Tag: Henry Ellenson

Ranking the 30 best players of the 2019-20 NBA G League season

With the NBA G League season likely to be canceled soon, Rookie Wire took a look at the best players to suit up this year.

As the NBA braces for a lengthy hiatus due to the coronavirus pandemic, the growing belief around the league is that the G League season will soon be canceled.

The G League regular season was set to conclude on March 28 and the decision to end play is likely an easy one to make given the financial burden it places on organizations. While the season will soon be canceled, all G League players will be paid through the end of the year.

The NBA itself is preparing for the possibility of returning to play in mid-to-late June as the best-case scenario after the CDC recommended on Sunday that all events with 50 or more people be canceled for two months to help slow the spread of the virus.

With the G League likely set to be canceled, Rookie Wire decided to take a look at the best players to suit up this season as there have been some spectacular performances from around the league.

Players must have appeared in at least 20 games to be considered. Stats were used from the NBA G League, Basketball-Reference and RealGM.

30. Donta Hall, Grand Rapids Drive

Hall, who finished second in double-doubles among all players with 22, emerged as a strong post player with the Drive this season. He was named to the 2019-20 Midseason All-NBA G League Team and was solid all season long in his first year as a professional.

29. Christ Koumadje, Delaware Blue Coats

The 7-foot-4 center led the G League in blocks with four per game and was seventh in rebounding. He recorded two triple-doubles this season with points, rebounds and blocks and tied the mark for most rebounds in a game by an individual player at 24.

28. Kyle Alexander, Sioux Falls Skyforce

Alexander quickly became one of the best big men in the league this season and his play resulted in a two-way contract from the Miami Heat. He finished fifth in blocks and 14th in rebounding with the Skyforce to cap a productive first year.

27. Eric Mika, Stockton Kings

The former BYU product placed 29th in scoring among all players and second in rebounding. Mika recorded 16 double-doubles and tied the G League season-high of 24 rebounds by an individual player. He eventually earned a 10-day contract from the Kings in February but was not signed to a second one.

26. Paul Watson, Raptors 905

Watson was named to the 2019-20 Midseason All-NBA G League Team and continued his strong play for the rest of the season. Watson scored in double figures in each of his 30 games played in the G League and eventually earned a two-way contract from the Toronto Raptors.

25-21 | 20-16 | 15-11 | 10-6 | 5-1

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Report: Long Island to trade for Justin Anderson

Justin Anderson was on a 10-day deal with the Brooklyn Nets but was released. It appears he’ll be rejoining the organization.

Justin Anderson’s time in Brooklyn was brief. He signed a 10-day contract with the Nets while the team was in search of a player to fill David Nwaba’s spot on their roster, after the team waived the wing following surgery to repair his torn right Achilles — an injury he suffered on December 19.

With Timothe Luwawu-Cabarrot, one of Brooklyn’s two-way players, performing so well, Anderson didn’t get much of a chance to prove himself in games. The Nets elected to release Anderson and sign Luwawu-Cabarrot to a 10-day contract.

As a result of being waived, Anderson went back to where the Nets got him from, the Toronto Raptors’ G League affiliate, Raptors 905.

But it looks like Brooklyn wants Anderson back in the organization.

Kelsea O’Brien of Raptors Republic is reporting Raptors 905 is trading Anderson to the Long Island Nets, Brooklyn’s G League affiliate, in exchange for former Nets two-way player Henry Ellenson — who still needs to sign his G League contract with Long Island for the trade to go through.

Nets sign Chris Chiozza to two-way contract

The Brooklyn Nets have filled the two-way slot that was made vacant by the team’s decision to waive Henry Ellenson.

The Brooklyn Nets have filled their second two-way roster spot after having waived forward Henry Ellenson on Friday.

Following Saturday’s loss to the Toronto Raptors, the Nets announced the signing of Chris Chiozza to a two-way contract. The guard was was with the Washington Wizards earlier in the season on a two-way deal. He was released mid-December so the Wizards could use the two-way slot on Anzejs Pasecniks.

Chiozza appeared in seven games for the Houston Rockets last season and four with the Rio Grande Valley Vipers, Houston’s G League team. He also played with the Go-Go for 43 games in 2018-19.

This season, Chiozza was on a two-way deal with the Wizards. He played in 10 NBA games and 10 G League games for Washington’s affiliate, the Capital City Go-Go.

Chiozza has averaged 12.8 points per game on 41.8% shooting throughout his G League career. In his limited time at the NBA level, the guard has averaged 1.9 points per game on 28.6% shooting.

Report: Nets are waiving Henry Ellenson

In addition to David Nwaba, the Brooklyn Nets reportedly plan to waive two-way forward Henry Ellenson.

On Thursday, a report surfaced about David Nwaba’s future in Brooklyn and it indicated he was set to be released by the Nets. On Friday, Brooklyn officially requested waivers on Nwaba.

The Nets signed Nwaba last summer and he appeared in 20 games before he tore his Achilles, which led to surgery and ended his 2019-20 campaign.

But it appears Nwaba may not be the only player the team is set to waive.

According to Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN, the Nets are going to move on from two-way forward Henry Ellenson, as well. Additionally, Woj is reporting the Nets are looking for another guard. The player will likely be on a two-way deal or a 10-day contract.

Ellenson has primarily spent his time in the G League with Long Island this season. He only played in five games for Brooklyn, while he played in 11 for Long Island.

RELATED: Kenny Atkinson on David Nwaba: ‘I have the utmost respect for David’

RELATED: Analyzing what Justin Anderson can bring to the Nets on new contract

David Nwaba listed on Nets injury report vs. Spurs, probable to play

Nets wing David Nwaba is dealing with an ankle injury heading into Brooklyn’s matchup with the San Antonio Spurs.

David Nwaba was added to the Brooklyn Nets’ length injury report on Wednesday leading up to their matchup with the San Antonio Spurs on Thursday.

He’s currently dealing with a right ankle sprain. Though, Nwaba is still likely to play, having been listed as probable.

Nets rookie Nic Claxton is out again for the Nets. He’s still dealing with left hamstring soreness, which popped up when he was with the Long Island Nets. Of course, Kyrie Irving (right shoulder impingement) is still out, as is Caris LeVert (right thumb surgery) — the latter of which is with the team, while the former stayed back in Brooklyn.

Lastly, Henry Ellenson is back with Long Island. He started the trip with Brooklyn in New Orleans. Being a two-way player, he is limited to 45 days at the NBA level.

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How to interpret Kenny Atkinson’s comments on upcoming changes in Nets rotation

Change is coming for the Brooklyn Nets. Kenny Atkinson gave some insight as to how he expects things will transpire.

Kenny Atkinson has some tough decisions ahead of him. And he has to make them soon.

Based on the information the Nets head coach has shared regarding Kyrie Irving and Caris LeVert’s status, the first challenging choice will be who gets the final roster spot with Wilson Chandler’s suspension ending on December 15.

Iman Shumpert became the 16th man on the roster, which Brooklyn was given due to Chandler’s situation. But Shumpert has been part of the rotation since he first signed with the team.

Additionally, David Nwaba has emerged as someone who can provide a lift off the bench, on both ends of the floor.

Right now, the move seems to be: waive one of either Henry Ellenson or Timothe Luwawu-Cabarrot, then do the same with Dzanan Musa or Theo Pinson, but sign whoever is waived of the latter two to a two-way deal.

After Sunday’s win, Atkinson was asked about the complications he now faces with several players emerging as contributors:

It just adds to our depth and adds to our talent. I just see it as a good thing. Now, I am thinking about, ‘What is that going to look like [with the] rotation?’ Nwaba, how much does he play? What does that look like with Spencer? Start? Come off the bench? So those are good problems. I’m excited about, and our staff is excited about making that work. But I can only think that the experience that these guys are getting in different roles — even Garrett Temple. He’s kind of out power-scorer right now off the ball. And his role will change. But I think in that long run, that makes you stronger.

First, it’s important to note the reporter who asked about Brooklyn’s upcoming rotational changes specifically mentioned three players in the question: Dinwiddie, Nwaba and Shumpert.

Why does that matter? Because Atkinson didn’t address Shumpert in his answer, but touched on the other two. Given the wing’s unique situation, Atkinson might need to be a bit more careful with what he says regarding Shumpert’s future.

On the other hand, the Nets head coach may not see Shumpert’s role changing.

Whereas, with Nwaba, Atkinson’s comments made clear his spot on the roster is safe. Of course, this is barring a major change in his play, as well as major jumps from both Pinson and Musa.

Lastly, it seems likely Dinwiddie will continue to start when Irving returns. Atkinson made clear Temple’s role will change, but he was up in the air when it came to Dinwiddie.