Tag: Kira Lewis Jr.

Utah Jazz trading for former Alabama PG Kira Lewis Jr.

Former Alabama PG Kira Lewis traded from New Orleans to Utah

Former Alabama point guard [autotag]Kira Lewis Jr.[/autotag] is on the move to Salt Lake City as part of a trade between the Utah Jazz and Toronto Raptors. The Jazz traded away C Kelly Olynyk and G Ochai Agbaji to the Raptors in exchange for Lewis, F Otto Porter and a 2024 first-round pick.

Alabama fans may as well go ahead and buy their Jazz jerseys now as Lewis will get to share a backcourt with Collin Sexton. The former 2020 first-round draft started the year with the New Orleans Pelicans but was traded to Toronto on Jan. 17. Lewis only appeared in one game with the Raptors.

Lewis has averaged just under ten minutes a game and 2.8 ppg, 1.1 apg and 0.9 rpg. The Jazz are currently the 10-seed in the Western conference and will have no aspirations of a title in 2024. So, hopefully, they use this time to develop their young assets.

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Former Alabama PG Kira Lewis Jr. headed to Toronto Raptors in three-team deal

On Wednesday, former Alabama point guard Kira Lewis Jr. was traded from the New Orleans Pelicans to the Toronto Raptors as a part of a three-team deal.

On Wednesday afternoon, a three-team deal was agreed upon by the Indiana Pacers, Toronto Raptors, and New Orleans Pelicans. According to ESPN senior NBA insider Adrian Wojnarowski, former Kira Lewis Jr. was traded from the Pelicans to the Raptors as a part of the trade.

Lewis Jr. has spent the past four seasons as a part of the Pelicans organization. He was drafted No. 13 overall in the 2020 NBA draft by the Pelicans.

This appears to be a good opportunity for Lewis Jr. The native of Meridianville, Alabama played sparingly during his four seasons with the Pelicans. With the Raptors struggling this season, it could be a promising move for both parties moving forward. Lewis Jr. could provide some valuable minutes in the Raptors backcourt.

Roll Tide Wire will continue to follow the latest news regarding the Alabama men’s basketball program and its former players in the NBA.

Alabama in NBA: How former Tide players have performed up to this point in the season

The Alabama men’s basketball team is well-represented in the NBA. Roll Tide Wire takes a closer look at how some of the alumni are perfoming at the professional level.

Over the years, the Alabama men’s basketball program has placed players in the NBA. Despite Alabama being known predominantly for its football prowess, the Crimson Tide has stepped up in a big way in the last six years.

Since 2018, Alabama has had seven players drafted by NBA front offices. Not to mention, five of the seven that were chosen were first-round picks.

Basketball has become more meaningful in Tuscaloosa, Alabama. It has turned into a hotbed for some of the top prospects in college basketball.

Roll Tide Wire breaks down how former Tide players have performed in the NBA up to this point in the season.

Pelicans exploring trade options for PG Kira Lewis Jr.

Former Alabama PG, Kira Lewis Jr, may be on the Pelicans trade block

Kira Lewis Jr. was the New Orleans Pelicans’ first-round selection (No. 13 overall) in the 2023 NBA draft, but it appears as if the young point guard may be on the move in the coming days. Lewis spent two seasons with the Crimson Tide basketball program before foregoing his remaining eligibility. Alabama fans have got to see Lewis playing alongside Herb Jones for the past few years, but it appears as if that is coming to an end.

Lewis had seen his minutes and role diminish each of the past three seasons and the Pelicans have seemingly decided it was best for his future to get a fresh start. Lewis only averaged 9.4 minutes a game in 2023, so I think he would agree that getting a new opportunity with more minutes is crucial for his development. It isn’t known yet who the potential trade suitors could be, but I imagine there will be a handful of teams interested in the 22-year-old.

Through three seasons in the league, Lewis has averaged 14.4 minutes a game and averaged 5.8 PPG, 1.4 RPG and 1.9 APG. He had also spent some time with the Pelicans G-League affiliate, the Birmingham Squadron, this past season.

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JD Davison could join an Alabama-loaded Pelicans team through the NBA draft

Where will this former Tide star land in tomorrow’s NBA draft?

With the NBA draft taking place tomorrow June 23rd, all of the final mock predictions are taking place. Bryan Kalbrosky of USA Today shared his updated draft which included a landing spot for former Crimson Tide star [autotag]JD Davison[/autotag].

Kalbrosky predicts that Davison will join [autotag]Kira Lewis Jr[/autotag]. and [autotag]Herb Jones[/autotag] in New Orleans with the Pelicans’ No. 41 overall selection. New Orleans would be a great landing spot for JD with these familiar faces and a very similar style of play as in Tuscaloosa.

In Davison’s lone season with the Tide, he averaged 8.5 points 4.8 rebounds, and 4.3 assists on over 46% from the field. He also is very active on the defensive end posting a steal a game.

Davison has the skill-set and star power to thrive at the next level.

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Contact/Follow us @RollTideWire on Twitter, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Alabama news, notes and opinion. You can also follow Sam Murphy on Twitter @SamMurphy02.

Let us know your thoughts, comment on this story below. Join the conversation today!

Bleacher Report proposes John Wall, Christian Wood, Garrison Mathews trades for Rockets

John Wall to the Lakers? How about Christian Wood to Golden State? Here’s our analysis of Bleacher Report’s latest NBA trade proposals involving the Rockets and whether they make sense.

With the 2022 playoffs field narrowed from 16 teams to four, the NBA’s highly anticipated 2022 offseason is right around the corner. As the June 23 draft approaches, trade talks will pick up around the league.

As usual, general manager Rafael Stone and the Rockets should be among the more active teams. Though Houston is clearly in a rebuilding phase, there are a number of highly priced veterans (John Wall, Christian Wood, and Eric Gordon) who could be of interest to contending teams.

Best of all, each member of that trio is entering the final season of their existing contracts in 2022-23, which could make them more desirable on the trade market due to the lack of a long-term financial commitment.

With trade rumors swirling, Greg Swartz of Bleacher Report recently proposed one offseason trade idea for each of the league’s 30 teams. Here’s what he came up with involving the Rockets, along with our verdicts on whether or not each is advisable for Stone to pursue. All of these proposals work within the NBA’s salary matching rules for trades.

Latest NBA mock draft has a pair Alabama players selected

Where does ESPN’s latest NBA mock draft have JD Davison and Keon Ellis projected?

Much like the NFL, mock drafts for the NBA are updated almost daily. Also like football, Alabama is becoming increasingly represented on the mock draft scene.

Early Wednesday morning, ESPN released its all-new NBA two-round mock draft (subscription required) and it featured a pair of Alabama players in freshman guard JD Davison and senior guard/forward Keon Ellis.

Davison is currently projected to be selected by the Miami Heat with pick No. 27 of the first round. If Davison indeed enters the draft and is selected in the first round that would put the Crimson Tide having a first-round pick in three out of the last four NBA drafts.

Ellis is projected to be a second-round selection and No. 49 overall by the New Orleans Pelicans. If Ellis is selected by the Pelicans, he would join fellow former Alabama players Herbert Jones and Kira Lewis Jr. in New Orleans.

Roll Tide Wire will continue to monitor the draft status of both JD Davison and Keon Ellis.

Contact/Follow us @RollTideWire on Twitter, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Alabama news, notes, and opinion. You can also follow Stacey Blackwood on Twitter @Blackwood89.

Let us know your thoughts, comment on this story below. Join the conversation today.

BREAKING: Kira Lewis Jr. drafted by New Orleans Pelicans

Former Alabama guard Kira Lewis will begin his NBA career with the New Orleans Pelicans.

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Former Alabama guard Kira Lewis Jr. has been drafted by the New Orleans Pelicans with the No. 13 overall pick in the first round of the 2020 NBA draft.

Lewis spent two years with the Crimson Tide where he was often the youngest member of the squad, first joining the team in 2018 as a 17-year old.

Alabama head coach Nate Oats had high praise for Lewis, not only as a player, but also as a person.

“He’s got zero red flags as a kid. He’s a great person off the floor. He works hard. He’s in the gym. Teams can see how good he is on film,” Oats said.

Lewis was a consistent leader for the Crimson Tide, making plays himself, or being abe to create plays. The one ability he possesses that sets him apart from the others is his speed, which teams have most definitley factored into their decision.

Roll Tide Wire congratulates Kira and looks forward to keeping up with him as he begins his NBA career!

Bleacher Report’s NBA mock draft has Kira Lewis as 15th overall pick

Bleacher Report released its latest mock draft and has Kira Lewis as the 15th overall pick in the first round of the 2020 NBA draft

Bleacher Report released its latest mock draft and has Kira Lewis as the 15th overall pick in the first round of the 2020 NBA draft, which has been postponed until November.

This draft has Lewis being drafted by the Orlando Magic in the upcoming draft.

Kira Lewis Jr. continues to improve and impress. So much so that even Jeremy Woo of Bleacher Report even saw the former Alabama point guard as the 12th best player in the 2020 NBA Draft class.

Analysts continue to applaud Lewis’ speed, ability to move the ball, and his ability to make big plays. Many mock drafts have Lewis between the No. 15-25 overall pick of the draft. This continues to be a trend for Lewis. Some analysts say Lewis could sneak his way closer to the top 10 as the NBA Draft gets closer.

Dec 14, 2019; University Park, PA, USA; Alabama Crimson Tide guard Kira Lewis Jr. (2) shoots the ball against the Penn State Nittany Lions during the second half at the Bryce Jordan Center.  Rich Barnes-USA TODAY Sports

There’s no doubt that Lewis’ NBA career will be exciting to watch.

In his two years with the Crimson Tide, Lewis averaged 34.5 minutes and finished with a field goal percentage of 44.7 percent, 1,031 points, 260 assists, and 183 turnovers.

He averaged 18.5 points per game, 5.2 assists per game, and made 37-percent of his 3-pointers.

Lewis announced his entry into the NBA draft at the end of March by a heartfelt post on Twitter.

The NBA draft is now scheduled to be held on November 18th, but Roll Tide Wire will keep you updated on any changes that may occur due to the ongoing coronavirus.

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Potential Sixers draft pick Kira Lewis Jr. ranked 11th on 2020 Big Board

Potential Philadelphia 76ers draft pick Kira Lewis Jr. comes in ranked 11th on the 2020 Big Board.

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The Philadelphia 76ers had a tough season on the floor in the 2019-20 season, but they did get a little lucky in terms of the 2020 NBA Draft when it comes to a first-round pick.

The Oklahoma City Thunder won just enough games to have their pick convey to the Sixers. The pick was top 20 protected and it came at 21 so it converted to Philadelphia for this draft.

There are a few different ways the Sixers can go with this pick and one of those ways is to go after a point guard as they look to move Ben Simmons off the ball going forward. One option is Alabama point guard Kira Lewis Jr.

Lewis Jr. is highly regarded by our sister site, Rookie Wire, as they have put together their Big Board for the 2020 Draft led by Bryan Kalbrosky. Lewis Jr. comes ranked 11th on the board as Kalbrosky writes:

Guard, 6-foot-3, 19 years old 

CONSENSUS PROJECTION: Top 20

REPRESENTATION: Verus

No one in this class plays the game faster than Kira Lewis did for Alabama, which makes him the best transition playmaker in this class. For a team that is looking for an up-tempo point guard, they have their man in this incredibly speedy prospect who can facilitate in both the open court and half-court sets.

As described above, this could be a place where Philadelphia would have to trade up in the draft to select him. Lewis Jr. averaged 18.5 points, 5.2 assists, and 4.8 rebounds while shooting 36.6% from deep. He got to the free-throw line 4.2 times per game and that is an aspect that Philadelphia needs off their bench. They need a guy who can adequately run their offense, but also give the team an offensive option as well. [lawrence-related id=37794,37787,37782]