11 NBA Training Camp Invitees Who Look Like Locks to Make Their Teams
Is anyone else relieved that the NBA preseason is almost over? Everyone maybe?
Nothing against exhibition games or anything, but there's only so much of the NBA Summer League's end-of-roster backwash that any self-respecting hoops head can stand before he/she can't stands no more, as Popeye might say.
Surely, the league's players and coaches will be relieved to see the marathon of the 2014-15 regular season finally get under way. At least any injuries suffered or squabbles started therein won't have come completely in vain.
And, well, all interested parties won't have to spend any more time sweating out what the 12-to-15-man rosters will look like on opening night. It'll be a sad (albeit inevitable) day for a slew of NBA D-Leaguers, international men of mystery and erstwhile hangers-on who were happy to survive the initial round of training-camp cuts and hopeful for a brighter basketball future.
But for these 11 fringe players who could actually stick with their respective clubs into November and beyond, the end of the preseason will mark a moment of jubilee in their basketball lives.
Charlie Villanueva
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The Dallas Mavericks have become the NBA's Island of Misfit Toys, a place where players go to rehabilitate their reputations next to Dirk Nowitzki and under the supervision of coaching savant Rick Carlisle. Vince Carter, Monta Ellis, O.J. Mayo and DeJuan Blair are but a handful of the pros who've salvaged their careers in Big D in recent years.
Charlie Villanueva just might be the next to join them. The former UConn Husky saw his once-promising outlook, as a freakish super sub with the Milwaukee Bucks, clouded by the morass that became of the Detroit Pistons. His playing time plummeted during his five years in the Motor City, and along with it went his productivity and confidence.
As a result, Villanueva, who earned close to $38 million during his time with the Pistons, is fighting for his NBA life. So far, Villanueva has delivered, to the tune of two double-digit scoring efforts in five appearances with the Mavs.
"Charlie’s played his game well," Carlisle told The Dallas Morning News' Eddie Sefko. "He’s an excellent shooter with long range. We have a group of guys who all bring something a little different to our situation."
Villanueva's odds of hanging on in Dallas would seem slim, since the Mavs already have 15 guaranteed contracts on the roster. But, per Sefko, team owner Mark Cuban wouldn't have any problem with eating another contract if need be.
So long as Villanueva keeps up the good work, then, the 30-year-old veteran should find a spot on the Mavs bench.
Shannon Brown
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In another trip to the "Where Are They Now?" file, we find Shannon Brown scrapping for minutes behind Dwyane Wade with the Miami Heat.
Brown knows a thing or two about backing up Hall of Fame shooting guards. He rose to role-player prominence during his two-and-a-half years as Kobe Bryant's understudy with the Los Angeles Lakers, winning back-to-back titles in 2009 and 2010.
That experience should serve Brown well in South Beach. As of now, James Ennis is the only other wing player who's consistently garnered playing time behind Wade in the preseason. Ennis, though, is a rookie, one who spent the 2013-14 season stashed away in Australia.
Ennis may turn out to be a terrific piece of the puzzle for the Heat's future, but if Miami wants to win now—which would seem to be the case, given the mega millions it committed to Wade, Chris Bosh and Luol Deng this summer—Brown, who turns 29 in late November, can do plenty to help.
Wayne Ellington
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Playing second string behind Kobe Bryant sounds like anything but a plum position in the NBA. After all, what self-respecting pro would want to fight for scraps behind someone like Bryant, whose notorious competitive streak and rock-solid self-confidence contributed to him averaging nearly 46 minutes over the seven games leading up to the rupture of his Achilles tendon?
Well, Shannon Brown fared just fine in that role, and Wayne Ellington may well do the same. In fact, Ellington might be in a superior spot to Brown's back in the day, at least as far as playing time is concerned.
For one, Bryant, who's played just six games since that fateful day in April 2013, and Los Angeles Lakers head coach Byron Scott have already come to an agreement on a minutes limit. "His number was lower than mine," Scott said after a recent practice, via the Los Angeles Daily News' Mark Medina. "That surprised me. It helped me as well."
Ellington's case for inclusion has only been further served by L.A.'s other injuries on the wing. Nick Young (right thumb surgery) and Xavier Henry (knee surgery) are both slated to miss the start of the regular season and then some.
Ellington's connections to the Lakers certainly don't hurt his case, either. He spent a half-season with Scott in Cleveland, shares an alma mater (North Carolina) with general manager Mitch Kupchak and, like Bryant, boasts an upbringing in the City of Brotherly Love. As FanSided's Blair Hicks wrote, the roots from which Ellington and Bryant have since emerged could play a poetic part in the Purple and Gold's upcoming campaign: "The Philadelphia guard survives with mindset over talent. That might be the metaphor for the entire Lakers' season."
Ronnie Price
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In truth, injuries have ravaged both spots in the Lakers backcourt. The team's top three point guards (Steve Nash, Jeremy Lin and rookie Jordan Clarkson) have all been on the shelf with myriad maladies at one point or another this preseason.
But never fear, Lakers fans! Ronnie Price is here to save the day...
OK, maybe not, but the guy's doing a respectable job of filling in. Price already has a pair of starts under his belt, including a 10-assist effort in a win over the Utah Jazz.
Price isn't exactly new to the NBA, either. He's played for five teams in nine previous seasons, highlighted by a four-year stint in Salt Lake City.
It's no wonder, then, that the Los Angeles Times' Eric Pincus has Price pegged for an L.A. gig once the regular season gets under way: "Ronnie Price is playing on a non-guaranteed contract currently - but he's a lock for this team."
Kendall Marshall
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Last season, it was Kendall Marshall who filled the Lakers' Vacuum of Doom at point guard. For his efforts (eight points, 8.8 assists, 39 percent from three), the UNC product was...waived by L.A. following the 2013-14 season.
The good news is that the Milwaukee Bucks snatched him right up and appear poised to keep him around beyond October. Marshall has twice been head coach Jason Kidd's choice to start in place of the injured Brandon Knight, ahead of Jerryd Bayless, Nate Wolters and Giannis Antetokounmpo.
Despite that abundance of ball-handlers, Marshall should be able to hang on in Milwaukee by filling a niche of his own, as Fox Sports Wisconsin's Andrew Gruman suggested: "While the point guard spot is crowded in Milwaukee, the Bucks don't have a player on their roster similar to Marshall. None of the other options at point guard are truly pass-first players, almost a lost mindset in the current NBA."
In Marshall, the Bucks may well have found the unselfish streak they'll need to shore up their budding, young backcourt.
Alonzo Gee
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The Denver Nuggets don't seem to have any great need for help on the wing. They drafted Gary Harris, traded for Arron Afflalo and have welcomed the healthy bodies of Danilo Gallinari and Wilson Chandler back into a fold that already included Randy Foye.
But among those players, only Harris and Afflalo are considered plus defenders, and they both fit more snugly at shooting guard.
Enter Alonzo Gee. The Alabama product has never been much of a scorer, though he's done plenty to cut his teeth on the defensive end. So far, Gee has performed well in that capacity—perhaps enough so to earn one of the final two spots on Denver's roster.
Gee, for one, could certainly use the security. As The Denver Post's Christopher Dempsey recounted, Gee's most recent summer was something of a whirlwind, due in large part to his peculiar contract:
"Gee's travels: On July 11, he was traded from Cleveland to New Orleans. Less than a week later he was traded to Houston, part of the deal that brought Omer Asik to the Pelicans. In September, Houston traded Gee and another player to Sacramento for Jason Terry. The Kings then released him about a week later.
And now Gee is with the Nuggets.
So in the span of three months, Gee changed teams four times. At issue was his salary, which was projected to be a nonguaranteed $3.2 million, so he became a trade chip for teams looking to clear cap space.
"
In Denver, Gee would get to trade in that label for a much more flattering one: defensive specialist.
Joe Ingles
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At least Alonzo Gee didn't have to cross any oceans to keep his NBA dreams alive. The same can't be said for Joe Ingles, the Australian star who left behind a lucrative and successful career in Europe to chase a roster spot in the Association.
Ingles hasn't had much trouble getting comfortable with the Los Angeles Clippers to this point. "It's been great. The guys have been great. Very welcoming," Ingles told Fox Sports West's Jill Painter Lopez. "Makes it really easy when you come over from a different country and the guys are good and help you fit in really easily."
On the court, Ingles has nudged his way into the Clippers' ongoing competition at small forward. His numbers haven't been anything special, though he did start against the Nuggets in place of the injured Chris Douglas-Roberts.
Assuming none of the Clippers' wings distinguishes himself between now and opening night—Doc Rivers has tried out four different starters at small forward already (Ingles, Douglas-Roberts, Matt Barnes and Reggie Bullock)—Ingles should be able to hang around, thanks in no small part to his size (6'8"), skill and international savvy.
Jerome Jordan
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Jerome Jordan made a journey of his own from overseas to pursue a future in the NBA. The biggest difference? Jordan had played in the league before.
Granted, Jordan's 21-game stint with the New York Knicks back in 2011-12 was nothing to write home about. The 7-foot Jamaican has since returned to the Big Apple, this time with the Brooklyn Nets.
Brook Lopez's ongoing foot problems and Kevin Garnett's stomach illness have opened the door for Jordan to show what he can do. The University of Tulsa grad has gladly stepped through, peaking (and piquing interest) with a 17-point (on 7-of-7 shooting) performance against the Boston Celtics.
"Jerome who?" head coach Lionel Hollins told Nets reporter Lenn Robbins after the game. "I thought that was Kareem Abdul-Jabbar out there."
Hollins, of course, was being facetious. Certainly, Jordan wouldn't have to imitate the Captain every night just to make the final 13-man roster. So long as Lopez is hobbled and Garnett is old, there will be a need in Brooklyn for big bodies who can put the ball in the basket.
Lance Thomas
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No preseason injury has caused more of a stir—or opened up more opportunities for fringe types—than Kevin Durant's broken foot. The Oklahoma City Thunder will clearly require more from their stalwarts (i.e. Russell Westbrook and Serge Ibaka) if they're to hold steady without Durant, but, in truth, it'll take the entire roster's best efforts to make up for the reigning NBA MVP.
Lance Thomas won't make up even a fraction of the gap by himself, though he should be a helpful addition anyway. The fourth-year forward out of Duke has twice been tapped by Scott Brooks to start during the preseason and has a pair of productive performances (10 points, six rebounds versus Memphis; eight points, eight rebounds versus Minnesota).
Thomas' ability to play either forward spot makes him particularly valuable to OKC so long as Durant is out. A strong showing until Durant returns, though, would go a long way toward Thomas earning a spot in the Association for the rest of the regular season.
Earl Barron
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It's all well and good that the Phoenix Suns have the pieces to play a fast, fun, guard-oriented style. But somebody's going to have to collect rebounds and do the dirty work inside.
Which is precisely why Earl Barron still has an excellent chance to survive training camp with the Suns.
Barron's no stranger to the uncertainty that comes with preseason competition. He's played for eight different NBA teams—including Phoenix—since turning pro in 2005, with two separate stints overseas therein.
Two quality games (six points, six rebounds versus Denver; 10 points, 13 rebounds versus Houston) appear to have put Barron in the running for a spot on the Suns roster. The problem? Phoenix already has 15 players on guaranteed contracts.
Not that there aren't ways around that. The Suns could pay Shavlik Randolph the $1.2 million he's owed and subsequently shove him out.
Head coach Jeff Hornacek spoke positively of Barron, via Arizona Sports' Craig Grialou:
"The one guy that sticks out is really fighting for the team is Earl Barron.
He's still on the roster for a reason. I know our guys are saying, hey, if he's going to help us and we have to eat a contract somewhere, then I think [managing partner] Robert [Sarver] is willing to do that. If it's going to help us win games and he's better than another guy, Robert is all for it. He's battling for one of those spots.
"
Better yet, Barron has Hornacek in his corner.
Greg Stiemsma
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The math might be easier for Greg Stiemsma and the Toronto Raptors.
According to the National Post's Eric Koreen, Stiemsma is the front-runner to be Toronto's 15th man: "Beyond Jonas Valanciunas, the Raptors do not have another traditional post defender who is pushing 7-feet. As the saying goes, Stiemsma at least represents six fouls that could be used against the NBA’s dominant centres, dwindling as that group might be."
It helps, too, that Stiemsma's chief competitors for that spot (i.e. Will Cherry and Jordan Hamilton) are stuck behind stacks of quality contributors at the point and on the wing, respectively.
To be sure, Stiemsma hasn't done much to distinguish himself from a production standpoint; he totaled more fouls (16) than points (six) or rebounds (12) through his first five preseason games.
But, as ESPN's Jalen Rose would say, it pays to be 7 feet tall, especially if you can walk and chew gum at the same time.
Which Stiemsma, presumably, can.
Who else belongs on this list? Tweet me your picks!
