Building An NBA G League Roster During A Pandemic
The Delaware Blue Coats and GM Matt Lilly gear up for the NBA G League season in the bubble after facing unique scouting circumstances.
Under normal circumstances, scouts and executives are constantly on the run keeping an eye out for potential talent. During the season, there are stops in college gyms and professional arenas. As the postseason begins, large-scale scouting events and respective invitationals get underway to see how prospects match up against more varied competition before the NBA Draft. By the time the summer arrives, undrafted free agents have an opportunity to prove their worth against professional athletes (via NBA Summer League and other events) in hopes of showing it was a mistake to let them fly under the radar until that point. Should that be the case, the NBA G League may become an ideal landing spot for these under appreciated players to strut their stuff.
Needless to say, there are plenty of opportunities to discover talent and potentially fill out a G League roster (after contributing to NBA scouting efforts)….alas, under normal circumstances.
These are trying times with challenges abound. As such, teams like the Delaware Blue Coats — who boast a number of new faces this season — had to adjust accordingly.
“Everything that’s happened over the last year really changed our process from a scouting perspective. Normally, we’re going to Portsmouth for PIT, Chicago for the NBA Draft Combine, and Las Vegas for NBA Summer League. These are all perennial scouting opportunities that went away this year,” Blue Coats General Manager Matt Lilly said. “But with the draft getting pushed back, we had more time and really dug in as much as we could virtually with film studies. There were a bunch of Zoom interviews. We had to adapt.”
The limbo of a potential season left teams like the Blue Coats (affiliated with the 76ers) wondering who might be available, and when. It’s worth noting that some players — like 2019-20 NBA G League Defensive Player of the Year Christ Koumadje and former Two-Way Player Haywood Highsmith, both of whom played for Delaware last season — are currently playing overseas.
Interestingly enough, the shortened minor league season arguably requires less of a commitment, in terms of time, from athletes. There were some that returned that returned from playing overseas to join the G League bubble in Orlando. International opportunities may still be available in the coming months after time in the bubble is all said and done. There’s high-reward potential with a great chance for exposure. With only 18 teams participating this season, one could say there’s more talent available for fewer spots, finally creating a healthy market for teams when things calmed down and the season calendar came into focus.
“We put a big premium on versatility this year. We have guys who can play multiple positions. We’ll be able to roll out different lineups in the G League,” Lilly pointed out, adding, “they can fill different roles in the NBA if needed. If you look at guys like Jemerrio Jones and Julian Washburn, you can see the options.”
The affiliated 76ers have a new coach in Doc Rivers and new President in Daryl Morey. Naturally, a new vision may lead to changes across the roster as the team identifies players who fit the proper mold and/or chooses to enlist those who have proven to be reliable in the past. G League champion Michael Frazier and Brandon Sampson, (two newer Blue Coats) played for the RGV Vipers when Morey was at the helm of the affiliated Houston Rockets.
Something else to consider is the increased twists and turns of the NBA season. Due to the pandemic and necessary protocols, the need for additional players (those who can step in and fill a void without missing a step, no less) is at all-time high.
“When we approach the roster, the number one goal is potentially identifying players who could be future Sixers. With Daryl coming in, that’s a big priority for him. With the nature of this NBA season and the pandemic, we wanted to emphasize that even further because there are a bunch of unknowns,” Lilly said. “It’s always helpful to have NBA caliber players in your pipeline. You never know what is going to happen.”
The Blue Coats will lean heavily on experience this season as evidenced by the aforementioned familiar G League faces. Lilly additionally praised the physical gifts of Two-Way Player Paul Reed and said NCAA champion Braxton Key is also someone who has been a pleasant surprise early on. High-flying Rayjon Tucker recently joined the team on a Two-Way contract.
Building a team and putting the right pieces in place is nothing new for Lilly, who this year heads into his eighth G League season. He’s someone who has witnessed the growth of the league and understands what a valuable tool an affiliate can be. Just last season, Shake Milton averaged 21 points in six games with Delaware as an assignee. His rise is further evidence that a G League affiliate can be helpful in a number of ways.
From being a part of the Erie BayHawks staff under Gene Cross (who recently re-joined the previously affiliated Knicks as a scout) to initially finding his fit in Delaware under Elton Brand, Lilly has worn a variety of hats over the years. Now he’s in a position to help others.
“This is my eighth G League season, sixth in Delaware and third as our GM. A strength for me in stepping into this role was knowing what goes into running a G League program from a day-to-day operations standpoint. Stepping into a leadership role means I have to provide guidance to our staff and our players,” the executive said. “They come to me with different issues and it’s up to me to help them succeed and even push them a little bit to see that they grow. I lean pretty heavily on Elton and others here in Philly.”
After a 22-21 mark last season, Lilly and the Blue Coats hope this aforementioned synergy will lead to even more success in the bubble.