Jayhawks In the NBA and G League

With the NBA’s trade deadline in the rearview mirror and the All-Star game weekend just ahead, it is a good time to see how the current crop of Kansas Jayhawks playing in the NBA and G League are doing.

Ochai Agbaji – Utah Jazz

Ochai has played in about two-thirds of Utah’s games. He is averaging 13.7 minutes and 4 points a game. He has not had much of an impact in Salt Lake this season. SLC Dunk had an interesting write-up about Abaji’s season up to early January after he had a nice four-game stretch. With Utah’s trade deadline deal to acquire Russel Westbrook and two other players, the resulting roster shake-up could free up more playing time for Agbaji.

Udoka Azubuike – Utah Jazz

The good news for Dok is he has played in more NBA games this season than in either of his first two seasons. The bad news, it looks like Dok will be looking for a new team next season. According to reporting by SLC Dunk, Utah has declined the option on his contract for the 2023-24 season and he will be an unrestricted free agent after this season. Dok has played in only 20 of the Jazz first 56 games and he is averaging only 4.7 minutes, 1.7 points and 1.7 rebounds a game.

Christian Braun – Denver Nuggets

Christian is seeing more time on the court than Dok and Ochai. He has played in 50 games and is averaging 14.7 minutes and 4.2 points per game. His coach, Michael Malone has expressed a desire to get Braun more playing time, but the current makeup of the team has prevented it and the makeup of the team changed Thursday. The Nuggets shipped Bones Hyland to the Clippers for two draft picks. With Hyland moving to Los Angeles, Christian should see more playing time.

Joel Embiid – Philadelphia 76ers

Embiid continues to be a dominant force for the 76ers. This season he is averaging 33.3 points, 10 rebounds, and 4 assists per game. The Sixers currently sit third in the Eastern Conference just ahead of the Cleveland Cavaliers. It looks like Joel will be with Philidelphia for several more years, having signed a four-year super max contract extension keeping him in Philidelphia through at least the 2025-26 season and if he chooses to exercise his player option through the 2026-27 season.

Devonte’ Graham – San Antonio Spurs

Devonte’ was traded to the Spurs just before the trade deadline Thursday. Graham has appeared in 53 games for the Pelicans this season, but he has seen a significant dip in minutes played compared to last season. Last season he played in 76 games and averaged 26.8 minutes per game. This season he is averaging only 15.3 minutes per game. This seems to be fine with some Pelicas’ fans as Graham has struggled as of late and people are wanting to see more of Kira Lewis Jr. With his move to the lowly Spurs, it will be interesting to see Graham get more playing time.

Marcus Morris – Los Angeles Clippers

Marcus now in his 11th NBA season and 3rd full season with the Clippers is coming off a recent 4-game absence due to injury. When available, Marcus is a consistent starter having started the last 104 games he has played and 152 of the 180 games played for the Clippers. This season, Marcus is averaging 12 points and 4 assists in just under 29 minutes per game.

Markieff Morris – Dallas Mavericks

Markieff may not have been a big name in the big trade between Brooklyn and Dallas, that goes to Kyrie Irving, but he sure seems happy to be part of the trade. What did Markieff think about the trade? Well of course he let everyone know before his first game with the Mavs Wednesday.

“I was just hoping I was getting traded with [Kyrie], I just wanted somewhere I could have the opportunity to play. .... just a lot going on, man. I just want to play basketball.”

With Brooklyn, he played in only 27 games this season averaging 10 minutes, 3.6 points, and 2.2 rebounds per game, all well below his career averages.

Svi Mykhailiuk – Charlotte Hornets

There were rumors Svi was headed to Portland, but instead, he is headed to the Hornets at the trade deadline. Svi is on his sixth team in five seasons. So far this season, Svi has sat deep on the bench for the New York Knicks. He hopes to find more playing time in Charlotte. With the Knicks, he has found his way into 13 games this season averaging about 3 minutes per game and 1.6 points per game. Looking at his stat line, there is a bright spot, when he has the opportunity to shoot from behind the arc, he is hitting 60% of his shots. Just don’t look too close, he has only had 10 attempts.

Kelly Oubre Jr. – Charlotte Hornets

Kelly was having the best season of his career through the first 35 games of the season. He had started 30 of those games and was averaging better than 20 points a game. Then in early January, he underwent surgery on his left hand to repair a torn ligament that he had been dealing with the entire season. He will be joined by former Jayhawk teammate Svi Mykhailiuk on the active roster when he returns sometime in the next few weeks.

Andrew Wiggins – Golden State Warriors

Wiggins has missed significant time due to injury and illness for the first time in his career. From early December to early January, he missed 15 games and since returning he has struggled to regain his early-season form. If you look at his stat lines for this season and last season you do not see a drop-off, but that view just masks the great start he had to the season. Prior to his 15-game absence, he was averaging 19 points and 5 rebounds per gain, and he was shooting 45 percent from 3-point range. Since his return, those numbers have dipped to 12.4 points and 4 rebounds per game and 22.7 percent from behind the 3-point line. If the Warriors are going to right the ship and make another deep playoff push, they need Andrew to be early seasons Andrew.

Devon Dotson — G League’s Capitol City Go-Go

Devon has been bouncing between the association and G League for the Chicago Bulls and the Washington Wizards since declaring for the 2020 draft and going undrafted. Devon started this season with the Wizards, but was waived on January 17 and immediately signed by the Wizards G League team, the Go-Go, on January 19. Devon has played in 13 games this season for the Go-Go, averaging 29 minutes, 13 points, and 5 assists per game, including shooting 39.3% from behind the arc.

Marcus Garret — G League’s Sioux Falls Sky Force

Injuries have been the story of Marcus Garret’s professional career so far. He impressed the Miami Heat enough to sign him twice to two-way contracts, but both times wrist injuries spoiled the deal. In October he was waived by the Heat after his latest injury and on October 24 he rejoined the Skyforce, Miami’s G League affiliate. Now healed, he is playing again. In 16 games he is averaging 25 minutes and 9.7 points per game. Ira Winderman of the South Florida Sun Sentinal has a nice story (I do not think it is behind a paywall) about Marcus and his journey with the Heat and Skyforce.