Tag: Justin Anderson

Nets March Madness: Joe Harris helps Virginia reach Sweet 16 for first time since 1995

On March 23, 2014, Joe Harris helped lead his alma mater to its first postseason berth in nearly two decades.

While there’s still hope for the NBA to crown a 2020 champion, the same cannot be said for college basketball. When professional sports organizations put their seasons on hold in response to the novel coronavirus outbreak, the NCAA canceled all winter tournaments — including the men’s and women’s basketball tournaments.

Since there won’t be any bracket busting or Cinderella stories this year, Nets Wire will try to help fans get their March Madness fix by looking back at performances and runs that featured current Brooklyn Nets players:

March 23, 2014

Virginia men’s basketball experienced a long drought after it made the Elite Eight in 1995. The Cavaliers still made the tournament a fair amount, but it wasn’t until 2014 that the program advanced past the first weekend.

And it was Joe Harris who led Virginia in scoring in the game that gave the Cavaliers their first Sweet 16 berth in nearly two decades.

The senior sharpshooter went 6-for-10 from the floor and knocked down 2 of his 5 3-point attempts. Harris also went 2-for-4 at the line, finishing with 16 points in Virginia’s 78-60 win over Memphis (full box score).

Harris also had five rebounds for Virginia.

This game also featured Justin Anderson, who would spend time with Harris again, briefly, in Brooklyn in 2019-20. The junior scored 10 points off the bench, grabbed four rebounds and blocked two shots.

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 Jeremiah Martin to two-way deal

The Nets have signed Timothe Luwawu-Cabarrot to a two-way deal, which provides another player the chance to play for Brooklyn.

Following Wednesday night’s loss to the Philadelphia 76ers, Justin Anderson was released by the Brooklyn Nets as a result of his 10-day contract expiring. The roster spot was first made available as a result of David Nwaba’s torn Achilles and season-ending surgery.

Brooklyn then signed Timothe Luwawu-Cabarrot to a 10-day contract to fill the final spot on the roster. This then opened up a two-way slot for a new player.

The Nets decided Jeremiah Martin was the player they wanted to sign to a two-way deal.

Martin was previously with the Sioux Falls Skyforce, the Miami Heat’s G League affiliate. He played in 21 games for the Skyforce this season and averaged 18.5 points, 3.0 rebounds, 5.1 assists and 1.5 steals per game.

Martin is in his rookie season, having finished up at the University of Memphis after 2018-19.

RELATED: Nets sign Timothe Luwawu-Cabarrot to 10-day contract

RELATED: Nets lose 117-106 vs. Sixers in second game of back-to-back

Nets sign Timothe Luwawu-Cabarrot to 10-day contract

The Brooklyn Nets have one final roster spot to fill and it’s going to Timothe Luwawu-Cabarrot.

Following Wednesday’s loss to the Philadelphia 76ers, the Brooklyn Nets made some adjustments to their roster.

Justin Anderson’s 10-day contract with the team has expired and the Nets released him as a result. Joe Harris’ college teammate only appeared in three games for the Nets during his brief stint. Anderson was playing for the Toronto Raptors’ G League affiliate, Raptors 905, prior to signing with the Nets.

Subsequently, the Nets signed Timothe Luwawu-Cabarrot to a 10-day contract. he had previously been on a two-way deal with the team and has appeared in each of Brooklyn’s last 15 games, including Wednesday’s loss to the Sixers, in which he played 15 minutes, grabbed two rebounds, scored two points and had a steal.

On the whole, Luwawu-Cabarrot has played in 17 games for the Nets throughout the 2019-20 season. He is averaging 4.8 points per game on 39.4% shooting (34.3% from 3-point territory) while playing 17.2 minutes per night.

RELATED: Nets lose 117-106 vs. Sixers in second game of back-to-back

Nets sign Justin Anderson to 10-day contract

Joe Harris has been reunited with his old college teammate, Justin Anderson.

For the first time since college, Joe Harris and Justin Anderson are teammates again, with the latter signing a 10-day contract with the Brooklyn Nets on Monday.

Anderson was previously an affiliate player for Raptors 905, Toronto’s G League squad. He appeared in 13 games for Raptors 905 this year, averaging 21.2 points, 6.8 rebounds and 1.2 steals per game while playing 33.6 minutes a night.

Anderson has appeared in 216 NBA games since he was drafted No. 21 overall in 2015. In those contests, the wing is averaging 5.3 points and 2.6 rebounds per game.

Harris and Anderson played together at the University of Virginia for two years. Anderson started his three-year collegiate career in 2012-13, and Harris began his in 2010-11.

In Harris’ senior season at Virginia and Anderson’s sophomore year — in which he was the ACC’s Sixth Man of the Year — the two helped lead Virginia to two wins in the NCAA Tournament before Michigan State knocked them off in the East Regional Semifinal.

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

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

The Brooklyn Nets have signed Justin Anderson, who will replace David Nwaba on the roster after he was waived following a torn Achilles.

The Brooklyn Nets have signed Justin Anderson, who will replace David Nwaba on the roster after he was waived following a torn Achilles.

When he was playing for the Virginia Cavaliers, he was teammates for two years with Nets wing Joe Harris and together the two led the team to March Madness and an appearance in the Sweet 16.

The two of them, as well as Brooklyn wing Garrett Temple, work alongside Indiana Pacers star Malcolm Brogdon for The Chris Long Foundation to help bring clean water to communities in East Africa.

While he has since bounced around the league, he has recently shown some prowess and progress on the court.

Before he was picked up by Nets, the former first-round pick put up 21.2 points and 6.9 rebounds per game in the G League. Anderson was averaging 0.99 points per possession for Raptors 905, per Synergy Sports, which ranks 83rd percentile among all G League players.

The wing has been at his best on isolation opportunities, where he is shooting 9-for-13 (69.2 percent) thus far. Among those in the G League who have had at least ten isolation possessions, only one player (Rayjon Tucker, who was just signed to an NBA roster spot by the Utah Jazz) has been more efficient.

Meanwhile, the 26-year-old could potentially be a solid fit when Brooklyn runs a transition offense. Anderson is currently averaging 1.08 PPP when in transition, which ranks 66th percentile. Just look at what he did against the Long Island Nets, when he assuredly impressed team scouts by putting up 40 points (including this monstrous slam) on December 5.

Last season, he averaged 1.18 PPP (65th percentile) on these looks for the Hawks. He produced 1.36 PPP (91st percentile) in transition during his first season with the Philadelphia 76ers in 2016-17 and 1.50 PPP (98th percentile) as a rookie for the Dallas Mavericks.

This has been a strong suit for Anderson as far back as his collegiate days playing for Virginia. He ranked in the 97th percentile on this play type in his final season in the NCAA.

While he may not be promised much playing time off the jump, he can be an impactful player on the opportunities with his new team.

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Report: Nets plan to sign Justin Anderson to 10-day contract

With the Brooklyn Nets expected to waive David Nwaba, it is now being reported they will sign a G league swingman.

The Brooklyn Nets are expected to waive wing David Nwaba, and it appears they’ve already decided on a replacement — at least temporarily.

Shams Charania of The Athletic is reporting the Brooklyn Nets are planning to sign Justin Anderson from the Toronto Raptors’ G League team, Raptors 905, to a 10-day contract.

He has played in 13 games for Raptors 905 this year and is averaging 21.2 point per game.

As John Hollinger of The Athletic pointed out on Twitter, this move allows the Nets to keep a spot open for a trade. Or if the Nets decide to upgrade Timothe Luwawu-Cabarrot to a full-time NBA player from his two-deal, they can now do so.

Luwawu Cabarrot has appeared in 10 games for the Nets this season and is averaging 4.9 points and 2.2 rebounds on 16.9 per game. He is also shooting 29% from the floor and 38.1% from 3-point territory.

This may also rule out the possible return of wing Iman Shumpert, who played for the Nets while Wilson Chandler was out due to suspension.

RELATED: Report: Nets are waiving David Nwaba