Two-Way Players Making Bids For Promotions
Players on two-way contracts are free to appear in NBA games, but there are limitations on the amount of time they can spend with their respective NBA teams. Even in 2020/21, with those restrictions loosened a little, each two-way player can only appear in 50 of his team’s 72 games, assuming he signed before the season began.
[RELATED: Hoops Rumors Glossary: Two-Way Contracts]
While 50 games should be more than enough for most teams to get through the season without maxing out the eligibility of their two-way players, some have emerged as regular rotation pieces for their respective clubs and are likely to reach the 50-game mark before season’s end, barring an injury.
In order to remove those restrictions, a team has to promote a two-way player to its 15-man roster, either converting him to a rest-of-season, minimum-salary contract or negotiating a new multiyear deal.
While it’s a little early in the 2020/21 season to determine which two-way players will ultimately end up being promoted to 15-man rosters, a handful of players on two-way deals have made strong cases for standard contracts in the early going.
Here are some of the top candidates to receive promotions among this year’s two-way players:
Jordan McLaughlin (Timberwolves)
McLaughlin spent the 2019/20 season on a two-way contract with the Timberwolves and played well enough to earn a standard deal in the offseason, having averaged 7.6 points, 4.2 assists, and 1.1 steals per game with a .489/.382/.667 shooting line in 30 contests (19.7 MPG).
A restricted free agent, McLaughlin reportedly received a multiyear contract offer from Minnesota, but it would’ve been a team-friendly deal that included multiple non-guaranteed years. The 24-year-old opted to bet on himself instead, playing another year on a two-way contract and hoping for a better opportunity when he returns to the free agent market in the summer of 2021.
We’ll have to wait to see whether or not that was the right call, but so far it doesn’t look like last season was a fluke. With D’Angelo Russell, Ricky Rubio, and Anthony Edwards in the picture, there are fewer backcourt minutes to go around, but McLaughlin has played well in a limited role, with 5.5 PPG, 4.1 APG, and .455/.375/.800 shooting in 17.2 MPG (11 games).
Garrison Mathews (Wizards)
Like McLaughlin, Mathews was on a two-way contract last season and played well, but ended up having to take another two-way deal. He’s once again proving that he deserves consideration for a promotion, with 8.9 PPG and 1.4 SPG on .429/.405/.889 shooting through 10 games (19.7 MPG).
Unfortunately for Mathews, the Wizards currently have a full 15-man roster made up of mostly non-expendable players. If the team cuts recent signee Alex Len at some point or makes a trades that opens up a roster spot, that could create an opportunity for Mathews.
Yuta Watanabe (Raptors)
Invited to training camp on an Exhibit 10 contract alongside other NBA veterans like Henry Ellenson and Alize Johnson in the fall, Watanabe played his way onto the 17-man regular season roster, with the Raptors converting his non-guaranteed camp deal into a two-way contract at the end of the preseason.
Since then, Watanabe who spent the last two years on a two-way deal with the Grizzlies, has gradually been making a case for more playing time. His box-score numbers (3.9 PPG and 3.4 RPG) are modest, but he’s been hot from three-point range so far, knocking down 12-of-25 attempts (48.0%) and is providing energy and defensive itensity off the bench.
In Toronto’s last five games, Watanabe has been one of the team’s most-used bench players, logging 18.8 minutes per game and bumping his averages to 8.0 PPG and 5.0 RPG.
Since releasing Len, the Raptors have been holding an open spot on their 15-man roster. If that spot doesn’t get filled in a trade at some point in the coming weeks, Watanabe looks like the best bet to fill it before the end of the season.
Others to watch:
- Jordan Bone (Magic)
- Mason Jones (Rockets)
- Reggie Perry (Nets)
- Max Strus (Heat)
- Gabe Vincent (Heat)
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
New York Notes: DSJ, Brazdeikis, Harper, Harden, Shumpert
The Knicks have granted Dennis Smith Jr.‘s request to be sent to the G League bubble, announcing today (via Twitter) that the former lottery pick is among the players being assigned to the Westchester Knicks. Smith reportedly asked to be sent to Westchester in order to get some regular minutes, since he hasn’t been part of the rotation in New York this season.
In addition to Smith, the Knicks have assigned second-year forward Ignas Brazdeikis to the G League and transferred two-way player Jared Harper there as well. Those three members of New York’s 17-man NBA roster will join a Westchester squad that also features former NBA first-round picks like Skal Labissiere and James Young.
Here’s more on the NBA’s two New York-based teams:
- Unlike Harper, Theo Pinson – the Knicks‘ other two-way player – will remain with the NBA team rather than heading to the G League. As Marc Berman of The New York Post explains (via Twitter), Knicks president of basketball operations Leon Rose, who formerly represented Pinson at CAA, loves the 25-year-old as a locker-room presence.
- James Harden missed Sunday’s game vs. Washington due to a left thigh contusion, but it’s not expected to be an injury that lingers or keeps the Nets star sidelined for much longer, according to head coach Steve Nash. “I think it’s pretty manageable, but just a precautionary measure not to get it banged again and make it severe,” Nash said on Sunday, per Brian Lewis of The New York Post. “… Hopefully, it’s just this game.”
- In a separate story for The New York Post, Lewis examines how offseason acquisition Bruce Brown has established himself as a regular part of the Nets‘ rotation.
- Barring a setback in the health and safety protocols, Iman Shumpert – who signed with the Nets over the weekend – should be available by Saturday’s game vs. Philadelphia, says Alex Schiffer of The Athletic. As Schiffer notes, besides playing for the Nets last season, Shumpert has also played alongside Harden and for Mike D’Antoni in the past, giving him a level of comfort in Brooklyn.
Latest On J.J. Redick
A Sunday report indicated that Pelicans sharpshooter J.J. Redick is interested in returning to a team in the Atlantic Division, where he could be closer to his family in Brooklyn. That report identified the Sixers, Nets, and Celtics as teams that would intrigue Redick, and noted that all three of those clubs have expressed some interest in the veteran wing.
In addition to those three teams, Redick would have interest in joining the Knicks, according to Keith Pompey of The Philadelphia Inquirer. It’s unclear if New York reciprocates the 36-year-old’s interest. If so, it would be a pretty clean fit from a salary cap perspective, since the Knicks are the only team in the NBA with enough cap room to accommodate Redick $13MM cap hit without sending out any salary. The Celtics are among the teams that could take on Redick’s contract outright via a trade exception.
That leaves Toronto as the only Atlantic team not on Redick’s reported wish list, which makes sense — the Raptors are playing in Tampa this season due to the COVID-19 restrictions applying to the U.S./Canada border, so they’ve been temporarily displaced from the northeast.
Here’s more on Redick:
- One Eastern Conference general manager who spoke to Sean Deveney of Forbes is skeptical that the Pelicans will get much of a return for Redick, since he looks like a potential buyout candidate. “No one wants to give up a young player or a pick for a guy you could sign a week after the deadline passes anyway,” the GM said. For what it’s worth, I think the Pelicans will have a hard time finding a first-round pick for Redick unless they’re willing to take on some bad multiyear money, but landing a second-rounder or two seems more realistic, especially if suitors view his struggles this season as a short-term slump.
- David Aldridge, Joe Vardon, and John Hollinger of The Athletic consider whether Redick would fit best with the Nets, Sixers, or Celtics, ultimately concluding that Boston makes the most sense of the three. Hollinger suggests that a pair of second-rounders and some “dead-ish” money would be a fair return for the Pelicans if they make a deal with the C’s.
- As noted by The Athletic and others, Tuesday, February 2 is the last day this season that a player can be traded and then have his salary aggregated in a second trade by deadline day (March 25). If a player is traded on Wednesday, that re-aggregation restriction wouldn’t lift until March 26. It remains to be seen whether that deadline will prompt any action today or tomorrow on the Redick front or elsewhere.
Community Shootaround: Western All-Star Starters
Whether or not an All-Star Game can be played in 2021, two All-Star teams will be selected, and voting is now underway. Fans will have a say in picking the 10 starters, with their vote counting for 50% of the total tally, while media members (25%) and players (25%) will also be involved.
On Thursday, we asked you which five Eastern Conference players deserve the strongest consideration for spots as All-Star starters. Today, we’re shifting to the Western Conference and asking you the same question. Let’s dive in and examine some of the candidates…
Guards (2)
The three leading scorers in the Western Conference are also three of the top candidates to be backcourt All-Star starters. Those players are Trail Blazers guard Damian Lillard (28.8 PPG), Warriors guard Stephen Curry (27.7 PPG), and Mavericks guard Luka Doncic (27.4 PPG).
Doncic’s 9.7 assists and 9.4 rebounds per game improve his candidacy, though his three-point shot has been a problem (28.5% on 7.2 attempts per game) — especially when compared to Curry (39.5% on 11.1 attempts) and Lillard (37.9% on 10.2 attempts). All three teams rank between eighth and 12th in the conference, so team performance won’t give any of them a leg up, at least so far.
If you’re unconvinced by any of those three résumés, there are a handful of other intriguing candidates to consider, including Donovan Mitchell, who is the leading scorer (23.4 PPG) for the top-seeded Jazz.
Ja Morant has averaged 22.6 PPG on 53.2% shooting for the overachieving Grizzlies, while DeMar DeRozan has been the top scorer (20.1 PPG) and play-maker (6.8 APG) for the Spurs, who currently hold a top-five seed in the West.
Lillard’s teammate CJ McCollum was off to a scorching start to the season, with 26.7 PPG and a .441 3PT% through 13 games, but he’s out for at least a month with a foot injury, essentially taking him off the board.
Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Suns guards Devin Booker and Chris Paul, and Mitchell’s teammate Mike Conley are among the other candidates on the periphery. However, the choice in this group probably comes down to two of Lillard, Curry, or Doncic, with Mitchell looming as a wild card.
Frontcourt (3)
Neither Los Angeles team has a particularly strong candidate for a spot in the All-Star backcourt, but there are plenty of options up front.
Lakers star LeBron James has been his usual incredible self, averaging 25.5 PPG, 7.8 RPG, and 7.5 APG through 20 games, with a career-best .417 3PT%. He’s a better candidate at this point to start than his teammate Davis, whose scoring average has dipped to 21.9 PPG in the early going.
For the Clippers, you could make a convincing argument in favor of either Kawhi Leonard (25.9 PPG, 5.7 APG, 5.4 RPG, .505/.419/.900 shooting) or Paul George (23.9 PPG, 6.2 RPG, 5.4 APG, .504/.484/.907 shooting), who have been paragons of scoring efficiency while playing solid defense on the other end of the court.
There are a number of candidates capable of crashing an all-L.A. frontcourt though, led by Nuggets center Nikola Jokic, who has been better than ever in 2019/20, with 25.2 PPG on 56.7% shooting to go along with 11.8 RPG, 8.9 APG, and 1.8 SPG.
Rudy Gobert‘s scoring numbers are modest (13.4 PPG), but his 14.2 rebounds per game lead the Western Conference, and he has anchored the Jazz‘s defense, one of the best in the NBA.
Christian Wood is making a bid for All-Star consideration in his first year with the Rockets, averaging a double-double so far (23.4 PPG, 10.8 RPG). Meanwhile, Pelicans forwards Brandon Ingram and Zion Williamson each rank among the West’s top 10 scorers with 23.9 PPG apiece, though their team’s performance (6-10, 14th in the conference) hurts their cases.
At this point, I think the most logical Western lineup would include two of Lillard, Curry, and Doncic, along with LeBron, Jokic, and whichever Clippers forward you favor (I’d lean toward Kawhi). But I’m curious to know what you think.
Which five players would you vote into the Western Conference’s starting All-Star lineup? Do you think there are any spots that are too close to call for the time being, or are you ready to pencil in a starting five?
Share your thoughts and your picks in the comment section below!
Western Notes: Davis, Grizzlies, Jazz, Popovich
Lakers star Anthony Davis will miss Thursday’s game vs. Detroit due to a bruised right quad, writes Dave McMenamin of ESPN. As McMenamin notes, Davis seemed to be favoring his right leg during Wednesday’s loss to Philadelphia, but downplayed the issue after the game and said he felt “physically fine.”
This will be the third time this season that Davis has missed one half of a Lakers back-to-back set. Assuming the injury is minor, he should be able to return on Saturday when L.A. faces the Celtics in Boston.
Here’s more from around the Western Conference:
- After five straight postponed games, the Grizzlies returned to practice on Wednesday night, writes Evan Barnes of The Memphis Commercial Appeal. That’s a strong signal that the team will be ready to resume its schedule against San Antonio on Saturday, though it remains to be seen how many players will be available, says Barnes.
- With the Jazz on a 10-game winning streak, forward Joe Ingles told reporters on Wednesday that the team is “just a really fun group to play with,” tweets Tim MacMahon of ESPN. “There’s no egos involved,” Ingles said, adding, “It’s not as unsalvageable as some people think.” His last comment is a tongue-in-cheek reference to an Athletic report from last April in which a source suggested the relationship between Donovan Mitchell and Rudy Gobert didn’t appear “salvageable.”
- Spurs head coach Gregg Popovich, who is celebrating his 72nd birthday today, received the COVID-19 vaccine as part of an NBA-sponsored PSA (YouTube link). The NBA has said it won’t jump the line for the vaccine, but Popovich’s age made him a higher priority to be vaccinated. Mark Medina of USA Today has more details.
Warriors Notes: Oubre, Wiseman, Lost Revenue
Earlier this week, a report from Shams Charania of The Athletic indicated that the Warriors and Pelicans had discussed a possible trade involving Kelly Oubre. Asked on Wednesday about that rumor, head coach Steve Kerr made it clear he didn’t appreciate the leak.
“It’s unfortunate,” Kerr said, per Anthony Slater of The Athletic (Twitter link). “Team called us and asked about him. Didn’t even make an offer, asked about Kelly. Next thing it’s online.”
Kerr spoke directly to Oubre about the report, and the veteran forward told reporters that he appreciated the transparency, as Slater tweets. “At the end of the day, I’m a Warrior,” Oubre added.
Here’s more out of Golden State:
- James Wiseman has adjusted smoothly to a bench role since being removed from the starting lineup earlier this week, averaging 19.0 PPG, 5.0 RPG, and 2.0 BPG on 68.4% shooting in two games (20.0 MPG) vs. Minnesota. “I’m more effective because I’m just studying (Kevon Looney) and how he can be able to guard the defense,” Wiseman said, according to Nick Friedell of ESPN.com. “And just trying to figure out the different coverages, so it’s really helping me out a lot. So most definitely coming off the bench is something that’s very effective so far.”
- As Friedell details, Kerr reiterated on Wednesday that the Warriors envision Wiseman as their “long-term” starting center, but will play his current role by ear as they look to maximize his development.
- While the Warriors project to have the NBA’s most expensive roster this season, team owner Joe Lacob estimates that the franchise is missing out on about 70% of its projected revenue as a result of not being able to get fans into the Chase Center, writes Eben Novy-Williams of Sportico.
NBA, NBPA Reach Impasse In Negotiations For 18th Roster Spot
The NBA and NBPA have reached a stalemate in their negotiations for the possible addition of an 18th roster spot for teams in 2020/21, reports Marc Stein of The New York Times (Twitter link).
Word broke nearly two weeks ago that the league and the players’ union were discussing the possibility of adding a third two-way contract slot. Currently, clubs are permitted to carry up to 15 players on standard contracts and two on two-way deals, for a total of 17.
The idea, which was previously said to be gaining some momentum, was broached at a time when a series of games were being postponed because teams didn’t have the required minimum of eight players available.
According to Stein (Twitter link), the league has maintained that if an 18th roster spot is added, it should be a third two-way slot only open to players with fewer than four years of NBA experience, as the other two-way slots are. The players’ union wants that 18th spot to be open to all veteran free agents.
Stein adds (via Twitter) that there’s some concern that adding an 18th roster spot open to any veteran free agent would give a competitive advantage to hard-capped teams (such as the Lakers, Clippers, and Bucks), allowing them to add another quality player despite their current financial constraints.
A player on a two-way contract this season is earning a $449K salary (half of the rookie minimum) and doesn’t count against his team’s salary cap.
Community Shootaround: Eastern All-Star Starters
We don’t know yet whether the NBA will play an All-Star Game this season, but voting for the starters is now underway. Whether or not a game is played, two All-Star teams will be selected, and fans will play a part in choosing the 10 starters — fan voting will make up 50% of the total tally, while media members (25%) and players (25%) will also have a say.
With that in mind, we want to take a closer look at which players are deserving of the five All-Star starting spots in each conference, starting today with the East.
No team has played more than 20 games so far this season, and some have played as few as 13 or 14 due to coronavirus-related postponements. In other words, it’s awfully early to decide which players have emerged as the top five in each conference. But we can at least evaluate which players are making the strongest cases to be considered for a spot in that group.
Guards (2)
The NBA’s leading scorer, by a wide margin, is Wizards star Bradley Beal, who is averaging a whopping 35.4 PPG so far. But he has only played 13 games and his team has the NBA’s worst record at 3-11. Beal missed out on an All-Star spot last season due in large part to his team’s spot in the standings, and said on Wednesday that he’s not getting his hopes up about an All-Star nod this time around.
Zach LaVine (27.0 PPG for the 7-10 Bulls), Trae Young (26.2 PPG for the 9-9 Hawks), and Collin Sexton (25.2 PPG for the 9-9 Cavaliers) are in a similar boat, putting up big offensive numbers for middle-of-the-pack teams. Young’s 8.8 assists per contest and Atlanta’s .500 record amidst injury woes should strength his case.
Nets stars James Harden and Kyrie Irving have each put up huge numbers and would typically be leading contenders for these backcourt spots, but Harden’s behavior on his way out of Houston and Irving’s personal leave may damper enthusiasm for their cases. Additionally, Irving has only played 12 games, while Harden only has seven appearances with Brooklyn so far.
Raptors guard Kyle Lowry has been an All-Star for six straight seasons and is having another strong season in 2020/21, but it probably hasn’t been quite All-Star-starter worthy, especially given his team’s 7-11 record.
Pacers guard Malcolm Brogdon (22.8 PPG, 7.1 APG) and Celtics guard Jaylen Brown (27.1 PPG, 5.6 RPG) are having career years so far for top-five seeds in the conference. Both players are solid on defense too, with Brown’s two-way play on the wing making him an especially strong candidate.
Sixers guard Ben Simmons has posted very modest scoring numbers (13.0 PPG), but he continues to fill up the stat sheet with 8.6 RPG, 8.0 APG, and 1.6 SPG, and his team currently sits atop the Eastern Conference.
Frontcourt (3)
Unlike his two star teammates, who have been at the center of some off-court drama and have been fined for COVID-19 protocol violations, Nets forward Kevin Durant has made headlines for all the right reasons this season, looking better than ever coming off his Achilles tear (30.5 PPG on .517/.444/.860 shooting).
Reigning MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo (26.8 PPG, 11.0 RPG, 5.6 APG for the 11-6 Bucks) and Sixers center Joel Embiid (27.7 PPG, 11.1 RPG) have been two-way forces for the top seeds in the conference and look like All-Star locks.
Those three players are probably the frontcourt favorites, but there’s no shortage of good candidates across the East. Myles Turner and Domantas Sabonis have helped lead the Pacers to a No. 3 seed so far. Celtics forward Jayson Tatum has missed some time due to COVID-19, but when he’s healthy, has looked even better than he did in his first All-NBA season last year.
Bucks forward Khris Middleton, meanwhile, has mostly flown under the radar again, but he has been one of the NBA’s most efficient scorers, with a .519/.441/.925 shooting line. He’s averaging 21.9 PPG, 6.5 RPG, and 5.8 APG, all of which would be career highs, and his 2.6 win shares place him second in the conference.
Magic center Nikola Vucevic, Knicks big man Julius Randle, Pistons forward Jerami Grant, Heat big man Bam Adebayo, and Hornets forward Gordon Hayward have been standouts for sub-.500 teams.
While I like Durant, Giannis, and Embiid in the frontcourt, I’m having a much harder time deciding on two Eastern guards, as many of the most compelling contenders also have compelling factors working against them. With voting remaining open until February 16, I may take another week or two to finalize my choices there.
What do you think? Are you ready to pencil in your five choices for the Eastern All-Star starting lineup or is it too early to make a call? If you’re ready to vote, which five are you taking? If you’re on the fence, which players do you view as the top candidates?
Head to the comment section below to weigh in with your thoughts!
Richaun Holmes Hopes To Re-Sign With Kings
Richaun Holmes will be an unrestricted free agent at the end of the 2020/21 season, giving him the opportunity to sign with any NBA team. However, he said this week that he “absolutely” wants to sign a new contract with the Kings when his current deal expires, as James Ham of NBC Sports California relays.
“I absolutely love playing in Sacramento. Love the fans in Sacramento. Love stepping out in that arena with Sacramento across my jersey,” Holmes said. “So I would love to play here and hopefully everything works out, but Sacramento is a great place to play. They’ve embraced me with open arms and it’s somewhere I can definitely see myself playing (going forward).”
It’s not uncommon for a player to publicly express a desire to stick with his current team even if he expects to move on, so it’s fair to take Holmes’ comments with a grain of salt. Still, it would make sense for him to want to remain in Sacramento, where he has enjoyed the best stretch over the last two seasons, emerging as the club’s full-time starting center.
After signing with the Kings in 2019, Holmes averaged 12.3 points, 8.1 rebounds, and 1.3 blocks per game in 44 contests (28.2 MPG) in ’19/20. So far this season, he’s up to 13.8 PPG, 8.2 RPG, and 1.6 BPG through 16 games (30.8 MPG). Prior to arriving in Sacramento, he had career averages of 7.7 PPG, 4.4 RPG, and 0.9 BPG in 226 games (16.9 MPG) across four years in Philadelphia and Phoenix.
As Ham notes, Holmes’ increased role and production makes him a good bet to receive a contract exceeding his current two-year, $10MM deal. Sacramento will hold the 27-year-old’s Early Bird rights, giving the team the ability to offer a starting salary up to 105% of the NBA’s previous average salary. That would likely work out to a first-year number in the $10-11MM range.
Of course, in order for Holmes to remain in Sacramento, the Kings will have to reciprocate his interest. While there’s no reason to think the team wouldn’t want him back at the right price, it’s worth noting that former general manager Vlade Divac was the one who brought Holmes aboard in 2019. New GM Monte McNair showed when he let Bogdan Bogdanovic walk in free agency in the fall that he’s not necessarily attached to the players acquired by Divac, even if they’ve been productive.
Southeast Notes: MCW, Okeke, Hawks, Wall, Hornets
The Magic will be without Markelle Fultz and Jonathan Isaac for the rest of the season due to their torn ACLs, but the team is moving closer to getting some of its other injured players back on the court. According to Josh Robbins of The Athletic (Twitter link), head coach Steve Clifford said that veteran guard Michael Carter-Williams (foot) could return as soon as Friday after missing Orlando’s last 12 games.
Meanwhile, Clifford couldn’t provide exact timetables for when Magic forwards Chuma Okeke (knee) and Al-Farouq Aminu (knee) will play again, but did say that Okeke will likely be ready to go before Aminu is, Robbins adds.
Here’s more from around the Southeast:
- After winning 24, 29, and 20 games in the last three seasons, the Hawks are in playoffs-or-bust mode this season, prompting Jonathan Tjarks of The Ringer to consider whether the team is finally on the other side of its rebuild. As Tjarks notes, Atlanta has barely gotten anything out of its veteran free agent additions so far, so the emergence of De’Andre Hunter as a capable running mate for Trae Young has been huge.
- Rockets guard John Wall, who suggested earlier this week that he was disappointed by how the Wizards handled his exit from the franchise, got a chance on Tuesday night to show his old team what it’s missing, as Fred Katz of The Athletic writes. Wall had a team-high 24 points in 24 minutes en route to a 107-88 Houston win over Washington.
- Hornets head coach James Borrego is still experimenting with his rotation to determine which lineups work best, tweets Rick Bonnell of The Charlotte Observer. “There is not going to be a set rotation for a bit,” Borrego said on Wednesday. The team sent five players to the G League this week, but Borrego still has 11 healthy players available on the NBA roster.