NBA AM: 10-Day Contract Candidates

10-Day Contract Candidates

Beginning tomorrow, teams may begin signing players to 10-day contracts. These sort of contracts are most commonly used as a tryout period for respective players. Most players that sign a 10-day contract originate from the NBA’s Development League.

Teams may sign a player to a maximum of two 10-day contracts. Following the end of the second 10-day contract, teams must decide if they want to sign that player for the remainder of the season or cut ties with that player.

Last season, we saw a record number of call-ups from the D-League, as 47 players received an all-time high 63 call-ups. Players like Hassan Whiteside, Tim Frazier, Tyler Johnson, Seth Curry, Langston Galloway and Robert Covington were some of the players called-up to the NBA who still remain on an NBA roster.

This week also represents the deadline in which non-guaranteed contracts become guaranteed, with teams needing to cut those players by Friday in order to allow for the two-day waiver period before those contracts become guaranteed on Sunday. As more roster spots open up, this could free the way for more prospects to earn their way onto NBA rosters.

With the window opening tomorrow for players to make their impressions on NBA teams, here are 10 prospects to keep an eye on that could earn a 10-day contract (in no particular order):

F – Ronald Roberts, Raptors 905:

After a successful showing in the Vegas Summer League, Roberts earned an invitation to play with the Raptors during training camp. He would eventually be waived by Toronto, but he then joined the Raptors 905 in the D-League. Among players that have played at least 10 games in the D-League, Roberts ranks third in field goal percentage at 66.2 percent. In addition, he’s averaging 17.8 points, 12.6 rebounds and 1.6 blocks per game. His rebounds rank second in the D-League and his blocks rank 10th. Roberts is an exceptional athlete and has demonstrated that he should be playing in the NBA.

G – Jimmer Fredette, Westchester Knicks:

The struggles Fredette has faced since coming into the league in 2011 have been well-documented. Fredette made a name for himself in college, but hasn’t been able to catch on with NBA teams as he’s played with four different franchises in his career. Fredette now finds himself playing for the Knicks’ D-League team in Westchester. He’s fourth in the D-League in scoring (among players who have played at least 10 games) with 23.5 points per contest. He’s shooting 47 percent from three-point range and is also adding nearly five rebounds and five assists per game. He can still provide teams with a viable shooting option off of the bench. The Knicks have been reportedly interested in adding a guard to the roster, and have been linked with Fredette in recent weeks.

G – Elliot Williams, Santa Cruz Warriors:

It seems as though Williams is the most likely player to be called-up at some point this season since he’s the No. 1 D-League prospect, according to the league’s rankings. It should come as no surprise then that Williams is leading the D-League in scoring at 28.1 points per game. He’s also adding 7.1 assists, 5.8 assists and 1.2 steals per game while shooting an even 50 percent from the field. Williams figures to be one of the most scouted players this week when the D-League Showcase kicks off on Wednesday. Each of the 19 D-League teams will be playing two games over the five-day showcase, giving players plenty of chances to catch the eye of potential teams.

Since this article has published, Williams will sign with the Memphis Grizzlies, as reported by Marc Spears.

G – Sean Kilpatrick, Delaware 87ers:

Kilpatrick seems to be right behind Williams in terms of players poised to earn a call-up. Kilpatrick ranks as the No. 2 prospect in the D-League, and is tied for second in scoring with 26.1 points per game. On his resume this season is a 45-point outing at the beginning of December where he knocked down 6-of-8 shots from three-point range. He’s hitting 3.3 three-pointers per game and is converting on 45 percent of those shots. It’s possible Kilpatrick could earn a call-up from the 76ers at some point. Although the Sixers already have 15 players on their team, several of those players are on non-guaranteed deals and could be cut by the deadline this weekend, which could open up a spot for Kilpatrick.

F – Earl Clark, Bakersfield Jam:

With six seasons of experience in the NBA, Clark is perhaps the most experienced player in the D-League. Given his vast experience, he could be a favorite to be called-up to a team in need of some frontcourt depth. Playoff races will only continue to heat up as the season progresses, and Clark could provide a veteran presence for a team in need of an extra body. Clark ranks ninth in scoring with 20.7 points per game, and is also adding 8.4 rebounds, 2.3 assists and 1.5 blocks per game. Clark could also be a candidate to head back overseas to pursue a larger contract if he can’t catch on with an NBA team. The fact that he’s in the D-League means he wants to play in the NBA, so he may just stick it out for a while in the States.

G – Erick Green, Reno Bighorns:

Green has already played a season overseas and two seasons with the Denver Nuggets before being waived by the Nuggets back in November. After being waived by Denver, Green was acquired by Reno in the D-League. Rather than go back overseas, Green stayed in the D-League in an attempt to catch on with an NBA team. Green is the No. 4 ranked prospect in the D-League and is turning in a great 2015-16 campaign so far. He’s tied with Kilpatrick for second in scoring with 26.1 points per game, and is also adding 4.5 rebounds, 4.3 assists and 1.4 steals per game. In addition to that, he’s shooting 44 percent from three-point range and 52 percent from the field. In 24 games this season, Green has scored at least 20 points in all but three of those games. He’s proven himself in the D-League and it seems he should be on an NBA roster.

G – Terrico White, Bakersfield Jam:

White is perhaps one of the more interesting names in the D-League. He was drafted in the second round of the 2010 draft by the Detroit Pistons, but never appeared in a game after suffering a foot injury. He spent the next season with the Idaho Stampede, before spending the next three seasons overseas. Now, he’s back in the States trying to land in the NBA. He’s in the D-League with the Phoenix Suns’ affiliate looking to earn a call-up. In 15 games for the Jam, White is averaging 14.7 points, 6.4 rebounds, 2.1 assists and 1.8 steals per game. He’s also shooting 45 percent from the floor, including 43 percent from three-point range. His best game of the season came on Dec. 15 when he recorded 34 points (on 7-of-8 shooting from three-point range), 13 rebounds, four assists and three steals.  

G/F – Darington Hobson, Santa Cruz Warriors:

Hobson is touted as the 12th-best prospect in the D-League. With several teams in the NBA in need of guard depth, Hobson could be a name to watch over the course of the next few weeks. He’s shown that he can be a capable passer and rebounder as well. On the season, Hobson is averaging 17.6 points, 8.6 rebounds and 5.9 assists per game. He’s been an efficient shooter this season as he’s converting on 41 percent of his shots from the field and 40 percent from three-point range, including 47 percent over his last four outings. He’s played four seasons in the D-League and is by far having his best success this year, which could earn himself a spot on an NBA team.

F – Vince Hunter, Reno Bighorns:

Hunter went undrafted this past year, and has torn up the D-League so far. He’s averaging 22.2 points, 11.9 rebounds and 1.5 blocks per game. He’s tied for the league lead in double-doubles with 13, his 22.2 points are sixth-highest, his 11.9 rebounds rank third and his 5.1 offensive rebounds are tops in the league. His best game of the season came back on Nov. 21 after he scored 32 points and pulled down 24 rebounds. Hunter could be an option for teams seeking frontcourt depth and rebounding help.

G – Toure’ Murry, Texas Legends:

Murry is a player who has shown that he can contribute in a wide variety of different ways. He’s averaging 14.7 points, 6.5 assists, 6.5 rebounds and 2.1 steals per game this season for the Legends. He’s become a consistent scorer this season as he’s scored in single-digits just one time, and is coming off of a season-high 24 points on Saturday. He also added seven rebounds, five assists and two steals in that outing. The Utah Jazz have reportedly shown interest in Murry already, and he could become an option for the Brooklyn Nets now that Jarrett Jack is done for the season. He’s proven he can create mismatches with his 6’5 frame and has shown he can be a capable defender.

*****

These are all players to keep an eye on in the coming weeks since they could find themselves on an NBA roster. With the D-League growing each year, teams will surely be looking there to add some depth to their respective rosters. Some teams could be looking for an extra body or two for their playoff push, while others could begin to look ahead and try to add players for the future. These players are looking to get into the league; if their quest proves unsuccessful, they could look for a bigger deal overseas.