NBA G League Two-Way Prospect Report | Youth Movement NBA
Our own Nathan Grubel does a final NBA G League check-in on the 2024-25 season, examining which two-way contract prospects are most ready for a standard deal.
In the midst of March Madness, what is this? A column about the NBA G League?!?
Yes, some would call me a mad man. Others would say that this guy might be onto something.
Every year, NBA prospects announce themselves on the biggest stages in March, for better or worse. Primarily, media members choose to hone in on the “risers” during the NCAA tournament: which players are showing off the clutch genes and helping their teams win the most important games of the season? Can that success translate to the next level?
In asking those questions, it’s always a great idea to check in on players from previous draft classes and evaluate their progress and development. And in doing so, it’s common to come across a number of players who actually had great college careers with big moments, yet they’re still trying to find their way in the pros. Just because someone has a moment doesn’t mean they’re any better suited than others to become a legitimate NBA rotation player.
With the 2024-25 G League regular season coming to a close, this is a great time to look at which players are in prime position to upgrade to a standard deal as we inch closer to another NBA offseason. How many of these players will “graduate”, so to speak, and which ones may end up on another two-way spot next season, taking such a deal off the table for promising prospects playing this March?
Let’s take a look at players in each positional category who have had promising seasons in the G League and further round out our respective draft philosophies in the process as the draft cycle marches toward June!
*All statistics used are courtesy of NBA.com, Synergy Sports, and RealGM, and are as of 3.26.25*
Guards
Cam Spencer, Memphis Grizzlies
It’s certainly not Cam Spencer’s fault why he hasn’t been upgraded to a standard contract until this point. The Memphis Grizzlies have been one of the best franchises at utilizing late draft picks, undrafted two-way deals, and Exhibit 10 contracts to fill rotational gaps due to injuries.
With so many promising young prospects on the roster, Spencer has had to wait his turn despite a lengthy college career that ended on the highest note possible: a national championship with the UConn Huskies.
What Spencer has done in his time with the Memphis Hustle (eight total games during the 2024-25 Tip-Off and regular season periods) has been nothing short of remarkable. Rating in the 98th percentile offensively, Spencer’s shot making has been unmatched by any other player in a similar position from the 2024 draft class. No other prospects from last cycle who have had to play at least five games in the G League have come close to matching Spencer’s consistency on offense.
As one of his class’ fiercest competitors, Spencer has handled himself on the defensive side of the ball as well. He’s not the fleetest of foot, but Spencer is rugged, physical, and feisty as an on-ball defender. Spencer has good hands and reflexes to poke balls free and create deflections in rotations.
Spencer’s shooting ability is the type of elite skill that can put him in position to succeed at the NBA level for years to come. But his overall awareness, motor, and decision-making allow him to play as a true combo guard in the backcourt, helping to balance responsibilities and give other guards playing next to him a little room to breathe.
Even though he’s spent a lot of time on the Grizzlies’ bench this year, Spencer is paying his dues. Whether his long-term home is in Memphis or with another franchise, I’m very confident in what he can bring off the bench as a low-mistake, high-volume shooter that brings fire night in and night out.
JD Davison, Boston Celtics
What else does JD Davison have to do to land himself a standard contract?
Still only 22 years old, Davison has played almost all of his professional career in the G League despite having been a highly touted prospect coming out of high school. During his freshman season at Alabama, Davison played through a lot of ups and downs as a primary point guard. His decision-making, pace of play, and defensive concerns all reared their heads, which caused a decline in his draft stock.
Davison was drafted by the Boston Celtics with the 53rd-overall pick, certainly a far cry from what many might’ve expected from a player who had numerous accolades coming into and out of college.
Now, life hasn’t exactly been too terrible for Mr. Davison, as he’s still been part of a championship organization. And to his credit, he’s put in the work to develop with the Maine Celtics in the G. Over three seasons, Davison has steadily improved as a shooter, passer, and defender. His on-court impact has climbed year-by-year in terms of plus/minus, and he’s even already played in a G League Finals.
Davison is the Celtics’ top two-way prospect given his athletic profile as a speedy guard and his ability to balance setting the table and scoring when his team needs it the most.
Yes, he soaks up a lot of usage on the ball, but Davison has earned the right to lead Maine’s offense in the G League. How many guards in college basketball are better than Davison right now on a professional floor? And who are the players who could benefit learning from Davison’s development in the G League?
Davison has earned his shot to contribute to an NBA rotation, and there’s a real argument to be made he could become one of the better backup guards in the league if given the opportunity.
Taran Armstrong, Golden State Warriors
Taran Armstrong was just recently signed to a two-way contract after beginning his professional career overseas in the NBL. A longtime favorite of the No Ceilings staff during his college days at California Baptist, Armstrong’s game is pure wizardry when he has it going.
A slick ball-handler with impressive vision and precise ball placement through tight windows, Armstrong has the playmaking chops to command a point guard role in the NBA. Questions around Armstrong’s game stemmed from his lack of consistent scoring, which led to him playing two seasons with Cairns in the NBL.
In his second season overseas, Armstrong doubled his scoring average and improved his accuracy from three-point range on higher volume while still dishing the rock and putting on a show as a passer.
Boasting positional size at 6’5”, Armstrong has the tools to impact the game off the bench for an NBA organization. Having signed a deal with the Golden State Warriors, it’s only a matter of time before he turns enough heads to earn a shot given his early play in Santa Cruz.
With his G League squad, Armstrong has rebounded the hell out of the ball, continued to find his teammates for open looks, and asserted himself as a scoring threat from all three levels. Still a young pro prospect, Armstrong has a bright future as a developing player looking for his next shot out of the G League.
Isaiah Stevens, Miami Heat
Man, Isaiah Stevens is a ton of fun to watch in the G.
He hasn’t been the type of dynamic scorer one would expect from a player on this list, but what Stevens is able to do as a table-setter really helps the Sioux Falls Skyforce organize and execute on the offensive end.
On the smaller side for a guard, Stevens is incredibly quick with the ball in his hands. He’s a walking paint touch, and he has the vision to kick out and find his teammates after carving up defenses in ball screen actions. Per Synergy, Stevens ranks in the 81st percentile in pick-and-rolls including passes, despite his decline in those same possessions as a scorer.
There’s room for improvement in the scoring department when it comes to Stevens’ game, but he was able to make a name for himself at Colorado State getting buckets, so I’m not as concerned in that regard. Where I would love to see some more activity is on the defensive end, particularly in situations where Stevens could stand to pressure the ball a bit more and get his hands in the mix to force steals and runouts in transition.
Even with his percentages not at the level that decision-makers want to see from G League guards, few have been as consistent of playmakers as Stevens during the season. What consistently separates players at that level in terms of going on to succeed in the NBA is the ability to make others around them better. Stevens can lift the floor of his team off his passing alone, and he’s definitely worth a look at a roster spot down the road should he continue to make strides as a scorer.
Wings
Riley Minix, San Antonio Spurs
Few wings have been better overall scorers in the G League than Riley Minix has for the Austin Spurs in terms of efficiency.
Per Synergy, Minix rates in the 97th percentile in terms of total offense. His shot diet is primarily jumpers, but he’s been more effective as a shooter off the dribble than as a catch-and-shoot option. Throw in his finishing at the rim when he’s been run off spots, and it’s easy to see Minix’s potential fit off an NBA bench.
A late riser during the 2024 draft process, Minix played well at the Portsmouth Invitational and become a hot name amongst media scouts and evaluators in draft circles. Minix doesn’t check too many boxes in terms of speed and length, but he’s an absolute rock of a human being, which helps him to provide support on the glass and make it difficult for opponents to score over or through him defensively.
Even though Minix doesn’t have a ton of versatility in his offensive game, it’s been nice to see him still make the right decision when the ball has been kicked to him, be it an open shot, drive, or a pass to keep the offense rolling. Role players in the league are essentially required to make shots and defend their positions while also possessing enough understanding of how to move with and without the ball in the team’s offensive scheme. Minix possesses those tools and brings enough toughness defensively despite lacking the lateral quickness to keep up with more aggressive offensive drivers at the pro level.
I fully expect Minix to earn a standard contract and guaranteed roster spot within the next calendar year. His value as a spot-up wing that brings enough of the other stuff to the table is what the league is looking for to fill out spots in rotations.
Spencer Jones, Denver Nuggets
I know my guy Maxwell Baumbach is smiling somewhere as he’s reading this, with back-to-back shoutouts for Riley Minix and Spencer Jones.
Jones flew way under the radar at Stanford as a bigger wing who could shoot the crap out of the ball, but he lacked some of the ball-handling and diversification in his game to really get evaluators excited about what his ceiling could become in the NBA.
Even though his game isn’t flashy or sexy, Jones possesses enough size and utility in the open court as a transition finisher in the lane, or as a shooter leaking out to the corners. In the halfcourt, Jones can cut to the rim and knock down open spot-up shots from distance. He’s even had some moments playing with the Denver Nuggets of late where he’s gotten to show his value on the boards as well as defending in the post.
I’m all for evaluating wings based on the volume they can handle as creators, but it’s also important to value what a player can do on the defensive end of the floor. How many positions can they guard? Can they create and end possessions by boxing out opposing bigs and controlling the glass? Do they get back in transition? Jones checks all of these boxes along with being the type of shooter every team could use at 6’7” and 225 pounds.
Specialists aren’t exactly taking over the NBA by storm nowadays, as players have to bring more than one thing to the table in order to succeed. But in Jones’ defense, I do believe there’s more value than may initially meet the eye. He’s going to end up on a standard contract sooner than some may think, and he stands out to me as the best pro prospect on a two-way deal within Denver’s organization—that includes other former college standouts like Trey Alexander and PJ Hall.
Bryce McGowens, Portland Trail Blazers
I refuse to give up on Bryce McGowens as an NBA wing.
Look. His game has certainly been one-dimensional since coming into the league. At Nebraska, McGowens was a driver and finisher who had his blinders on far too often in terms of what was going on around him. Fast forward a few seasons into his pro career, and that’s still true to an extent. He’s already moved on from the franchise that drafted him, trying to find a new home with the Portland Trail Blazers.
And, spoiler alert!, McGowens has continued to get buckets both for the Blazers and the Rip City Remix of the G League. Few wings in his age group are as natural of scorers as McGowens. He can get to the rim at will and finish with either hand. His long strides put defenses in binds, forcing players to collapse around him. If McGowens were a better decision-maker off of said collapses, he’d warrant more looks within an NBA rotation as a bench scorer.
The issues with McGowens’ game stem from more than the tunnel vision at times, though. If a player isn’t good enough to be “the guy” on offense—or even the second option—then it’s crucial for other aspects of their game to offer complementary value in a specific role. Most of the time, that comes back to spot-up shooting, which McGowens has never been great at dating back to his days in college.
If McGowens could raise his value away from the basketball as both a corner cutter and shooter lifting up to the wings, he’d have a much clearer path to playing more minutes in the NBA. McGowens hasn’t exactly stood out as a defensive prospect either, but he has the size and length to disrupt on that side of the ball and has had moments (especially in G League Showcase games) where he’s looked engaged defensively.
The main point is that I’m not ready to close the book on McGowens’ story just yet. Some players take a while to figure out where their best fits are in the league, but McGowens has the talent to figure that out. And given the jump he’s made with the Remix in terms of his willingness to shoot and move the ball on offense, I’m willing to bet there’s plenty more to unpack with Bryce in the pros.
Trentyn Flowers, LA Clippers
Trentyn Flowers has had a pretty promising first season in the G League with the San Diego Clippers, proving himself worthy of the two-way contract he signed with LA after the 2024 NBA Draft.
Flowers was a highly touted high school recruit who ultimately chose to forego college and travel overseas to play in the NBL’s Next Stars program. His lone season in the league was without a doubt a mixed bag, both in terms of box score numbers and raw playing time. One game, Flowers would get decent minutes, and the next night he wouldn’t play. It was a difficult situation for evaluators to properly gauge his potential as a wing, but he did have some flashes pre-draft that raised enough scouts’ eyebrows, particularly during scrimmages at the NBA Draft Combine.
As a 6’9” wing, Flowers has the athleticism and physical tools the league is looking for in a tertiary offensive option capable of hitting spot-up shots, running the floor in transition, and even handling the ball in a pinch within half-court offense. No, the numbers haven’t rated well in terms of his effectiveness within pick-and-rolls, but as a complementary scorer, Flowers has had some real flashes and exciting finishes in the G League.
Where I get most excited about Flowers is on the defensive end. Like most young prospects, Flowers has some lapses away from the ball and can get caught on screens. But when he’s fully engaged on the ball, Flowers has the quickness to stick with other guards and wings, not to mention the length and hands to create deflections and block shots around the basket. His steal and block rates aren’t jumping off the page, but on tape, Flowers has the ability to make important plays to get his team running in transition.
I’m very curious to see how his story unfolds as he evolves on both ends of the floor, but Flowers has done enough to command a fully-guaranteed roster spot with the Clippers. I would expect him to play far more next year at the NBA level than the 16 minutes he’s spent on the court this season.
Jalen Bridges, Phoenix Suns
Jalen Bridges slipped further than I would’ve expected on draft night, given where I ranked him on my personal big board.
Ultimately, when it comes to going in the second round of a draft, it’s sometimes better to play the politics and go undrafted in order to have a better selection over where one’s career can begin.
There’s a lot to unpack with what I just said—more than I can get into now—but the point is that Bridges had the resume of someone worthy of landing a standard contract in the second round: a proven winner in college, high-volume three-point shooter, and competitive defender and rebounder in the body of a 6’8” wing.
Where Bridges falls a bit short on the NBA’s role-player scale is with his lack of experience playing with the ball in his hands. He put the ball on the deck enough at West Virginia and Baylor to score at the rim when he had a line drive on a closeout, but Bridges’ inability to operate ball screens at a high level puts him in a disadvantage when the ball kicks to him later in a possession and he needs to create effectively from the perimeter.
When scouting perimeter-oriented players ahead of the draft, it’s not just about a certain number of pick-and-roll possessions said player has soaked up in college. It’s more about the experience gained from making decisions in half-court settings.
As a play finisher, Bridges has the touch from the outside and strength in other areas to carry as a professional wing/forward. That player is still useful to have later down the bench given how crucial spacing is towards manufacturing efficient looks at the next level.
Which is why I’m a bit surprised that the Phoenix Suns haven’t given him a few more looks this year up in the league. Unsurprisingly, Bridges has rated out incredibly well as a spot-up scorer and transition finisher in the G League, and he’s consistently contributed on the defensive glass.
Is there skepticism towards Bridges’ scalability as a wing in the NBA due to his limited ball skills? Maybe. But shooters that can hit shots at significant volume while also defending multiple positions are the types of players every team should be taking chances on with roster spots, especially when said player can sign on a team-friendly deal.
I’ll be curious to follow how Bridges’ future with the Suns (and possibly beyond) progresses in the short term throughout this next offseason period—he’s earned his opportunity given his two-way impact with the Valley Suns through his first year in the G League.
Forwards
Nae’Qwan Tomlin, Cleveland Cavaliers
Nae’Qwan Tomlin’s story to the pros has been a fascinating one. A late-blooming prospect in the lower levels, Tomlin made a name for himself at Kansas State and Memphis as an athletic forward with the tantalizing combination of outside touch, wiggle, and rim protection.
Tomlin’s development is still relatively early in terms of high-level experience, but in the G League, he’s gotten better seemingly by the week. Ever since the end of January, Tomlin has been an absolute scoring machine and has had numerous double-double performances with his work on the boards. Not only has Tomlin been an effective transition player and face-up threat inside the arc, but he’s been taking a healthy volume of threes and making them at a respectable clip.
NBA teams are always looking for forwards that possess the type of size, length, and fluidity Tomlin does. That combination of tools is what put Tomlin on the map as a prospect in the first place. Any potential off-court concerns aside, Tomlin has clearly been putting in the work to develop in ways that should excite franchises around the league to offer him a shot at a guaranteed roster spot if those plans aren’t in the cards for the Cleveland Cavaliers.
Few players in the G League possess his combination of statsheet-stuffing production with eye-popping athletic highlights on both ends of the floor. Tomlin is as good of a prospect at the pro level as any at his size and position.
Tosan Evbuomwan, Brooklyn Nets
I’ve been thrilled with Tosan Evbuomwan’s production both in the G League and in the NBA with the Brooklyn Nets.
While his scoring effectiveness from the perimeter has left a little to be desired in certain outings, he’s still managed to shoot 34% from three-point range in the G while providing all of the utility he showed at Princeton as a usage-heavy forward.
Evbuomwan has experience playing with the ball in his hands, drawing double-teams on the block, and making necessary decisions to either move off the ball or get to the rack. As an improving spot-up shooter, Evbuomwan continues to add fun wrinkles to his offensive attack that round out his overall game well when factoring in how nasty of a defensive player he is.
Tosan is physical both in the post and in ball screen defense. He battles drivers, slides his feet well, and can make life difficult for opposing offensive players. Evbuomwan isn’t the type of defensive playmaker that jumps off the page from a metrics perspective, but he provides great effort and knows how to position himself and fill gaps. His energy and effort are contagious defensively.
Since being traded to the Nets, Evbuomwan has spent a considerable amount of time up in the big leagues. I would expect him to get a long look from Brooklyn and other teams for a roster spot should he not reach a guaranteed agreement with the Nets. And if I were scouting for a pro club, Evbuomwan would be near the top of the list in terms of young prospects I’d recommend for a roster spot.
Isaac Jones, Sacramento Kings*
It’s always fun when I get to talk about a player like this, who’s actually successfully been converted to a new contract! Congrats are in order for Isaac Jones, as the Sacramento Kings signed him to a guaranteed deal earlier this week.
It was well deserved. Jones was a premier riser later in the draft process last cycle after turning heads at the Portsmouth Invitational. A number of scouts I spoke with at the time were very impressed with his ability to impact the game on both ends of the floor. An excellent two-foot leaper, glass cleaner, interior finisher, and positional defender, Jones has the type of utility necessary to slot into an NBA role.
In the G League, Jones has been a double-double machine this year for one of the best teams in the league—the Stockton Kings. He’s even gotten more comfortable launching threes, and he’s made them at a 30% clip on the entire year. This really helps to round out his offensive game, as any threat from distance gives him more room to attack closeouts and impact the box score as a driver.
As a defender, Jones projects well at defending both forward spots in the NBA, and there’s a chance he’s strong enough to spend some minutes as a reserve small-ball center given his strength and length combination. All were bright spots that scouts took note of before the 2024 draft, and he’s gotten to show some of that versatility in the G League.
In the NBA minutes Jones has played, he’s been an effective contributor, sporting solid efficiency marks and defensive rates for a player of his archetype. I’m excited to see some more rotational opportunities for Jones as the season winds down.
Centers
Tristan Vukcevic, Washington Wizards
As if there wasn’t already enough young talent within the Washington Wizards’ organization to discuss, Tristan Vukcevic has made a great name for himself in his minutes with the Capital City Go-Go.
It’s not easy to find quality big men in the G, as most centers worthy of opportunity are already on NBA rosters, be it part of the rotation or not. So even though Vukcevic has spent most of his time with the Go-Go, it hasn’t been for naught as he’s been developing well within Washington’s organization.
Outside of Vukcevic’s negative assist-to-turnover ratio, he’s been an efficient offensive player considering most of his offense comes away from the basket as a stretch big. During his first season with Capital City, Vukcevic has knocked down over 40% of his three-point looks, and he’s letting them fly at good volume on over five attempts a night.
Vukcevic may not have the brutality of your typical post player, but he’s still been a decent shot blocker and has looked the part of someone deserving a guaranteed roster spot next season. It doesn’t hurt to have multiple centers on the roster that can space for drivers, especially with Alex Sarr coming along nicely as a shot maker over the last month.
Tristan will have to get better at finding ways to move the ball when defenders crowd him in the halfcourt, but as a play finisher who can shoot, roll, and run the floor in transition, Vukcevic has enough offensively to fill a role at the NBA level.
Branden Carlson, Oklahoma City Thunder
Similarly to the situation in Memphis, the Oklahoma City Thunder have stockpiled young prospects occupying both standard contracts and two-way spots in droves. Branden Carlson found his way to OKC via the Toronto Raptors, and has played well in minutes both up with the Thunder and in the G League with the Blue.
Truthfully, there isn’t much that Carlson hasn’t done, especially in the G League. A nightly double-double threat, Carlson has found ways to manufacture efficient offense as a face-up scorer and spot-up shooter. He hasn’t operated much as a roller or cutter, but has finished a high percentage of looks in transition at the basket as well as on trailer looks.
Defensively, Carlson has that toughness about him that comes out around the basket. He challenges opposing guards and wings, and can hold his own defending in the post. As a 7-footer, Carlson has the size to contest shots from other bigs, with enough mobility to not be a complete zero when having to defend ball screen actions in space.
There’s little doubt in my mind that Carlson is a professional big, after his college career ended on such a high note. Few prospects offered his combination of size, experience, and shooting last draft cycle. OKC was smart to pounce on his availability and get him on a two-way contract, especially given the fact he’s played positive NBA minutes already when called upon. I’d expect him to sign a guaranteed deal in the near future.
N’Faly Dante, Houston Rockets
Last but certainly not least, I was a little surprised when it was Nate Williams signed to a guaranteed deal over N’Faly Dante a few months ago within the Houston Rockets organization.
That’s not a knock on Williams. He’s long been one of my favorite wings in the G League going back to his days with the Salt Lake City Stars. An effective two-way wing that has a little more upside as a ball handler than he’s been able to show in certain settings, Williams has utility to offer at a position of need down the bench for a team looking to contend in the Western Conference.
But having size in the NBA is a luxury that the best teams choose to afford time and time again. Alperen Sengun has All-NBA-caliber talent, and Steven Adams has been as successful as any other backup in the league this year. He’s a proven veteran that levies his muscle as a screener, rebounder, and post defender. Beyond those two, though, Houston’s depth at center isn’t exactly tremendous. Jock Landale is a decent player, but he hasn’t been the answer the Rockets are looking for behind the aforementioned bigs.
Dante is a massive human being, with the kind of size that deters drivers from entering the lane. At over 7 feet tall, Dante plays well in pick-and-roll drop coverages. Even at Oregon, he had opportunities to show and recover in certain schemes, and he’s shown that same ability in the G League with the Rio Grande Valley Vipers.
There isn’t anything “sexy” that Dante has brought to the table this year, but he’s been arguably the club’s best defensive player and feeds into the Rockets’ identity under Ime Udoka. In terms of a guaranteed case, Dante has one and has looked the part of the player he once was thought to be before multiple injuries derailed his value as a high-level prospect when his career started at Oregon.
Close to an 80% finisher with looks around the basket in the G, Dante definitely has a home in the league. It will be interesting to see if he’s able to graduate up to a standard deal this offseason with Houston, should the roster spot and opportunity present itself.
Came for the Flowers, stayed for the center. Always love the work y’all do❤️