Private workout last week
| Name | Notes | Highlight video link |
|---|---|---|
| Arturs Zagars | 24-year-old passing wizard, 12.4 PPG (41.7% 3PT on 4.5 attempts per game) 2.6 RPG 7.4 APG, pulled off giant-killings against France/Spain/Lithuania, All-Second Team of FIBA World Cup 2023 | FIBA World Cup 2023 Highlights |
Some background & notes on Zagars:
- Fenerbahce signed him to a 3-year contract (includes an NBA-out clause) and he played the first season of that contract on loan at Lithuanian club BC Wolves spending the early part of the season rehabbing injury.
- Euro guys like him tend to not come over to the U.S. for a brief G League stint or a cheap contract. BUT, Zagars' salary this season is only about $290,000 (€270,000, next season €350,000). NBA's two-way contract for this season is worth $559,782 ('24-25: $580,272) and a minimum contract for zero years of NBA service is $1,119,563.('24-25: $1,160,544)
- Donatas Urbonas aka "EuroLeague Woj" mentioned it on the podcast before that Fenerbahce landed Baldwin & Neto, well-established EuroLeague vets, in this off-season. So from Zagars' perspective, if that means either riding the Fenerbahce bench or keeping to play at a lower level league on loan with a non-EuroLeague team, then even a two-way contract would be attractive to him.
- Also mentioned that that what this workout indicates is that 1) Zagars' intention to exercise his NBA-out clause and make the jump to the NBA, and 2) Clippers' interest in him. (Some sort of contract maybe after they make some FA moves and the PG13 drama settles down, whether it's a multi-year minimum deal or a two-way contract which can be converted to a standard deal later in the season if needed.)
Full list of minicamp this week (either individual workouts or small group sessions)
| Name | Notes | Highlight video link |
|---|---|---|
| KZ Okpala | 2019 No.32 pick (Erik Spoelstra said Heat scouting department was always impressed with physical tools of him and unique way he can move his feet), 6'8" versatile defensive-minded wing with a 7'2" wingspan, got waived by '22-23 SAC due to injury after becoming a defensive punch off the bench for coach Mike Brown | (for me personally) His best NBA game vs '21-22 Bucks |
| Darius Days | 6'8" versatile/strong/mobile PF with a 7'0.5" wingspan, former LSU & 2022 undraftee, '22-23 Rockets two-way contract & Rockets fan favorite → got waived before the '23-24 season because of their logjam at PF | '22-23 Rio Grande Valley Vipers Highlights |
| Isaiah Livers | 6'7" 3&D, '23-24 DET → WAS → got waived after the injury | December 2023 Detroit Pistons Scoring Highlights |
| Nerlens Noel | Signed with SAC on Jul '23 → got waived before training camp | '22-23 Pistons Highlights |
| Isaiah Todd | 22-year-old 6'9" PF, just getting tossed around the league | '20-21 G-League Ignite Highlights |
| Moe Harkless | The 213 era's original starting 4, signed with POR's G League affiliate Remix (6.0 PPG, 40% 3PT on 1.4 attempts per game, 3.6 REB in 22.8 MIN) trying to make it back into the NBA but something happened and got released after 7 games | via @nbagleague |
| Dexter Dennis | Explosive 6'5" G/F, 2023 undraftee, 23' Mavs training camp → '23-24 Texas Legends/Cleveland Charge | '23-24 Highlights |
| Muhammad Reza Guntara | 28-year-old 6'4" PF, Indonesian Basketball League '23 Champion/Finals MVP/DPOY | IBL Finals 2023 Highlight |
| Dominic Dar | Cambodia National Team, Cambodian Basketball League MVP, explosive lefty bucket getter | Highlight |
Additional notes on Guntara & Dar:
Dennis Wong, Clippers vice chairman/Ballmer's college roommate/the Sam Cassell lookalike, who is always sitting next to Ballmer, might've had a say in these Asian invitees. He has some Asian roots and is also one of investors of NBA 2K League's Chinese Team (Gen.G Tigers of Shanghai).
By the way, Wong is the person who advised Ballmer to get Jerry West via "Jerry West Just Wants to Feel Wanted" – Marc Stein | New York Times
The idea to pursue West came from Ballmer's former Harvard classmate-turned-Clippers minority shareholder Dennis Wong, who was once part of Golden State's ownership group.
“He kept saying, ‘We need a guy like Jerry West,’ ” Ballmer said. “I kept saying, ‘Show me one guy in the world who’s like Jerry West.’ Then last season Dennis said: ‘Did you know he’s near the end of his contract? Jerry West is like Jerry West.’”
So, …maybe some of invitees are just business-related kinda San Diego Clippers free tryout-ish something, …not sure, but just like JZ Zaher (0.7 PPG, 12.5 FG%, 1.0 REB, 0.0 AST), the nephew of Detroit Pistons owner decided to remain in the draft and is about to get a free Summer League spot.
Random notes:
- Just like the draft process of countless workouts/interviews, teams do their due diligence to set up their Summer League/G League roster and to find two-way/Exhibit 10 contract candidates as well.
by drobnjak_
2 Comments
How you are finding information about minicamp players? i didnt see that anywhere
I can’t remember us testing so many players in the offseason, is it really higher than before or we just didn’t have infos about them in the previous years?