Wizards sign non-guaranteed deal w/ Jaleel Roberts

[keynote]

http://basketball.realgm.com/wiretap/239055/Jaleel-Roberts-To-Sign-Non-Guaranteed-Deal-With-Wizards

Here's more on Jaleel "Who?" Roberts:

http://www.draftexpress.com/profile/Jaleel-Roberts-41571/

2.5 bpg at UNC Asheville.

We worked him out back in June:

http://www.bulletsforever.com/2015/6/2/8704965/washington-wizard-pre-draft-workouts-june-2

Of the six invitees, the only two with outside shots of being drafted this year are Threatt and Thornton, who are ranked 97th and 98th on the Draft Express Top 100 list. So odds are, the players at Tuesday's workout won't be on the Wizards' radar with the 49th pick.

He was on our summer league roster...

http://washingtonwizardsblog.monumentalnetwork.com/2015/07/03/get-to-know-the-summer-league-roster

A 22 year-old center out of UNC Asheville, Roberts is an imposing figure who improved in each of his four years playing for the Bulldogs before truly reaching his potential and excelling during his senior season this past year. As one of only three seniors on his team, Roberts was the tallest player on the squad at 7'0" 235lbs, and he used his size and strength to dominant opponents on the glass and be a force to be reckoned with down low. A Greensboro Day School graduate from Evans, GA, Roberts finished off his final year in Asheville averaging 7.1 ppg and 5.2 rpg, while shooting an extremely efficient 61.8% from the field.

...and here are his stats:

http://www.nba.com/summerleague/2015/players/sl_jaleel_roberts/





He's got good muscle tone and broad shoulders. I don't remember much about him from summer league. We'll see what he does with a training camp invite.

[nate33]

Cue CCJ with a post about how Jaleel could be an important contributor if Randy just gives him a chance and doesn't play favorites.



I kid CCJ, because I love.

[long suffrin' boulez fan]

Ain't no stoppin us now.

Championship, baby!!

[Ruzious]

Hello fodder.

TCF - training camp fodder.

[TheSecretWeapon]

Roberts ranked WAY down the list in YODA. In a multi-player tie for like 240th among the guys I rated this year. In looking at the numbers, he shot a decent percentage, and was a meh rebounder. He blocked shots, but got very few assists or steals. He was fairly high turnover for someone as low usage as he. And, he fouled a lot -- 6.0 fouls per 40 minutes as a SENIOR.

And oh yeah, he did all this for a bad team against a weak schedule.

[FAH1223]

Crappy player who played on a crappy team.

He'll be cut in a month and a half.

[TheSecretWeapon]

To echo payitforward's point from another thread...this is the kind of move that's baffling and kinda aggravating. If the Wizards wanted to sign a training camp fodder big man, why not pick one that has a chance of making the team and...gasp...maybe even contributing? Why not sign one of the 20-25 centers who looked more promising in college this season? Why not sign someone from the D-League? There's just no point in a move like this.

Just for kicks, I ran Roberts through YODA's statistical doppelganger machine. His "most similars" from previous drafts include gems like: Brandon Goode, Jordan Harks, Michael Ochereobia, Naofall Folahan, Jamelle Hagins, and Ugochukwu Njoku. The first NBA-er I get to in YODA is Mike Muscala, which sounds sorta promising except that was Muscala's freshman year, and he improved tremendously in his four years at Bucknell.

[Ruzious]

In the meantime, 7 footer Robert Upshaw is still unsigned. Earlier reports that he signed with the Lakers were false (and that makes sense since the Lakers have several young bigs). I fully understand being cautious about a guy with his background, but unless it's known that he has a current drug problem, I think it's crazy that nobody has signed him to at least a training camp deal.

[Dat2U]

To echo payitforward's point from another thread...this is the kind of move that's baffling and kinda aggravating. If the Wizards wanted to sign a training camp fodder big man, why not pick one that has a chance of making the team and...gasp...maybe even contributing? Why not sign one of the 20-25 centers who looked more promising in college this season? Why not sign someone from the D-League? There's just no point in a move like this.

Just for kicks, I ran Roberts through YODA's statistical doppelganger machine. His "most similars" from previous drafts include gems like: Brandon Goode, Jordan Harks, Michael Ochereobia, Naofall Folahan, Jamelle Hagins, and Ugochukwu Njoku. The first NBA-er I get to in YODA is Mike Muscala, which sounds sorta promising except that was Muscala's freshman year, and he improved tremendously in his four years at Bucknell.

Yeah it seems like a waste of time, space & opportunity. The guy is not NBA material... and it's not even up for debate. My guess is that someone knows someone in the front office and this is a favor to that person. At least I hope that's the answer. I'd hate to think they spend inordinate amounts of time scouting guys that realistically have no shot at ever contributing on an NBA level.

[TheSecretWeapon]

In the meantime, 7 footer Robert Upshaw is still unsigned. Earlier reports that he signed with the Lakers were false (and that makes sense since the Lakers have several young bigs). I fully understand being cautious about a guy with his background, but unless it's known that he has a current drug problem, I think it's crazy that nobody has signed him to at least a training camp deal.

Yep. Upshaw had a 1st round grade in YODA. Seems perfect for the kind of non-guaranteed deal they're giving Roberts. And Upshaw seems to have NBA ability, albeit with some "issues."

[Ruzious]

To echo payitforward's point from another thread...this is the kind of move that's baffling and kinda aggravating. If the Wizards wanted to sign a training camp fodder big man, why not pick one that has a chance of making the team and...gasp...maybe even contributing? Why not sign one of the 20-25 centers who looked more promising in college this season? Why not sign someone from the D-League? There's just no point in a move like this.

Just for kicks, I ran Roberts through YODA's statistical doppelganger machine. His "most similars" from previous drafts include gems like: Brandon Goode, Jordan Harks, Michael Ochereobia, Naofall Folahan, Jamelle Hagins, and Ugochukwu Njoku. The first NBA-er I get to in YODA is Mike Muscala, which sounds sorta promising except that was Muscala's freshman year, and he improved tremendously in his four years at Bucknell.

Yeah it seems like a waste of time, space & opportunity. The guy is not NBA material... and it's not even up for debate. My guess is that someone knows someone in the front office and this is a favor to that person. At least I hope that's the answer. I'd hate to think they spend inordinate amounts of time scouting guys that realistically have no shot at ever contributing on an NBA level.

Either that or he has incriminating pictures of Ernie eating at Subway.

[Dat2U]

lol, i just clicked that draftexpress link, even they have their limits who they scout. I'm sure all NBA teams knew of him because he's a 7-0 footer and I hear the NBA tracks pretty much every living 7-0 in the world (there's only approximately 2800 in the world). But this guy is just a complete stretch.

[keynote]

lol, i just clicked that draftexpress link, even they have their limits who they scout. I'm sure all NBA teams knew of him because he's a 7-0 footer and I hear the NBA tracks pretty much every living 7-0 in the world (there's only approximately 2800 in the world). But this guy is just a complete stretch.

This. I couldn't find any highlight clips on YouTube, either. Every prospect who can walk and chew gum has a highlight reel. He must've put in one heckuva performance in that pre-draft workout.

[closg00]

To echo payitforward's point from another thread...this is the kind of move that's baffling and kinda aggravating. If the Wizards wanted to sign a training camp fodder big man, why not pick one that has a chance of making the team and...gasp...maybe even contributing? Why not sign one of the 20-25 centers who looked more promising in college this season? Why not sign someone from the D-League? There's just no point in a move like this.

Just for kicks, I ran Roberts through YODA's statistical doppelganger machine. His "most similars" from previous drafts include gems like: Brandon Goode, Jordan Harks, Michael Ochereobia, Naofall Folahan, Jamelle Hagins, and Ugochukwu Njoku. The first NBA-er I get to in YODA is Mike Muscala, which sounds sorta promising except that was Muscala's freshman year, and he improved tremendously in his four years at Bucknell.

+1 on the Baffling sentiment, it is beyond frustrating. Blair should have been waived and guys like Famous, Tyler, and others should be at camp competing for an actual roster spot. We're gonna roll with Nene, Blair, and Gooden and play small ball. This guy didn't play in SL right?


#FireErnie ~ Because he believed Stephen Curry couldn't help us and Jan Vesely could.

[AFM]

We finally sign a young game changer and yall complain?

[TheSecretWeapon]

We finally sign a young game changer and yall complain?

Fair point. Roberts definitely has game-changer potential for NBA teams.

[DCZards]

Don't know what, if anything, Roberts will eventually contribute. But it is good to see that the Zards signed a young big with possible upside as a shot blocker and rebounder.

[Dat2U]

Don't know what, if anything, Roberts will eventually contribute. But it is good to see that the Zards signed a young big with possible upside as a shot blocker and rebounder.

Ok, if you say so.

He likely never plays a minute in the NBA. Maybe he gets a contract with a 2nd or 3rd division team in Belgrade.

[Chocolate City Jordanaire]

Cue CCJ with a post about how Jaleel could be an important contributor if Randy just gives him a chance and doesn't play favorites.



I kid CCJ, because I love.

I respond because you, nate, are much respected and loved.

Jaleel Roberts? Like everyone else who's already commented, when I looked at his college stats I was unimpressed. IMHO Jaleel Roberts has slim to no chance barring a trade that reduces the roster size. My somewhat cynical take:

Jaleel Roberts is tall, like Hasheem Thabeet. I wonder if he's as good as Thabeet? That said, I'm sure there will be some who want Blair waived in order to put the tall, slim, kid on the roster. I don't begrude the Wizards for signing him. They may hope to find their Hassan Whiteside. No harm in a camp invite, but as far as him becoming "an important contributor" it's probably not happening.

As far as whatever I've said in the past, it's just that. The past. No way I even want to look back in this particular forum.