NBA Veterans Continue To Sign With NBA D-League

Whether the NBA Development League can really still be considered a "development" league is still up in the air, but basketball's official minor league is certainly having no trouble adding players hoping for a return to the big leagues. NBA veterans have entered the league all season and, despite the fact that there is just one month left before the playoffs, old-timers are still signing in hopes of a late-season call-up.

NBA veterans Antoine Wright and Stephen Graham both signed in the D-League on Friday, league sources told Ridiculous Upside. They join Kareem Rush, who joined on Thursday, as well as Ridiculous Upside favorite Jordan Eglseder as players who've recently signed in the D-League.

Wright is possibly the most interesting player of the four recent additions. Not because the six-year NBA veteran was outstanding after being selected as the 15th overall pick in the 2005 NBA Draft, but because his comments to Sports Illustrated's Sam Amick may limit his call-up options.

"My rift, really, with the organization was that I don't think they prepared the guys enough to win basketball games," Wright said. "We were probably the only team in the NBA that didn't have a scouting report. How do you expect a young team to go out and carry a game plan? Every team I've been on, they give you a scouting report on every guy on the team, a couple paragraphs about each guy before you go out there and play against him.

"It was a toxic situation [in Sacramento], and going to China helped me put it into perspective that you can be a little spoiled in this league, but you have to understand that when you're not in a position to call the shots, you have to go with the flow."

If only he would listen to himself.

• Wright played in China last season and in Spain for 13 games this season, but that ended a bit unceremoniously as he shot just 28 percent from the field on his way to 10.9 points per game.
• Graham actually started 28 games for the New Jersey Nets last season, but wasn't particularly outstanding and he was released at the end of the lockout so they wouldn't have to guarantee his $1.1 million contract.
• Eglseder is a March Madness hero after outplaying Cole Aldrich in the NCAA Tournament a couple of years ago.
• Rush is a recording artist who now dabbles in basketball.

Yay D-League!