NBA G League Assignments/Recalls: 11/3/18
Here are Saturday’s G League assignments and recalls from around the NBA:
- The Celtics recalled rookie center Robert Williams from their Maine affiliate, according to a tweet from the team.
- The Nets have sent rookies Rodions Kurucs and Dzanan Musa to their Long Island team, tweets Brian Lews of The New York Post. Kurucs is returning from a sprained ankle he suffered October 20.
- The Suns shipped rookie guard De’Anthony Melton to their affiliate in Northern Arizona, the team announced on its website.
- The Clippers assigned guards Tyrone Wallace and Jerome Robinson to Agua Caliente, relays Mirjam Swanson of The Orange County Register.
- The Bucks sent Sterling Brown to their G League affiliate in Wisconsin, the team announced on Twitter.
Free Agent Stock Watch 2019: Atlantic Division
Every week, Hoops Rumors takes a closer look at players who will be free agents or could become free agents next offseason. We examine if those players’ stock is rising or falling due to performance and other factors. This week, we turn our attention to the Atlantic Division:
Spencer Dinwiddie, Nets, 25, PG (Up) – Signed to a three-year, $3.9MM deal in 2016
Dinwiddie has been one of the biggest bargains in the league over the past couple of years but he figures to get a hefty pay raise next summer. Dinwiddie may not be the prototypical point guard but he can carry an offense at times. He’s averaging 14.9 PPG while shooting 48.9% overall and 43.5% from long range. He’s a career 32.5% 3-point shooter, so if he can establish himself as a solid long-range threat, he’ll be even more valuable. He had a 25-point outburst, all after halftime, and made the game-winning shot against his former team, the Pistons, on Wednesday.
Damyean Dotson, Knicks, 24, SG (Up) – Signed to a three-year, $4MM deal in 2017
Dotson has a non-guaranteed salary next season. It’s hard to see the Knicks cutting a productive player on a dirt-cheap deal loose unless they hit the jackpot on a couple of top level free agents and need to open up more cap space. Dotson, a second-round pick last summer, has taken advantage of an injury to rookie Kevin Knox, scoring in double digits in each of the last six games. He’s also been a factor on the boards, averaging nearly six per game. Dotson has earned coach David Fizdale’s trust, though it will be interesting to see how much his minutes drop when Knox returns.
Wilson Chandler, Sixers, 31, SF (Down) – Signed to a four-year, $46.5MM deal in 2015
The Sixers were hoping that Chandler would be a key component of their second unit. They’re still waiting to see if that’s the case, as Chandler has yet to make his Philadelphia debut due to a hamstring injury. Chandler has been durable in recent seasons, appearing in at least 71 games for the Nuggets the past three seasons, but he’s at the point of his career where injuries could be a growing concern.
Marcus Morris, Celtics, 29, PF (Up) – Signed to a four-year, $20MM deal in 2015
Brad Stevens has a lot of quality pieces to fit but Morris doesn’t need to worry about his rotation spot. He’s posting averages of 14.4 PPG and 7.4 RPG in 25.6 MPG off the bench while guarding three different positions. Those stats are even more impressive on a loaded team with a lot of mouths to feed. Morris is due for a huge pay increase after signing a team-friendly deal with the Suns three years ago.
Greg Monroe, Raptors, 28, C (Down) – Signed to a one-year, $2.17MM deal in 2018
Monroe is the type of player who’s getting phased out of the league. He’s a low-post scorer with slow feet who has difficulty making defensive switches. He’s made only two brief appearances with the Raptors thus far and will likely remain at the end of the bench unless injuries pile up. Monroe will likely have to settle for a similar contract in free agency next summer.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
NBA G League Assignments/Recalls: 11/2/18
Here are Friday’s G League assignments and recalls from around the NBA:
- The Pistons assigned third-year forward Henry Ellenson and rookie guard Khyri Thomas to the Grand Rapids Drive, the team announced in a press release. Ellenson, a first-rounder in 2016, has been buried at the end of Detroit’s bench or inactive this season. The front office decided against picking up his option for next season. Thomas, a second-round pick out of Creighton acquired from the Sixers in a draft-night deal, has not made his NBA debut.
- The Nets recalled rookie forwards Rodions Kurucs and Dzanan Musa from the Long Island Nets, Brian Lewis of the New York Post tweets. Kurucs, a second-round pick, has averaged 8.7 PPG and 4.0 RPG in 14.3 MPG through three NBA games. Musa, a late first-round selection, has made three short appearances this season. Kurucs was assigned to the Long Island team earlier in the day.
- Rookie Celtics center Robert Williams has been assigned to the Maine Red Claws, the NBA team’s PR department tweets. The first-round pick has made four cameo appearances with the Celtics and knocked down his only field-goal attempt.
- The Sixers assigned power forward Jonah Bolden to the Delaware Blue Coats, according to a team press release. Bolden, a second-round pick in 2017 who signed a four-year, partially-guaranteed contract in July, has seen action in four games this season but none of those stints were longer than seven minutes.
Spencer Dinwiddie Would ‘Love’ Extension From Nets
Spencer Dinwiddie will become extension-eligible next month and would “love” to sign a new deal with the Nets, as he tells Michael Scotto of The Athletic. Brooklyn would be able to offer Dinwiddie up to about $47.5MM over four years, and such a deal would “strongly appeal” to the point guard, league sources tell Scotto.
“Oh, I mean, I’d love to have (an extension),” Dinwiddie said. “I’d love to be here. This organization has shown me hospitality and given me an opportunity like I haven’t had in the NBA before, so I’m definitely indebted to them, and if they decide to sign me, I’d be one of the happiest players in the league.”
Veteran players on three-year contracts like Dinwiddie’s become eligible to receive a contract extension on the two-year anniversary of their signing. For the 25-year-old, that date is December 8, so Brooklyn could offer a new contract at that point. Dinwiddie’s maximum starting salary on such a deal would be approximately $10.6MM, 120% of the NBA’s estimated average salary.
Extensions of these nature have become a little more common under the league’s current Collective Bargaining Agreement — Norman Powell and Josh Richardson both signed them last year. However, it’s not clear if the Nets would be willing to put that sort of offer on the table for Dinwiddie, since they’re looking to maximize their 2019 cap room and will also have to consider a potential long-term deal for another point guard, D’Angelo Russell.
Given Dinwiddie’s very modest cap hold ($1.6MM), it probably doesn’t make sense for Brooklyn to do an in-season extension and cut into next year’s cap space, which could be enough for two star free agents. That means the fifth-year guard will likely enter next offseason as an unrestricted free agent. Still, if the Nets are willing to do get something done before then, Dinwiddie would be interested. As he explains to Scotto, it’s more about his desire to remain in Brooklyn than his interest in gaining long-term security as soon as possible.
“If I didn’t want to be here, it would just be a flat out ‘no,’ and I’d tell everybody, ‘Hey, I want to go into unrestricted free agency, and that’s just what it is,'” Dinwiddie said. “It really, as it is now, the ball is in their court. I guess I’m always a bridesmaid so far in the NBA. I’m ready to be a bride, I guess.”
After enjoying a breakout season in 2017/18, Dinwiddie has been even better so far this season, averaging 14.9 PPG, 3.6 APG, and 2.5 RPG with a shooting line of .489/.435/.813 in 27.5 minutes per contest.
Tiago Splitter Spending Nets Season In Scouting, Coaching Role
- Former NBA center Tiago Splitter has spent this season with the Nets sharing coaching and scouting duties. “Our goal this year is to improve last year’s result when we had 28 wins,” Splitter said, according to Nets Daily. “We want to do more than that, but we also think about the long run.” Splitter retired last February and joined the Nets in a dual role shortly after.
Warriors GM Praises Sean Marks
- Warriors GM Bob Myers believes Nets GM Sean Marks has a blueprint for future success, as he told Brian Lewis of the New York Post. Brooklyn has hoarded cap space to be a major player on the free agent market next summer. “I think they’re on their way,” Myers said. “They play in a great city, and Sean is smart. They’re in a position now with their picks and cap space where they’ll be able to make some change, and it’ll probably be positive.”
NBA G League Assignments/Recalls: 10/28/18
Here are Sunday’s G League assignments and recalls from around the NBA:
- The Nets assigned rookie forward Dzanan Musa to the Long Island Nets, per Brian Lewis of The New York Post (via Twitter). Musa has only played 11 minutes so far this season after he recovered from a preseason ankle injury. This will likely be the first of many assignments and recalls for Musa, who was the 29th overall pick in the 2018 Draft.
- The Pacers have recalled Ike Anigbogu from the Fort Wayne Mad Ants, the team announced today in a press release. Anigbogu, a second-year center, may get a chance to suit up for Indiana in Monday’s game against Portland.
New York Notes: Ntilikina, Kanter, Dudley, LeVert
Joe Harris Proving Worth In New Contract With Nets
- Nets guard Joe Harris has started the 2018/19 season on a good note, shooting the ball well and proving his worth after signing a new deal with the team this summer, as detailed in a piece by Nets Daily. Harris signed a two-year, $16MM contract to rejoin the club in the offseason, scoring 16 points and grabbing six rebounds on Wednesday against Cleveland.
Eastern Notes: Nets, Bamba, Griffin
Joe Harris, who re-signed with the Nets on a two-year, $16MM deal this past offseason, is helping Brooklyn play a better offensive game, Tom Dowd of NBA.com writes. The team’s shooting has helped keep the paint open and entering Tuesday, the Nets led the league in drives per game.
“Just because the spacing that we have, even with Jarrett [Allen] being able to step out and pose a threat at the 3-point line to open stuff up, we’ve just got to do a better job making the correct reads where, the drive is there, obviously we’re taking it,” said Harris. “But if they’re not and they’re contested, especially against these heavy shift teams, we’ve got to get off it and move the ball quicker. Where we’ve gotten ourselves in trouble is getting in there, turning it over versus getting in there, making the right pass, making the simple pass and moving it from good shots to great shots.”
Here’s more from around the Eastern Conference:
- Shabazz Napier is expected to make his debut for the Nets on Wednesday against the Cavs, Dowd relays in the same piece. “[Napier] looked good in practice yesterday, so that’s a good sign,” coach Kenny Atkinson said. “Don’t expect big minutes from him, but we’ll build him up. I think he’ll be that sparkplug. I think it gives us something defensively. He creates turnovers. He’s a ball-pressure guy. He gets into guys. He’s fast. And offensively he can give you a punch and come off and get 10 points in 10 minutes. His experience, right? NBA experience. He’ll help us.”
- The Magic envision Mohamed Bamba becoming Orlando’s version of Joel Embiid down the road, Sean Deveney of Sporting News writes. “I said to [team president Jeff Weltman],” Hammond recalled, “‘It’s going to be interesting to see in about five years from now.’ He’s not as naturally big and thick as Joel, but just see who he is five years from now. He’s going to look a lot different. We just have to have a lot of patience.”
- Blake Griffin has emerged as a leader for the Pistons, Keith Langlois of NBA.com contends. Coach Dwane Casey applauded Griffin’s mental toughness after a recent win, comparing the power forward to Gary Payton, Kevin Garnett, and Dirk Nowitzki. Casey will likely have even kinder words for his star after Griffin put up 50 points on the Sixers on Tuesday, scoring the final bucket to win to the game.