Pacific Division Players Under 2-way Contracts

01/14/2018

***This is the sixth 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 January 14 2018***

Golden State Warriors

Quinn Cook

College: Duke

6’2” 179 lbs.

Signed as a 2015 undrafted free agent by the Cavs

Signed 2-way contract: October 17, 2017

Current G-League stats: 22.9 ppg / 5.3 rpg / 7.8 apg / 18 games

Current NBA Stats: 3.2 ppg / 1.1 rpg / 1.6 apg / 10 games

Quinn Cook left Duke with a National Championship in 2015. He is a smart attacking point guard that has a knack for making the right play. He does a great job of reading defenses to put himself or teammates in position to score. He is excellent in the pick and roll. He is a very good shooter that has improved every year. Cook is able to use change of speeds to get to the rim and he has developed a nice floater to shoot over bigger defenders.

Cook is a relentless defender who never gives up on a play. His lack of size is hidden by his willingness to work so hard on defense. He understands defensive positioning and uses his high basketball IQ to disrupt guards handling the ball. He has always played with other high level players and he understands what a role player needs to do. His leadership is also a valuable asset that can help him find his way as a NBA contributor.

Chris Boucher

College: Oregon

6’10” 201 lbs.

Signed as a 2017 undrafted free agent by the Warriors

Signed 2-way contract: July 14, 2017

Current G-League stats: 0.0 ppg / 0.0 rpg / 0.0 apg / 0 games

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

Chris Boucher is still recovering from an ACL injury he had at the end of last season while he played at Oregon. He is hoping to return sometime this month with a date not yet decided. When healthy he is an exciting athlete who runs rim to rim. He was one of the most versatile players in college last season. Boucher rebounds well out of his area and finishes well around the rim. He also has the ability to shoot the open three. This skill will keep the defense guess between popping to space or rolling to the basket after setting a ball screen He does not have much of a post game but relies on being able to find an opening in the defense to score.

On defense, he relies on his rebounding and shot blocking to effect the game. He is still learning the game and is raw on defense. He needs to add strength to help him defend against bigger players in the post. He struggles with his defensive positioning and rotations. Boucher also tries to block every shot which could lead to being in foul trouble against experienced NBA players. Being under contract with the Warriors will allow him to progress while not being in a situation where his success will make or break the future of the team.

Los Angeles Clippers

Tyrone Wallace

College: California

6’6” 198 lbs.

Drafted 60th overall in 2016 by Jazz

Signed 2-way contract: January 5, 2018

Current G-League stats: 22.8 ppg / 6.0 rpg / 5.4 apg / 23 games

Current NBA Stats: 13.2 ppg / 3.4 rpg / 2.0 apg / 5 games

Tyrone Williams is a left handed guard that excels in the open court court. He can attack with either hand and finish around the rim. He does get to the foul line on a consistent basis. He runs the pick and roll efficiently and has a nice change of pace to get by the defense. He does need to improve on distributing the ball and making the right pass. Wallace’s jump shot needs to be improved to make him more than just a threat to drive.

Wallace’s size, length, and athleticism help make him a versatile defender that can guard multiple positions. He is able to get in the right defensive position and thrives as a team defender. He does need to get stronger to help him guard bigger wing players. At his present strength, he is still able to give smaller guards problems.

CJ Williams

College: NC State

6’5” 230 lbs.

2012 undrafted free agent

Signed 2-way contract: October 14, 2017

Current G-League stats: 14.7 ppg / 3.7 rpg / 2.0 apg / 6 games

Current NBA Stats: 5.9 ppg / 1.5 rpg / 0.9 apg / 28 games

CJ Williams is a shooting guard that has gotten plenty of opportunity to play with the Clippers this season due to numerous injuries. He can shoot the ball off the dribble but is best as a catch and shoot player. He does not need much space to shoot and has a high release that helps him get the ball off. He is explosive in the open court and can finish around the rim. He has a consistent fade away jump shot that he uses when he gets into the lane.

Williams is an active player on the defensive end. He combines his length and positioning to get steals and deflections. He has been used to defend both guards and small forwards this season. He can give smaller point guards trouble with his size. Williams sprained his ankle on January 11 and faces an uncertain future upon his return. He has spent 43 days with the Clippers and only has 2 more days to be a two way player. Williams hopes he has done enough to earn a contract for the remaining of the season.

Phoenix Suns

Danuel House

College: Texas A&M

6’7” 215 lbs.

Signed as a 2016 undrafted free agent by the Wizards

Signed 2-way contract: December 8, 2017

Current G-League stats: 16.0 ppg / 9.2 rpg / 8.1 apg / 26 games

Current NBA Stats: 4.9 ppg / 2.2 rpg / 0.6 apg / 10 games

Danuel House is a wing with a big frame. He is able to get to the rim and finish with contact. He effectively attacks a screen when running a pick and roll and gets to the foul line often. He has better than average athleticism and is able to excel in the open court. He needs to be more consistent shooting the three. He is slow to get his shot off and does not jump high to shoot the ball. The fact he does not jump high will make his shot quicker but also make him susceptible to being blocked.

On the defensive end, House uses proper angles to stay in front of ball handlers and uses his body to make it tough for players to score. He does a good job of defending screens and understands how to fight through them. His ability to guard out of his position is limited due to his lateral movement not being great. House has the potential to be a good role player in the NBA if he can shoot the ball more consistently and continue to work hard on defense.

Alec Peters

College: Valparaiso

6’9” 236 lbs.

Drafted 54th overall in 2017 by Suns

Signed 2-way contract: September 18, 2017

Current G-League stats: 18.6 ppg / 8.2 rpg / 1.7 apg / 21 games

Current NBA Stats: 2.7 ppg / 1.0 rpg / 1.0 apg / 3 games

Alec Peters is a bigger than average spot up shooter who is able to spread out the defense. He is capable of making jump shots off the dribble/move but thrives off the catch. He has an improved post game and will need to learn how to be crafty against bigger, stronger players. He needs to look for other ways to score against NBA defenders than just shooting. Peters can handle the ball good enough to evade a defender for a couple dribbles but trying to create his own offense could be a tougher task. He does look for open teammates and puts them in position to score.

The challenge for Peters is on the defensive end. He lacks the speed and quickness to guard at the NBA level. He does understand defensive positioning principles and that will help him overcome his lack of speed. Closing out and keeping a ball handler in front of him is something he will have to continue to improve upon. He does rebound well and has a knack for getting loose balls. Those are intangibles that every team needs.

Sacramento Kings

Jack Cooley

College: Notre Dame

6’9” 244 lbs.

2013 undrafted free agent

Signed 2-way contract: July 29, 2017

Current G-League stats: 15.3 ppg / 8.6 rpg / 1.0 apg / 18 games

Current NBA Stats: 2.0 ppg / 1.0 rpg / 1.0 apg / 1 game

Jack Cooley is a big, strong body that is an excellent rebounder. He is known for outworking his opponent to get to the missed shot. He is able to rebound outside of his area despite his lack of quickness. Cooley is able to use his body to create space in order to operate inside the paint. He is able to score inside many different ways. He combines his size and basketball IQ to get results. He is an effective roller after setting a ball screen. He can post up deep, make a quick move, and take on contact to finish the basket/get to the foul line.

Cooley uses his powerful presence to take up space in the defensive lane. He fights for position but lacks the length and quickness to defend athletic post players without help. He struggles stepping out to defend any bigs who are are to step out on the perimeter. He is able to rotate over effectively to block shots. Cooley is a high motor player that helps him overcome some of his weaknesses.

JaKarr Sampson

College: St. John’s

6’8” 207 lbs.

Signed as a 2014 undrafted free agent by the 76ers

Signed 2-way contract: July 29, 2017

Current G-League stats: 14.7 ppg / 7.4 rpg / 0.8 apg / 18 games

Current NBA Stats: 5.0 ppg / 5.0 rpg / 0.3 apg / 6 games

JaKarr Sampson is long, athletic but very raw on the offensive end. He is very explosive going to the rim and finishing. He works best from the dunker spot (short corner). He needs to become more than just a finisher around the rim. Sampson has improved his outside shot but the slow release does not benefit him. His best shot is the pull up jumper from 15 feet and in. He excels in transition as he goes straight at the rim. Handling the ball and passing in the half court can be a struggle that lead to turnovers.

One place Sampson can excel as a pro is on the defensive end. His body allows him to guard small forwards and his quickness helps him defend the guard spot. He is able to use his length and athleticism to be a very good recovery shot blocker. Sampson plays with a very high motor on defense. He is very active with getting deflections, steals, and rebounds all over the floor. Most players struggle with becoming defensive minded but Sampson is a step ahead of most in that regard.

Los Angeles Lakers

Alex Caruso

College: Texas A&M

6’5” 186 lbs.

Signed as a 2014 undrafted free agent by the Thunder

Signed 2-way contract: July 13, 2017

Current G-League stats: 18.4 ppg / 3.7 rpg / 7.5 apg / 19 games

Current NBA Stats: 1.3 ppg / 0.9 rpg / 1.0 apg / 11 games

Alex Caruso is a combo guard that is going to be playing more point guard in the NBA than shooting guard. His height allows him to see over smaller defenders and he also rebounds well for his position. He has good court vision and does a great job of getting the ball to open teammates. To play point guard in the NBA he will have to tighten up his ball handling and look to create his own shot more often. Caruso does a good job of reading the defense in pick and rolls. He can also shoot the ball from three point range consistently with a quick release.

Caruso is a very good team oriented defender. He is capable of getting steals and deflections with his quick timing. He works extremely hard during a defensive possession. He does need to improve on fighting through screens and improving his angles while guarding the ball. Continuing to improve on defense will allow him to contribute more to the Lakers.