Mitch Creek (Nets), Shelvin Mack (Hawks), Zach Randolph (Mavs), Wade Baldwin (Pacers), Nik Stauskus (Pacers), Michael Beasley (Clippers), Henry Ellenson (Pistons), Alex Abrines (Thunder), John Jenkins (Wizards), Jeremy Lin (Hawks)
Kinda thought the Nets were high on Creek; wouldn't be surprised if he turns up on their Summer League team.
From the roster moves they made, I kinda thought the Hawks were going to keep Mack but I guess not.
Thought the Mavs might hold on to Zeebo for the end of the year. I reckon that's the last we'll see of him in this league. Dude had some really good years, especially with the grit-and-grind Grizzlies, he and Gasol were a fierce tandem for a while. Probably not a Hall of Famer but a really good player for a long time.
Baldwin is probably done in the NBA, I liked his chances coming out of NCAA, especially with the guard-poor Grizzlies but he just never caught on, I guess. He's still young enough to be back for Summer League but hard to imagine him on a roster next season.
Stauskus is one of those guys that's pretty effective in int'l play but never could carve out a space for himself in the league (a la JJ Reddick). He was drafted too high, boosted his paycheck but also warped the expectations. I can see him hanging around another year or two, he's not quite done.
Beasley just seems like a Detroit Piston, right? He can still be a useful vet for a team ready to make a late season push (but not a team that already has its ducks in a row).
Ellenson was a good looking prospect in his Team USA days but never made the leap to bigtime basketball. Now he's just another reminder of how awful Stan Van Gundy was at the draft.
I dunno what's up with Abrines, that was a weird story. He disappeared from the team for some kind of 'personal issue' that eventually led both sides to agree that waiving was the best option. Abrines is a nice 2nd string combo guard, definitely good enough to be in the league but not a big star by any measure, don't know if we'll learn what happened here, wouldn't be surprised to see him back next year or to see him return to Europe. Don't know.
I remember Jenkins at Vandy, nice player, don't remember him at all as a pro, no idea if he'll be back.
Lin is still a really good 2nd string PG and can be really helpful to good team (like, say, the Raptors).
Signings (for rest of the year)
Wayne Ellington (Pistons), Salah Mejri (Mavs), Wesley Matthews (Pacers), Nik Stauskus (Cavs), Enes Kanter (Blazers), Jeremy Lin (Raptors),
Yup, that's what the Pistons have needed all along: Wayne Ellington. Go ahead and pencil them into the playoffs, boys!
Mejri was waived and then immediately brought back--which I didn't think was legal. I'd be surprised to see him back next year, this summer will likely bring a major housecleaning in Dallas.
Matthews was having a nice year, he can give the Pacers some good perimeter defense. Don't forget: even without Oladipo, the Pacers are going to the playoffs, so they need to be ready for the long haul even if their chances of success have been massively curtailed. Matthews got run out of Dallas for roster manipulations, not because he's washed up, he's a good fit the Pacers.
The Cavs needed to get younger, cheaper and less burdened for the future and a 3 month rental of Stauskus (in place of the long-term money they were giving Kyle Korver) does all of that. The roster is so thin I expect Stauskus to play and if he's good, might even get a 1-year offer this summer.
Kanter should give the Blazers what they've been missing since Ed Davis bolted last summer: good around the basket, good offense to go with the attacking guards, good rebounder off the bench, etc. Personally, I still like Kanter in the right situation and this one seems pretty good.
The Raptors are built on their superior 2nd string and adding Lin is a great move for them (especially after losing Wright and Miles), I think he can play with or without Van Vleet.
Signings (multi-year deals)
Chris Boucher (Raptors), Malcolm Miller (Raptors), Edmund Sumner (Pacers), Bruno Caboclo (Grizzlies)
These moves are likely roster manipulations, though Caboclo looks to get serious minutes for the thin-rostered Grizzlies.
Signings (10 Day Contracts)
Corey Brewer (Kings), Isaiah Canaan (Wolves), John Jenkins (Knicks)
Brewer had moments with the Sixers, thought they'd keep him but they made moves to shore up the bench instead (Ennis, Scott, Boban, etc), leaving no room for him. I reckon he'll play some with the Kings, wouldn't be surprised to see them sign him for the rest of the season.
Canaan and Jenkins are reliable human beings that can fill out a roster, show up to practice, pack bags for road trips and collect paychecks--hey, the NBA needs a coupla dozen of those guys on call at all times. I doubt there's much playing time for either of them.
Claimed off waivers
Shelvin Mack (Hornets)
Haven't seen any word that the Hornets have signed Mack but they do control his rights for now.
Injuries
Fred Van Vleet (Raptors)
Van Vleet looks to be out for 3-4 weeks with a thumb injury. Looks like Jeremy Lin will be picking up those minutes.
Isiah Thomas (Nuggets)
Made his season debut the other day. Will his return be a boon or an albatross for the Nuggets rotation? The answer to that will tell you how far the Nuggets get in the post-season (and how ugly it looks when they finally bow out). The Nuggets already have a deep rotation of wing-scorers and playmakers, if Thomas is getting more than 10 minutes a game it'll be because he's his old unstoppable self.
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