Southeast Division Players Under 2-way Contracts

***This is the fourth installment in the series taking a closer look at the new 2-way contracts that has been instituted by the NBA this season. *NBA and G League statistics for each player are as of December 17, 2017***

Atlanta Hawks

Josh Magette

College: Alabama-Huntsville

6’1” 160 lbs.

Signed as a 2012 undrafted free agent by the Grizzlies

Signed 2-way contract: September 6, 2017

Current G-League stats: 17.9 ppg / 3.6 rpg / 10.5 apg / 13 games

Current NBA Stats: 1.6 ppg / 0.8 rpg / 2.1 apg / 8 games

Josh Magette is an undersized point guard that has a great understanding of the game. He does a good job of making decisions in the pick and roll. He uses his high basketball IQ to beat his defender or passes off to an open man. Magette does not allow his size to keep him from scoring when attacking the rim and uses a quick first step to create enough space. The lefty is currently shooting 33% (G-League) from three but needs to shoot more consistent in the NBA. He is currently a league leader in assists per game in the G-League.

Magette is a very good defender but struggles when guarding NBA level players due to his lack of size and strength. Magette uses his instincts to average 1.9 career steals. The former NCAA Division 2 player has never passed the “looks test” but anyone who sees him play quickly realizes that Magette can compete against top level competition.

Charlotte Hornets

Mangok Mathiang

College: Louisville

6’10” 230 lbs.

Signed as a 2017 undrafted free agent by the Hornets

Signed 2-way contract: August 2, 2017

Current G-League stats: 9.9 ppg / 8.4 rpg / 1.0 apg / 13 games

Current NBA Stats: 0.0 ppg / 1.0 rpg / 0.0 apg / 1 gamesaiah

Mangok Mathiang is a big man that seems to improve every season. His work ethic and high motor help make him the player he is. He has a nice face up game that allows him to attack the basket and score with either hand. He is constantly improving his back to the basket moves with the up and under as his go to move down low. Mathiang needs to also extend his shooting range out further and become a more consistent rebounder.

Mathiang does a good job of protecting the rim and blocking shots. He is a good athlete for his size and is a player willing to run rim to rim. His quickness should help him guard smaller players. His lack of weight will hurt him when going up against bigger, more physical players. Defense needs to be his calling card as his ability to score improves.

Marcus Paige

College: North Carolina

6’0” 164 lbs.

Drafted 55th overall in 2016 by Nets

Signed 2-way contract: August 1, 2017

Current G-League stats: 14.6 ppg / 2.7 rpg / 3.6 apg / 16 games

Current NBA Stats: 0.0 ppg / 2.0 rpg / 0.0 apg / 1 game

The crafty guard who played off the ball at North Carolina will transition to play point guard at the next level. The natural lefty is solid handling the ball with both hands. He does not have a great first step but is a tough assignment due to the way he is able to change speeds. He can also shoot the ball from deep which keeps the defense honest. His size limits his finishing inside the paint so when he gets around the basket, he goes to his floater. He has a good understanding of attacking pick and roll defense. As a PG, he will have to learn not to force plays.

Paige uses his high basketball IQ to make up for his lack of quickness on the defensive end. He is able to position himself and beat the offensive player to spots. He is not a player that will gamble to get steals but just plays solid to keep a ball handler in front of him. At times, he struggles fighting through screens and will often switch instead. He is more of a thinking defender and uses that to be in the right place at the right time.

Miami Heat

Derrick Walton Jr.

College: Michigan

6’1” 185 lbs.

Signed as a 2017 undrafted free agent by the Magic

Signed 2-way contract: July 24, 2017

Current G-League stats: 14.5 ppg / 3.0 rpg / 7.5 apg / 8 games

Current NBA Stats: 0.5 ppg / 0.5 rpg / 0.0 apg / 4 games

Derrick Walton is a point guard that has deep range from outside. He is an average athlete who struggles to score inside the paint due to his size. Walton does have a consistent mid-range game. He needs to work on creating more scoring opportunities for himself. He does a great job of running the offense and putting teammates in position to score. He is a type of player that steps up when the game is on the line.

Walton will need to work on proper positioning and angles to improve himself on the defensive end. He does not possess great lateral quickness and will struggle degending NBA guards. His lack of size also is a disadvantage on the defensive end.

Matt Williams Jr.

College: Central Florida

6’5” 210 lbs.

Signed as a 2017 undrafted free agent by the Heat

Signed 2-way contract: October 15, 2017

Current G-League stats: 9.6 ppg / 3.3 rpg / 1.3 apg / 16 games

Current NBA Stats: 0.0 ppg / 0.0 rpg / 0.0 apg / 0 games

Matt Williams is a knockdown catch and shoot threat with deep range. His shot does not need much room and has a quick release. He has a high motor and relentless work ethic. Williams tends to get out of control when trying to create his own shot. He is a good athlete, a good body for the NBA but Williams needs to improve on all other aspects of his game to become a contributor to the Heat.

In college, Williams played mostly zone on defense so, he will need to adjust to guarding professional athletes one on one. He works hard and gets himself in good guarding position. He does struggle with staying in front of ball handlers and recovery from help is slow. He has improved his rebounding on the defensive end. A player like Williams will have to work hard to make an impact on an NBA roster and he has the work ethic to make that happen.

Orlando Magic

Adreian Payne

College: Michigan State

6’10” 237 lbs.

Drafted 15th overall in 2014 by Hawks

Signed 2-way contract: August 21, 2017

Current G-League stats: 14.7 ppg / 7.7 rpg / 2.1 apg / 7 games

Current NBA Stats: 0.0 ppg / 0.0 rpg / 0.0 apg / 1 game

Adreian Payne is playing for his third NBA team since being drafted in 2014. His best season coming in 2014-15 season as he averaged 7.2 points per game and 5.4 rebounds per game for the Timberwolves in 29 games. He has a strong post game and can finish with both hands around the basket. He has the ability spread defenses because he can shoot the three with consistency. Defenders do not know if he is going to roll or pop when he sets a ball screen. If a defender comes out on him, Payne has the ability to put the ball on the floor and attack the rim.

The long, athletic big man does a good job of running the floor and will play physical when needed. With his length, he can improve his shot blocking (0.7 bpg). Payne’s rebounding is above average but he can still get better at rebounding out of area. His conditioning can be a problem as he is not able to log major minutes. His motor has also been questioned, at times, as he tends to disappear during some games. Payne could be a solid role playing big man in the NBA if he continues to improve on many intangibles.

Jamel Artis

College: Pittsburgh

6’7” 213 lbs.

Signed as a 2017 undrafted free agent by the Knicks

Signed 2-way contract: October 16, 2017

Current G-League stats: 19.7 ppg / 6.7 rpg / 2.7 apg / 15 games

Current NBA Stats: 0.0 ppg / 0.5 rpg / 0.0 apg / 2 games

Jamel Artis is a versatile scorer that is just starting to see his true potential as a player. He improved his offensive game every year at Pittsburgh. Artis can also put the ball on the floor and set up other players to score. He needs to cut down on turnovers by making the simple plays. He does not possess great length but has a strong body that allows him to score in traffic.

On the defensive end, he needs to get better at maintaining focus. He struggles when closing out on shooters and staying in a stance. He is not a great athlete but has the strength to be a good defender. If he lets up for a second on defense it will show. He can also be more aggressive on the defensive glass. He is the type of player that can rebound and start the fast break on his own.

Washington Wizards

Devin Robinson

College: Florida

6’8” 200 lbs.

Signed as 2017 undrafted free agent by Wizards

Signed 2-way contract: July 14, 2017

Current G-League stats: 11.6 ppg / 4.1 rpg / 0.9 apg / 15 games

Current NBA Stats: 0.0 ppg / 0.0 rpg / 0.0 apg / 0 games

Devin Robinson is a versatile, long athlete that can score different ways. He is explosive going to the rim in the open court and able to shoot over most people guarding him. He will need to improve getting his shot off quicker in the NBA. Where he struggles is creating shots off the dribble for himself and others. Attacking the rim is tough when he is in traffic due to his lack of strength. His athleticism allows him to be a very good offensive rebounder.

The athleticism and length possessed by Robinson should make him a versatile defender. While in college, he was able to defend multiple positions. The key for Robinson on the defensive end is staying focused the entire possession so that he will not give up any easy baskets. He should be able to defend the small forward but his ability to guard stronger players will be tested at the professional level.

Washington Wizards

Mike Young

College: Pittsburgh

6’9” 235 lbs.

Signed as 2017 undrafted free agent by Wizards

Signed 2-way contract: July 5, 2017

Current G-League stats: 13.1 ppg / 6.1 rpg / 2.2 apg / 18 games

Current NBA Stats: 0.0 ppg / 0.0 rpg / 0.0 apg / 0 games

Coming off a successful college career playing in the ACC, Mike Young should be positioned for a nice NBA career. However, he has some work to do. He is able to shoot the ball consistently from three but does have a slow release. His lack of ball handling limits his scoring chances. He sees the floor and is able to get teammates opportunities to score. On the drive, Young will avoid contact making an attempt much harder than it should be.

Young’s lack of speed and athleticism will hurt him on the defensive end. He is not quick enough to defend quicker forwards at the same position. He does have a strong frame that he will have to learn how to use to his advantage. Some guys just find a way to be successful and Mike Young could be one of those guys.