The NBA D-League Call-Up List: Week 4
Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports
The Call-Up List is the power rankings of D-League prospects. Below is a list of 10 players who have either impressed the most over the first four weeks of the 2014-2015 season or have proved in the past that they could make a difference at the next level. At some point this NBA season, a number of these players will receive a call-up. For the others, if they play their cards right they could get a knock on their door, too.
On the outside looking in: Bryce Cotton (Austin Spurs), Renaldo Balkman (Texas Legends), Arinze Onuaku (Canton Charge)
Note: Earl Clark, who was previously ranked as the second best prospect in the D-League, is no longer with the Rio Grande Valley Vipers after signing a contract with the Shandong Lions in China.
1) Seth Curry — Erie BayHawks
Season statistics: 25.0 points, 4.8 rebounds, 4.0 assists, 1.1 steals per game on 48.6% FG and 52.6% 3PT
Now that Curry is back playing his more natural position, his assist numbers on the season have taken a hit. Nevertheless, he continues to score the ball at a high rate and is establishing himself as one of the best three-point shooters in the D-League along the way.
Curry is a shoot-first guard who doesn’t force the issue on offense. He’s a smart player, and one that can play two positions depending on the lineups at hand. For a team looking for a versatile guard who can space the floor, Curry could be a nice fit.
2) Elliot Williams — Santa Cruz Warriors
Season statistics: 21.5 points, 5.0 rebounds, 7.4 assists, 1.0 steals per game on 46.6% FG and 40.0% 3PT
Williams was slow out of the gates this season but he appears to have found his groove. Against the Rio Grande Valley Vipers on November 30th, he flirted with a triple-double to the tune of 33 points, nine rebounds and nine assists. Five nights later, he went for 27 points, 12 assists and nine rebounds in a win over the Los Angeles D-Fenders.
The Santa Cruz Warriors are stacked with talent — evident with three of their players being on this week’s Call-Up List — but Williams is the more enticing prospect out of the group. He’s an athletic two-guard who can get to the rim at will and make plays on the defensive end. If he continues to improve as a jump shooter, it might not be a case of if he receives a call-up this season, but when.
3) Manny Harris — Los Angeles D-Fenders
Season statistics: 24.5 points, 6.9 rebounds, 4.4 assists, 1.4 steals per game on 45.9% FG and 32.5% 3PT
Harris kicked off the month of December with a couple of rough shooting nights but he managed to impact the game in other areas. He recorded his first triple-double of the season against the Reno Bighorns and followed that up with an eight point, 12 rebound and eight assist outing against the Bakersfield Jam.
Harris excels at getting to the rim but he’ll have to prove that he can be a more consistent shooter to stick in the NBA. After a hot start from behind the arc, he has made just one of his last 12 three-point attempts. Tidy that up and it might not be long until he gets another shot.
4) Willie Reed — Grand Rapids Drive
Season statistics: 16.4 points, 11.6 rebounds, 1.0 assists, 1.8 steals per game on 76.5% FG
It didn’t take long for Reed to get comfortable in his new digs. He recorded a double-double in four of his first five games with the Drive and led them to a 4-and-1 record in the process. The only downside is he’s shooting just 25 percent from the free throw line.
The Drive have some NBA talent on their roster but it’s Reed who has impressed the most so far. Seeing as the Philadelphia 76ers called-up their top pick in the draft, Robert Covington, before the season kicked off, the big man’s high level of play is a welcomed addition.
5) Peyton Siva — Erie BayHawks
Season statistics: 14.1 points, 5.6 rebounds, 8.6 assists, 0.9 steals per game on 47.9% FG and 31.0% 3PT
Siva is the most complete point guard in the D-League. He has already recorded a triple-double this season (he’s come close to accomplishing the feat on two other occasions) and he’s currently fourth in assists per game.
For Siva to receive a call-up, he’ll have to become a more consistent shooter. He’s currently shooting 31.0 percent from three-point range and 28.6 percent from midrange. Of his 35 made field goals on the season, 24 have come in the painted area. For an undersized point guard, that’s a concern.
6) James Michael McAdoo — Santa Cruz Warriors
Season statistics: 17.3 points, 8.8 rebounds, 3.4 blocks, 2.3 steals per game on 56.8% FG
With the emergence of Elliott Williams and Joe Alexander over the last couple of weeks, McAdoo has seen his scoring numbers dip. The good news is, however, that he continues to find ways to be a difference maker on the defensive end. After blocking seven shots in the Warriors’ win over the Vipers on November 30th, he is now leading the league in blocks per game.
There aren’t many big men in the D-League who can change the game as McAdoo does on the defensive end. He’s quick to get off the floor and he has great instincts around the rim. He’s also establishing himself as a walking double-double on one of the best teams in the D-League.
7) Kevin Murphy — Idaho Stampede
Season statistics: 22.5 points, 4.8 rebounds, 4.8 assists, 1.3 steals per game on 46.8% FG and 24.4% 3PT
Murphy has been one of the purest scorers in the D-League for two years now but he’s been forced to carry more of the load on offense this season, which has led to varying results. While he’s averaging a career-high in assists (from 1.7 last season to 4.8 this season) he’s trailing only Elijah Millsap in turnovers per game. He’s also shooting just 24.4 percent from the three-point line.
The good news for Murphy is that he’s yet to play his best basketball. After shooting 41.6 percent on midrange jump shots last season, he’s down to 35 percent to start this season. Expect that to pick up over the coming weeks.
8) Brady Heslip — Reno Bighorns
Season statistics: 33.3 points, 1.9 rebounds, 0.9 assists, 1.6 steals per game on 52.0% FG and 54.7% 3PT
While there’s reason to approach any individual success in Reno with trepidation, there’s no doubt that Heslip is an outstanding shooter. After his 45-point outburst against the Idaho Stampede earlier in the month, he combined to score 59 points on 13-for-31 shooting from deep against the Bakersfield Jam and Los Angeles D-Fenders. He isn’t showing any signs of slowing down, and his hot shooting has even caught the eye of Reggie Miller.
Heslip still has a lot to prove before he receives a call-up but he excels at an aspect of the game that carries a lot of weight in today’s NBA.
9) Joe Alexander — Santa Cruz Warriors
Season statistics: 23.0 points, 8.6 rebounds, 1.0 assists, 1.6 blocks per game on 54.5% FG
Alexander failed to live up to the hype of being a lottery pick in his first stint in the NBA, but he seems to be on a mission to redeem himself. He is now the fourth leading scorer in the D-League, and is doing so shooting 54.5 percent from the field. He has been very effective around the rim and has even proven the ability to knock down outside shots.
Alexander was named the D-League Performer of the Week for games played between November 24th and November 30th. In three games, he averaged 26.7 points and 9.3 rebounds. He says he’s healthy for the first time since being drafted in 2008, and he certainly looks ready for another shot in the NBA.
10) Earl Barron — Bakersfield Jam
Season statistics: 21.4 points, 10.5 rebounds, 1.0 steals, 0.5 blocks per game on 48.7% FG
Barron has struggled with consistency so far this season but he’s been on a roll as of late, averaging 38.5 points and 13 rebounds over his last two game. When he’s firing on all cylinders he’s unstoppable. Few bigs in the D-League can stretch the floor like he can.
Barron is no stranger to the NBA after having played in 124 games since going undrafted in 2003. He doesn’t have the upside of someone like McAdoo, but he’s a versatile big who has been around the block. With him coming close to making the Phoenix Suns’ roster before the start of the season, there’s a good chance he’ll receive a call-up at some point this season if he continues to play the way he has.