As G-League Draft looms, Long Island makes series of trades

The G-League Draft is Saturday and although it’s not as big a deal as the NBA Draft (and isn’t televised either), it provokes all manner of trades, mainly of established players rights for draft picks.

The Long Island Nets made three such trades on Thursday and Friday, sending out their rights to Trahnson Burrell, Dwayne Polee II, Cliff Alexander and R.J. Hunter, all of whom played big rules with Long Island last season.

Here are the details...

The Long Island Nets, the NBA G League affiliate of the Brooklyn Nets, have acquired the returning player rights to forward Okaro White and guard Jamaal Franklin in addition to second round picks in both the 2017 and 2018 NBA G League Draft from the Memphis Hustle. In return, the Nets traded the returning player rights to forwards Trahson Burrell and Dwayne Polee II along with Long Island’s fourth round pick in the 2017 NBA G League Draft.

The trade is interesting in a couple of ways. White, a 6’8” Florida State product, is under contract with the Heat, but if Miami waives him, then his G-League rights, not his NBA rights, automatically go to Long Island.

Franklin, a 6’5” shooting guard, is one of the Chinese Basketball Association’s biggest stars. Last season, he averaged 35.8 points, 10.3 rebounds and 8.8 assists. Long Island acquired his G-League rights a year ago in the G-League expansion draft, then lost them to Memphis in this year’s expansion draft. Now, they have them back. However, there’s no indication the 26-year-old is leaving China, having just signed a new deal with Sichuan.

The Long Island Nets, the NBA G League affiliate of the Brooklyn Nets, have acquired two second round picks in the 2018 NBA G League Draft from the Wisconsin Herd in exchange for the returning player rights to forward Cliff Alexander and Long Island’s fourth round pick in the 2018 NBA G League Draft.

Long Island received Wisconsin’s 2018 second round pick in the deal, as well as the Greensboro Swarm’s 2018 second round selection.

Alexander appeared in 18 games (six starts) for the LI Nets last season, averaging 20.6 points, 9.9 rebounds and 1.8 assists in 30.2 minutes per contest. He also appeared in 22 games with the Erie BayHawks last season before being acquired by Long Island via trade on January 31.

The Nets traded for Alexander in mid-season and at one point promised him that they’d bring him up for a 10-day deal. When roster issues made that impossible, the Nets orchestrated a “quickie” 10-day on the last weekend of the season. Alexander was signed and cut in 24 hours, but in the process gained a “year of service” in the NBA, meaning that if he is signed to a vets minimum deal in the future, he will be credited an additional year for salary purposes.

The Long Island Nets, the NBA G League affiliate of the Brooklyn Nets, have acquired a second round pick in the 2018 NBA G League Draft from the Rio Grande Vipers in exchange for the returning player rights to forward R.J. Hunter.

Hunter played in a total of 29 games during the 2016-17 NBA G League season with 18 starts. During the season RJ Hunter averaged 18.2 points (.388 FG%, .321 3pt%, .772 FT%), 2.6 rebounds and 3.3 assists between his time with Windy City Bulls and Long Island Nets.

Bottom line ... so far

Long Island currently has the fourth pick in the G-League Draft. G-League training camps open Monday.

• Long Island Nets, Memphis Hustle Involved In Trade - G-League
• Heat's Okaro White traded (actually, his developmental-league rights) - Ira Winderman - South Florida Sun-Sentinel