Bam Adebayo (Miami Heat)
Rookie
Adebayo was the 14th overall pick in 2017 and signed his rookie contract. Generally speaking a young big man taken so late we should expect to see him putting in a lot of time in the D League this year, though he has already made his first appearance in an NBA game.
Eric Bledsoe (Phoenix Suns)
Career (2010-2017)
27.1 MPG, 44.4% FG, 33.4 % 3PT, 3.8 Reb, 4.6 Ast, 13.1 PTS, 105 ORtg, 107 DRtg
Bledsoe is in the fourth year of a five year deal. After a horrible start for the Suns and a quick firing of their coach Bledsoe came out today and said he does not want to be on the team any longer. There had been talk of him being traded over the offseason and the assumption is that he will now be traded.
Devin Booker (Phoenix Suns)
Career (2015-2017)
31.4 MPG, 42.3% FG, 35.3% 3PT, 2.9 Reb, 3.1 Ast, 18.0 PTS, 102 ORtg, 114 DRtg
Booker is in the third year of his rookie contract. Generally speaking if you are a starter going into your third year of a rookie deal, you end up getting signed to a long term deal. With Phoenix already appearing to be the worst team in the NBA that may be the only news that will be interesting about Booker this year.
Willie Cauley-Stein (Sacramento Kings)
Career (2015-2017)
20.3 MPG, 54.4% FG, 5.0 Reb, 7.7 PTS, 113 ORtg, 108 DRtg
Cauley-Stein is also in the third year of his rookie contract and is also starting. I would expect to see Sacramento try to either lock him into a long term contract or try and trade him before the season is over.
DeMarcus Cousins (New Orleans Pelicans)
Career (2010-2017)
32.0 MPG, 45.9% FG, 32.9% 3PT, 10.8 Reb, 3.0 Ast, 21.2 PTS, 103 ORtg, 104 DRtg
At the end of this season DeMarcus Cousins will be an unrestricted free agent. I would think by January we'll know whether or not he has a future with New Orleans. If things do not connect there then I wouldn't be surprised to see him come on the market and land on a playoff bound team.
Anthony Davis (New Orleans Pelicans)
Career (2012-2017)
34.5 MPG, 51.3% FG, 10.2 Reb, 1.8 Ast, 22.5 PTS, 115 ORtg, 103 DRtg
Davis is in the second year of a five year deal. At this point Davis is looking to get into the playoffs consistently and New Orleans is trying to figure out how to build a team around him and to support him.
De'Aaron Fox (Sacramento Kings)
Rookie
Fox was the 5th overall pick and three games into his NBA career is getting around 26 minutes a game of playing time.
Andrew Harrison (Memphis Grizzlies)
Career (2016-2017)
20.5 MPG, 32.5% FG, 27.6% 3Pt, 1.9 Reb, 2.8 Ast, 5.9 PTS, 100 ORtg, 109 DRtg
Harrison is in the second year of a three year deal he signed with Memphis. He'll be looking to improve his shooting numbers if he wants to stick around and get the team to pick up his third year.
Dakari Johnson (Oklahoma City Thunder)
Rookie
48th overall pick Johnson is seen as a prospect and so will spend much of the season in the D-League I would expect.
Enes Kanter (New York Knicks)
Career (2011-2017)
21.3 MPG, 53.0% FG, 6.7 Reb, 11.3 PTS, 111 ORtg, 107 DRtg
Kanter went to New York as part of the Carmelo Anthony trade. He is in the 3rd year of a 4 year deal. I believe for Kanter this is his last shot to prove that he can be a starter in the NBA.
Michael Kidd-Gilchrist (Charlotte Hornets)
Career (2012-2017)
27.1 MPG, 47.0% FG, 6.4 Reb, 9.1 PTS, 107 ORtg, 106 DRtg
Kidd-Gilchrist is in the 2nd year of a four year deal. There was a lot of rumor last year about Charlotte moving away from Kidd-Gilchrist and I wouldn't be surprised to see him get dealt during the season if the Hornets are having another disappointing season.
Brandon Knight (Phoenix Suns)
Career (2011-2017)
31.3 MPG, 41.5% FG, 35.7% 3Pt, 3.3 Reb, 4.3 Ast, 15.2 PTS, 101 ORtg, 111 DRtg
Knight is in the third year of a five year deal. Sadly he tore his ACL and will miss the season.
Skal Labissiere (Sacramento Kings)
Career (2016)
18.5 MPG, 53.7% FG, 4.9 Reb, 8.8 PTS, 110 ORtg, 110 DRtg
Labissiere is in the second year of his rookie deal. He'll be looking to give the Kings a reason to pick up his third year option.
Deandre Liggins (Milwaukee Bucks)
Career (2011-2017)
10.0 MPG, 41.0% FG, 34.3% 3Pt, 1.5 Reb, .6 Ast, 2.0 PTS, 93 ORtg, 106 DRtg
I really admire how Liggins has worked so hard to try and make a place for himself in the NBA. He's gotten on with the Bucks and I'm hoping he can stay. He had a solid season last year with Cleveland as a bench player. I'm hoping he can make something stick this year.
Trey Lyles (Denver Nuggets)
Career (2015-2017)
16.6 MPG, 40.1% FG, 34.4% 3Pt, 3.5 Reb, 6.1 PTS, 98 ORtg, 105 DRtg
Lyles is in the third year of a four year deal and now finds himself with a new team. If Lyles is not able to get playing time, it would not be surprising to see him get moved during the season.
Jodie Meeks (Washington Wizards)
Career (2009-2017)
23.9 MPG, 42.0% FG, 37.6% 3Pt, 2.2 Reb, 1.1 Ast, 9.8 PTS, 111 ORtg, 109 DRtg
Meeks signed a two year deal with the Wizards. They will be looking for him to be a 3pt specialist and not much more. Here's hoping he can have a good season for a team that has a chance to go deep in the playoffs.
Darius Miller (New Orleans Pelicans)
Career (2012-2017)
14.4 MPG, 41.5% FG, 34.3% 3Pt, 1.3 Reb, .9 Ast, 3.1 PTS, 105 ORtg, 112 DRtg
Miller signed a two year contract with the Pelicans, but they can drop him at the end of the season. He will be looking to stick after being out of the NBA for two seasons.
Malik Monk (Charlotte Hornets)
Rookie
Monk was the 11th overall pick. As a point guard getting drafted in the first round they will be looking for him to play this year.
Jamal Murray (Denver Nuggets)
Career (2016)
21.1 MPG, 40.5% FG, 33.4% 3Pt, 2.6 Reb, 2.1 Ast, 9.9 PTS, 103 ORtg, 114 DRtg
Murray is in the second year of his rookie deal. If Denver likes him they will likely try and sign him to a longer deal this year.
Nerlens Noel (Dallas Mavericks)
Career (2014-2017)
27.5 MPG, 51.4% FG, 7.5 Reb, 1.5 Ast, 10.0 PTS, 102 ORtg, 101 DRtg
Noel signed a one year deal with Dallas. If Noel doesn't make a home in Dallas and if Dallas struggles this season I wouldn't be surprised to see him get moved before the year is over. Noel needs to make a name for himself this year if he wants to extend his career in the NBA.
Patrick Patterson (Oklahoma City Thunder)
Career (2010-2017)
23.9 MPG, 45.8% FG, 36.6% 3Pt, 4.7 Reb, 1.2 Ast, 7.8 PTS, 112 ORtg, 108 DRtg
Patterson signed a 3 year deal with the Oklahoma City Thunder and so we'll be looking forward to seeing what he can do this year.
Alex Poythress (Indiana Pacers)
Career (2016)
26.2 MPG, 46.3% FG, 31.6% 3Pt, 4.8 Reb, .8 Ast, 10.7 PTS, 115 ORtg, 112 DRtg
Poythress is on contract with the Pacers at the start of the season, not sure he'll last the season but here is hoping.
Julius Randle (Los Angeles Lakers)
Career(2014-2017)
28.2 MPG, 45.9% FG, 9.3 Reb, 2.6 Ast, 12.1 PTS, 102 ORtg, 110 DRtg
Randle is in the last year of his contract with the Lakers. If he doesn't show solid improvement this year I would expect the Lakers to trade him if they feel there is any value for him or simply let his contract run out.
Rajon Rondo (New Orleans Pelicans)
Career (2006-2017)
32.3 MPG, 46.3% FG, 30.4% 3Pt, 4.9 Reb, 8.5 Ast, 10.7 PTS, 104 ORtg, 103 DRtg
Rondo signed a one year deal with the Pelicans. They are hoping he can feed the ball to Cousins and Davis. He's injured at the beginning of the season so we'll see if he has anything left or not when he comes back.
Karl-Anthony Towns (Minnesota Timberwolves)
Career (2015-2017)
34.5 MPG, 54.3% FG, 11.4 Reb, 2.3 Ast, 21.7 PTS, 117 ORtg, 108 DRtg
He is in the third year of his rookie contract. I would expect to see the Timberwolves try to get him signed to a five year deal or so this year. Everyone is expecting a big improvement from the Timberwolves this year.
Tyler Ulis (Phoenix Suns)
Career (2016)
18.4 MPG, 42.1% FG, 26.6% 3Pt, 3.7 Ast, 7.3 PTS, 102 ORtg, 114 DRtg
Ulis is in the second year of his rookie contract. He will need to impress this year if he hopes to stay around the NBA. There is some positive talk about Ulis, but he'll have to show it on the court.
John Wall (Washington Wizards)
Career (2010-2017)
36.1 MPG, 43.3% FG, 32.0% 3Pt, 4.4 Reb, 9.2 Ast, 18.9 PTS, 104 ORtg, 106 DRtg
If the Wizards are going to take a shot at reaching the finals this feels like the year. Of course they need LeBron to get the flu during the playoffs for that to happen, but in some ways this feels like the shot.
I've started a Yahoo! Fantasy league in support of your "Where Are They Now?" posts. Regular-season action opens tomorrow, and, at this point, I think the Lexington Wildcats' center, Karl-Anthony Towns, is going to be league MVP.
ReplyDeleteNo, it appears action starts Monday.
ReplyDeleteWell, we'll just see.
ReplyDelete