Ridiculous Upside: FanShots

Chris Hunter signs with the Warriors

2009-11-20T21:46:54Z

Chris Hunter signs with the Warriors

The Golden State Warriors have signed Chris Hunter, which I believe makes him the first D-League call-up of this season (which hasn't really started yet). While I wouldn't wish a coach like Don Nelson on anyone (the current incarnation, anyway), I like Hunter's game a lot, and here's hoping he gets a real shot with the team.

Tulsa Waives Davis, Parham, Young, McCoy, Johnson

2009-11-20T18:51:02Z

Tulsa Waives Davis, Parham, Young, McCoy, Johnson

The 66ers have waived Jeral Davis, Tim Parham, Keena Young, Adam McCoy, Mitch Johnson. I thought Young and McCoy were both decent late-round draft picks, but this is how it goes. Davis and Parham were both likely to get cut because Tulsa already had so many frontcourt players.

Thunderbirds Waive Bullock, Carr, Kortovich

2009-11-20T01:37:06Z

Thunderbirds Waive Bullock, Carr, Kortovich

The Albuquerque Thunderbirds have waived Garrison Carr, J'Nathan Bullock and Brian Kortovich. Bullock spent some time away from basketball to try out for the NY Jets. Carr was the Patriot League player of the year a few years ago and made 45 percent of his threes as a senior.

Utah Waives Lang, Goffney, LaRoche, Holmes, Darger

2009-11-19T03:02:33Z

Utah Waives Lang, Goffney, LaRoche, Holmes, Darger

The Utah Flash waived James Lang for "medical reasons," although with Garrett Siler and Luke Nevill on the team he probably wasn't going to play much anyway. I'm on record as saying that LaRoche was a good pick, and he has been a very efficient scorer, but for whatever reason it didn't work out.

Springfield Waives Taylor, Easterling, Jones

2009-11-18T23:09:58Z

Springfield Waives Taylor, Easterling, Jones

The Armor waived expansion draft pick Marcus Taylor along with Charles Easterling and Brandon Jones. The other semi-big news in that article is the fact that center Major Wingate hasn't shown up to camp at all, citing "personal reasons." I don't know if he wanted to be drafted by Austin or what, but he's done okay in Europe the last few seasons so he may resurface there.

Sioux Falls Waives Johnson, McKenzie, Miles, Price, Alexander

2009-11-18T21:11:35Z

Sioux Falls Waives Johnson, McKenzie, Miles, Price, Alexander

The Skyforce have waived five players. Nate Miles was the only notable name, and that was more for off-court stuff (being expelled from UConn) than for basketball.

Fort Wayne Waives Tolbert, Woodfox, Carter, Cornley

2009-11-18T18:19:25Z

Fort Wayne Waives Tolbert, Woodfox, Carter, Cornley

Making this team was going to be difficult with so many players from last year's rotation back in the fold, but the Mad Ants have waived forward Frank Tolbert, guard Booker Woodfox and center Jared Carter, and released guard Jamelle Cornley due to injury. Tolbert was known primarily as a hustle guy at Auburn, but his offensive game slipped a little bit as a senior. Woodfox is a decent shooter and overall scorer who was the MVC player of the year last year. Carter apparently impressed in the local tryouts, but he came in as a third-string center. Cornley did well in college even though he's a 6'5" power forward, but he hurt his knee in camp. Jeff Potter gives the rundown on why all of these guys were cut.

LA D-Fenders Waive Pinick, Wise, Moore, N'Doye, Pruitt

2009-11-17T21:49:56Z

LA D-Fenders Waive Pinick, Wise, Moore, N'Doye, Pruitt

As semi-promised, here are some more training camp cuts as announced by the D-Fenders. In turn: didn't expect N'Doye to make the team, as he (like Skemp in Erie) came into camp as the third center; Moore has bounced around other minor leagues and overseas, so the fact that he didn't stick here wasn't much of a surprise either; like N'Doye, there wasn't much room for Pinick behind Deron Washington and Ryan Forehan-Kelly, even though he's a smart player who will likely do pretty well overseas; Wise showed he could score in college, but the team already has a lot of those guys, particularly after acquiring Dar Tucker; speaking of which, I know Pruitt was injured, but this leaves the team with one real point guard, a Mr. Horace Wormely, who was first team all-NAIA in college but is also 5'6".

Rockets Waive Pops Mensah-Bonsu

2009-11-14T07:16:08Z

Rockets Waive Pops Mensah-Bonsu

Hey, so remember when I said that Pops Mensah-Bonsu was ahead of Joey Dorsey on the Rockets' depth chart? That is no longer a true fact. Deeks with his Bulls hat on does a good job of listing all of the things M-B can do (which is a fair amount). Brian Cook has to have one of the sweetest rides in the NBA, no? He never plays (nor should he, really) but his team can't waive him, so instead they get rid of better players.

Rockets Assign Joey Dorsey to RGV

2009-11-13T19:58:25Z

Rockets Assign Joey Dorsey to RGV

Well here you go, the season's first NBA assignment. I'm a little surprised the Rockets didn't also send down Jermaine Taylor, who's played less than nine total minutes so far, but after Chuck Hayes, Luis Scola, Carl Landry, David Andersen and Pops Mensah-Bonsu there just aren't a lot of minutes for Dorsey right now. Dorsey spent seven games in the D-League last season, and it will be interesting to see how new RGV coach Chris Finch handles the Dorsey-Kurt Looby rotation early on.

While in camp with the Pacers, I still kept a journal of my experience, took pictures during our...

2009-11-10T21:57:39Z

While in camp with the Pacers, I still kept a journal of my experience, took pictures during our trips and used my personal gift from David Stern (a Flip camera that everyone got) to record plenty of video.

BDL's Too Much Rod Benson column is back up now that Rod Benson is back in the D-League, but even more than his talking about training camp or the video of him in China and Taiwan with the Pacers, the line above stuck out to me, for two reasons:

1.) The NBA was figuring out its social media policy, and ended up cracking down somewhat, at the same time it was handing out cameras for guys to take pictures and record video, theoretically to post online? Is that not a mixed message?

2.) Those phones may themselves have been "donated" from the company, but if the league paid for them, couldn't that money have gone towards narrowing the gap in what the refs wanted and what the league wanted to give them? I know the impasse was about more than just money, but for the league to be handing out cameras at the same time it's calling for fiscal prudence on some level strikes me as, again, a mixed message.

Or am I making too much of this?

Fort Wayne's second-round pick Frank Tolbert has six fingers. Just FYI. (The picture comes...

2009-11-10T17:52:22Z

Fort Wayne's second-round pick Frank Tolbert has six fingers. Just FYI.

(The picture comes from Jeff Potter's new blog called, appropriately enough, Potter's New Blog)

Jeremy Tyler initially struggling in Israel

2009-11-09T16:47:59Z

Jeremy Tyler initially struggling in Israel

From a long USA Today article:

"Two games into the season, Tyler is very much a work in progress. He's averaging just more than seven minutes a game and has scored all of one point. He is already is beginning to confront questions about whether he should have stayed in school.

"I only make history if I succeed. I didn't come here to fail," Tyler, sounding both frustrated and determined, said after playing a scoreless 4 minutes in a Haifa victory this week.

Tyler had complained he was bored with high school competition. He now acknowledges a difficult adjustment. No longer the big man on campus, he is just another player on a professional roster, living on his own in a foreign land. There is little socializing with his teammates -- grown men, many with families, all trying to carve out professional careers of their own."

A bit of a different perspective on the "going abroad" experience after many writers are now coming around on Brandon Jennings going to Italy for a year now that he is playing very well in the NBA - while initially calling it a bad year.

Major Wingate new D-League player for the Springfield Armor...is spectacular...

2009-11-09T13:55:36Z

Major Wingate new D-League player for the Springfield Armor...is spectacular...

Tolliver, Barron and Tucker in Three Team Trade

2009-11-07T16:33:55Z

Tolliver, Barron and Tucker in Three Team Trade

From commenter Rumble (don't be afraid to create FanShots, guy) comes news of this trade: Dar Tucker to Los Angeles, Earl Barron to Iowa and Anthony Tolliver to Idaho. I love this trade for Idaho, as they could've used another big man, and Tolliver is one of the best in the league. Barron to Iowa gives that team a little more balance, and with Tolliver gone their newly-drafted shooters and scorers will get the ball a little more often to shoot and score. As for LA...Tucker's talented but doesn't always have the best shot selection. That team has a lot of guards and swingmen now, so barring another trade a.) they could be a lot of fun to watch, and b.) we can probably expect to see more Longar Longar.

Marcus Hubbard traded to Reno for Quaintance

2009-11-06T23:09:41Z

Marcus Hubbard traded to Reno for Quaintance

Of course, right after I finish writing my draft wrap-up I see this. Rio Grande Valley has traded power forward Marcus Hubbard to the Reno Bighorns for forward Haminn Quaintance. I like this move for RGV. Hubbard is talented but prefers playing out on the perimeter and shooting threes, even though he's best suited for playing inside. Quaintance, on the other hand, is actually a good three-point shooter. For Reno, Hubbard gives them another backup big man, and Hubbard has gotten a lot of attention this offseason after playing for the D-League Select Summer League team and participating in the NBA Asia Challenge.

TRADE REPORT! BayHawks trade Rob Kurz to Ft. Wayne Mad Ants for 10th Overall Pick...BayHawks Select...

2009-11-06T06:33:09Z

TRADE REPORT! BayHawks trade Rob Kurz to Ft. Wayne Mad Ants for 10th Overall Pick...BayHawks Select Alade Amino with the 10th Pick

From the Erie BayHawks Twitter. I guess Erie liked Alade AminU so much they traded Rob Kurz for him. I also know that Fort Wayne was angling to get Kurz as a local allocation player, so I guess this is a win-win. It remains to be seen, however, if this is a win-win-win.

Grizzlies Waive Trey Gilder

2009-11-05T20:24:22Z

Grizzlies Waive Trey Gilder

Booooooooo.

SEE MARGE, THIS GUY GETS IT

2009-11-05T19:50:53Z

SEE MARGE, THIS GUY GETS IT

I didn't make a huge deal of this in my D-League preview because, as with Brandon Jennings in Europe, I'm not sure we'll be able to pass total judgment on how successful or unsuccessful going from high school to the D-League is based on one player, particularly a player who's going to the D-League as a last resort like Latavious Williams. That said, Shanoff completely nails why having players go from HS to the D-League to the NBA should work for all parties involved. Psst, Henry Abbott, I've been saying the same things for awhile now.

Dakota Also Targeting Big Men

2009-11-05T19:16:11Z

Dakota Also Targeting Big Men

I don't know if the headline is "news," since one could figure out the team's needs based on who they're bringing back, but the Wizards are apparently targeting Garrett Siler and Alade Aminu. Aminu is really athletic but also really raw, so I'm a little surprised he's being targeted so much while a guy like John Bryant doesn't seem to be as high on anyone's lists. If not a big man (since Dakota drafts 11th in the first round), according to that article they could go with Orien Greene or fellow point guard Jason Richards, or just the best available guy.