Kay Felder

And-Ones: Felder, Rockets, Musa, 2021 Prospects

Ex-NBA point guard Kay Felder is returning to the Chinese Basketball Association, where he will play for Zhejiang Guangsha Lions, according to Nicola Lupo of Sportando.

The 5’9″ point guard was selected out of Oakland with the No. 52 pick in 2016 by the Hawks before being traded to the Cavaliers. He suited up for the Cavaliers, Bulls and Pistons across parts of two NBA seasons. Felder played for the G League affiliates of all three teams, and joined the Raptors’ G League affiliate, the Raptors 905, for part of the 2018/19 season.

For his NBA career, Felder averaged 3.8 PPG, 1.3 APG and 1.0 RPG. As Lupo notes, Felder averaged approximately 18 points, eight assists, and five rebounds per game during the 2019/20 season for the Xinjiang Guanghui Flying Tigers.

There are more notes from around the basketball world:

  • The Rockets‘ 120-102 loss to the Lakers on Sunday night marked the first Houston game broadcast in China since former general manager Daryl Morey sent out a now-infamous tweet supporting Hong Kong protesters ahead of the 2019/20 NBA season, Marc Stein of the New York Times tweets. Stein adds that Morey’s current club, the Sixers, has not yet had a game broadcast in China this season.
  • Former Nets wing Dzanan Musa will return to Europe to join a new international club, according to agent Misko Raznatovic (via Twitter). The 6’9″ swingman averaged 4.3 PPG, 2.2 RPG, and 1.1 APG across 49 games in his two NBA seasons.
  • Jonathan Givony and Mike Schmitz of ESPN have discussed which 2021 draft prospects have recently caught their eye in a new top 100 list. Stanford wing Ziaire Williams, LSU shooting guard Cam Thomas, and ASU shooting guard Josh Christopher all merit mention.

And-Ones: Felder, Yao Ming, China

Kay Felder is a potential target for China’s Xinjiang Flying Tigers, Emiliano Carchia of Sportando reports. The team is expected to sign either Felder or Ty Lawson to replace another former NBA player, Ian Clark, who is sidelined by a finger injury.

A second-round pick by the Cavaliers in 2016, Felder was waived by the Raptors’ G League team in December after a domestic violence allegation. Felder, who appeared in 58 NBA games for Cleveland, Chicago and Detroit, played for Xinjiang last season after he was waived. The Flying Tigers’ interest in Lawson was previously reported.

We have more from the basketball world:

  • There doesn’t seem to be a star on the level of Yao Ming coming from China in the near future, Marc Spears of ESPN writes. Currently, there are no Chinese players who could make a sure-fire impact in the NBA and commissioner Adam Silver hopes that will change. “It frustrates me that there are no Chinese players in the NBA,” he said. “There’s probably more basketball being played in China than anywhere else in the world. And more NBA basketball is being watched in China than anywhere else in the world.”
  • An Atlantic City, NJ casino owned by Rockets owner Tilman Fertitta can now accept bets on NBA games, according to Wayne Parry of the Associated Press. New Jersey governor Phil Murphy has signed a bill allowing Atlantic City’s Golden Nugget casino, owned by Fertitta, to handle NBA bets that don’t involve the Rockets.
  • Former Hawks guard Malcolm Delaney will play in Spain this season. Get the details here.

Raptors 905 Waive Kay Felder After Domestic Violence Allegation

The Raptors 905, Toronto’s G League affiliate, have waived Kay Felder after the point guard was charged by police in connection with a domestic violence allegation, the team announced today in a press release.

Before the club confirmed Felder’s release, a G League spokesperson had informed TMZ Sports that the 23-year-old would be placed on indefinite leave, pending a full investigation.

According to TMZ’s report, Felder was arrested early on Monday morning near Toronto and booked for assault after reportedly getting violent and making threats toward a woman. He was released from custody on Monday and is due to appear in court later this month, per TMZ.

Felder, who was selected 54th overall in the 2016 NBA draft by the Cavaliers, appeared in 42 games for Cleveland in his rookie season, then played 16 total games in 2017/18 for the Bulls and Pistons. The 5’9″ guard was with the Raptors for training camp this fall, but was waived before the regular season began, joining Toronto’s NBAGL squad at that point.

A return to the NBA this season for Felder appears unlikely after this incident.

Raptors Waive Four, Convert Boucher To Two-Way Deal

The Raptors appear to have set their roster for the regular season, announcing today in a pair of press releases that they’ve waived four players from their roster and converted Chris Boucher‘s Exhibit 10 deal into a two-way contract. The club now has 16 players under contract, including a pair on two-way deals.

According to the club, forward Deng Adel, center Eric Moreland, and guards Kyle Collinsworth and Kay Felder were all released today. Boucher presumably beat out Moreland for Toronto’s second two-way contract slot, since the team wanted to keep an extra big man. Guard Jordan Loyd currently holds the other two-way deal for the Raptors.

Boucher, a Montreal native, spent last season with Golden State on a two-way contract. He appeared in just one game for the NBA squad, but posted 11.8 PPG, 7.5 RPG, and 2.2 BPG in 20 games for Santa Cruz Warriors in the G League.

If they don’t make any other roster moves before Monday’s deadline, the Raptors will enter the season with an open spot on their 15-man roster. That comes as no surprise, since carrying a 15th player to start the year would increase Toronto’s projected tax bill and reduce the club’s flexibility.

Adel, Moreland, Collinsworth, and Felder will all clear waivers and become free agents on Sunday, assuming they go unclaimed.

Raptors Sign Kay Felder

AUGUST 21: The Felder signing is now official, the Raptors confirmed today in a press release.

AUGUST 20: The Raptors have agreed to a one-year, partially-guaranteed contract with point guard Kay Felder, Sam Amick of USA Today tweets.

Felder hit the free agent market when the Pistons, who signed him to a two-way contract in mid-January, declined to extend a qualifying offer to him this summer.

Felder, 23, appeared in just two games with Detroit. He averaged 3.9 points and 1.4 per game over 14 games with the Bulls last season before he was waived in December.

The 5’9” Felder, a second-round pick in 2016, played his rookie season with the Cavaliers and saw action in 42 games. He was traded to the Hawks during training camp last season and was subsequently waived. Chicago then claimed him.

Felder would appear to have little chance to make Toronto’s opening-day roster, barring injuries. The Raptors already have Kyle Lowry, Fred VanVleet, Delon Wright, Lorenzo Brown, and two-way player Jordan Loyd at that spot.

Pistons Sign Keenan Evans To Two-Way Contract

JULY 17: Evans’ two-way contract with the Pistons is now official, per RealGM’s NBA transactions log. Evans and Reggie Hearn now occupy Detroit’s two-way contract slots.

JUNE 27: Texas Tech guard Keenan Evans has agreed to a two-way contract with the Pistons, Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN tweets.

The 6’3” Evans played four seasons with the Red Raiders and posted averages of 17.6 PPG, 3.1 RPG and 3.2 APG in his senior year. He struggled from long range, making 32% of his 3-point attempts after connecting on 43.2% during his junior year.

Evans played the last month of his college career, including the NCAA Tournament, with a broken toe.

The Pistons decided not to extend a qualifying offer to one of their two-way players last season, point guard Kay Felder, according to Tony Paul of The Detroit News.

Felder, a Detroit native, joined the Pistons in January after he was waived by the Bulls in December. He spent most of his time in the G League, playing two games with the Pistons, after seeing action in 14 games with the Bulls. Felder was a second-round draft pick in 2016 and played 42 games for the Cavaliers before he was traded last offseason to the Hawks, who waived him.

Pistons Notes: Griffin, Ellenson, Jackson, Smith

The Pistons’ faint playoff hopes were officially snuffed out on Wednesday night, when Detroit’s loss to Philadelphia eliminated the club from postseason contention. While the Pistons don’t have a ton to play for in the season’s final four games, injured star Blake Griffin continues to push for a return from his ankle injury and Stan Van Gundy hasn’t ruled out that possibility, as Keith Langlois of Pistons.com details. Still, Detroit’s head coach doesn’t sound desperate to get Griffin back on the court.

“I don’t know if that’s going to come or not,” Van Gundy said. “We’ve only got six days left. Four games in six days. Whether we see him again, I have no idea. But it’s certainly no better than 50-50.”

With Griffin still on the shelf for now, expect to see plenty of Henry Ellenson down the stretch for the Pistons, writes Langlois.

Here’s more out of Detroit:

  • How different might the Pistons’ season have looked if Reggie Jackson had been able to stay healthy? As Ansar Khan of MLive.com notes, Detroit had a 25-16 record in games Jackson played, which is a stat Van Gundy could point to when he meets with owner Tom Gores after the regular season ends.
  • Although the Pistons are officially out of the playoffs, there are still some important developments to watch down the stretch, says Rod Beard of The Detroit News. As Beard observes, Ellenson, Luke Kennard, and Stanley Johnson should get a significant chunk of minutes in the club’s final four games — and the Pistons could get to .500 without compromising their lottery position by winning their remaining games.
  • Ish Smith has seen action with 10 different teams in eight NBA seasons, but he has finally found a home with the Pistons, Beard writes in another piece for The Detroit News. Smith has one more year left on his contract with Detroit after this season.
  • With the 2017/18 season now in the books for the Grand Rapids Drive, expect two-way players Kay Felder and Reggie Hearn to be with the Pistons the rest of the way, tweets Beard.

Pistons Notes: Trade Talks, S. Johnson, Griffin

The Pistons have already completed a deal that will likely go down as the biggest in-season trade of the 2017/18 season, acquiring Blake Griffin last week from the Clippers. Still, that doesn’t mean Detroit is ready to sit out this week’s deadline.

“[GM Jeff Bower] is always working,” president of basketball operations Stan Van Gundy said today, per Rod Beard of The Detroit News (Twitter link). “I don’t know that we will do anything or we won’t. I couldn’t put a percentage on the possibilities, but Jeff is still working.”

With Griffin and Andre Drummond – the latest Eastern Conference player of the week – leading the frontcourt, Van Gundy was asked about the possibility of adding a third star to that duo and creating a “Big Three” for the Pistons. In Van Gundy’s view though, the club already has a solid third option on the roster.

“To me, the third piece is Reggie [Jackson],” Van Gundy said, per Beard (Twitter link). “That’s pretty good. That’s a pretty good three. We’ve got it in place. We just don’t have it on the court right now.”

Here’s more on the Pistons:

  • With the possibility of another trade looming, Ansar Khan of MLive.com runs through the entire Pistons’ roster, examining each player’s value and odds of being dealt.
  • Stanley Johnson‘s name has surfaced repeatedly in trade rumors this season, and according to Vince Ellis of The Detroit Free Press (Twitter link), the Knicks are one team that has been monitoring the third-year forward. Ellis adds that he’d be “stunned” to see Johnson moved, however.
  • The acquisition of Griffin has re-energized the Pistons and their fan base, Beard writes for The Detroit News. Within the same piece, Beard notes that two-way players Kay Felder or Reggie Hearn could be in line for a call-up from the G League if Detroit’s need for backcourt help persists.
  • Earlier today, we passed along the latest on the Pistons’ reported interest in Rodney Hood.

Pistons Sign Reggie Hearn To Two-Way Deal, Waive Luis Montero

JANUARY 15, 2:43pm: The Pistons have made their deal with Hearn official, confirming in a press release that they’ve waived Montero. The team also announced Felder’s signing.

JANUARY 14, 1:26pm: The Pistons will waive Montero and sign both Hearn and Felder to two-way contracts, tweets Rod Beard of The Detroit News. Their pro-rated deals will give them each 22 days in the NBA.

12:50pm: The Pistons are close to finalizing a two-way contract with G League guard Reggie Hearn, tweets Marc Stein of The New York Times.

Hearn, who was in training camp with the Kings, has been playing for the Reno Bighorns and is averaging 14.7 points in 14 games.

The Pistons currently have Luis Montero filling one two-way spot and were reported yesterday to to be close to a deal with Kay Felder for the other one, so either the Felder deal fell through or some other roster move is in the works. Detroit converted Dwight Buycks‘ two-way deal to a regular contract on Friday.

Pistons Sign Kay Felder To Two-Way Deal

JANUARY 15: The Pistons have officially signed Felder to a two-way deal, the team announced today in a press release.

JANUARY 13: The Pistons will sign former Cavaliers and Bulls point guard Kay Felder to its open two-way contract, tweets Shams Charania of The Vertical. Felder’s signing comes just days after Detroit converted Dwight Buycks two-way contract to a standard NBA deal.

It is a homecoming for Felder, 22, who was born and raised in Detroit and attended college at nearby Oakland University, which happens to be located in the Pistons’ former home, Auburn Hills.

Felder was drafted 54th overall in the 2016 NBA draft, and most recently played for the Bulls before being waived last month. Felder averaged 3.9 points and 1.4 per game over 14 games for Chicago this season.