Missouri Valley players who have played in the NBA

[tornado]

For while early this season it looked like we'd have a near-record number of past MVC players in the NBA at the same time...

However...since the beginning of the season several things have changed...

-Evansville's Egidijus Mockevicius signed with the Nets but was assigned to their D-League Long Island Nets and has not yet appeared in an NBA game.
With the LI Nets he has played 24 games averaging 7.9 ppg & 5.1 rpg

-Gal Mekel signed a deal and is playing this year with Maccabi Tel Aviv

-Toure Murry was waived and signed with a Turkish team

-Former Knick, Cleanthony Early is still struggling in his comeback from an unfortunate injury, and was assigned to the D-League Westchester Knicks - then traded to the Santa Cruz Warriors, where he's averaging 5.5 ppg in 25 games, and has not played this season in the NBA

That leaves just five ex-MVC players currently in the NBA, Kyle Korver (Cavaliers), Doug McDermott (Bulls), Anthony Tolliver (Sacramento), Ron Baker, and Fred Van Vleet.
Just a couple years ago here were THREE former Bradley Braves in the NBA - but in short order Anthony Parker retired, Patrick O'Bryant was waived and went on to play overseas, and then Danny Granger retired - leaving the NBA without an NBA player from Bradley for the first time in over a decade.

[tornado]

Ron Baker got the start last night ...

The Knicks have been juggling their lineup and trying endless combinations - both for injury reasons and also trying to find out what might help them win..

But since that first career start for Ron Baker - it's pretty evident that Knicks management quickly decided that starting Baker was not the solution..

In the four games since his 1st career start, he has scored 0, 2 then 3 pts (on combined 1- and did not have a single assist in any of the games since, and tonight he didn't even get in the game vs. the Pacers - going from starting to not playing in just 4 days' span.

Hopefully he hangs in there and earns a spot regularly..


Fred Van Vleet's struggles are similar - he had a few good D-League outings and then got called up...
but he rarely gets much more than a few minutes of playing time, and didn't appear at all in Sunday's game against Phoenix.

[tornado]

Doug McDermott (Bulls)....

Bulls deal Doug McDermott to Oklahoma City Thunder

[Da Coach]

Basically the deal was made by the Bulls to get rid of Taj Gibson's expiring contract and get some younger talent in return, since they were not going to resign him. Seems like they have given up on this season. Somehow they got the Thunder to take McDermott, who has not met expectations, and his contract which runs through next season, and now gives the Bulls more money for the free agent market.

[ihatetea]

The Bulls got as much value for Gibson as they could, as Payne could be a good starter still on his rookie contract which pays peanuts compared to what any free agent they could sign would get. Lavurgne is a very interchangeable big man. He and morrow won't move the needle much this year or moving forward.

I like this trade for McDermott in that he will get to play with Westbrook on a team that is desperate for people who can shoot. He should get steady minutes and more frequent wide open shots. All in all, the trade seems to be about the thunder getting Gibson for the rest of the season and both teams swapping youngish players that aren't too exciting right now. If the thunder hit the jackpot on that 2nd round pick this trade will be lopsided, otherwise it's just shuffling deck chairs on the titanic really.

Imo obviously.

Edit: thought I should add the Warriors and the cavs are the icebergs in this situation making this trade really not matter.
Edit 2: the Bulls don't save much money for next year. Gibson was free agent next year, lavuergne has no guaranteed money next year (I think) and McDermott (3.2) versus Payne (2.2) is only $1 million difference.

[Stickboy46]

Knicks management quickly decided

I think you can leave this quote at that and accurately summarize the problems with the Knicks organization. Don't really think things through.

[Da Coach]

I would have liked to see them get more for a quality big man in Taj Gibson, and a shooter like McDermott, or at least make a better effort to re-sign Gibson.

The Bulls also gave up a 2nd round draft pick in the deal, and the talent they got in return are all basically replacement-level players at best.

The players that the Bulls got in today's trade of Taj Gibson and Doug McDermott-
Cameron Payne- 6'3", 22 year old 2nd year point guard drafted 14th overall out of Murray State by the Oklahoma City Thunder in 2016.
His career averages are 5.1 ppg, 1.9 apg, and 1.5 rpg; his career 3-point shooting percentage is 31.9%, and it actually got worse this season (30.8%). His assists and shooting percentage are quite poor for a point guard, though he is young. He is signed to an NBA rookie contract that runs through 2019 at $2.2 milion next year and $3.3 million in 2018-19.

http://www.basketball-reference.com/players/p/payneca01.html

Anthony Morrow- 6'5", 31 year old wing guard from Georgia Tech. He was never drafted, but played in the 2008 NBA Summer League and was signed to the NBA as a free agent. This is his 9th NBA season, and he has made his name as a 3-point shooter. His career averages are 9.5 ppg, 0.9 apg, and 2.2 rpg, though this season his numbers are way down (5.8 ppg, 0.5 apg, 0.7 rpg). His career 3-point percentage is 41.7%, but this season he is way down at 29.4%. His current contract pays $3.5 million per year, but expires after this season, and it is unlikely the Bulls will try to resign him.

Joffrey Lauvergne- 6'11", 25 year old center from France. He was drafted in the 2nd round of the NBA Draft (55th overall) by the Memphis Grizzlies in 2013. He never played for Memphis, but played 2 seasons for the Denver Nuggets from 2014-2016, and this season with the Thunder. He had mostly been a backup center, and his career averages are 6.3 ppg, 4.1 rpg, 0.1 bpg. He has never been known as a perimeter shooter, but this season he is shooting 35% from three. He is in the final year of his contract that pays him $1.7 million per year, and it seems unlikely the Bulls will re-sign him, too.

So basically, they traded Taj Gibson, their starting power forward, and former 1st round draft pick McDermott for 2 relatively worthless expiring contracts (Morrow & Lauvergne), and an unproven point guard who is a terrible shooter, rarely gets assists, and has produced minimal statistics in his 2 seasons playing for a very good team.

Not much of a benefit for the Bulls with this trade.

[tornado]

Fred Van Vleet has gotten to play in the Playoffs - though not a whole lot..

In the 5 games of the 1st round series for the Raptors, Fred has played in 3 of the games and has a total of 11 minutes played, 3 pts.
His season totals: 37 games, 7.9 min per game, 2.9 ppg, 0.9 apg, 35% FG%, 37% 3-pt FG%
Fred made the NBA minimum of $543,471 this season, but Fred signed a multi-year deal with Toronto so unless something else happens, he is in line to make $905,249 in 2017-18 and $1,250,626 in 2018-19.

Ron Baker (Knicks) has ended his season with 52 games played, 16.5 min per game, 4.1 ppg, 2.1 apg, 37.8% overall shooting and 26.7% 3-pt shooting
Ron Baker reportedly qualified for the NBA minimum salary and ended up getting paid $543,471 - again, no word if the Knicks will pick up the deal for 2017-18.

Egidijus Mockevicius never made an appearance on the Nets' but did play 35 games in the D-League with the Long Island Nets, 21.2 min per game, 7.7ppg, 7.9 rpg
He had signed a $100,000 guarantee with the Nets, but no word on whetherthat will be picked up for 2018-19 or if Big E will instead look to play overseas.

[Stickboy46]

Fred Van Vleet has gotten to play in the Playoffs - though not a whole lot..

In the 5 games of the 1st round series for the Raptors, Fred has played in 3 of the games and has a total of 11 minutes played, 3 pts.
His season totals: 37 games, 7.9 min per game, 2.9 ppg, 0.9 apg, 35% FG%, 37% 3-pt FG%
Fred made the NBA minimum of $543,471 this season, but Fred signed a multi-year deal with Toronto so unless something else happens, he is in line to make $905,249 in 2017-18 and $1,250,626 in 2018-19.

Ron Baker (Knicks) has ended his season with 52 games played, 16.5 min per game, 4.1 ppg, 2.1 apg, 37.8% overall shooting and 26.7% 3-pt shooting
Ron Baker reportedly qualified for the NBA minimum salary and ended up getting paid $543,471 - again, no word if the Knicks will pick up the deal for 2017-18.

Egidijus Mockevicius never made an appearance on the Nets' but did play 35 games in the D-League with the Long Island Nets, 21.2 min per game, 7.7ppg, 7.9 rpg
He had signed a $100,000 guarantee with the Nets, but no word on whetherthat will be picked up for 2018-19 or if Big E will instead look to play overseas.

Baker signed a 2 year, 8.9 Million contract with a player option. Hard work does pay off (or sometimes being in a mis-run organization helps you out)

[tornado]

wow - what a great deal for Ron Baker - leaving the people in the NY sports media a bit stunned...

http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/basketball/knicks/baker-2-year-8-9m-deal-leaves-knicks-1-5m-spend-article-1.3318438

"The Knicks' surprising pre-emptive commitment to Baker is the second free agent agreement
handed out by the club that has raised some eyebrows around the league.

The Knicks, under general manager Steve Mills, signed shooting guard Tim Hardaway Jr.
to a four-year $71 million offer sheet that the Atlanta Hawks - Hardaway's incumbent club -
declined to match. The contract has been met with shock inside and outside the organization..."


btw-
someone caught Hersey Hawkins at the Summer League games

[Da Coach]

The 4-year/$71 million ($17.75 million per year) deal for Tim Hardaway, Jr. was mind-boggling. He is known to be one of the worst defenders in the NBA, and was told by the Atlanta Hawks that they were not going to play him because of his defense. So the Knicks throw crazy money at him.
Now the Knicks pay $8.9 million ($4.45 million per year) for 2-years for Ron Baker. I am happy for Ron Baker, but this signing also stuns me. Baker went undrafted, and made the team after a stay in the D-League. He averaged 4.1 ppg in 52 games, and shot only 26.7% from three.

http://www.basketball-reference.com/players/b/bakerro01.html

No wonder the Knicks are a mess. Their fans are a bit upset, to say the least. They were one of the worst teams in the NBA last season (31-51), and they don't have a proven point guard, and these 2 signings now leave them with less than $1.5 million under the salary cap, and takes them out of the running to try to sign a quality point guard like Derrick Rose or Rajon Rondo.

http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/basketball/knicks/baker-2-year-8-9m-deal-leaves-knicks-1-5m-spend-article-1.3318438

[tornado]

Former MVC player Anthony Tolliver signs a 1-year deal with the Pistons

http://www.detroitnews.com/story/sports/nba/pistons/2017/07/11/pistons-add-experience-bring-back-anthony-tolliver/103615598/

http://www.news-leader.com/story/sports/2017/07/11/springfields-anthony-tolliver-reportedly-agrees-deal-detroit-pistons/470093001/

[tornado]

ISU's Paris Lee gives up on his hopes of making it with an NBA team or the D-League, and chooses to sign with the Antwerp (Belgium) Giants

http://basketball.eurobasket.com/team/Belgium/Port-of-Antwerp-Giants/329

This is the same team that Hersey Hawkins' son Corey Hawkins, DeAndre Kane and ex-Drake Bulldog Micah Mason played for

[tornado]

Right now, of all current MVC coaches, I believe Brian Wardle has THE MOST players he has previously coached under contract with an NBA team or playing in the Summer Leagues within the past year....
...Alec Brown, Alfonzo McKinnie, Kiefer Sykes

I hope that number keeps increasing..

[Da Coach]

Right now, of all current MVC coaches, I believe Brian Wardle has THE MOST players he has previously coached under contract with an NBA team or playing in the Summer Leagues within the past year....
...Alec Brown, Alfonzo McKinnie, Kiefer Sykes

Keifer Sykes played in the Korean Basketball League this past year, not in the D-League. And I can't find that he played in the NBA Summer League since the first part of last year's NBA Summer League (2016). Did he play in this summer's NBA Summer League somewhere? If not, the Wardle is not the only MVC coach with 2 players. Wes Washpun and Jeremy Morgan are playing in this summer NBA Sumer League.