Daniel waived by the Clippers

[JBDuke]

http://www.nba.com/clippers/news/ewing_singleton_070629.html

I love Daniel, but I can't say I'm surprised, especially with the Clippers drafting Jared Jordan from Marist.

IMO, Daniel's size and skill mix mean that he's going to have a tough time finding a team on which he's a good fit. I think Daniel brings leadership, constant effort, good perimeter defense (especially against smaller players) and a decent outside shot. But he's going to have a tough time with many of the bigger NBA shooting guards, and his own 3-point shooting has never been good enough at the NBA level to make him a designated gunner.

I hope he can find the right fit. I think he's similar to Juan Dixon, who's managed to stick around a few years with the Wizards, Trailblazers, and Raptors. If not, we may have to follow Daniel's career via international news from now on...

[YmoBeThere]

http://www.nba.com/clippers/news/ewing_singleton_070629.html

I love Daniel, but I can't say I'm surprised, especially with the Clippers drafting Jared Jordan from Marist.


Not sure if Jared Jordan was the sign that Daniel was gone, lack of production and not really standing out made him expendable. With Livingston potentially coming back some time next season and I guess they are hoping for one more year out of Cassell there go most of the PG minutes. And yes at his height and without being exceptionally fast, his role as a backup SG never really existed.

[mgtr]

It is understandable, but a real shame. He seems to be a great kid with a great character. The league needs more like him, hip-hop mentality.

[theasem]

I hope Daniel finds a place with another team. If the Suns didn't draft two guards in DJ Strawberry and Alando Tucker, I thought he'd be a great fit in Phoenix for their back-up point guard spot. If Jacque Vaughn and the Spurs part ways, I hope he could find a place on that team, because the Spurs would be a perfect fit. They are defensively-oriented, and Daniel is a great perimeter defender. He is a better shooter than Vaughn and a better scoring player in general. Vaughn is a better passer and playmaker, but I don't know what team he will stick with. All I know is that I hope he does.

[cspan37421]

As a Dukie I wish him the best. But if he is a "great perimeter defender" then the one time I saw him play, last year, he chose a really bad time to have an off night defending the perimeter. Raja Bell from PHX stuck it to the Clippers with a last-second shot over Ewing off an inbound play. The Suns went right at Daniel - who had just been inserted - and he could not come close to contesting the shot. His hands only reached up to Bell's elbow. What's more, they had a foul to give - Bell shouldn't have even gotten the shot off.

Occam's razor suggests there's a simpler explanation. Nonetheless, good luck Daniel.

[pfrduke]

As a Dukie I wish him the best. But if he is a "great perimeter defender" then the one time I saw him play, last year, he chose a really bad time to have an off night defending the perimeter. Raja Bell from PHX stuck it to the Clippers with a last-second shot over Ewing off an inbound play. The Suns went right at Daniel - who had just been inserted - and he could not come close to contesting the shot. His hands only reached up to Bell's elbow. What's more, they had a foul to give - Bell shouldn't have even gotten the shot off.

Occam's razor suggests there's a simpler explanation. Nonetheless, good luck Daniel.

Raja Bell put a good two-handed shove into Ewing right before the ball was inbounded to give himself space to hit the shot. Ewing had to come from a ways away to try to contest it after that push, and he couldn't get there in time.

[lmb]

After he graduated, the news came out that his mother was very ill. I believe she had cancer, but I don't remember very clearly. Many folks didn't know that he was struggling with this through his entire senior year. Does anyone know the outcome of that situation? It sounded very grave at the time, but I don't recall ever hearing that she had passed away.

[cspan37421]

Raja Bell put a good two-handed shove into Ewing right before the ball was inbounded to give himself space to hit the shot.

I think that happens to one degree or another on every contested inbound pass. It isn't called a foul unless the guy gets pushed down/flops.

I want to see him succeed as much as possible. But "great perimeter defenders" don't get waived while they're still effective. JMO.

[Oriole Way]

What are the chances Daniel catches on with another team?

Any suggestions as to best possible fits?

[TheGodfather]

But "great perimeter defenders" don't get waived while they're still effective. JMO.


Bruce Bowen has been waived before and he is regarded as one of the elite defenders in the game.

[cspan37421]

was BB an elite defender when he was waived? No. I'm not saying DE can't get there, just that he isn't there yet and "great perimeter defender" is at best premature.

It would be wonderful if DE turns out to be as good as Bowen. But what % of waived players ultimately perform at the level of a Bruce Bowen? I think some of you guys have your Duke love goggles on.

[thebur]

I agree that I think Ewing has great upside as a defender and shooter in the league, and even if it doesn't happen right now, he will certainly have somewhere to play ball until then. He would certainly be a top division American player overseas with years of NBA experience and a Duke pedigree to his resume. That would also allow him to help out with medical bills or other family needs, as those guys usually command over $150,000 over a 6 month season.

I think he will end up with another NBA team this year, but I hope he keeps working hard and succeeding wherever he ends up, I always loved his attitude and explosive athleticism.

[JasonEvans]

It is worth mentioning that Daniel made more than a million dollars from the 2 years he played so far in the NBA. He will doubtlessly earn hundreds of thousands more this coming year whether he finds a place on another NBA team (a decent possibility) or if he plays overseas. If he plays in the NBA Developmental League he will make much less, but have a better chance at being called up by a NBA club.

Regardless though, unless Daniel has been very foolish with his money, he is pretty well set for the near future and has a fabulous starting point from which to establish a lasting career in a wide variety of fields.

-Jason "it will be interesting to see who Daniel plays for in the summer leagues" Evans

[Richard Berg]

Bowen is also 4 inches taller. He guards players like Shawn Marion all the time and even 7-footers (Dirk) on occasion. Daniel is not even big enough to guard the average NBA '3', so he will never be as versatile no matter how good he gets.

Daniel needs to improve his shooting, definitely, but he won't succeed if that's his only offensive weapon. He's quick enough to create so long as he doesn't have an elite player guarding him (or the other team is playing "regular-season defense" in general). He just needs to do it more consistently, in a way that both threatens to score and sets up his teammates. Not necessarily running the floor (he doesn't have those skills), but more like he did his senior year as a combo guard who looked to pass but would attack the rim any time you failed to give him credit.

Much as I'd like to see a Dukie on the Spurs, I don't see him in a Jacque Vaughn role anytime soon. Vaughn is not just a good defender and solid backup PG, he's a big steadying influence and leader for the 2nd unit, the ice to Manu's fire. While not as creative as Ewing, he ends up with more assists just by making the right plays at the right time and never turning it over (>3:1 ratio). Ewing isn't mature enough yet for that kind of veteran role. About the only thing he would bring is better shooting, and the Spurs already have plenty of shooters (Manu, Barry, Finley, Bowen).

[TheGodfather]

was BB an elite defender when he was waived? No.

How do you come to that conclusion? The year before BB was waived he had his career high in steals (both overall and average) despite limited minutes. Since being waived he has been named to 7 NBA all defensive teams. All indications are that, YES, he was every bit the elite defensive player searching for the right situation to flourish in (luckily he found the Spurs).

Gauging whether a player is a great defender based on whether he has been waived seems naive. Raja Bell was named first team NBA Defensive Team this season. He's been waived more than once. Don't you think it's possible a player can be a great defensive player and still be waived?