UDFA signings

[shopson67]

Draft is over, on to the UDFAs!

Here's the list of signings and/or summer league or camp invites thus far (per Bleacher Report):

Alex Caruso, Texas A&M
Alex Poythress, Kentucky Orlando Magic
Andrey Desyatnikov, Russia
Brandon Austin, Alabama
Brannen Greene, Kansas
Cat Barber, N.C. State New Orleans Pelicans
Damion Lee, Louisville
Danuel House, Texas A&M Washington Wizards
Derrick Jones, UNLV
Dorian Finney-Smith, Florida
Egidijus Mockevicius, Lithuania
Elgin Cook, Oregon
Emmanuel Malou, Australia
Fred VanVleet ,Wichita State Toronto Raptors
Gary Payton II, Oregon State Houston Rockets
Goodluck Okonoboh, UNLV
Gracin Bakumanya, Congo
Isaiah Taylor, Texas Houston Rockets
Jalen Reynolds, Xavier
Jameel Warney, Stony Brook
James Webb III, Boise State
Jarrod Uthoff, Iowa
Julian Jacobs, USC
Kaleb Tarczewski, Arizona Washington Wizards
Kyle Wiltjer, Gonzaga Houston Rockets
Mamadou Ndiaye, UC-Irvine Golden State Warriors
Marshall Plumlee ,Duke
Moussa Diagne, Senegal
Perry Ellis, Kansas
Prince Ibeh, Texas
Rasheed Sulaimon, Maryland
Robert Carter, Maryland Golden State Warriors
Ron Baker, Wichita State New York Knicks
Rosco Allen, Stanford
Shawn Long, Louisiana-Lafayette
Sheldon McClellan, Miami Washington Wizards
Shevon Thompson, George Mason
Stefan Jankovic, Hawaii
Thomas Walkup, Stephen F. Austin
Tim Quarterman, LSU
Troy Williams, Indiana
Wayne Selden, Kansas
Yogi Ferrell, Indiana
Zach Auguste, Notre Dame

 

[trojanfan12]

Mamadou Ndiaye, UC-Irvine Golden State Warriors

This is actually a great signing by the Warriors. I've seen this kid play, including in person, a few times. He is raw as hell and definitely a project. But if the Warriors are patient, he could develop into something.

I was kind of hoping the Lakers would sign him and let Kareem work with him for awhile.

Dude's 7'6" and you can't teach size. If nothing else, he could develop into a solid rim protector.

 

[Whyte Lite]

So these guys have what? A 0.0001% chance to make a team?

 

[tlance]

So these guys have what? A 0.0001% chance to make a team?

Some have a pretty good shot actually.

 

[Mecca]

Some have a pretty good shot actually.

Some are getting some partially guaranteed money too...

I would love to get Finney-Smith.

 

[Mecca]

This is actually a great signing by the Warriors. I've seen this kid play, including in person, a few times. He is raw as hell and definitely a project. But if the Warriors are patient, he could develop into something.

I was kind of hoping the Lakers would sign him and let Kareem work with him for awhile.

Dude's 7'6" and you can't teach size. If nothing else, he could develop into a solid rim protector.

Ezeli is done.

 

[Robotech]

Warriors, Wizards, and Rockets very active early.

 

[tlance]

Warriors, Wizards, and Rockets very active early.

The Wizards have to be, because they gave away both their picks.

The Warriors' activity level is a bit interesting though. Taken in combination with OKC's agressive move last night, could it be a signal that they feel they have a legit shot at KD? If they signed him, they would have a few roster spots to fill with cheap options.

 

[Robotech]

This is actually a great signing by the Warriors. I've seen this kid play, including in person, a few times. He is raw as hell and definitely a project. But if the Warriors are patient, he could develop into something.

I was kind of hoping the Lakers would sign him and let Kareem work with him for awhile.

Dude's 7'6" and you can't teach size. If nothing else, he could develop into a solid rim protector.

He looks like a super slow giant, so I'd be very surprised if he develops into a good player. At least he shoots free throws reasonably well.

 

[Robotech]

The Wizards have to be, because they gave away both their picks.

The Warriors' activity level is a bit interesting though. Taken in combination with OKC's agressive move last night, could it be a signal that they feel they have a legit shot at KD? If they signed him, they would have a few roster spots to fill with cheap options.

They must feel that they have a decent shot at Durant. Can we just fast forward to July 1st already? It looks like the Warriors have done a good job of bringing in young, cheap talent. Mix in some cheap decent vets who are looking for one last shot at a ring with your bench of Iggy, Livingston, and the young guys, and the Warriors' bench could be just fine.

 

[CitySushi]

This is actually a great signing by the Warriors. I've seen this kid play, including in person, a few times. He is raw as hell and definitely a project. But if the Warriors are patient, he could develop into something.

I was kind of hoping the Lakers would sign him and let Kareem work with him for awhile.

Dude's 7'6" and you can't teach size. If nothing else, he could develop into a solid rim protector.

I've seen him a couple times too and even though he's 7'6" he's extremely slow. But his contract is probably non-guaranteed, so it's a really low-risk situation. The Warriors are exhausting all options at the center position. They've even brought back Kuzmic back to play on the Summer League roster. I'm interested to see his development. It's entirely possible he could earn a spot with the team.

FYI: The Warriors are 1-0 in finals where Kuzmic is on the Warriors roster. Coincidence? I think not.

 

[gordontrue]

Some have a pretty good shot actually.

Yep... see TJ McConnell and Jonathon Simmons last year.

 

[CitySushi]

The Warriors have actually done well in recent history with some UDFA's. They picked up Kent Bazemore who has turned out to be a good players. They also were the ones to first give Jeremy Lin a shot and gave him a roster spot. Ian Clark and McAdoo both were UDFA's. Seth Curry is another one.

Warriors have actually have had a pretty good track record with these UDFA's.

 

[trojanfan12]

He looks like a super slow giant, so I'd be very surprised if he develops into a good player. At least he shoots free throws reasonably well.

He has a bit of that "Bambi trying to walk" thing for sure. I think that if GSW can develop some strength and agility in him and maybe let him learn the game in the D-league, he could develop into a decent rim protector playing about 15 minutes or so per game.

He's definitely a project though. He ain't helping you guys this coming season. But with a little patience on the Warriors part and some hard work on his, you could have a viable backup center.

 

[tlance]

He has a bit of that "Bambi trying to walk" thing for sure. I think that if GSW can develop some strength and agility in him and maybe let him learn the game in the D-league, he could develop into a decent rim protector playing about 15 minutes or so per game.

He's definitely a project though. He ain't helping you guys this coming season. But with a little patience on the Warriors part and some hard work on his, you could have a viable backup center.

I don't know. THe league is moving away from players like this. If you can't move your feet on pick and roll defense as a center, you are a liability. Guys like Roy Hibbert are less valuable than ever. This is way players like Tristan Thompson have arrows pointing up.

I think the league will continue to get more perimeter oriented in the coming years and players like this will struggle to find a place.

 

[trojanfan12]

I don't know. THe league is moving away from players like this. If you can't move your feet on pick and roll defense as a center, you are a liability. Guys like Roy Hibbert are less valuable than ever. This is way players like Tristan Thompson have arrows pointing up.

I think the league will continue to get more perimeter oriented in the coming years and players like this will struggle to find a place.

That's why he's a project. The league needs and always will need rim protectors. Outside of one game, Bogut didn't play all that well in the finals, but there was a clear difference in the Cavs aggressiveness in driving to the hoop before he got hurt and after.

Like I've said, this kid isn't going to be a star. At best, he's a backup center playing 10-15 minutes or so per game for his defense and rebounding. He'd be sort of a poor man's DeAndre Jordan, only he's a better free throw shooter.

That's why signing him as a UDFA is a good move for a team like the Warriors that need some kind of inside presence. There's no risk and some potential reward. It's just a matter of how hard the kid is willing to work and how patient the Warriors are willing to be with him.

 

[Mecca]

I really like this guy.

Well said, Bazemore.

From undrafted to the NBA

 

[shopson67]

Ezeli is done.

This guy has zero mobility though. Sure, he can protect the rim if you run right at him, but otherwise not so much.

 

[shopson67]

That's why he's a project. The league needs and always will need rim protectors. Outside of one game, Bogut didn't play all that well in the finals, but there was a clear difference in the Cavs aggressiveness in driving to the hoop before he got hurt and after.

Like I've said, this kid isn't going to be a star. At best, he's a backup center playing 10-15 minutes or so per game for his defense and rebounding. He'd be sort of a poor man's DeAndre Jordan, only he's a better free throw shooter.

That's why signing him as a UDFA is a good move for a team like the Warriors that need some kind of inside presence. There's no risk and some potential reward. It's just a matter of how hard the kid is willing to work and how patient the Warriors are willing to be with him.

Lakers have a similar guy coming to their summer league team; Moustapha Fall (7'2, led ProA in blocks, shot 72% from 2pt last year). Raw, went undrafted last year, only played about 25 min/game this past season.

 

[Across The Field]

He looks like a super slow giant, so I'd be very surprised if he develops into a good player. At least he shoots free throws reasonably well.

This. I don't think he ever plays a minute of NBA ball. 7'6" is fine, but when you're so unathletic, it's worth nothing. There's a reason that, at 7'6", he wound up at UC-Irvine.