NBA G League

Raptors Notes: Olynyk, Brown, Quickley, Mogbo, Rhoden

December 8th, 2024 at 10:16am CST by Rory Maher

After missing the first 21 games of the season with a back injury, Raptors big man Kelly Olynyk made his season debut in Saturday’s loss to Dallas, writes Michael Grange of Sportsnet.ca. Olynyk explained that his back unexpectedly tightened up after a training camp practice, and it took six weeks for him to recover.

“Playing basketball is what I love to do,” Olynyk said of finally returning to the lineup. “So you know, whenever you get to wake up and play basketball, it’s a great day. Obviously, it took a lot longer than I wanted, probably the team wanted, everybody wanted, but those kind of things happen. You’ve got to take your time. You can’t rush it, but it’s nice to get back out there and get into the flow of things.”

The 33-year-old forward/center had an excellent night, recording 13 points, four rebounds and two steals in 14 minutes without missing a shot (3-of-3 on three-pointers, 4-of-4 on free throws).

Here’s more on the Raptors, mostly from Grange:

Bruce Brown appears to be close behind Olynyk in making his own season debut after undergoing offseason knee surgery, with Grange saying the veteran swingman “should be back any time.” Long viewed as a trade candidate, Brown is on an expiring $23MM contract.
Immanuel Quickley‘s return to action does not appear to be imminent, however. According to Grange, there’s still no recovery timeline for the 25-year-old, who sustained a torn ligament in his left elbow on November 10.
As Grange writes, despite losing to Dallas, Toronto had some impressive performances from its young players, with head coach Darko Rajakovic singling out rookie forward Jonathan Mogbo for the “awesome” job he did defending Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving. “Jonathan’s super versatile. He can guard one through five,” said Olynk. “ … So that’s really exciting, and he can rebound, he can run, he can put the ball on the floor and handle it a little bit. He made some shots today. As he continues to develop that three-point shot, it’s going to be, obviously, big for him and for us, but he has that athletic ability around the rim. He caught a lob today that looked like he got boosted in the air. It was unbelievable. But you know, his skill set will definitely, I think, complement mine, and mine will complement his. So looking forward to that.” The 31st pick of June’s draft, Mogbo finished with eight points, seven rebounds, two assists, one steal and two blocks in 21 minutes.
Third-year guard Jared Rhoden spent training camp with Toronto on an Exhibit 10 contract, but was waived before the season began. Charlotte claimed him off waivers and converted him to a two-way deal, but he was recently cut by the Hornets to make room for Isaiah Wong. According to Blake Murphy of Sportsnet.ca (Twitter link), Rhoden will join Toronto’s G League affiliate, the Raptors 905, which controls his returning player rights, but the team will have to release someone to make room for him.

Southwest Notes: Smart, Spencer, VanVleet, Wembanyama

December 3rd, 2024 at 7:09pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Marcus Smart‘s willingness to come off the bench has made a big impression on his Grizzlies teammates, Damichael Cole of the Memphis Commercial Appeal writes. Smart, who started 185 regular season games between bench appearances from 2021-24, has been part of Memphis’ second unit in his last six outings.

“That’s a vet, that’s a pro,” Grizzlies star Ja Morant said. “That’s what he brings to this team. Obviously, it’s a different situation than he’s been in in his career, but for him to embrace that and still push guys like Jaylen (Wells), who’s in the starting lineup, to be even better, and then he comes in and makes a difference for us in the game. It’s his handle . . . We’re very appreciative.”

Smart is averaging 16.7 points and 5.7 assists over the last three games. His current contract runs through next season.

We have more from the Southwest Division:

Rookie guard and second-round pick Cam Spencer had a huge game at the NBA G League level for the Grizzlies’ affiliate, Cole notes. Spencer erupted for 51 points for the Memphis Hustle, including 12 three-pointers, against the Birmingham Squadron on Monday. Spencer, who won a national title with UConn in the spring, is on a two-way contract.
The Rockets are playing like true contenders. They’re just a half-game out of the top spot in the West after defeating conference leader Oklahoma City behind Fred VanVleet‘s 38 points. “The foundation that we’re laying, it’s easy to see it when you’re just competing,” VanVleet told ESPN’s Tim MacMahon. “But to see wins against good teams at different stages of the season, it’s a good sign that what we’re doing is working. We’re getting better.”
Spurs big man Victor Wembanyama posted his third career triple-double (34 points, 14 rebounds, and a career-high 11 assists) in a win over Sacramento despite an uneven performance through the first three quarters, according to Sam Amick of The Athletic. “I thought he had some very poor moments in the first three quarters in terms of fundamentals and solid basketball,” acting head coach Mitch Johnson said. “And it’s a testament to him, and his ability to lock in (that he figured it out). I thought in the fourth quarter, (that) he was a man. And I thought he dominated. He’s so good, but the dominating (of) the fundamentals for him — the catches, the passes, the solid stuff — (is key). It’s still spectacular, but when he does that, he’s a load.”

Eastern Notes: Porzingis, Nets, Djurisic, McCain

November 26th, 2024 at 8:00am CST by Luke Adams

Celtics big man Kristaps Porzingis reclaimed his spot in the starting lineup on Monday in his return from a leg injury that had sidelined him since June and looked like his old self. As Tim Bontemps of ESPN writes, Porzingis helped Boston secure a blowout 126-94 win over the Clippers by racking up 16 points, six rebounds, two assists, and a pair of blocked shots in just under 23 minutes of action.

“I felt great,” Porzingis said, smiling, after the game. “It was a long rehab, and I was itching to get back out there with this team after winning a championship. It was a good beginning, good first game back.”

As Bontemps points out, while Porzingis’ ability to score around the basket and from beyond the arc will further diversify a Celtics offense that ranks third in the NBA (120.9 offensive rating), his impact on defense figures to be even more significant. Entering Monday’s game, Boston ranked 19th in the NBA in rim defense after placing first in that category last season, Bontemps notes. In Monday’s game, the club set a season high with 11 blocks.

Here’s more from around the Eastern Conference:

Already shorthanded entering Monday’s matchup in Golden State, the Nets saw Cameron Johnson leave the game in the first half due to a sprained right ankle and Cam Thomas exit in the third quarter after battling a back issue. They still managed to go on a 27-6 second half run and pull out an upset victory over the Warriors, led by Dennis Schröder (17 fourth quarter points) and de facto center Ziaire Williams (19 points, 10 rebounds), as Brian Lewis of The New York Post details. “Shout out to the guys, we lost two more, but our guys stepped up, made big-time shots,” Williams said. “(Trendon Watford) made big-time shots, and it was a team effort. It was super fun out there.”
Hawks rookie Nikola Djurisic, the No. 43 overall pick in the 2024 draft, is fully recovered after undergoing foot surgery in July, according to agent Misko Raznatovic, who says (via Twitter) that the 6’7″ swingman is on track to make his G League debut on Tuesday for the College Park Skyhawks vs. the Long Island Nets. Djurisic is essentially a draft-and-stash prospect — he signed a G League contract for the 2024/25 season and Atlanta still holds his NBA rights.
The 3-13 Sixers have the NBA’s second-worst record, but No. 16 overall pick Jared McCain should be considered the Rookie of the Year frontrunner, according to Keith Pompey of The Philadelphia Inquirer, who makes McCain’s case for the award.

Jalen McDaniels Signs G League Contract

November 23rd, 2024 at 12:14pm CST by Luke Adams

Five-year NBA veteran Jalen McDaniels will resume his career in the G League, having signed an NBAGL contract, according to the league’s official transaction log.

While the G League’s log says McDaniels has been claimed off waivers by the Memphis Hustle, Michael Scotto of HoopsHype (Twitter link) hears from sources that the veteran forward is joining the Capital City Go-Go. The Grizzlies‘ and Wizards‘ affiliates will have to work out a trade to make that happen.

The 52nd overall pick in the 2019 draft, McDaniels showed some promise during the first four years of his career, which he spent primarily in Charlotte. His height (6’9″), wingspan (7’0″), and athleticism made him a versatile piece on defense, and he displayed a little outside shooting ability, making 34.2% of his three-point tries with the Hornets. The Sixers traded for him at the 2023 trade deadline and he finished that season in Philadelphia.

However, McDaniels’ production and playing time cratered last season in Toronto after he signed a two-year, $9.26MM contract with the Raptors. He was traded to Sacramento in a Kings salary dump at the start of the 2024 offseason, then was flipped to the Spurs in another cost-cutting move in October, about a week before the regular season began. San Antonio subsequently waived him.

McDaniels, who is still just 26, could earn an NBA call-up at some point this season if he impresses in the G League. He’s ineligible to sign a two-way contract, but could sign a standard deal or – beginning in early January – a 10-day pact.

McDaniels is the older brother of Timberwolves forward Jaden McDaniels.

Central Notes: Green, Cunningham, P. Williams, Okafor

November 22nd, 2024 at 11:02pm CST by Luke Adams

Always a strong outside shooter, Bucks wing A.J. Green got inconsistent playing time in his first two NBA seasons due in part to questions about his defense. However, he has taken major strides on that end of the court so far this fall, earning an increased role and praise from a superstar teammate, writes Eric Nehm of The Athletic.

“His defense is incredible,” Giannis Antetokounmpo said of Green on Wednesday. “He’s staying down on pump fakes. He’s using his body very smart. I think two years ago, he would get himself in foul trouble. He’d use his hands a lot, maybe jump a little bit on the pump fake, get the guy to shoot two easy free throws. But now, he’s just solid.”

Green continues to knock down three-pointers – even after going 1-of-6 on Friday vs. Indiana, he’s at 46.7% for the season – but he was a 41.2% career three-point shooter entering the season, so that comes as no surprise. His defense, on the other hand, has been better than expected. Entering Friday’s contest, Green’s defensive rating across 260 minutes this season was an impressive 103.5, the second-best mark among Bucks who have logged at least 70 minutes.

“In my opinion, he’s a really, really good defender and he shows in practice. He shows it in games, you guys are seeing that,” Antetokounmpo said. “Like he’s not a liability on defense, he’s actually one of our better defenders on the team. So, I’m very, very happy that he’s out there with me. He makes our defense better and when we grab the rebound and go the other way, he’s a threat from everywhere.”

Here’s more from around the Central:

Pistons point guard Cade Cunningham has been ruled out for Saturday’s contest in Orlando due to what the team is calling a left sacroiliac joint sprain, as Omari Sankofa II of The Detroit Free Press relays (via Twitter). While it’s unclear who will replace Cunningham in Detroit’s starting lineup, Hunter Patterson of The Athletic notes (via Twitter) that Wendell Moore took his place at the start of overtime in Wednesday’s game following Cunningham’s exit.
Bulls forward Patrick Williams missed a second consecutive game on Friday due to inflammation in his left foot and has been ruled out for Saturday too, but he’s downplaying concerns about his injury, according to Joe Cowley of The Chicago Sun-Times. Williams told reporters the pain he’s experiencing now is “not even close” to what he felt before undergoing season-ending surgery on that foot last winter. “I’m not really concerned,” he said. “Obviously, with this type of stuff, (I’m) just leaning on the doctors, obviously our training staff, the team I worked with back home over the summer. Nobody seems to be worried. It’s kind of a thing that happens post-surgery. First year after surgery is always the toughest. (We’ll) try and work through different things.”
Jahlil Okafor was the third overall pick in the 2015 draft. Less than a decade later, as he nears his 29th birthday, the veteran center is playing for the Indiana Mad Ants in the G League as he seeks another NBA opportunity. Dustin Dopirak of The Indianapolis Star takes a closer look at Okafor’s comeback effort with the Pacers‘ NBAGL affiliate.

Raptors Notes: Barnes, Brown, Walter, Olynyk, Poeltl, More

November 20th, 2024 at 1:03pm CST by Luke Adams

Raptors star Scottie Barnes, who has been out since October due to an orbital bone fracture, appears to be nearing a return. The All-Star forward has been cleared for contact and was a full participant in practice on Wednesday, according to Josh Lewenberg of TSN.ca (Twitter link), who says it sounds like Barnes will be listed as questionable to play vs. Minnesota on Thursday.

Although Barnes’ right eye is still red, he told reporters that he’s no longer feeling pain in the eye like he was in the days after the injury. His plan is to wear protective goggles as a precaution, which he admitted is “going to take some getting used to” (Twitter link via Lewenberg).

Two more injured Raptors players fully participated in practice on Wednesday too, according to Lewenberg (Twitter link), though he says Bruce Brown (knee) and Ja’Kobe Walter (shoulder) will require longer ramp-up periods than Barnes. That’s especially true for Brown, who has been on the shelf since undergoing knee surgery in September.

Kelly Olynyk (back) and Immanuel Quickley (elbow) remain sidelined for Toronto, but Olynyk was a limited participant in practice on Wednesday, Lewenberg adds.

We have more on the Raptors:

While Toronto’s decision to trade a lightly protected 2024 first-round pick in a package for Jakob Poeltl at the 2023 deadline looks like a mistake in retrospect, that’s certainly no fault of the veteran center, who has been playing some of the best basketball of his career as of late, writes Michael Grange of Sportsnet.ca. Poeltl is averaging career highs in points (17.1) and rebounds (11.9) per game this season and has been more of a threat on offense than he showed in his first eight NBA seasons. “I mean, maybe there’s a little bit of a mindset change with me personally, but I think, more than anything, the reason why I feel like I’m getting more opportunities is just within the flow of our offense, our guys are finding me,” he said. “There are situations when I’m catching in rhythm because I’m getting a couple of easy ones.”
Within the same Sportsnet.ca story, Grange notes that Poeltl’s strong play this fall could boost his value as a trade chip, but suggests the Raptors might be better off keeping the big man. As Grange explains, a healthy version of the current roster, perhaps with another prospect added via the 2025 draft lottery, has a chance to be competitive sooner rather than later.
Despite their 3-12 start, the Raptors can’t be too upset about how the first month of the season has played out, as Grange and Lewenberg detail in a pair of stories. The vibes in the locker room are still positive, individual players – including 2023 lottery pick Gradey Dick – are making positive strides, the team has been competitive in most of its losses, and they seem to be buying into the way that head coach Darko Rajakovic wants to play.
While RJ Barrett‘s shooting percentages are down so far this season (.422 FG%, .338 3PT%), the forward’s passing ability has been a pleasant surprise, writes Eric Koreen of The Athletic. With primary play-makers Quickley and Barnes battling injuries, Barrett is averaging 6.5 assists, well above his career rate coming into this season (2.9 APG).
Eugene Omoruyi, who appeared in 87 total NBA games for four teams from 2021-24, has signed a G League contract and has been acquired off waivers by the Raptors 905, Toronto’s NBAGL affiliate. As Blake Murphy of Sportsnet.ca tweets, Omoruyi – who grew up near Toronto – opted to join the G League in the hopes that he could land with his hometown team. The 6’7″ forward has averaged 5.7 points and 2.3 rebounds in 12.1 minutes per game with the Mavericks, Thunder, Pistons, and Wizards since going undrafted out of Oregon in 2021.

And-Ones: Inside The NBA, Snell, Motley, Bledsoe, Draft

November 19th, 2024 at 12:55pm CST by Luke Adams

As expected, the NBA and Warner Bros. Discovery officially announced on Monday that they’ve settled their months-long legal battle, with Disney and WBD essentially making a trade of programming rights. TNT’s popular “Inside the NBA” studio show will air on ESPN/ABC beginning in 2025, while TNT will get the rights to broadcast 13 Big 12 football games and 15 Big 12 basketball games per season.

Andrew Marchand of The Athletic explores the role that ESPN chairman Jimmy Pitaro, who reached out directly to Luis Silberwasser of TNT Sports, played in the deal.

Meanwhile, Jimmy Traina of SI.com notes that one roadblock remains before “Inside the NBA” makes the move to Disney — Shaquille O’Neal‘s contract expires on July 1, 2025 and will need to be renewed. According to Traina, O’Neal wants to remain with the long-running program, but has been frustrated by announcements celebrating that the show will go on unchanged while his own future is still up in the air.

A source tells Marchand that O’Neal is ultimately expected to remain with “Inside the NBA,” though Traina notes that the former NBA MVP could explore other options with NBC or Amazon before ultimately deciding whether or not to stay put.

Here are more odds and ends from around the basketball world:

Veteran swingman Tony Snell has replaced Keita Bates-Diop on the Team USA roster for the upcoming FIBA AmeriCup qualifying games, tweets Tim Reynolds of The Associated Press. The U.S. squad will play two games in Washington, D.C. during this month’s qualifier window, hosting Puerto Rico on November 22 and the Bahamas on November 25.
After recently leaving Hapoel Tel Aviv in Israel due to concerns about his safety, former Mavericks and Clippers big man Johnathan Motley is signing a G League contract, according Jake Fischer of Bleacher Report (Twitter link), who says Motley has drawn some NBA interest from teams in need of frontcourt depth. Aris Barkas of Eurohoops has more on Motley, whose decision to leave Hapoel Tel Aviv was a unilateral one that could result in the team initiating legal proceedings.
Former NBA guard Eric Bledsoe is returning to the Shanghai Sharks, the Chinese team with whom he has spent the past two seasons, according to Dario Skerletic of Sportando. Bledsoe, who will turn 35 next month, has appeared in 756 regular season NBA games but has been out of the league since he was waived by Portland in July 2022.
Jonathan Wasserman of Bleacher Report has updated his 2025 NBA mock draft now that NCAA teams have a few games under their belts. The most notable update near the top of Wasserman’s board is at No. 4, with BYU’s Egor Demin moving into that spot on the heels of his strong start. The 6’9″ guard is averaging 17.0 points, 7.5 assists, and 2.3 steals per game in his first four outings, with a shooting line of .634/.550/.500.

International Notes: Bazley, Gillespie, Fall, Thomas, Dotson

November 18th, 2024 at 10:44am CST by Tristan Tucker

Former first-round pick Darius Bazley has joined Philadelphia’s G League affiliate, the Delaware Blue Coats, according to HoopsHype’s Michael Scotto (Twitter link). Bazley began this year playing for the Guangdong Southern Tigers in the Chinese Basketball Association, but has returned stateside.

Bazley played a large role for the Blue Coats last season, appearing in 28 total games for the team, starting in 27 and averaging 21.0 points, 9.8 rebounds, 3.4 assists, 1.4 steals and 2.4 blocks per contest. He wound up parlaying that performance into a 10-day contract with the Sixers. He appeared in three games for Philadelphia, but didn’t score.

Soon after the conclusion of his 10-day contract, Bazley signed a multiyear, non-guaranteed deal with the Jazz. He averaged 8.0 PPG and 4.5 RPG with Utah and played in seven games with their G League affiliate, but was waived this offseason, leading to his deal overseas.

Now, Bazley is back in the Sixers‘ developmental system. In his first game back with the Blue Coats, he recorded 11 points and five rebounds.

The 23rd overall pick in 2019, Bazley spent the first three-and-a-half years of his career with the Thunder. He was a big part of Mark Daigneault‘s earliest Thunder iterations, appearing in 221 games with the team and starting in 118. In Daigneault’s first two years in the league, Bazley averaged 12.1 PPG and 6.7 RPG in started in 108 games. He also had a brief stint with the Suns.

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Italian club Olimpia Milano agreed to a deal with former NBA forward Freddie Gillespie, according to Sportando’s Alessandro Luigi Maggi (Twitter link). Gillespie had been playing for the New Zealand Breakers in the NBL, averaging 6.8 PPG and 5.0 RPG. Gillespie took a step toward officially joining Olimpia Milano when the Breakers granted him his release from his contract on Sunday night, per ESPN’s Olgun Uluc (Twitter link). “Freddie approached us and requested a release. While bittersweet, it was an opportunity that Freddie wanted to pursue and we support him. We look forward to watching his success in the future,” Breakers CEO Lisa Edser said in the statement, per Sportando. Gillespie played two years in the NBA with the Raptors and Magic from 2020-22. He holds career averages of 4.6 PPG, 4.6 RPG and 1.0 BPG.
Fellow former NBA player Tacko Fall will take Gillespie’s place on the Breakers’ roster, Uluc tweets. Fall has been recovering from injury with the team but is expected to be healthy soon. The 7’6″ center has 31 games of NBA experience with the Celtics and Cavaliers, averaging 2.2 PPG and 2.4 RPG.
Former NBAer Brodric Thomas agreed to a deal with Manisa Basket in Turkey, according to Scotto (Twitter link). Thomas went undrafted in 2020 before spending time on a two-way contract with three different franchises. Thomas averaged 3.3 PPG and 1.4 RPG across 44 games with the Rockets, Cavaliers and Celtics from 2020-22. This marks Thomas’ first time playing overseas, as he spent the last year in the G League.
Former NBA guard Damyean Dotson signed with Petkim Spor in Turkey, the team announced (per Eurohoops.net). The 44th overall pick in 2017, Dotson appeared in 213 NBA games (49 starts) from 2017-22. He holds career averages of 7.5 points and 2.5 rebounds. He had a big role with the Knicks under David Fizdale, averaging 10.7 PPG in 40 starts in the 2018/19 season. Dotson began his overseas career in ’22/23 and has had stints in both Turkey and China. He began this season with Nanjing Tongxi Monkey King, appearing in five games before departing.

And-Ones: Trade Possibilities, Contract Decisions, Bell, Johnson, Rookies

November 14th, 2024 at 10:14pm CST by Tristan Tucker

Several should-be playoff contenders have struggled through the earlier parts of the season, either due to injuries or pieces not fitting together. While in-season moves don’t usually pick up until after the New Year, closer to February’s trade deadline, several teams appear to be scouring the market for help.

The Bucks are chief among those teams, stumbling out to a 4-8 record in the early part of the season. In an Insider-only piece, a group of ESPN writers agree that the Bucks’ most likely course of action is to see if their three-point shooting evens out. Milwaukee doesn’t have much flexibility, but players like Damian Lillard, Brook Lopez and Gary Trent Jr. are shooting below their typical averages. Waiting it out might be the best and only course of action for now, although Jamal Collier notes that they’ve expressed interest in a defensive wing.

The Heat have several questions about their future after not agreeing to an extension with Jimmy Butler. Butler’s ankle injury has complicated matters further, but Tim Bontemps writes that the Heat aren’t in any rush to make moves. They entered the season wanting to see how their team looked in the first half of the season, and according to Bontemps, that thought process hasn’t changed.

While New Orleans has the flexibility to make a trade, its season is hampered by numerous injuries. Michael C. Wright indicates that the Pelicans seem more likely to stand pat this season and not make major moves since they’ve never paid the luxury tax and don’t seem to be in any rush to do so with a team that sits at 3-9. Brandon Ingram could make some sense as a trade piece, since he was unable to agree to an extension with the Pels before the season, but his trade market would be limited given his unrestricted free agent status at the end of the year.

The Knicks and the Sixers haven’t jumped out to the starts they’ve wanted, but they appear likely to approach that situation in different ways. New York needs frontcourt help, but should get Precious Achiuwa and Mitchell Robinson back from injuries at some point this season. After trading for both Mikal Bridges and Karl-Anthony Towns, a major move doesn’t seem to be in the cards. However, the Sixers – who also need frontcourt size – could dangle KJ Martin‘s $8MM pseudo-expiring deal in any move. They’ve always been aggressive under president Daryl Morey, and that’s not likely to change.

While several teams need help, it seems as though most should-be contenders don’t have many options available to them on the trade market — for now.

We have more from around the basketball world:

In the new CBA landscape, managing finances has been more crucial for NBA teams than ever before. Eric Pincus of Bleacher Report breaks down every team’s most pressing upcoming contract decision, including calls the Hawks, Mavericks and Magic must make on stars Trae Young, Luka Doncic and Paolo Banchero, respectively. According to Pincus’s sources, the Suns and Kevin Durant will add two seasons at $123.8MM to his contract next summer. Brooklyn’s Cam Thomas, Miami’s Butler, Cleveland’s Caris LeVert and Minnesota’s Julius Randle will be at the center of some of the more interesting decisions explored by Pincus.
The Indiana Mad Ants – the Pacers‘ G League affiliate – added Jordan Bell to their roster and waived Tyler Polley, according to a team release (Twitter link). Bell has spent part of the last two seasons with the Mad Ants, averaging 12.1 points in 60 games played. Bell was the 38th overall pick in the 2017 draft, playing the first two seasons of his career with the Warriors and winning a championship with them in 2018. Polley signed an Exhibit 10 contract with the Pacers this offseason.
Former NBAer Stanley Johnson may be on his way out of Turkish club Anadolu Efes, according to BasketNews’ Donatas Urbonas. Anadolu Efes was Johnson’s first European team, but he’s been exploring other options amid a potential departure and interest from other European clubs. Johnson, the eighth overall pick in 2015, has 449 games of NBA experience, making 104 starts. He holds career averages of 6.2 points and 3.1 rebounds per game in the NBA and has made just six EuroLeague appearances so far, ranking just 11th on his team in minutes played.
A pair of Grizzlies first-year players sit atop The Athletic’s Sam Vecenie’s first edition of this season’s rookie player rankings. Zach Edey, who is averaging 11.3 points and 6.8 rebounds per game, and Jaylen Wells, who’s averaging 11.2 PPG on 37.0% three-point shooting, rank first and second in Vecenie’s rankings. The Wizards also have reason for excitement, with three rookies ranking in the top 11. Jared McCain ranks third while No. 1 overall pick Zaccharie Risacher is No. 6 in the rankings. Undrafted rookie Ajay Mitchell is eighth.

Central Notes: Pistons’ G League, Atkinson, LaVine

November 10th, 2024 at 5:48pm CST by Dana Gauruder

The Pelicans have done an excellent job developing players via their NBA G League franchise. The Detroit Free Press’ Omari Sankofa details how Pistons president of basketball operations Trajan Langdon, a former New Orleans executive, is trying to build the same model with the Motor City Cruise. The Pistons G League team practices in the same facility as the NBA team and plays its games a short distance from Detroit’s Little Caesars Arena.

“An NBA head coach can walk and watch our practice every single day,” Cruise GM Max Unger said. “For our players, they have the built-in resources and the accountability of being in an NBA building where people have eyes on you. When I’m going through the draft process, whether a G League draft, an NBA draft, we’re talking to potential Exhibit 10 projects. The fact that we are under one roof is an incredible, incredible thing.”

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In a subscriber-only story, the Cleveland Plain Dealer’s Chris Fedor describes how former Warriors assistant and current Cavaliers head coach Kenny Atkinson has Cleveland playing much like Golden State’s premier teams. The Cavs will carry an 11-0 record into their game against Chicago on Monday.
Atkinson says he’s learned a lot of lessons since being fired as the Nets’ head coach in 2020. “[I’m] more patient, more of a manager,” the Cavaliers head coach told Brian Lewis of the New York Post. “[In] Brooklyn, I was a real coach. I was really coaching the game hard, which is typical for a first-time coach. You’re trying to make sure every shootaround is perfect, every practice is perfect. And it’s my experience with Steve [Nash] and Ty [Lue], and my international experience being around other coaches, just having more of a big-picture feel. I do a better job of managing the locker room, managing players, don’t get so stressed out about the little things like I used to. I’m sure that comes with age, too.”
While Zach LaVine‘s name is inevitably brought up in trade rumors, he has blocked out the noise and concentrated on the Bulls’ season, coach Billy Donovan told Joe Cowley of the Chicago Sun Times. “I felt in September when he came back, he was all in. I felt like when training camp started, he has been all in, committed to trying to play the way we need to play,” Donovan said. LaVine says he’s committed to being a team leader as well and doing whatever the franchise asks of him, Cowley adds in a separate story. “I don’t think you ever lower expectations,” LaVine said. “You go into each game trying to win, regardless. I don’t care if you have the lowest expectations on the totem pole, we’re trying to win games, at least I am. I’m not here trying to throw no games. Been in Chicago for years, we’re not trying to lose games. But understanding the situation we’re in with the guys, we’re trying to develop dudes as well. You know, how can the veteran guys put their footprint into the game and help us win, but also help raise these guys’ level of play.”

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