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Noah Vonleh, a 6’10” big who’s played with seven NBA teams since being drafted in 2014, has been signed by the Brooklyn Nets. Shams Charania broke the news Monday morning.
Free agent F/C Noah Vonleh is expected to sign a deal with the Brooklyn Nets, sources tell @TheAthletic @Stadium. Vonleh provides immediate rotational depth for the Nets.
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) February 8, 2021
Vonleh will be available for Tuesday’s game in Detroit. He’s available because quarantines don’t apply to those, like Vonleh, who’ve received a positive test within 90 days before their signing.
The Nets had three open roster spots following the four-team deal that brought James Harden to Brooklyn and four Nets players —Caris LeVert, Jarrett Allen, Taurean Prince and Rodions Kurucs — elsewhere. The Nets signed Norvel Pelle and Iman Shumpert to non-guaranteed deals last week. Vonleh, too, has a non-guaranteed contract. The three contracts —as well as those of Timothe’ Luwawu-Cabarrot and Chris Chiozza, expire on February 24, two weeks from Wednesday. Bobby Marks has the details.
$1.08M cap hit on the Vonleh signing.
— Bobby Marks (@BobbyMarks42) February 8, 2021
Brooklyn will have until Feb. 24 to make a decision on Vonleh, Norvel Pelle and Iman Shumpert.
Vonleh does not have to quarantine for six days because he has tested positive for COVID-19 within the past 90 days. https://t.co/uSdtrJEZtd
Vonleh, 25, signed a training camp contract with the Bulls in the off-season but tested positive for COVID-19 and Chicago immediately waived him, only a week before the season began. Vonleh said at the time that he did not have symptoms and that he hoped to renew his NBA career once cleared. (Vonleh will become at least the sixth current Net player to have tested positive since last March, including Kevin Durant, whose once again in a safety and health quarantine, James Harden. DeAndre Jordan, Landry Shamet and Spencer Dinwiddie.)
It would appear that Vonleh, who has some offensive skills, will likely be competing for minutes with Pelle, another 6’10” free agent signed last week. Pelle is known for his defense, having blocked three shots in 17 minutes before he fouled out vs. Philly. Both are also insurance for DeAndre Jordan who after Jarrett Allen was traded away had been the only legitimate 5 on the roster. The Nets had tried second round pick Reggie Perry as back-up but decided to send him to the G League, also “bubble” last week.
He’s more a traditional 4/5 as Brian Lewis noted...
Vonleh won’t block a ton of shots. But he’ll move and talk on defense, stick to his assignments and even hit the occasional jumper. #Nets #nba
— Brian Lewis (@NYPost_Lewis) February 8, 2021
It’s uncertain whether Vonleh, like Pelle and Iman Shumpert, has been signed to a non-guaranteed deal. All non-guaranteed deals must be guaranteed for the season by February 24 or waived. Timothe’ Luwawu-Cabarrot and Chris Chiozza are also on such non-guaranteed deals.
Vonleh had his best season in New York with the Knicks in 2018-19 when he started 57 of the 68 games he played, averaging 8.4 points and 7.8 rebounds while shooting 47/34/72. He averaged only two 3-point attempts that season, his best as a deep shooter. His career average is 31.0 percent.
Voneh’s best NBA game came against the Nets in January 2019 when he scored 22 points and grabbed 13 boards in a Knicks loss at Barclays Center.
Vonleh is a native of Haverhill, Massachusetts and played college ball at the University of Indiana for a single season, being drafted at No. 9 by the Hornets.
- Nets sign ex-Knicks forward Noah Vonleh as roster tinkering continues - Peter Botte - New York Post
- Nets making moves to reinforce their struggling defense - Greg Logan - Newsday