T.J. Warren (NBA), Small Forward, Phoenix Suns
Warren enters the NBA season as a projected bench player for a Suns team that would like to compete for the playoffs in a deep Western Conference. The Suns lack a true starting point guard, and are going to look for their wings to generate offense. Enter T.J. Warren, who will provide immediate scoring at the rim and some from mid-range. Warren is a poor 3-point scorer, with a career average of 28 percent from deep, but that should not matter as the Suns will have more than enough 3-point scoring from guards Devin Booker, Troy Daniels and Mikal Bridges and others such as forward Ryan Anderson.
Warren will have to make a true name for himself on a Suns team that holds many wings in Booker, Bridges, Daniels and forwards Josh Jackson and Trevor Ariza. Warren wrapped up preseason play with averages of 9.6 points, 2.2 rebounds and 1.2 assists on 61.5 percent shooting.
Dennis Smith Jr. (NBA), Point Guard, Dallas Mavericks
Smith will start the season as the Mavericks’ starting point guard, despite the acquisition of rookie guard/forward Luka Doncic via the draft. Smith will share the backcourt at times with Doncic, which will be an electrifying duo, but will most likely start the season with guard Wesley Matthews in the backcourt. Doncic will be slotted to play power forward with forward Harrison Barnes missing time.
Smith was dominant in preseason play, averaging 15.5 points, 4.8 assists, 2.8 rebounds and one steal per game. Smith will look to take the reins of the team and emerge as a leader in his sophomore season with forward Dirk Nowitzki set to retire.
Lorenzo Brown (NBA), Small Forward, Toronto Raptors
Brown earned a spot with the Raptors last season after starting the year on a two-way contract, splitting time between the Toronto Raptors and their G-League affiliate Raptors 905. Brown averaged 2.3 points per game last season which at first is not eye-popping, but he only played about 10 minutes per game, so his per-36 minute stats were more encouraging with averages of 12.4 points, 5.3 rebounds, 3.5 assists and 1.2 steals on 44 percent shooting. Brown had a solid preseason averaging six points, and will look to earn his spot in the rotation this season on an Eastern Conference contender.
C.J. Williams (NBA/NBA G-League), Shooting Guard, Minnesota Timberwolves/Iowa Wolves
Williams was on the Los Angeles Clippers and their G-League affiliate, the Agua Caliente Clippers of Ontario, last season on a team that struck gold with their two-way contracts. Guard Tyrone Wallace was the other two-way player for the Clippers, and the pair averaged 18.6 points, with Williams accounting for 5.5 of those points. Williams even started 17 games last year, and shot well from the floor at roughly 45 percent.
Williams was then waived by the Clippers this offseason, only to end up on the Minnesota Timberwolves. This must be interesting for Williams to say the least, due to a debacle where All-Star Jimmy Butler took on the Timberwolves starters with bench players. Williams was reportedly one of the bench players Butler recruited to help defeat the starters during the infamous practice. Williams averaged 3.8 points this preseason, and will look to be promoted to the 15-man roster and make his way into job security and the rotation.
Abdul Malik-Abu (Croatian A-1 Liga), Small Forward, KK Vrijednosnice Osijek
Abu went undrafted in the 2018 NBA draft and did not participate in the summer league during the offseason, instead opting to sign with KK Vrijednosnice Osijek of the Croatian Liga. Abu is currently averaging an absurd 18.7 points, 9.3 rebounds and 1.7 assists for the club, which is fantastic for a player looking to find a stable basketball home.
Allerik Freeman (Hungarian NBIA), Shooting Guard, Alba Fehervar
Like Abu, Freeman went undrafted in the 2018 NBA draft and spent summer league with the Sacramento Kings. Freeman was not signed to a training camp roster, however, and signed overseas with Alba Fehervar of the Hungarian NBIA. Freeman is averaging a strong 15.4 points, 2.8 rebounds and 3.6 assists in five games with the club.
Terry Henderson (Italian Serie A2 Basket), Shooting Guard, Scaligera Basket Verona
Henderson has not found an NBA home yet, after going undrafted in the 2017 NBA draft and spending the last two summer leagues and last year’s training camp with the Charlotte Hornets. Henderson is currently playing for Scaligera Basket Verona of the Italian Serie A2 Basket and has posted 13 points, four rebounds and three assists in his lone appearance with the club.
Others
Former NC State guard Cat Barber and forward Maverick Rowan as well as Freeman, Abu, Henderson and others are all candidates to be drafted in this week’s NBA G-League draft, and will join those teams for the season instead of current clubs. Barber and Rowan are currently without teams.
