The James Singleton Memorial 2012 D League Thread
Posted: Tue Feb 7, 2012 4:38 am
Many of you may know the D League as a time portal to the Golden State Warriors of the future but you may not know that any NBA team is, in fact, permitted to call up players not already under contract with another franchise and to then not play them so as to confuse fans and make sure Golden State isn't allowed to have them. This year the Wizards have yet to do this, partially because the team already has a full complement of fifteen players under contract, meaning a player would have to be released in order to sign a D Leaguer. This may seem like a significant impediment but consider the following candidates:
Hamady N'Diaye: The team's only current D League resident (ed: no longer as of the exorcism of Andray). He's been quite bad in the D League and maybe it would be a better idea to try other players who are actually good at the same level.
Roger Mason Jr: Currently deceased, the team may have some sort of Weekend at Bernie's plan for him but if not he can probably be safely cut.
Mo Evans: Partially responsible for NBA basketball occurring this year but not because he's playing it.
Basically Anybody Really: The Wizards are awful.
And here, dear reader, are some potential alternatives:
Morris Almond
Guard
6'6” 215 lbs
Born 02-02-85 (26)
Partially listed out of defference to CCJ, Almond nevertheless continues to be really good at scoring in Not the NBA. With a career scoring average of over 25 points per 40 minutes in D League play and a pretty consistent 50/38/80 split in his shooting percentages (field goals/three point attempts/foul shots) Almond wouldn't be the worst choice in the world to use a few possessions for a really really limited offensive team. Not really a standout rebounder any longer that was very much a college strength and remains respectable.
Downside: Defense generally described in relation to **** (not necessarily using phrases like “superior to”). Would make CCJ happy and also maybe right.
Manny Harris
Guard
6'5” 185 lbs
Born 09-21-89
Harris spent last year being inoffensive in limited minutes for the Cavs, though it is somewhat worrying that the team didn't see fit to retain him for the current season. Harris wasn't able to finish two point shots reliably against NBA players the first time around and given lukewarm results on the same shots in the D League (44% thus far) he may not be capable of being efficient inside the arc. Harris' value offensively lies in his ability to hit threes and draw fouls, something he's managed to do at healthy rates at all stops. This year he's not shooting very well from three, which is in keeping with so-so college results, but his numbers are generally depressed by a really awful start and he's beginning to look significantly better and so may bear watching. Harris is also a very good rebounder for a guard despite his slight frame and is big enough and fast enough to be a decent defender. He's also a good passer for an off guard.
Downside: Fits in a little too well with the “talented but not actually especially effective on the court” motif that has not served Washington well of late.
Ben Uzoh
guard
6'3” 195 lbs
Born 03-18-88
Ben Uzoh managed to stick with an NBA team for a significant portion of last year, specifically the Nets. Not unlike Jeremy Lin Uzoh was actually fairly decent when on the court and for largely the same reasons. Uzoh plays much bigger than his size and was an excellent rebounding guard. Additionally he managed a healthy assist rate and was a fairly competent source of steals and blocks. In D League minutes his profile is similar, but he is much more productive offensively (though he was not necessarily a low usage player for the Nets) and has been excellent at converting two point shots. His foul shooting, which took a dive last year, has also been a more typical 80.4% for the year. Unfortunately Uzoh hasn't demonstrated anything resembling a consistent three point stroke at any professional level and that may doom his chances to fit in here, where that's more or less a prerequisite for any backup guard. Nevertheless with his physical profile and other skills if that shot ever develops he has a lot to offer.
Downside: Not a great fit alongside Wall with his lack of perimeter shooting ability, in general replicates skills already present on the current roster.
Malcolm Thomas
Forward
6'9” 220 lbs
Born 11-08-88
Thomas has already seen action with a smart team this year, having been called up by the Spurs. Should they release him he has a fair chance to be a high energy forward with a particular flair for defense. Thomas was an important part of the excellent San Diego State teams of recent memory (and a teammate of fellow Spur Kawhii Leonard) and was briefly very good for the Los Angeles regional office of the D League. Not a particularly skilled player Thomas is likely a jump shot away from being a really viable rotation player of any significance but without it he could probably manage a decent Michael Ruffin impression.
Downside: Lack of a clearly defined means of contributing offensively, it's difficult to tell whether his rebounding is a standout skill or merely solid.
Greg Smith
Center
6'10” 250 lbs
Born 01-08-91
One of the younger players in the D-League Smith unsurprisingly is far from a finished product. He is, however, a player with very real ability and would be a vastly better use of a roster spot than N'Diaye if the later is not to appear in an NBA game on any account anyway. Smith is physically reminiscent of Kevin Seraphin and is having a very solid first foray in the D-League for Houston's affiliate (he was a Houston draftee but wasn't able to stick on a roster already over-saturated with young big men). Smith might be a case where the best thing to do would be to sign him and then allow him to remain in the D League but there's enough there that the investment may well pay off.
Downside: Not likely ready to perform meaningfully in the NBA. An undersized center at present, and in general similar to what the team already has in Seraphin.
Leo Lyons
Forward
6'9” 240 lbs
Born 05-06-87
After playing an important but not overwhelming role on a series of very good Missiouri teams Lyons has been a valuable but not incredibly visible part of the Spurs' affiliate for the past two years. Lyons is most interesting because he has very good touch for his size, having converted roughly 38% of nearly 200 three point shots over the past two years. He's not enormous or exceptionally athletic but isn't obviously deficient in either area either. Overall if he is provided an opportunity and is able to demonstrate that his shooting ability is a consistent NBA caliber skill Lyons has a place as a stretch big man to a team that values perimeter shooting in it's big men, such as his parent team, the Spurs. Given the clear lack of shooting on the Wizards he might well be of real value here as well.
Downside: If he isn't able to establish his shot at the NBA level he doesn't seem to have a fallback skill on which to depend to remain a viable player.
That is by no means a comprehensive list of every D League player who merits discussion, but I have to stop the post at some point so I'll stop it here. Please, do talk about the D League.
Hamady N'Diaye: The team's only current D League resident (ed: no longer as of the exorcism of Andray). He's been quite bad in the D League and maybe it would be a better idea to try other players who are actually good at the same level.
Roger Mason Jr: Currently deceased, the team may have some sort of Weekend at Bernie's plan for him but if not he can probably be safely cut.
Mo Evans: Partially responsible for NBA basketball occurring this year but not because he's playing it.
Basically Anybody Really: The Wizards are awful.
And here, dear reader, are some potential alternatives:
Morris Almond
Guard
6'6” 215 lbs
Born 02-02-85 (26)
Partially listed out of defference to CCJ, Almond nevertheless continues to be really good at scoring in Not the NBA. With a career scoring average of over 25 points per 40 minutes in D League play and a pretty consistent 50/38/80 split in his shooting percentages (field goals/three point attempts/foul shots) Almond wouldn't be the worst choice in the world to use a few possessions for a really really limited offensive team. Not really a standout rebounder any longer that was very much a college strength and remains respectable.
Downside: Defense generally described in relation to **** (not necessarily using phrases like “superior to”). Would make CCJ happy and also maybe right.
Manny Harris
Guard
6'5” 185 lbs
Born 09-21-89
Harris spent last year being inoffensive in limited minutes for the Cavs, though it is somewhat worrying that the team didn't see fit to retain him for the current season. Harris wasn't able to finish two point shots reliably against NBA players the first time around and given lukewarm results on the same shots in the D League (44% thus far) he may not be capable of being efficient inside the arc. Harris' value offensively lies in his ability to hit threes and draw fouls, something he's managed to do at healthy rates at all stops. This year he's not shooting very well from three, which is in keeping with so-so college results, but his numbers are generally depressed by a really awful start and he's beginning to look significantly better and so may bear watching. Harris is also a very good rebounder for a guard despite his slight frame and is big enough and fast enough to be a decent defender. He's also a good passer for an off guard.
Downside: Fits in a little too well with the “talented but not actually especially effective on the court” motif that has not served Washington well of late.
Ben Uzoh
guard
6'3” 195 lbs
Born 03-18-88
Ben Uzoh managed to stick with an NBA team for a significant portion of last year, specifically the Nets. Not unlike Jeremy Lin Uzoh was actually fairly decent when on the court and for largely the same reasons. Uzoh plays much bigger than his size and was an excellent rebounding guard. Additionally he managed a healthy assist rate and was a fairly competent source of steals and blocks. In D League minutes his profile is similar, but he is much more productive offensively (though he was not necessarily a low usage player for the Nets) and has been excellent at converting two point shots. His foul shooting, which took a dive last year, has also been a more typical 80.4% for the year. Unfortunately Uzoh hasn't demonstrated anything resembling a consistent three point stroke at any professional level and that may doom his chances to fit in here, where that's more or less a prerequisite for any backup guard. Nevertheless with his physical profile and other skills if that shot ever develops he has a lot to offer.
Downside: Not a great fit alongside Wall with his lack of perimeter shooting ability, in general replicates skills already present on the current roster.
Malcolm Thomas
Forward
6'9” 220 lbs
Born 11-08-88
Thomas has already seen action with a smart team this year, having been called up by the Spurs. Should they release him he has a fair chance to be a high energy forward with a particular flair for defense. Thomas was an important part of the excellent San Diego State teams of recent memory (and a teammate of fellow Spur Kawhii Leonard) and was briefly very good for the Los Angeles regional office of the D League. Not a particularly skilled player Thomas is likely a jump shot away from being a really viable rotation player of any significance but without it he could probably manage a decent Michael Ruffin impression.
Downside: Lack of a clearly defined means of contributing offensively, it's difficult to tell whether his rebounding is a standout skill or merely solid.
Greg Smith
Center
6'10” 250 lbs
Born 01-08-91
One of the younger players in the D-League Smith unsurprisingly is far from a finished product. He is, however, a player with very real ability and would be a vastly better use of a roster spot than N'Diaye if the later is not to appear in an NBA game on any account anyway. Smith is physically reminiscent of Kevin Seraphin and is having a very solid first foray in the D-League for Houston's affiliate (he was a Houston draftee but wasn't able to stick on a roster already over-saturated with young big men). Smith might be a case where the best thing to do would be to sign him and then allow him to remain in the D League but there's enough there that the investment may well pay off.
Downside: Not likely ready to perform meaningfully in the NBA. An undersized center at present, and in general similar to what the team already has in Seraphin.
Leo Lyons
Forward
6'9” 240 lbs
Born 05-06-87
After playing an important but not overwhelming role on a series of very good Missiouri teams Lyons has been a valuable but not incredibly visible part of the Spurs' affiliate for the past two years. Lyons is most interesting because he has very good touch for his size, having converted roughly 38% of nearly 200 three point shots over the past two years. He's not enormous or exceptionally athletic but isn't obviously deficient in either area either. Overall if he is provided an opportunity and is able to demonstrate that his shooting ability is a consistent NBA caliber skill Lyons has a place as a stretch big man to a team that values perimeter shooting in it's big men, such as his parent team, the Spurs. Given the clear lack of shooting on the Wizards he might well be of real value here as well.
Downside: If he isn't able to establish his shot at the NBA level he doesn't seem to have a fallback skill on which to depend to remain a viable player.
That is by no means a comprehensive list of every D League player who merits discussion, but I have to stop the post at some point so I'll stop it here. Please, do talk about the D League.