2016-17 NBADL Team Preview: Erie Bayhawks

Projected Opening Day Starting Five

Point Guard: Ramon Galloway

Shooting Guard: Davonte Lacy

Small Forward: Anthony Brown

Power Forward: Cliff Alexander

Center: Shevon Thompson

How Did They Do Last Year?

Well....not good. Although the Bayhawks have struggled over the last few seasons, not finishing over .500 since 2012-13, last year was a significant low for the team. That’s due to the Bayhawks finishing the 2015-16 season with an atrocious 12-38 record, by far the worst record in the entire D-League. Those struggles were primarily due to the Bayhawks not really having a consistent offensive weapon.

Although assignees like Adreian Payne, Aaron Harrison and Tyler Harvey helped, it really didn’t put a positive light on the long-term status of the team. Without a go-to weapon, Erie’s offense suffered as they averaged a league-low 97.4 points per game.

How Will They Do This Year?

Significantly better than last year. Honestly, the team’s current roster is a lot better than what we saw last season, as the team has a mix of depth and top-flight D-Leaguers. Both Cliff Alexander and Anthony Brown will enter the 2016-17 campaign as elite D-Leaguers that are definitive call-up candidates. Alongside that duo, the team will feature some solid contributors in Davonte Lacy, Branden Dawson, Shevon Thompson and Ramon Galloway. That quartet is a solid mix between defensive workhorses (Thompson and Dawson) and offensive threats (Lacy and Galloway).

Who Is The Most Likely Call-Up?

Although Cliff Alexander is a real solid call-up candidate, the nod will still have to go to Anthony Brown. If Brown comes out the gates at the start of the D-League season by showing a strong perimeter jumper and a solid defensive game, then it’s very likely for an NBA team to snatch him up.

Most Likely Assignee?

I actually touched on this topic back in late July when I discussed why Stephen Zimmerman, Orlando’s rookie center, should spend time in the D-League. Within that piece, I discussed how Zimmerman was a physically gifted player with intriguing tools but he was incredibly raw on both ends of the court. Playing with the Bayhawks would be a great way for Zimmerman to fix some of those glaring flaws.

How Long Will Anthony Brown Be In The D-League?

Mentioned it in the “Who Is The Most Likely Call-Up” section but it all depends on how Brown starts off the season. If he starts the season as a consistent perimeter shooter and well-rounded defender then he might be back in the NBA before we get to Thanksgiving. However, if he gets off to a rough start, then he may need to stay in Maine for an extended period of time.