel] Jim Buss and [general manager] Mitch Kupchak are responsible for all basketball decisions. They are empowered to do that. My job is to make sure, as a boss, that I provide them the tools to do the job successfully. But it’s up to them to make the day-to-day decisions on how they operate their area of the business.”
More from out west:
- Royce White may finally achieve his dream of playing in the NBA tonight when the Kings take on the Spurs, writes Jason Jones of The Sacramento Bee. White has had a tumultuous career since being taken 16th overall by the Rockets in the 2012 NBA Draft. Mental health issues have taken their toll and kept him off the court. In regards to those issues, White said, “I think (the issues) kind of resolved themselves over time. Just me being in the league for a year and a half and having things be on the table with the league and the union and discussing it put this organization in a better position to handle things. It’s been so good we haven’t even had a discussion about anything. That’s exciting.”
- The Mavericks have recalled Gal Mekel from the NBA D-League, the team announced. In 31 appearances for the Mavs, Mekel has averaged 2.4 PPG, 0.9 RPG, and 2.0 APG in 9.4 minutes per game.
- The Warriors have assigned Ognjen Kuzmic to Santa Cruz in the D-League, the team announced. Kuzmic has compiled averages of 6.1 PPG, 10.2 RPG in 21.4 minutes per game over nine games for Santa Cruz this season.
Western Notes: Kobe, Mavs, Johnson
Kobe Bryant endorses the Knicks hiring of Phil Jackson despite his well-documented disappointment with the Lakers front office for not bringing Jackson back to Los Angeles. In an article by Dave McMenamin of ESPNLosAngeles, Bryant said, “I just think his mentorship shifts. I think it goes from having a direct influence on the players themselves to having a direct influence on the coaching staff, which he’s accustomed to doing because that’s how he coached as well. He really had a great rapport with his coaching staff and he was really a great mentor for them, and I’m sure he’ll do the same thing and it will just kind of trickle down from there. It’s really no different from what Pat [Riley] has been able to do in Miami with [Erik] Spoelstra.” According to the article, Bryant also believes that Jackson will be able to help Carmelo Anthony improve as a player. On what Phil can do for ‘Melo, Bryant said, “Phil will be able to provide that knowledge and he’ll learn more about the game and open up dimensions of the game that he never saw before. So, he’ll just continue to improve.”
More from out west:
- The Kings had appeared likely to keep 10-day signee Orlando Johnson for the season, but the team has decided against doing so, notes Matt Kawahara of The Sacramento Bee. Johnson’s second 10-day contract expired Monday.
- The Warriors have assigned Nemanja Nedovic and Ognjen Kuzmic to the Santa Cruz Warriors of the NBA D-League the team has announced. Both players had just been recalled from the D-League yesterday and played in last night’s victory over the Magic.
- If the Mavericks are able to sign a proven big man after the season, the player most likely to lose his roster spot is DeJuan Blair, writes Eddie Sefko of The Dallas Morning News. Sefko also says that proven big man target is most likely to be Marcin Gortat.
- In a separate article, Sefko writes that he thinks the Mavs would be well served to pursue Gortat as well as Luol Deng after the season. Both players will be free agents and would fit nicely in the team’s system. Sefko also thinks that Kyle Lowry will be another player the team will take a look at signing, and believes he is ready to be a lead guard on a “top-shelf” playoff team.
Knicks Notes: Kerr, Jackson, Anthony
Steve Kerr hasn’t given his colleagues in broadcasting any strong signals that he’s itching to leave the broadcast table to take over the Knicks, writes Ken Berger of CBSSports.com. Kerr has indicated that he’d like to be a head coach someday, though. Also from Berger’s article, Kurt Rambis and Jim Cleamons, two former Phil Jackson assistants, are expected to get serious consideration for the position. So would Brian Shaw, whom Jackson groomed to take over for him with the Lakers, if he weren’t finishing the first year of a three-year deal as the head coach of the Nuggets. The article also notes that If Jackson was so inclined to look to the college ranks, he might consider Virginia coach Tony Bennett, the son of former Wisconsin coach Dick Bennett.
More from the city that never sleeps:
- Carmelo Anthony is willing to make changes to his game if Jackson believes it will give the Knicks a better chance to win a championship, writes Al Iannazzone of Newsday. Anthony said, “I’m willing to do whatever. As long as it’s going to put me in a position to win, I’m willing to do whatever. I’m not sold or stuck on my play. What I’ve been able to do these past 10, 11 years has gotten me at where I am right now. If Phil wants to come in and change that this late in my career, if it’s going to help me win a championship, I’m with it.“
- Add Michael Jordan to the list of people who think that Jackson can succeed in New York, writes Ohm Youngmisuk of ESPNNewYork.com. Jordan said, “Phil can do some good things with them because he’s gifted. Phil is fantastic at managing egos and personalities, getting everyone on the same page and maxing out whatever potential is there for what should be the common and ultimate goal.“
- Anthony said that the hiring of Jackson will affect his upcoming free agency, writes Matt Moore of CBSSports.com. If Jackson comes in and says he has a plan to surround ‘Melo with a roster that can win a championship, and if the other things he says strike a chord, Anthony will re-sign with New York, opines Moore.
- It’s unknown if Jackson will bring the triangle offense with him to New York. Harvey Araton of The New York Times examines the pros and cons of the system, and how the current Knicks roster might perform in that offense.
And-Ones: Jackson, Draft, Parker
Agents aren’t pleased with the notion of raising the NBA’s minimum age, as Sean Deveney of The Sporting News examines. They feel shut out of the union’s search for a new executive director and they’re worried that whomever the union picks will be hurried to the bargaining table to discuss the age issue, Deveney writes.
More from around the league:
- Pierre Jackson will likely join the Pelicans for summer league action, reports Marc J. Spears of Yahoo! Sports, who shares the tidbit in his weekly power rankings. Jackson signed for the rest of this season with a Turkish team shortly before the trade deadline.
- Mike Tokito of The Oregonian details Trail Blazers rookie Allen Crabbe‘s up-and-down season, as well as the player’s thoughts on the benefits of playing in the D-League.
- Who will be the first player taken in this year’s NBA draft? Joel Brigham, Alex Kennedy, Jessica Camerato, and Jabari Davis of Basketball Insiders debate the issue.
- Speaking of the first pick, Jabari Parker is making a strong case that it should be him, writes Scott Howard-Cooper of NBA.com. He believes that Parker is the most complete player in the entire draft, despite not having “elite” athleticism.
- Pau Gasol is unsure if his pending free agency will be affected by Kobe Bryant‘s recent criticism of the Lakers front office, writes Mark Medina of The Los Angeles Daily News.
- Mavs owner Mark Cuban isn’t sure if the Lakers will ever be able to recapture their magic without Jerry Buss around, writes Eddie Sefko of The Dallas Morning News. Cuban said, “Jerry Buss was the Lakers, so I don’t know if the Lakers will ever be the Lakers. I don’t think there was a smarter owner in the history of the NBA than Jerry Buss. So that’s tough to replace. I don’t think people realize just how good an owner Jerry was.”
Chuck Myron contributed to this post.
Prospect Profile: Andrew Wiggins
Few players have entered their freshman season as hyped as Andrew Wiggins. Before he even set foot inside Allen Fieldhouse at Kansas, the media was anointing Wiggins as the next LeBron James, regardless of the fact that James never played one game at the collegiate level. That’s a tough pedigree for any young player to have to live up to, especially when his personality and game is so much different from James’. It’s turned out to be an up-and-down season for Wiggins, who just turned 19 last month, but he’s been playing his best basketball down the stretch and has regained his spot as the top-ranked player in the upcoming NBA draft. He’s currently ranked first in updated mock drafts at Draft Express and CBSSports.com, and he tops Chad Ford of ESPN.com‘s big board.
The criticisms of his game and his production have been harsh and unforgiving at times, much harsher than the freshman deserves. After his first game in a Jayhawk uniform, a night that saw him score 16 points, his performance was deemed merely “adequate.” Those critiques continued as the season progressed and Wiggins has been called everything from “disappointing” to “underwhelming.”
Wiggins’ performance has been somewhat of a roller coaster ride, as he’s highly effective one night and comes up soft the next. NBA scouts have complained that he lacks a killer instinct, or desire to be the “alpha” on the court, and has been knocked for being too deferential to his teammates. Wiggins has been unselfish almost to a fault at times, and he has seemed hesitant to attack the basket and make the most of his great finishing abilities. He can be too willing to crank up shots from the perimeter, which lowers his overall production and efficiency. Even when he does take it strong to the rim, Wiggins tends to settle for lower percentage shots. He has also shown a tendency to pull up his dribble too soon and take to the air too far from the hoop, resulting in pull-up jumpers, runners, or scoop shots, rather than use his outstanding vertical to dunk or draw fouls.
One of the big questions about Wiggins entering college was whether he would exhibit the assertiveness to try to take over games on a regular basis against both elite and average competition. At Huntington Prep School, he often showed his immense potential and had some monster games. But there were other times when his coaches had to try different ways to motivate him, because he could seem complacent against competition that he deemed beneath him.
Wiggins’ numbers on the year are solid but not spectacular. He’s averaged 17.4 PPG, 6.0 RPG, 1.6 APG, and 1.2 SPG in 32.6 minutes per contest. His slash line is .449/.350/.768. His highest scoring output was when he dropped 41 points on West Virginia, but he has failed to reach double figures in five contests, including a season-low three points on only five shots versus Oklahoma State.
Some scouts have compared him to Rudy Gay. His greatest strengths are his quick first step, superior athleticism, and long, gliding stride, all of which should make him an offensive threat at the next level. He stands 6’8″, but he has a 6’11” wingspan, and though he’s a bit thin, he can add muscle to his 200-pound frame as he matures. Wiggins has a good outside shot but is a streaky shooter. His favorite area on the floor is the corner, where he likes to spot up or cut along the baseline for lobs. He’s shown the ability to create separation off the dribble for pull-up jumpers, but this will be more difficult to accomplish against the larger and more physical defenders in the NBA. Wiggins also has displayed good court vision, and he’s an able and willing passer.
The weaknesses in Wiggins’ game are his inconsistent motor and tendency to drift at times. Wiggins isn’t a physical player, which will make guarding small forwards difficult, and because of this he projects more as a shooting guard. His lack of strength also affects his ability to be a productive rebounder. But at only 19, he has plenty of room to improve in this area. He’s still unrefined as a ball-handler, and sometimes he has trouble against aggressive ball pressure. Scouts have also noted that he has difficulty converting on drives to his left.
The final verdict on Wiggins is that he is an extremely athletic prospect with loads of potential. He has shown remarkable improvement during the course of his freshman season, and there is no reason to think that he won’t be a successful pro. He needs to become more of an aggressive player if he wants to reach superstar level, but playing against NBA-caliber talent every night should keep him motivated. He has handled all the hype and criticism very well, which shows a maturity beyond his age. If Wiggins continues his hot play in the NCAA tournament, he will further solidify his standing at the top of the draft rankings. He is guaranteed to be a top-three pick, and no one will be surprised if he is taken first overall.
Darius Morris To Play In D-League
Darius Morris has been acquired off waivers by the Rio Grande Valley Vipers of the NBA D-League, reports Gino Pilato of D-League Digest (Twitter link). The 23-year-old guard has played for three NBA teams already this season. He last played for Memphis on a 10-day contract that expired back on February 13th. He’s still free to sign with any NBA team that comes calling.
This season, Morris appeared in 10 games for the Clippers and averaged 0.9 PPG in 5.4 MPG. He then played in 12 games for the Sixers and averaged 6.9 PPG, and 2.6 APG in 16.1 MPG. His last action was with the Grizzlies where in five games he put up 3.0 PPG, and 1.6 APG in 13.2 minutes per contest.
Morris’ last stint in the D-League was during the 2012/13 season when he appeared in two games for Los Angeles, and he averaged 15.0 PPG, 6.0 RPG, and 5.5 APG in 35.0 minutes per contest.