Two-way players on flex assignments could shake things up in the G League
How, where and when the two-way players from teams without a G League affiliate are used will be vital to league standings and perhaps the ultimate victor
With the advent of two-way contracts in the NBA starting in the 2017–18 season, there are still various unknowns. Will every team use the new provision? Will every team give their players the max allotted 45 days with the NBA club? Will any of these players be converted to standard contracts mid-season?
A more curious question — at least for those of us covering the G League — is where teams without their own affiliate will send their guys. The Denver Nuggets, New Orleans Pelicans, Portland Trail Blazers and Washington Wizards remain as the only four teams without a G League affiliate for the 2017–18 season. However, combined they have used seven of their eight spots for two-way contract players. Clearly, there will need to be some strategy behind their placement when they are in the G League.
Finding an ideal partner via the flex assignment rule is not as simply as a team saying, “yeah we’ll take him!” NBA clubs must consider proximity, the type of offense and defense the organization runs, their current obligations to their own players, how much playing time their assignee will receive and numerous other variables.
One thing is certain — in 2016–17 G League teams with at least one NBA assignee won more games than when they were without an assignee. We also know that each of these teams used the flex assignment rule last season, and it’s quite clear some teams preferred specific destinations for their guys.
Last year the four clubs combined to send eight of their players on assignment to the G League and seven different teams received their services. Cheick Diallo led the way playing 26 games in the G League (for three different teams) and Tim Quarterman came in second with 21 games. In total, these eight flex assignees played exactly 100 games in the G League which comes out to 12–13 for each player.
When NBA clubs are considering where to send their flex players, the duration of the stay plays a role. This season two-way contract players are breaking new ground on time spent in the G League for flex assignees, because even if given the max 45 days in the NBA, that equates to them playing roughly 30–35 games in the G League. With that amount of time, teams will be especially picky when considering where to send their guys. Most teams would like their two-way contract guys to play alongside each other as well, although that may be a luxury they simply aren’t afforded if other terms need to be met.
If teams are able to consistently use the same team for each, or both, of their two-way contract assignees, then the entire landscape of the G League standings could shift. Chemistry issues go out the window when teams know what to expect in terms of games played, minutes doled out and role within their club from an assignee.
The receiving G League teams also have many things to consider. They have their own players to develop, their own affiliate guys who need minutes and of course there’s always an underlying, “why are we helping develop talent for another organization?” question looming. Having said that, teams like to win so usually as long as players come with the right attitude and mindset, they will have a spot in a G League locker room.
Each of these teams have some history with the flex assignment rule, so let’s look at partners they have used in the past.
Denver Nuggets
Last season the Nuggets sent Malik Beasley and Juan Hernangomez to the Sioux Falls Skyforce — the Miami HEAT’s affiliate. Beasley played 16 games while Hernangomez only made the trip once. The Skyforce, a 29–21 team who narrowly missed last year’s playoffs, were happy to give Beasley a large role on their club. He started 12 of his 16 games and averaged 31.1 minutes per contest. With those parameters the Nuggets didn’t need to send him elsewhere so Sioux Falls was the only team he played with.
This season the Nuggets have signed Monte Morris and Torrey Craig as their two-way players. Morris is a 22-year-old rookie point guard who they drafted no. 51 overall back in June, and Craig is a 26-year-old wing who spent the last three seasons in Australia and New Zealand. Morris is a stud leader at lead guard, while Craig is a lockdown defender on the wing.
With an NBA assignee on the roster last season, the Skyforce had a gaudy win percentage of .688, which was second only to the eventual champion Raptors 905 (.771). Without an assignee, they dipped to a .529 win percentage, so it seems as if they could be open to more talent if it’s available from Denver. The HEAT will also have their own two-way contract players to consider in this equation, and they have already signed undrafted point guard Derrick Walton Jr. out of Michigan.
New Orleans Pelicans
Cheick Diallo was amazing in the G League last season, although his breakout performances didn’t really come until his third stint with the league. He played two games with the Long Island Nets (17.4 MPG), nine games with the Austin Spurs (23.3 MPG) and 15 games with the Greensboro Swarm (32.0 MPG). The Swarm started Diallo every game and he produced 17.1 points, 10.5 rebounds and 2.8 blocks to reward them.
The Pelicans have signed 24-year-old forward Jalen Jones and 23-year-old, undrafted rookie Charles Cooke as their two-way contract players for 2017–18. Jones played in the G League last year with the Maine Red Claws and was one of the more versatile forwards in the entire league. Cooke is an outstanding wing defender and at 6-foot-5 can knock down the deep ball consistently.
The Swarm were in their expansion season and missed the playoffs after finishing 19–31. However, they were 8–7 with Diallo on the roster and improved their win percentage from .364 to .429 with at least one NBA assignee playing. Charlotte signed Marcus Paige and Mangok Mathiang as their two-way contract players, and there are no positional conflicts between the four. If the Swarm are willing to take on both players from the Pelicans, then they could have a huge second season surge a la the Raptors 905.
Portland Trail Blazers
Last year Portland used the G League for Jake Layman and Tim Quarterman. Layman played eight games and started all of them with the Windy City Bulls. Quarterman is no longer with Portland but he spent time with both the Windy City Bulls and the Long Island Nets. Both teams gave the players 30+ minutes on a nightly basis as each was in their expansion season and needed talent.
Portland signed 26-year-old sharpshooter C.J. Wilcox as their first two-way contract. Wilcox spent the last three seasons in the NBA with the Los Angeles Clippers and then the Orland Magic, but never could gain his footing. Wilcox has amassed 30 G League games over the last three seasons, averaging 16.9 points per game while shooting 42.2 percent (86-of-204) from 3-point land.
Both Windy City and Long Island struggled in their expansion seasons, but both saw huge improvements with an NBA assignee on the roster. Windy City’s win percentage went from .345 to a whopping .619, and Long Island’s rose from .167 to .364. One of both could offer up quality minutes for Wilcox. Chicago has signed Ryan Arcidiacono and Antonio Blakeney as their two-way contracts while Brooklyn inked Jake Wiley and Yakuba Ouattara as their two-way players.
Washington Wizards
Last season Washington sent Danuel House, Sheldon McClellan and Chris McCullough as flex assignees using the Delaware 87ers (Sixers), Rio Grande Valley Vipers (Rockets) and Northern Arizona Suns (Suns). Their players received anywhere from 23–27 minutes while on assignment.
The Wizards signed undrafted rookies Devin Robinson (22-years-old) and Michael Young (22-years-old) as their two-way contracts for next year. Candace Buckner of The Washington Post reported Washington plans to use the Delaware 87ers as their destination for these two players.
Due to proximity this makes perfect sense, but it’s also the only connection discussed in this article with a same conference swap. Even so, the 87ers improved their win percentage from .481 to .565 with at least on NBA assignee last season, so the partnership worked for them as well. The Philadelphia 76ers are one of only three teams yet to use a single two-way contract, so we don’t know how they will use their options for players 16 and 17 on their young, budding roster.
