Guerschon Yabusele

New York Notes: Kolek, Yabusele, Thomas, Powell

In the wake of Malcolm Brogdon‘s sudden retirement announcement, the Knicks are weighing their options for the backup point guard position behind Jalen Brunson.

In the view of Stefan Bondy of The New York Post (subscription required), the team has three options: Trade for a backup, give second-year guard Tyler Kolek a chance to earn a rotation role, or take a committee approach, with Miles McBride, Jordan Clarkson, Josh Hart, and Mikal Bridges all taking on additional ball-handling responsibilities.

For his part, Brunson doesn’t sound like someone who wants the front office to go out and make a trade to fortify the depth at his position. He expressed confidence in the team’s in-house options, according to Peter Botte of The New York Post.

“We’re in good hands, great hands,” Brunson said on Thursday. “[Kolek] has been getting better every day. Deuce has been getting better every day. Those guys, they come in and they work on their game nonstop. When you see that, you have the utmost confidence that when their number is called they’re going to be ready to go. So like I said, we’re in good hands.”

Head coach Mike Brown also made it clear he’s not particularly concerned about how the Knicks will get by when Brunson is off the court.

“We feel like we have a deep roster, and a lot of guys will have an opportunity to grab whatever minutes might have been there or might not have been there,” Brown said, per Botte. “It’s just a case of earning your stripes, and we’ll figure it out at the end of the day, whoever’s gonna get whatever minutes are available.”

Here are a few more notes on the NBA’s two New York teams:

  • It hasn’t been an especially memorable preseason for Knicks forward/center Guerschon Yabusele, who has scored just seven points on 3-of-13 shooting in 42 total minutes of action through three games. As Bondy writes for The New York Post, Brown and the Knicks recognize that there will be a “learning curve” for the newcomer as he adjusts to both a new team and a new system. “I’m really trying to be as much as I can be focused to try to get every detail to make sure I’m at the right spot,” Yabusele said. “For me, it’s a new team with new guys so I really try to fit into the system and be a solution, not a problem.”
  • Brown has expressed a desire to treat Friday’s preseason finale as a dress rehearsal for the season and use his “normal rotation” for the game. However, four key Knicks – Hart (back), OG Anunoby (ankle), Karl-Anthony Towns (quad), and Mitchell Robinson (load management) – are considered day-to-day and may not be in position to play big minutes, if they’re available at all, writes Kristian Winfield of The New York Daily News (subscription required).
  • Given the make-up of the Nets‘ roster, it’s safe to assume Cam Thomas will do plenty of shooting and scoring in 2025/26. Still, head coach Jordi Fernandez is pushing Thomas to take advantage of the defensive attention he’ll receive by improving his play-making and creating shots for teammates, according to Brian Lewis of The New York Post. “Yeah, me and Jordi always talk about it, we always have conversations about it,” Thomas said. “Jordi is also very understanding of who I am as a player. He knows I’m a scorer and he knows how I play. But it’s also the fine line of being aggressive, get your own shot and then getting guys other shots. We always have that dialogue, and it’s great. So this year we have a better understanding. He has a better understanding of me, and I have a better understanding of what he wants.”
  • Nets rookie Drake Powell‘s 13.8% usage rate during his first and only season at UNC was the lowest of any wing ever drafted, per The Athletic, but Fernandez isn’t concerned at all about that, writes Lewis. “I wasn’t there [at UNC], and I cannot judge whether it’s positive or negative,” the Nets’ head coach said. “But I see [Powell] as an elite on-ball defender, as probably the best athlete of this draft, a player that can run a play on the second side, a very good ball-handler. … He’s going to have to take advantage of his minutes. If he starts with [an] opportunity, great. If not, the opportunity will come.”

Knicks Notes: Giannis, Towns, Yabusele, Robinson, Tyndale

In a subscriber-only mailbag, Stefan Bondy of The New York Post confirms the Knicks and Bucks discussed a trade involving two-time MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo this summer, but cautions those negotiations went “nowhere productive” beyond revealing the Greek superstar would prefer to play in New York if he ever leaves Milwaukee.

According to Bondy, the Knicks don’t have a realistic pathway to acquire Antetokounmpo unless the 30-year-old specifically demands a trade to New York. And even if Milwaukee struggles this season, there’s no indication that Antetokounmpo would go that route.

Unless the Knicks would be willing to trade Jalen Brunson in a possible multi-team construct, they simply lack the draft assets to compete with other teams in a potential bidding war, Bondy explains.

While it’s a positive development that Antetokounmpo reportedly wants to play for the Knicks after they have been spurned by other stars in the past, the situation could be a distraction if New York gets off to a slow start, Bondy writes. It will also be an important “measuring stick” for the current front office regime, according to Bondy, who points out that the Knicks spent most of their previous draft capital to trade for Mikal Bridges — a move that may or may not pay off in the long run.

Here’s more on the Knicks:

  • Big men Karl-Anthony Towns and Guerschon Yabusele have been faced with the difficult task of adjusting to the unique requirements of playing in Mike Brown‘s offensive system, writes Andrew Crane of The New York Post. How Towns in particular acclimates may determine the Knicks’ ceiling this season, Crane notes. “They’re both doing a fantastic job trying to adjust,” Brown said of Towns and Yabusele, “but it’s going to take them a little longer than everybody else just because they’re playing both of the positions within the framework of our offense — and so their learning curve’s gonna have to be a lot steeper than anybody else’s.”
  • Towns has been impressed with Mitchell Robinson in training camp and is looking forward to building chemistry with him in the frontcourt, according to Crane. “He’s very gifted with his feet, just the way he can maneuver around the court,” Towns said of Robinson. “I had good expectations of what I thought of Mitch walking in, especially on the offensive end, how I can maximize his offensive game. But even he surprised me with his ability.”
  • Brown is excited to be the home coach at Madison Square Garden for the first time on Thursday, per Kristian Winfield of The New York Daily News. “MSG is such an iconic venue,” Brown said. “And whether it’s a preseason game or regular-season game, to be able to know that that’s your home court every night and to do it for the first time, it gives you goosebumps.”
  • Brown’s coaching staff continues to grow, according to Michael Scotto of HoopsHype, who reports (via Twitter) that the Knicks are hiring Mark Tyndale as a player development assistant. Tyndale had previous stops in Portland and Toronto, Scotto notes.

Knicks Notes: Brunson, Giannis, Rotation, Clarkson, Hart

Knicks point guard Jalen Brunson will have to get used to Mike Brown‘s offensive system, which will be more uptempo than the pace that former coach Tom Thibodeau preferred. There have been mixed results in the first two preseason games, Kristian Winfield of the New York Daily News writes.

“I’m comfortable,” Brunson said. “We’re still adjusting, and that’s the process of this entire season. You’re not just gonna be who you are at the end of training camp. You’re gonna continue to get better throughout the season. So I think the longer that we go through this and understand what’s needed and asked of us, the better we’re gonna be.”

Brown is already seeing progress.

“Jalen, he’s starting to adjust. You can see it,” Brown said. “I think this is gonna be good for him. You can see how much space he has when he brings the ball, and again, if you want to pressure a guy like Jalen with that much space, there’s a pretty good chance that he can make you pay for it.”

Here’s more on the Knicks:

  • Regarding the report that the Knicks had discussions with the Bucks regarding Giannis Antetokounmpo, The Athletic’s James Edwards III and Fred Katz examine whether it would make sense for the Knicks to acquire the superstar and whether it might happen down the road. Both note that the Knicks simply don’t possess the draft capital and young talent that the Bucks could obtain from other contenders like the Rockets and Spurs.
  • Edwards rolls out his preseason edition of predictions regarding the team’s depth chart and rotation. He continues to believe Brown will start Mitchell Robinson at center in a bigger lineup with Josh Hart coming off the bench. Edwards predicts that Miles McBride and offseason additions Jordan Clarkson and Guerschon Yabusele will also play regularly off the bench, with the 10th man in the rotation being a fluid situation.
  • Speaking of Clarkson, he’s energized to play for a contender once again after being stuck on a rebuilding Jazz team, he told Stefan Bondy of the New York Post. “That’s something you chase. That’s a different high, man, if you want to put it like that,” he said. “The level of detail, every play matters. I really want to get back there and I want for sure to take every step day to day, but Coming here, one of the reasons why is I wanted to compete in the playoffs and be on a winning team that’s playing for something.”
  • Hart did not practice once again on Tuesday. He’s been battling back spasms in recent days and his status is considered day-to-day, Edwards tweets.

Atlantic Notes: Knicks, Clarkson, Yabusele, Longabardi, Ingram

The Knicks brought in several veterans to compete for the last minimum contract they can offer, barring a trade. New coach Mike Brown believes that will lead to a spirited training camp, according to Kristian Winfield of the New York Daily News.

“A competitive spirit. I’m big on that. … For us, every day is about competition,” Brown said after the first day of training camp. “Whether you’re a coach [or] you’re a player, we want to compete. We want to grow as a unit in that area, and it’s no different for everybody else individually. Whether you’re here on a guaranteed deal [or] you’re here on a non-guaranteed deal, you’re competing your butt off. And at the end of the day, we have a lot of time to make a decision on what’s gonna happen.

“But at the end of the day, we’ll figure out who we need to fit and who needs to fit, but it’s gonna be a process. There’s no one ahead of anyone right now. Everybody’s coming in trying to compete for a spot. All the guys we have we feel are competitors, so we’ll see at the end of the day who rises to the top.”

Here’s more from the Atlantic Division:

  • Jordan Clarkson and Guerschon Yabusele, a pair of Knicks offseason additions on guaranteed contracts, are expected to have major rotation roles. Brown heaped both players with praise. “He’s a professional scorer,” Brown said of Clarkson, per James Edwards III of The Athletic. “Especially one coming off the bench, it means he knows how to play the game. He’s not just scoring. That’s what I like about him — he’s a capable passer. I like the mindset that he has. You want guys who aren’t afraid of the moment, who are willing to take the shot and go get it.” As for Yabusele, Brown noted how well he played for the Sixers last season after several seasons overseas. “When you get drafted and don’t make it, it can do a lot of things to you mentally,” Brown said. “It can make you say things like, ‘Screw the NBA. I don’t want to come back,’ or it can make you say, ‘You know what? I’m an NBA player and I’m going to do what I need to do to get back and be there as long as I want to be there.’ Seeing that process tells you a lot about him as a person. That’s a vastly competitive spirit and competitive nature that I’m looking for when it comes to being a New York Knick.”
  • Speaking of the Sixers, they are promoting Mike Longabardi as an assistant coach, Michael Scotto of HoopsHype tweetsLongabardi was previously the G League head coach of the Delaware Blue Coats, Philadelphia’s affiliate. He has also been an assistant for the Celtics and Cavaliers
  • There isn’t much preseason buzz regarding the Raptors, but Michael Grange of Sporsnet identifies five reasons for optimism, with Brandon Ingram suiting up this season at the top of the list. Ingram didn’t play after Toronto acquired at the trade deadline due to an ankle injury. Roster continuity is another reason to be bullish, Grange writes — they’re bringing back all but one of their players who saw at least 1,000 minutes of action.

Knicks Emphasized Collaboration During Coaching Search

Collaboration will be a point of emphasis as Mike Brown prepares for his first season as head coach of the Knicks, writes Stefan Bondy of The New York Post (subscription required).

Sources tell Bondy that the need to work together across the organization was stressed during the interview process after former coach Tom Thibodeau’s style was considered “too unilateral.” Brown will be expected to consult with ownership, the front office, the medical staff and player development experts, along with his assistant coaches and players, and to give serious consideration to their input.

“I had great conversations with (team owner) Mr. (James) Dolan and (president) Leon (Rose),” Brown said during his introductory press conference. “I want to form a partnership with them. It’s impossible to do this alone.” 

Bondy notes that Brown has to walk a fine line of taking suggestions from multiple parties while still showing that he’s in charge of the team, rather than a “puppet” of the front office. That challenge will begin when the team opens training camp this week.

Brown will also be tasked with upgrading the offense by replacing Thibodeau’s reliance on isolations with a style that emphasizes ball movement and pace. His players have received some exposure to the new system already, and the reaction has been positive.

“I’ve talked to (Brown) a lot, and I think the big thing is just going to be a lot of player movement,” reserve guard Miles McBride said recently. “He’s giving us the foundation, and we’re just going to work off of it. So I’m really excited to see all our creativity with each other that we’ve been working on these last couple months. Really excited to see where it takes us.” 

Brown is also expected to have less reliance on his starters than his predecessor, giving more players a chance to log significant minutes. Bondy theorizes that would have happened anyway after the offseason additions of Guerschon Yabusele, Jordan Clarkson and Malcolm Brogdon, but Brown is naturally more inclined than Thibodeau to use a larger rotation.

Bondy notes that the Knicks’ starting five easily led the NBA in combined minutes last season, but he sees the potential for a 10-man rotation under Brown.

Georgia Surprises France, Poland Ousts Bosnia At EuroBasket

Sunday produced another shocking upset at EuroBasket, as Georgia defeated France to reach the quarterfinals of the tournament for the first time ever, writes Cesare Milanti of Eurohoops.

Kamar Baldwin and Tornike Shengelia each scored 24 points and Shengelia added eight rebounds in the 80-70 victory. Orlando center Goga Bitadze also chipped in eight points. The French team got 14 points from Sylvain Francisco and 12 from Guerschon Yabusele.

“We said from the pregame meeting that we are playing to win,” Shengelia said. “We are happy to be here, but we are not satisfied.”

Next up for Georgia is a meeting on Wednesday with Finland, who took down Serbia on Saturday. Loaded with NBA talent, the French and Serbian teams were expected to be top contenders for the gold medal.

“We missed sometimes some easy shots,” French coach Frederic Fauthoux said after watching his team shoot 35% from the field, “so this is basketball.”

France was undersized with Vincent Poirier having to withdraw just before the start of the tournament due to right knee issues and Victor WembanyamaMathias Lessort and Rudy Gobert also unavailable. However, Georgia’s Sandro Mamukelashvili told reporters after the game that it wouldn’t have mattered if France was at full strength, per Edvinas Jablonskis of BasketNews.

I wish them nothing but the best, but right now I can text Victor Wembanyama and tell him we just beat France,” the former Spurs center said, “and it’s too bad he was not here because we would beat them with him too.”

Poland kicked off Sunday’s elimination games with a 90-82 win over Bosnia and Herzegovina, Milanti adds in a separate story. Former NBA guard Jordan Loyd led the way with 28 points, and Mateusz Ponitka contributed 19 points and 11 rebounds.

Poland will face unbeaten Turkey on Tuesday in a quarterfinals matchup.

EuroBasket Notes: Sengun, Vukcevic, Yabusele, Queta

Rockets center Alperen Sengun continued his impressive EuroBasket performance on Wednesday, outplaying Nikola Jokic in Turkey’s thrilling 95-90 win over Serbia, writes Semih Tuna of Eurohoops. Both teams came into the game undefeated, so the victory gave Turkey the No. 1 seed in Group A heading into the knockout round. It also made a statement for Sengun, who was facing Jokic for the first time in an international tournament and who had been dubbed “Baby Jokic” earlier in his career.

“I don’t think he would want that nickname,” teammate Shane Larkin said. “You can see the similarities with their games. Alperen has big aspirations. Alperen is a very confident kid. Alperen has a very high level of basketball skill and a very high level of talent. The sky is the limit for him. I don’t think he’s anywhere near his ceiling. I think he’s going to continue to evolve and get better and better.”

Sengun put up impressive numbers once again, finishing with 28 points on 10-of-17 shooting from the field, along with 13 rebounds and eight assists. Through five games, he’s tied for fifth in the tournament in scoring while ranking third in rebounds and assists and second in efficiency.

“In his younger years, his first year, his second year, you could call him ‘Baby Jokic’ just because their styles are very similar,” Larkin added. “He’s proving during this tournament that he’s ready to take that next step. Last year, he was an NBA All-Star, and I think he’s going to continue to grow and continue to be a better and better player. That nickname was suiting for him maybe a couple of years ago. But he’s much bigger and much better than he was when they gave him that nickname.”

There’s more from EuroBasket:

  • Serbia played without Wizards center Tristan Vukcevic, but he’s expected to return for the knockout round, Tuna adds in a separate story. Serbia only had 10 players available due to the loss of Bogdan Bogdanovic with a hamstring injury. “Vukcevic couldn’t be on the roster in this situation, when the game is played with so much energy – everyone is really important,” coach Svetislav Pesic said. “He got a minor injury, nothing serious. He’ll be ready in 2–3 days.”
  • Guerschon Yabusele credits a change in strategy for his 36-point outburst against Poland, per Eurohoops. After a 2-1 start, French coach Frederic Fauthoux focused on creating more shots for the Knicks‘ big man. “We had a conversation with the coach, with the players too, to try to get me involved in the game a little bit more,” Yabusele told reporters. “I know it is important for me to be aggressive the whole time, for the team and for myself. I was trying to find the rhythm and give the energy to the guys.”
  • Portugal was able to advance to the next round despite the ejection of Neemias Queta in a narrow victory over Estonia, according to Edvinas Jablonskis of BasketNews. The Celtics center was tossed midway through the third quarter for picking up a second technical foul when officials decided his celebration after making a basket was excessive (Twitter video link).

28 Current NBA Players Competing In FIBA EuroBasket 2025

On the heels of the FIBA World Cup in 2023 and the Paris Olympics in 2024, the 2025 NBA offseason doesn’t feature a major international tournament in which the United States’ top stars are competing.

However, several of the league’s biggest names – including three-time Most Valuable Player Nikola Jokic, two-time MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo, and five-time All-NBA first-teamer Luka Doncic – are taking part in FIBA EuroBasket 2025, which tipped off on Wednesday.

The tournament, also known as the European Basketball Championship, takes place every four years and features 24 European countries vying for a gold medal. The 24 teams who qualified for EuroBasket are split up into four groups and will face the other teams in their group across five games from August 27 to September 4.

At the end of group play, the top four teams from each group will advance to the knockout round, which is a single-elimination tournament featuring the remaining 16 countries.

By our count, 28 active NBA players are taking part in EuroBasket 2025, along with 30 former NBA players and several more who were selected in an NBA draft but have yet to play in the league.

Here’s the full list of current and former NBA players set to compete in EuroBasket, sorted by group and country:


Group A

Czechia (Czech Republic)

  • Current NBA players: Vit Krejci (Hawks)
  • Former NBA players: None

Estonia

  • Current NBA players: None
  • Former NBA players: Henri Drell

Latvia

Portugal

  • Current NBA players: Neemias Queta (Celtics)
  • Former NBA players: None

Serbia

Serbia’s roster also includes Nikola Milutinov and Vanja Marinkovic, who are former NBA draft picks but have never played in the league.

Turkey

Group B

Finland

Germany

Great Britain

Lithuania

Lithuania’s roster also includes Rokas Jokubaitis, a former NBA draft pick who has never played in the league, and Azuolas Tubelis, who was on a two-way contract with the Sixers during the 2023 offseason but was waived before the season began.

Montenegro

Sweden

  • Current NBA players: Pelle Larsson (Heat)
  • Former NBA players: None

Group C

Bosnia and Herzegovina

  • Current NBA players: Jusuf Nurkic (Jazz)
  • Former NBA players: None

Cyprus

  • Current NBA players: None
  • Former NBA players: None

Georgia

Greece

Italy

Italy’s roster also includes Matteo Spagnolo, Gabriele Procida, and Saliou Niang, who are former NBA draft picks but have never played in the league.

Spain

Group D

Belgium

  • Current NBA players: None
  • Former NBA players: None

France

France’s roster also includes Isaia Cordinier, a former NBA draft pick who has never played in the league.

Iceland

  • Current NBA players: None
  • Former NBA players: None

Israel

  • Current NBA players: Deni Avdija (Trail Blazers)
  • Former NBA players: None

Israel’s roster also includes Yam Madar, a former NBA draft pick who has never played in the league.

Poland

  • Current NBA players: None
  • Former NBA players: Jordan Loyd

Slovenia

  • Current NBA players: Luka Doncic (Lakers)
  • Former NBA players: None

Guerschon Yabusele Discusses Signing With Knicks, Hopes For EuroBasket

Guerschon Yabusele got a nice raise when he signed a two-year, $11.7MM contract with the Knicks this summer, but he was also motivated by the chance to play in New York City. Yabusele discussed his free agency decision, France’s EuroBasket prospects, and a few other topics in an interview with Giorgos Kyriakidis of BasketNews.

“First of all, you can tell that they have a special bonding between each other,” he said of his new Knicks teammates. “When they go on the court together, it’s like they try to kill the other team. They know each other pretty well. They made it so far this year in the playoffs, but year after year, you can just see their progress. So, for me, it was just natural, because I wanted to be part of this. It’s one of the toughest crowds, people know it. So, to be able to go there and be part of this is just something special.”

A year ago, NBA personnel were buzzing about Yabusele’s performance in the Summer Olympics, where he helped the host French team reach the gold medal game. He eventually signed a one-year minimum contract with Philadelphia in the hopes of proving that he could still be an NBA player after five years in Europe.

Yabusele wound up being a steady contributor for a Sixers team that was torn apart by injuries. He averaged 11.0 points and 5.6 rebounds in 70 games and became a target for several teams on the free agent market.

Yabusele believes his attitude toward the game was instrumental in making his NBA comeback successful.

“I would say, first of all, the energy,” he said. “People love the energy that I bring on the court – ‘dying’ for the ball, diving for the ball. Just fight through it for 48 minutes. It doesn’t matter who win or lose, just keep the same motivation and make people enjoy the game.”

Returning to the NBA last season was somewhat of a financial gamble, as Yabusele had one year left on his Real Madrid contract with a $2.5MM buyout. The Sixers were only permitted to contribute $850K of that amount, so Yabusele decided to pay the rest himself instead of waiting another year to become a free agent.

“As a young kid, going to the NBA was a dream,” he explained. “So, I wanted to go back and make sure I had a chance to explore and play.”

EuroBasket, which starts Wednesday, will be Yabusele’s first international competition since last year’s Olympics. France is perennially one of the top powers on the world stage, but the team will be shorthanded with Victor Wembanyama, Rudy Gobert, Mathias Lessort and Vincent Poirier all unavailable.

Yabusele, who serves as captain, would love to bring home a gold medal after coming close so many times. During his tenure, the French have captured silver in the past two Olympics and were runners-up at EuroBasket 2022.

“A gold medal with France would be special,” he said. “I’ve been playing with the team for years, and every time we get silver. So I think gold would be the next goal for us. But, of course, winning an NBA championship is also something special. I’ve never been part of something like that. Both would feel great.”

Atlantic Notes: Mann, McCain, Yabusele, Beasley, Raptors

After spending the first five-and-a-half seasons of his NBA career with the Clippers, Terance Mann was ready for a change when he was dealt to the Hawks at last season’s trade deadline, writes Gary Washburn of The Boston Globe. Even though his stay in Atlanta only lasted a few months, Mann believes it was good for his career.

“I was super excited to be traded the first time, I kind of felt like my time in L.A. was up and it was time for me to get out of there,” he said. “I did six seasons there as a second-round pick and a lot of guys don’t get to do that so, I really felt excited to get traded to the East Coast and to an organization like Atlanta. The coaching staff was great and we had a good time.”

Mann was productive during his 30 games with the Hawks, averaging 9.8 points, 3.1 rebounds and 2.1 assists in 22.7 minutes per night while shooting 54.1% from the field and 38.6% from three-point range. However, Atlanta was willing to part with him this summer for the chance to land Kristaps Porzingis, and he was shipped to the Nets in a three-team deal.

“It didn’t come as a surprise to me,” Mann said of the trade. “It’s going to be crazy to play in an environment like that, something new. I’m one of the oldest guys on the team, want to be a leader, show those guys what it takes to win. I’ve been with those guys a ton (this summer) and they’re super hungry, willing to learn basketball. It’s going to be fun. I’m excited for the challenge and I feel like I was built for this. I’m in my prime right now and ready to show the world what I’ve really got outside this role I’ve been playing for the last six seasons.”

There’s more from the Atlantic Division:

  • Sixers guard Jared McCain tells Declan Harris of Sports Illustrated that he lost a close friend and mentor when Guerschon Yabusele signed with the Knicks in free agency. Yabusele helped McCain deal with a difficult rookie season that was cut short by a torn meniscus in December. “Man, I’m gonna miss him, that’s one of the best people I’ve ever been around,” McCain said. “I could go to him for anything; a lot of my teammates are like that, but him, I gravitated to a lot. He was just super nice, just a good person and fun to play with, also another great energy person, so I’m sad to see him go.”
  • A league source confirms to Stefan Bondy of the New York Post that the Knicks have interest in Malik Beasley now that he’s no longer a target of a federal gambling investigation (Twitter link). However, New York can only offer a veteran’s minimum contract, and Beasley may have more lucrative options elsewhere.
  • The Raptors‘ G League affiliate traded its first-round pick in this year’s draft to the College Park Skyhawks in exchange for the returning player rights to Jarkel Joiner, according to Blake Murphy of Sportsnet.ca (Twitter link).