Armor's Kris Joseph named D-League Player of the Week

Milton Lee, in his role as Armor GM, took a big risk last week, maybe his biggest since taking the reins in Springfield. He traded James Mays, the D-League's leader in double-doubles and an All-Star, for Kris Joseph, who had just been cut by the Celtics and returned to the Maine Red Claws.

The move paid off quickly. On Monday, the 6'7" Joseph was named D-League Performer of the Month. In his first week as a member of Springfield, the Syracuse product averaged 24.7 points while shooting 47 percent from behind the arc as the Armor went 3-0 on the week. In a 109-104 victory over the Idaho Stampede, Joseph notched 27 points on 7-of-13 shooting to go along with five rebounds. He also connected on 10-of-13 chances from the free-throw line and made all three of his three-point attempts.

His scoring average ranks just behind Toko Shengelia (28.3) and Tyshawn Taylor (26.5) in Armor scoring average. Joseph played 24 minute over six games for Boston before being cut in January. The Montreal native scored seven points in the six games. He beat out his cousin, Cory Joseph of the Austin Toros, for the weekly honor.

Bob MacKinnon, the Armor coach, has said "(Joseph) is someone the Nets wanted to look at." The Nets don't own Joseph's NBA rights but he is learning the Nets system in Springfield.

In an interview with the Syracuse Post-Standard after he was traded to the Armor, Joseph said the Nets pushed the idea and that they told him how much they liked him at the pre-draft combine.

"I remember meeting with the Nets during the (NBA Draft) combine and they were expressing how much they liked me as a player. When we played them in summer league I had a good game against them. And the trade from Maine to Springfield was made because the Nets are interested. My first game back (to the D-League with Maine) was against Springfield and I played well. And after that, the Nets made that move happen."

• Kris Joseph Named NBA D-League Performer of the Week - D-League
• Springfield Armor host first-place Bakersfield Jam on Tuesday at MassMutual Center - Jeff Thomas - Springfield Republican
  
• Springfield Armor and Kris Joseph begin relationship in great shape - Jeff Thomas - Springfield Republican
• Joseph for Mays Trade Makes Sense - Aman Ali - D-League