Quick notes on 3 remaining NBA free agents that I’m high on.
- Despite getting waived by the Atlanta Hawks following NBA 2K24 Summer League, I thought Tyrese Martin played with a whole new swag/confidence out in Vegas. He put up 13.2 PPG/ 6.0 RPG/2.6 APG/1.0 SPG/44.4% FG/34.8% 3-PT/76.9% FT in five games, having multiple moments where he looked like a player who was ten steps ahead of everyone on the floor with his poise.
- Former Portland Trail Blazer Trendon Watford pretty much did it all in his two seasons for head coach Chauncey Billups.“Trendon is such a good basketball player, man,” Billups said last December. “I put him in there sometimes at the 3, the 4, the 5. I make him initiate some offense sometimes. I’m asking a lot of Trendon. I really am. But he can handle it. He has a really good feel for the game. He’s one of those glue guys that most good teams have. He’s one of those guys for us. He had some tough, tough gritty rebounds. He had some tough defensive matchups and assignments in this game today as well. He’s just a really good player, man.”
- Now I know that Lamar Stevens may not be as versatile as Martin & Watford on offense, but his defense, hustle, and leadership have been proven to change games.
Here’s a super long quote from Cleveland Cavaliers star Donovan Mitchell praising Stevens’ accountability level after beating the Atlanta Hawks 114-102 at home last November:
“He’s Mr. Everything. He’s guarding. He’s running the floor. He’s making the extra effort. He’s holding us accountable. He came in the huddle and said I was getting my a** busted when they scored on me twice. I don’t think anybody scored on me after that. You need a guy like that. I respect that and appreciate that. It wasn’t just me, he’s told others. But when you have a guy that’s vocal about that, and not afraid to speak to everybody on the team in the same way, it kinda lifts you up and gets your energy up. And I think that’s what he brings. He brings a voice that’s definitely needed. An attitude, a positivity, accountability, as well. So it’s not always coming from JB.
“On the defensive end, he held an All-Star guard in Dejounte Murray to 4-18. He did a great job on the ball and made tonight tough on him. He’s done that on several occasions. You’re seeing him play well in his minutes, in spots. I keep telling him to shoot the ball. He shot fakes a lot. I just keep telling him to shoot it and trust it. And that’s gonna come with time. When you get out there, you want to make the right play all the time, but sometimes the right play is letting it fly. Him and Isaac Okoro are always the first ones in the gym every day. Shooting the three ball, getting extra work in. So it’s great to see them two, especially. But for Lamar to join our starting lineup and to excel, and have success, it’s great to see.”
