Quinn Cook NBA Contract!

[Dukehky]

This stays on this board until Quinn get's an NBA contract. However long is okay.

If the Pelicans don't sign him after dumping their entire backcourt and its depth last night, they are dumber than if they tried to hire John Calipari.

Also, They are definitely going after Cal right? Brow and Boogie?

[Devils Librarian]

This stays on this board until Quinn get's an NBA contract. However long is okay.

If the Pelicans don't sign him after dumping their entire backcourt and its depth last night, they are dumber than if they tried to hire John Calipari.

Also, They are definitely going after Cal right? Brow and Boogie?


Well, Cal did say a team of his former players could beat the Warriors. He'd be 2/5 of the way there.

[dukefan_828]

Thought the same exact thing about Quinn when i seen this this morning!! He has ties to the Pelicans, spent the off season w them when they did there overseas tour thing. He was signed and waived. Had time to make some associates though Quinn is a cool dude, and the brow made him part of the "squad" while he was there. I think he would be a great big to finish on the break, abvove average 3 pt shooter, high iq, and two freak athletes to throw the lob to!

Im going to text chris broussard and see if i cant get some further insight on this.:cool:


Btw what a laughable thought by that investigation riddled coach cal. So out of touch.. Kentucky Starting 5: John Wall, Devon Booker, MKG, Anthony Davis, Boogie Cousins.
Warriors Starting 5: Steph Cur, Klay Thompson, KD, Draymond, ZAZA

[CDu]

Thought the same exact thing about Quinn when i seen this this morning!! He has ties to the Pelicans, spent the off season w them when they did there overseas tour thing. He was signed and waived. Had time to make some associates though Quinn is a cool dude, and the brow made him part of the "squad" while he was there. I think he would be a great big to finish on the break, abvove average 3 pt shooter, high iq, and two freak athletes to throw the lob to!

Im going to text chris broussard and see if i cant get some further insight on this.:cool:


Btw what a laughable thought by that investigation riddled coach cal. So out of touch.. Kentucky Starting 5: John Wall, Devon Booker, MKG, Anthony Davis, Boogie Cousins.
Warriors Starting 5: Steph Cur, Klay Thompson, KD, Draymond, ZAZA

I think an all-UK team would stand a decent chance, actually:

Cousins
Davis
Kidd-Gilchrist
Bledsoe
Wall

Towns
Randle
Booker
Murray
Knight

Jones
Meeks
Noel

With Patterson, Cauley-Stein, and Ulis sitting out. And that isn't including Kanter, who spent a year at UK with Cal but wasn't allowed to play because his former team in Turkey are jerks and sabotaged his eligibility.

The starting five would still favor Golden State. But the second five would be a huge edge for the UK group.

[JNort]

I think an all-UK team would stand a decent chance, actually:

Cousins
Davis
Kidd-Gilchrist
Bledsoe
Wall

Towns
Randle
Booker
Murray
Knight

Jones
Meeks
Noel

With Patterson, Cauley-Stein, and Ulis sitting out. And that isn't including Kanter, who spent a year at UK with Cal but wasn't allowed to play because his former team in Turkey are jerks and sabotaged his eligibility.

The starting five would still favor Golden State. But the second five would be a huge edge for the UK group.

Nah I would take a UK lineup over the Warriors every day of the week and twice on Sunday

[dukefan_828]

I think an all-UK team would stand a decent chance, actually:

Cousins
Davis
Kidd-Gilchrist
Bledsoe
Wall

Towns
Randle
Booker
Murray
Knight

Jones
Meeks
Noel


With Patterson, Cauley-Stein, and Ulis sitting out. And that isn't including Kanter, who spent a year at UK with Cal but wasn't allowed to play because his former team in Turkey are jerks and sabotaged his eligibility.

The starting five would still favor Golden State. But the second five would be a huge edge for the UK group.
I went AND did a NBA UK vs NBA Duke scneario like you did w warriors uk above. Opinions? I think we stack up well.. game i'd pay to see
Cousins
Davis
Kidd-Gilchrist
Bledsoe
Wall

Kyrie
JJ
Jabari Parker
Jahlil
MP2

2nd Rotation

Towns
Randle
Booker
Murray
Knight


Austin Rivers
Seth Curry
Justice
Rodney Hood
MP1 (Shuts Down KAT:rolleyes:)

Role Players


Jones
Meeks
Noel


Brandon Ingram
Luol Deng
Gerald Henderson

Bench Warmers/Special Situations

Cauley-Stein
Ullis

Tyus Jones
Dunleavy
Singler

[Dukehky]

I went AND did a NBA UK vs NBA Duke scneario like you did w warriors uk above. Opinions? I think we stack up well.. game i'd pay to see
Cousins
Davis
Kidd-Gilchrist
Bledsoe
Wall

Kyrie
JJ
Jabari Parker
Jahlil
MP2

2nd Rotation

Towns
Randle
Booker
Murray
Knight


Austin Rivers
Seth Curry
Justice
Rodney Hood
MP1 (Shuts Down KAT:rolleyes:)

Role Players


Jones
Meeks
Noel


Brandon Ingram
Luol Deng
Gerald Henderson

Bench Warmers/Special Situations

Cauley-Stein
Ullis

Tyus Jones
Dunleavy
Singler


Love our guys, but we would get slapped. Kyrie is the only guy on the same level as Wall, Davis, and Cousins, and Wall is the best defensive PG in the league when he wants to be.

[Ichabod Drain]

Love our guys, but we would get slapped. Kyrie is the only guy on the same level as Wall, Davis, and Cousins, and Wall is the best defensive PG in the league when he wants to be.

I would have said Jabari was close this year before the injury. A lot of people were saying he would have been on the short list of players to replace Love in the all-star game.

But yea.. even with Bari Duke is getting smacked in that game.

[SCMatt33]

What does any of this have to do with the possibility of Quinn getting a contract?!?! This must be one of the swiftest thread hijackings ever. Anyway, since this is apparently getting its own thread and been separated from the D-league thread, I figured I'd repeat some of my thoughts from over there. Quinn has done really well to even get on the NBA radar and this Pelicans opening seems like the first really legit possibility for him. Making an NBA roster for the first time off of a ten day contract as a point guard is really tough to do. Of the half dozen or so point guards signed to ten days his year, only one, Chasson Randle, did so without previous NBA experience, and even he was well on his way to making the Knicks roster in camp before getting hurt. Whether or not he gets a deal, he's done well.

[Dr. Rosenrosen]

What does any of this have to do with the possibility of Quinn getting a contract?!?! This must be one of the swiftest thread hijackings ever. Anyway, since this is apparently getting its own thread and been separated from the D-league thread, I figured I'd repeat some of my thoughts from over there. Quinn has done really well to even get on the NBA radar and this Pelicans opening seems like the first really legit possibility for him. Making an NBA roster for the first time off of a ten day contract as a point guard is really tough to do. Of the half dozen or so point guards signed to ten days his year, only one, Chasson Randle, did so without previous NBA experience, and even he was well on his way to making the Knicks roster in camp before getting hurt. Whether or not he gets a deal, he's done well.
This board had a severe case of ADHD.

I can't think of a guy who deserves a shot more than Quinn. I'm sorry but if Dellavedova is deemed good enough to play at the NBA level, then I'd take my chances with Quinn any day of the week and twice on Sunday.

[moonpie23]

Squirrel!!!!!!!

[MrPoon]

Shouldn't we start arguing over minutes on the Duke NBA team next?

I think it was SI when reviewing the Boogie trade that suggested Quinn would get the call up. Really hope it works out for Cook. Thought the Cavs may have called him up but with Love out they needed size.

[Furniture]

Full support from me with this tread! Well done sir!!

[SCMatt33]

According to ESPN's Marc Stein, Quinn will be working out for the Pelicans today along with Mario Chalmers, Hollis Thompson, and Reggie Williams. Obviously, this is still in the rumor phase, so hard to tell the veracity (whether that list is correct, and if so, is there anyone missing). That list also includes a mix of wings and point guards so tough to tell what the team is truly looking for. It's also possible that they are trying to complete another trade first and signing a free agent could be merely a backup plan. Either way, stay tuned.

[kAzE]

Nah I would take a UK lineup over the Warriors every day of the week and twice on Sunday

I wouldn't . . . Steph and KD are 2 of the 3 best players in the league, and I don't see any way that UK team can realistically match up with Steph, Klay, and KD (I'm not sure anybody can). The Warriors would be a WAY better shooting team than that UK lineup. They have 3 of the 10 best shooters of all time. As for the UK squad, Wall/MKG/Bledsoe/AD are all below average to terrible 3 point shooters, especially compared to the Steph/Klay/KD trio. I'm not concerned about the Warriors' bench. They have good depth, and their starting 5 is MUCH better offensively in my opinion. You can't hang with the Warriors when the only guy they have to guard on the perimeter is your center. And even Cousins is just a career 32% shooter who is at 35.6% this year. That's your best shooter. Just stop it. (Booker is a career 35.5% from 3)

[subzero02]

I wouldn't . . . Steph and KD are 2 of the 3 best players in the league, and I don't see any way that UK team can realistically match up with Steph, Klay, and KD (I'm not sure anybody can). The Warriors would be a WAY better shooting team than that UK lineup. They have 3 of the 10 best shooters of all time. As for the UK squad, Wall/MKG/Bledsoe/AD are all below average to terrible 3 point shooters, especially compared to the Steph/Klay/KD trio. I'm not concerned about the Warriors' bench. They have good depth, and their starting 5 is MUCH better offensively in my opinion. You can't hang with the Warriors when the only guy they have to guard on the perimeter is your center. And even Cousins is just a career 32% shooter who is at 35.6% this year. That's your best shooter. Just stop it. (Booker is a career 35.5% from 3)

While they might rank amongst the top 10 shooters of all time from a statistical standpoint, I think this is largely due to them playing in a 3 point happy era. I don't think Durant or Klay rank amongst the 10 best shooters of all time.

May the force be with you Quinn...

[mattman91]

Did someone say...vigil?

I'm in.

[kAzE]

While they might rank amongst the top 10 shooters of all time from a statistical standpoint, I think this is largely due to them playing in a 3 point happy era. I don't think Durant or Klay rank amongst the 10 best shooters of all time.

May the force be with you Quinn...

Here's a news flash: The "3 point happy era" isn't going away any time soon. This is what basketball is now. And statistics matter. There's no other way to compare across eras. Steph I think by any measure is the greatest shooter of all time. Basketball historians almost unanimously agree on this. Another thing they agree on is that Klay is in the top 10 of all time, no question. Those guys would have been good in any era.

KD is a bit different, but I personally would consider him one of the best shooters ever, just because he has 30 foot range and nobody can block his shot.

And just so we don't get confused, here's my top 10:

1. Steph Curry
2. Ray Allen
3. Steve Nash
4. Reggie Miller
5. Larry Bird
6. Jerry West
7. Klay Thompson
8. Kyle Korver
9. Dale Ellis
10. Kevin Durant

Barely missed: Steve Kerr, Jason Terry, Chris Mullin, Drazen Petrovic, Dirk Nowitzki, Mark Price, Peja Stojakovic

[subzero02]

While I agree that the 3 point era isn't going anywhere soon, I don't think it is necessarily here to stay in its current form. Adjustments to any number of rules could diminish the effectiveness of relying so heavily on the 3 point shot. I also don't think 3 point shooting statistics and ability should be the exclusive criteria in assessing shooting ability. And while statistics do matter, relying on them is not the only way to compare players over different eras. When attempting to define something subjective such as the best shooter or player, the eye test obviously plays a major role too.

I'd place Nowitzki, Mullin, Kerr, and Price in the top 10. Kerr has the top 3 point shooting percentage of all time and Price is number 2 all time in FT percentage. Durant ranks outside the top 100 in 3pt percentage and Thompson ranks outside the top 100 in ft perctage; neither ranks top 10 in FT percentage or 3 pt percentage. IMO, Rick Barry and Thompson should be included in the honorable mention along with the bottom 4 of your top 10(excluding Durant) and the ones I haven't mentioned from your barely missed list (excluding Terry). Based on statistics alone, Mullin would probably not make many top 10 lists but he is there based on my eye test. I really don't see how Kerr can be left off of anyone's list, he passes the stats test, the eye test, the ear test and the cinder block test...imo.


1. Curry
2. Nash
3. Allen
4. Kerr
5. West
6. Bird
7. Miller
8. Price
9. Nowitzki
10. Mullin

Honorable Mention:
Barry, Peja, Drazen, Thompson, Ellis

[LasVegas]

Man, this place really loves the warriors. Last year during the finals, it was almost nauseating. As a born and raised Ohioan, I'm looking forward to Lebron bringing back another title. ;)

I just wish Cleveland would of given Quinn a shot. I think he would of been a great backup PG to kyrie.

[flyingdutchdevil]

There is no one I want to see succeed more than Quinn. Really hope he gets that 10-day contract and proves the NBA that all Duke players under 6'3" add tremendous value!

[kAzE]

While I agree that the 3 point era isn't going anywhere soon, I don't think it is necessarily here to stay in its current form. Adjustments to any number of rules could diminish the effectiveness of relying so heavily on the 3 point shot. I also don't think 3 point shooting statistics and ability should be the exclusive criteria in assessing shooting ability. And while statistics do matter, relying on them is not the only way to compare players over different eras. When attempting to define something subjective such as the best shooter or player, the eye test obviously plays a major role too.

I'd place Nowitzki, Mullin, Kerr, and Price in the top 10. Kerr has the top 3 point shooting percentage of all time and Price is number 2 all time in FT percentage. Durant ranks outside the top 100 in 3pt percentage and Thompson ranks outside the top 100 in ft perctage; neither ranks top 10 in FT percentage or 3 pt percentage. IMO, Rick Barry and Thompson should be included in the honorable mention along with the bottom 4 of your top 10(excluding Durant) and the ones I haven't mentioned from your barely missed list (excluding Terry). Based on statistics alone, Mullin would probably not make many top 10 lists but he is there based on my eye test. I really don't see how Kerr can be left off of anyone's list, he passes the stats test, the eye test, the ear test and the cinder block test...imo.


1. Curry
2. Nash
3. Allen
4. Kerr
5. West
6. Bird
7. Miller
8. Price
9. Nowitzki
10. Mullin

Honorable Mention:
Barry, Peja, Drazen, Thompson, Ellis

We're not really talking about the same thing. Your rankings seem to be based heavily on percentages. To me, being a great shooter is not only about your accuracy. You have to be able to create opportunities for yourself by either getting open or by creating a shot off the dribble. Steph is easily the best shooter I've seen in that regard, and KD has to be in that conversation just by being a 6'11" guy with a 7'6" wingspan who can get his shot almost at will. I don't think anybody is going to argue that Steve Kerr is at better at getting his shot than Kevin Durant. In my opinion, you're not as good of a shooter as those kinds of players if all you can do is drain catch and shoot opportunities. Steve Kerr's percentage is based largely on the fact that he took almost all of his shots as a standstill shooter off the catch.

But I'm done derailing the original intent of this thread . . . .

I wish Quinn the best of luck in pursuing his dream of playing in the NBA. He deserves a chance at the very least, after performing admirably in the D league the last couple of seasons.

[wsb3]

What does any of this have to do with the possibility of Quinn getting a contract?!?! This must be one of the swiftest thread hijackings ever.

Agree with SCMatt...I was thinking...that didn't take long to go off subject..

Quin strikes me as the type that if he gets a chance he will stick. Love to see him get the chance..

[mattman91]

There is no one I want to see succeed more than Quinn. Really hope he gets that 10-day contract and proves the NBA that all Duke players under 6'3" add tremendous value!

Yep, and Andre. Wish he could have pulled off an NBA career.

[JNort]

I wouldn't . . . Steph and KD are 2 of the 3 best players in the league, and I don't see any way that UK team can realistically match up with Steph, Klay, and KD (I'm not sure anybody can). The Warriors would be a WAY better shooting team than that UK lineup. They have 3 of the 10 best shooters of all time. As for the UK squad, Wall/MKG/Bledsoe/AD are all below average to terrible 3 point shooters, especially compared to the Steph/Klay/KD trio. I'm not concerned about the Warriors' bench. They have good depth, and their starting 5 is MUCH better offensively in my opinion. You can't hang with the Warriors when the only guy they have to guard on the perimeter is your center. And even Cousins is just a career 32% shooter who is at 35.6% this year. That's your best shooter. Just stop it. (Booker is a career 35.5% from 3)

No way. If you had a full on UK team against the current Warriors then the squad UK will win 9 or 10 times out of 10.

Curry, Klay and Durant could combine for 80 or 90 and still would lose.

[kAzE]

No way. If you had a full on UK team against the current Warriors then the squad UK will win 9 or 10 times out of 10.

Curry, Klay and Durant could combine for 80 or 90 and still would lose.

And would you care to offer a single shred of supporting argument? The NBA is a guard/shooter league, not a big man league. Evidenced by the fact that the so-called "best 3 big men in the league" are all on losing teams, and that the best teams in the league are full of shooters and play makers. The Warriors would destroy that UK team, which has almost no reliable long distance shooters.

I think this Boogie/Davis team is all hype and no substance. It's too early to say, but I think they will eventually prove my point that big men are not what matter in this league anymore. As long as you have a Rudy Gobert/DeAndre Jordan/Clint Capela type of guy in the middle who can challenge shots and grab rebounds, that's all you really need. Having a skilled low post scorer is nice, but as the Warriors are proving again, it's not even close to necessary.

[JNort]

Cousins
Davis
Kidd-Gilchrist
Bledsoe
Wall

Towns
Randle
Booker
Murray
Knight

Jones
Noel
Meeks



And would you care to offer a single shred of supporting argument? The NBA is a guard/shooter league, not a big man league. Evidenced by the fact that the so-called "best 3 big men in the league" are all on losing teams, and that the best teams in the league are full of shooters and play makers. The Warriors would destroy that UK team, which has almost no reliable long distance shooters.

I think this Boogie/Davis team is all hype and no substance. It's too early to say, but I think they will eventually prove my point that big men are not what matter in this league anymore. As long as you have a Rudy Gobert/DeAndre Jordan/Clint Capela type of guy in the middle who can challenge shots and grab rebounds, that's all you really need. Having a skilled low post scorer is nice, but as the Warriors are proving again, it's not even close to necessary.

Scoring wise I think the starters of Golden State would have a slight advantage over that UK team but not by a whole lot. The difference would be when you make subs. That is where this would get out of hand. The UK team has 3 of the top 10 guys in the NBA and loads of rebounding and defensive talent. Not to mention that 6 of those guys are top 10 at their positions. Booker is only in his second year and has improved his shooting and is scoring in bunches lately as a top 2 option on his team, imagine him becoming the 7th best player on a team and all the open looks he would get.

No I don't actually think you need a guard oriented team to win. You need to be a top tier team at something. Since the Cavs, Warriors and Rockets are so great at shooting you can beat them up inside and play great defense. Teams are making the mistake of trying to play catch up to those 3 teams, now is the best time in the NBA to go the opposite way.

[kAzE]

Scoring wise I think the starters of Golden State would have a slight advantage over that UK team but not by a whole lot. The difference would be when you make subs. That is where this would get out of hand. The UK team has 3 of the top 10 guys in the NBA and loads of rebounding and defensive talent. Not to mention that 6 of those guys are top 10 at their positions. Booker is only in his second year and has improved his shooting and is scoring in bunches lately as a top 2 option on his team, imagine him becoming the 7th best player on a team and all the open looks he would get.

No I don't actually think you need a guard oriented team to win. You need to be a top tier team at something. Since the Cavs, Warriors and Rockets are so great at shooting you can beat them up inside and play great defense. Teams are making the mistake of trying to play catch up to those 3 teams, now is the best time in the NBA to go the opposite way.

They have MAYBE 2, only Davis is top 10 for sure. Wall is not a top 10 player. He's just not. Boogie SHOULD be a top 10 player, but he's also not. There's only room for 10 players in the top 10:

1. LeBron
2. KD
3. Steph
4. Westbrook
5. Paul
6. Kawhi
7. Harden
8. Davis
9-10: could be any 2 of Paul George, Blake Griffin, DeMarcus Cousins, or Draymond Green, but certainly NOT John Wall

Also, your bench argument would only kind of hold water in the regular season. In the playoffs, starters pretty regularly play 40+ minutes. In that scenario, Golden State's otherworldly starting lineup would prevail. Also, I'm not not sure why you think the Warrior's bench is bad. Shaun Livingston, Andre Iguodala, and David West are all REALLY good players. Even Javale McGee is having a phenomenal comeback season, posting an absurd 23.7 PER thus far. Ian Clark is shooting 39.6% from 3, better than anyone on that UK roster.

I really doubt that the NBA will ever go back to low post offense becoming a focal point. You can hope and dream, but that era is gone, unless they really shake up the rules. 2 points will always be worth less than 3.

[DukeTrinity11]

And would you care to offer a single shred of supporting argument? The NBA is a guard/shooter league, not a big man league. Evidenced by the fact that the so-called "best 3 big men in the league" are all on losing teams, and that the best teams in the league are full of shooters and play makers. The Warriors would destroy that UK team, which has almost no reliable long distance shooters.
Saying that the Warriors team would destroy that UK team is a laughable assertion. The only way the Dubs would be considered that much of a favorite is if that UK team had chemistry issues for some reason.

Assuming full health the UK Starting 5 is:

Wall
Bledsoe
MKG
Davis
Boogie

Assuming full health the Warriors Starting 5 is:

Curry
Klay
Durant
Green
Zaza

UK's backcourt is good enough defensively at full health to at least hold the Splash Bros and Durant in check to some degree. Draymond has shown time and time again that he is no match vs. Anthony Davis and Boogie would score on Zaza at will.

If anyone can slow down Durantula, its Michael Kidd Gilchrist. Again, KD could still go off but I"ll take my chances MKG can hold him in check within reason for the better part of a 7 game series.

[SCMatt33]

They have MAYBE 2, only Davis is top 10 for sure. Wall is not a top 10 player. He's just not. Boogie SHOULD be a top 10 player, but he's also not. There's only room for 10 players in the top 10:

1. LeBron
2. KD
3. Steph
4. Westbrook
5. Paul
6. Kawhi
7. Harden
8. Davis
9-10: could be any 2 of Paul George, Blake Griffin, DeMarcus Cousins, or Draymond Green, but certainly NOT John Wall

Also, your bench argument would only kind of hold water in the regular season. In the playoffs, starters pretty regularly play 40+ minutes. In that scenario, Golden State's otherworldly starting lineup would prevail. Also, I'm not not sure why you think the Warrior's bench is bad. Shaun Livingston, Andre Iguodala, and David West are all REALLY good players. Even Javale McGee is having a phenomenal comeback season, posting an absurd 23.7 PER thus far. Ian Clark is shooting 39.6% from 3, better than anyone on that UK roster.

I really doubt that the NBA will ever go back to low post offense becoming a focal point. You can hope and dream, but that era is gone, unless they really shake up the rules. 2 points will always be worth less than 3.

So much for being done with derailing the thread kAzE...😂

In other news, since I posted about the workout, there were reports that Wayne Selden was in attendance in addition to the four listed yesterday. No rumors yet on how it went or what the Pelicans' plans might be.

[kAzE]

Saying that the Warriors team would destroy that UK team is a laughable assertion. The only way the Dubs would be considered that much of a favorite is if that UK team had chemistry issues for some reason.

Assuming full health the UK Starting 5 is:

Wall
Bledsoe
MKG
Davis
Boogie

Assuming full health the Warriors Starting 5 is:

Curry
Klay
Durant
Green
Zaza

UK's backcourt is good enough defensively at full health to at least hold the Splash Bros and Durant in check to some degree. Draymond has shown time and time again that he is no match vs. Anthony Davis and Boogie would score on Zaza at will.

If anyone can slow down Durantula, its Michael Kidd Gilchrist. Again, KD could still go off but I"ll take my chances MKG can hold him in check within reason for the better part of a 7 game series.

The only thing that's laughable is your idea of NBA offense . . . as if this was a series of 1 on 1 games. The Warriors could easily collapse and help off of any of those UK perimeter players (Wall is a 32% career 3 point shooter, Bledsoe 33%, and MKG 21%). Heck, you don't even need to guard MKG. He's a non factor offensively outside of the paint. Cousins and AD would get triple teamed in the paint, and the Warriors would let those guards jack up 3s all day. Conversely, the way the way the Warriors move the ball, they are capable of finding an open shot for one of their amazing 3 point shooters nearly every possession. Boogie would destroy Zaza 1 on 1, but he's not playing Zaza, he's playing Zaza and a myriad of help defenders.

Your analysis of the starting lineups is absurd . . . the Warriors have 4 of the top 20 players in the league in their starting lineup (2 of the top 3), and Iguodala is top 50. More importantly, all of those players fit together beautifully, and they make each other better. UK has 3 top 20 guys, Bledsoe is barely top 50, and any notion that he can successfully guard Klay Thompson, who is 6 inches taller, and would shoot right over him, is hilarious. MKG, as good a defender as he is, is a 0 on offense, and not a top 100 player. Knight has continued to decline, and is one of the most untradable assets in the league, because he's massively overpaid. The only argument for the UK team is that their bench (which is really young) is somehow good enough to carry them while the Warriors' starters are resting, and it's not a very good one.

Basketball is 5 on 5, and the players on a team need to fit together coherently. Throwing a bunch of talent on a team that doesn't fit together does not make a good team, and even then, the UK starters don't have as much talent as the Warriors starters.

Look, I'm not even a Warriors fan, I actually hate that this team exists, because it's just downright unfair. But it does exist, and they are that good.

[Edouble]

Saying that the Warriors team would destroy that UK team is a laughable assertion. The only way the Dubs would be considered that much of a favorite is if that UK team had chemistry issues for some reason.

Assuming full health the UK Starting 5 is:

Wall
Bledsoe
MKG
Davis
Boogie

Assuming full health the Warriors Starting 5 is:

Curry
Klay
Durant
Green
Zaza

UK's backcourt is good enough defensively at full health to at least hold the Splash Bros and Durant in check to some degree. Draymond has shown time and time again that he is no match vs. Anthony Davis and Boogie would score on Zaza at will.

If anyone can slow down Durantula, its Michael Kidd Gilchrist. Again, KD could still go off but I"ll take my chances MKG can hold him in check within reason for the better part of a 7 game series.

If Boogie would score on Zaza at will, then 6'7" Klay Thompson would score on 6'1" Eric Bledsoe at will.

I'll agree with Kaze here and take the Warriors.

[JNort]

They have MAYBE 2, only Davis is top 10 for sure. Wall is not a top 10 player. He's just not. Boogie SHOULD be a top 10 player, but he's also not. There's only room for 10 players in the top 10:

1. LeBron
2. KD
3. Steph
4. Westbrook
5. Paul
6. Kawhi
7. Harden
8. Davis
9-10: could be any 2 of Paul George, Blake Griffin, DeMarcus Cousins, or Draymond Green, but certainly NOT John Wall

Also, your bench argument would only kind of hold water in the regular season. In the playoffs, starters pretty regularly play 40+ minutes. In that scenario, Golden State's otherworldly starting lineup would prevail. Also, I'm not not sure why you think the Warrior's bench is bad. Shaun Livingston, Andre Iguodala, and David West are all REALLY good players. Even Javale McGee is having a phenomenal comeback season, posting an absurd 23.7 PER thus far. Ian Clark is shooting 39.6% from 3, better than anyone on that UK roster.

I really doubt that the NBA will ever go back to low post offense becoming a focal point. You can hope and dream, but that era is gone, unless they really shake up the rules. 2 points will always be worth less than 3.

I gotta make some changes for you cause your top 10 was off.

1. LeBron

2-9 in no order:
KD
Kawhi
Westbrook
Steph
Wall
Davis
Cousins
Harden

10th is one of CP3, PG13, Marc Gasol and KAT is closing in on these guys

[kAzE]

I gotta make some changes for you cause your top 10 was off.

1. LeBron

2-9 in no order:
KD
Kawhi
Westbrook
Steph
Wall
Davis
Cousins
Harden

10th is one of CP3, PG13, Marc Gasol and KAT is closing in on these guys

That's fine, since it's your opinion, but most people would not agree that Wall is top 10:

Sports Illustrated: http://www.si.com/nba/2016/09/12/nba-top-100-player-rankings

ESPN: http://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/page/nbarank10_2016/nbarank-10-portland-trail-blazers-point-guard-damian-lillard

Washington Post: https://www.washingtonpost.com/graphics/sports/nba-top-100-players-2016/

SBNation: http://www.sbnation.com/2013/8/19/4615826/top-100-nba-players-2017-list

Bleacher Report: http://bleacherreport.com/articles/2684404-2016-17-nba-superstar-rankings-top-25-players-heading-into-the-new-year

Hint: None of them consider Wall top 10, and most of them actually agree that Draymond is better than Wall. So Golden State's top 2 are better than UK's top 1, and their 3rd best guy is regarded more highly than UK's 3rd best guy. How is this even a debate?

Edit: would it be possible for the mods to move this debate out into a separate thread? I feel really bad about hijacking this thread . . . but I obviously feel pretty strongly about this discussion.

[RPS]

Rooting for Quinn. kAzE wins big on the derail topic (not close).

[Exnicios]

I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but it looks like the Pels are signing Hollis Thompson to the roster spot Quinn was auditioning for. Here's hoping there's still a path to a 10-day around the corner!

Per Marc Stein's twitter feed: "The Pelicans are in the process of signing Hollis Thompson to a 10-day contract, league sources say...ESPN reported earlier this week that the Pelicans would audition Thompson, Mario Chalmers, Quinn Cook and Reggie Williams for a roster spot"

[SCMatt33]

I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but it looks like the Pels are signing Hollis Thompson to the roster spot Quinn was auditioning for. Here's hoping there's still a path to a 10-day around the corner!

Per Marc Stein's twitter feed: "The Pelicans are in the process of signing Hollis Thompson to a 10-day contract, league sources say...ESPN reported earlier this week that the Pelicans would audition Thompson, Mario Chalmers, Quinn Cook and Reggie Williams for a roster spot"

Stinks for Quinn, but the upside is that Thompson is a 6'8" wing player, so it's not like he was passed up for another point guard, which would have stung a little more.

[JNort]

That's fine, since it's your opinion, but most people would not agree that Wall is top 10:

Sports Illustrated: http://www.si.com/nba/2016/09/12/nba-top-100-player-rankings

ESPN: http://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/page/nbarank10_2016/nbarank-10-portland-trail-blazers-point-guard-damian-lillard

Washington Post: https://www.washingtonpost.com/graphics/sports/nba-top-100-players-2016/

SBNation: http://www.sbnation.com/2013/8/19/4615826/top-100-nba-players-2017-list

Bleacher Report: http://bleacherreport.com/articles/2684404-2016-17-nba-superstar-rankings-top-25-players-heading-into-the-new-year

Hint: None of them consider Wall top 10, and most of them actually agree that Draymond is better than Wall. So Golden State's top 2 are better than UK's top 1, and their 3rd best guy is regarded more highly than UK's 3rd best guy. How is this even a debate?

Edit: would it be possible for the mods to move this debate out into a separate thread? I feel really bad about hijacking this thread . . . but I obviously feel pretty strongly about this discussion.
Yes obviously it will forever and until the end of time be near impossible to come to an agreement the true best players in the NBA. Those links you provided are even more evidence of that (One has Jokic ranked in the 70s and another has him top 25). Not to mention if you look through the rankings from Washington Post are a joke (I've seen them before). Bleacher Report has been a laughing stock for years, ESPN likes guys who are flashy and don't get me started on SB and their ranking (LeBron isn't 1st, Wiggins is top 10 and Kyrie whom I absolutely love is 6th)

[sagegrouse]

Would it be fair to observe that this thread is disrespectful to Quinn Cook.

[elvis14]

Rooting for Quinn. kAzE wins big on the derail topic (not close).

This and then some. Hope Quinn gets another look soon. Poor JNort, KO'd in the first round and he didn't land a punch.

[SCMatt33]

So while the Pelicans went with a wing last night, it appears that they have opened up another roster spot today by cutting Terrance Jones. You'd have to figure that they use this spot on a point guard, but it remains to be seen whether the use the spot to sign a young guy or a vet given that they're hoping to make a playoff push. Additionally, Dallas bought out Deron Williams today, leaving them extremely thin at point guard. This could be another opportunity for Quinn if New Orleans seems intent on a vet.

[MrPoon]

All the talk is that Williams is headed to Cleveland to back up KI. Cook still has a chance in NO.

[Exnicios]

So while the Pelicans went with a wing last night, it appears that they have opened up another roster spot today by cutting Terrance Jones. You'd have to figure that they use this spot on a point guard, but it remains to be seen whether the use the spot to sign a young guy or a vet given that they're hoping to make a playoff push. Additionally, Dallas bought out Deron Williams today, leaving them extremely thin at point guard. This could be another opportunity for Quinn if New Orleans seems intent on a vet.

Good news is that the Pels are signing a PG!

Bad news is that (per Woj), the Pels have signed Jarret Jack to a 10 day contract: "Jarrett Jack has agreed to a 10-day contract with the New Orleans Pelicans, league source tells @TheVertical."

Perhaps the silver lining is that the Pels looked really, really bad last night in getting blown out by the Rockets...there might be a better situation out there for Quinn. Here's hoping he finds it sooner rather than later.

[SCMatt33]

Good news is that the Pels are signing a PG!

Bad news is that (per Woj), the Pels have signed Jarret Jack to a 10 day contract: "Jarrett Jack has agreed to a 10-day contract with the New Orleans Pelicans, league source tells @TheVertical."

Perhaps the silver lining is that the Pels looked really, really bad last night in getting blown out by the Rockets...there might be a better situation out there for Quinn. Here's hoping he finds it sooner rather than later.

Well if you mean I better opportunity in terms of a better team in the standings, I highly doubt it. The issue is that most teams who are at least attempting to make a playoff push are more likely to want a veteran presence rather than taking a shot on a guy who's never played in an NBA game. If he was going to get a shot with a team like that, it would have likely been the team's he's spent time in camp/d-league with and those teams (Cavs and Pels) have passed on several opportunities to sign him in favor of vets. If someone is going to sign him, it's much more likely to be a rebuilding team like the Mavs (who already got on Yogi Ferrell with a ten day and have a spot after buying out Deron Williams) or the Sixers (who had to cut Chasson Randle to allow the Noel trade to process, but resigning Randle after Bogut is gone seems more likely)

[Exnicios]

Well if you mean I better opportunity in terms of a better team in the standings, I highly doubt it. The issue is that most teams who are at least attempting to make a playoff push are more likely to want a veteran presence rather than taking a shot on a guy who's never played in an NBA game. If he was going to get a shot with a team like that, it would have likely been the team's he's spent time in camp/d-league with and those teams (Cavs and Pels) have passed on several opportunities to sign him in favor of vets. If someone is going to sign him, it's much more likely to be a rebuilding team like the Mavs (who already got on Yogi Ferrell with a ten day and have a spot after buying out Deron Williams) or the Sixers (who had to cut Chasson Randle to allow the Noel trade to process, but resigning Randle after Bogut is gone seems more likely)

I don't mean a better team in the standings, just a better fit. Mostly I was just trying to put a happy face on disappointment (as opposed to providing a nuanced analysis on the exact type of situation that best fits Quinn). I agree with your assessment of how team's making a playoff push operate, and the hard part for Quinn is that a higher percentage of teams than usual (at least compared to the past few years) are trying to make the playoffs this year. The race for 8th seed in the West is wide open--a lot of folks fighting for the chance to get steamrolled by the Warriors for 4 straight games.

[RPS]

It appears that Quinn will sign a 10-day contract with Dallas ("per league sources (https://twitter.com/Chris_Reichert/status/835262090373820416)"). Let's hope so!

[dukejim1]

It appears that Quinn will sign a 10-day contract with Dallas ("per league sources (https://twitter.com/Chris_Reichert/status/835262090373820416)"). Let's hope so!

A Duke backcourt. Sure playoff run.

[SCMatt33]

It appears that Quinn will sign a 10-day contract with Dallas ("per league sources (https://twitter.com/Chris_Reichert/status/835262090373820416)"). Let's hope so!

I'm really glad. This seemed like the best opening there would be for him for awhile. Withthe trade deadline gone and many buyouts already happening, I'm not sure where the next good opening would be unless someone gets hurt so it's good to see him get it now.

[dukefan_828]

It appears that Quinn will sign a 10-day contract with Dallas ("per league sources (https://twitter.com/Chris_Reichert/status/835262090373820416)"). Let's hope so!

AWESOME... Over due, well deserved! Wish it was a guaranteed but defiantly a step in the right direction. Glad to see Quinn betting on himself starting to pay off as i read earlier this season he turned down a 350k offer to play overseas.

[Dukehky]

Halleluijah!!!!!!!

[awhom111]

AWESOME... Over due, well deserved! Wish it was a guaranteed but defiantly a step in the right direction. Glad to see Quinn betting on himself starting to pay off as i read earlier this season he turned down a 350k offer to play overseas.

The important thing is that even a 10 day counts as a year of service (which is why I was mad that he was not able to get one last season). If Quinn takes advantage of this opportunity as well as the summer, it will increase his minimum salary for next season and beyond. Seth did not get much chance to prove himself in his two seasons of 10 days, but once he did put himself in demand during the next summer, he was able to earn double the minimum of a rookie with his two years of service.

[DukieInBrasil]

AWESOME... Over due, well deserved! Wish it was a guaranteed but defiantly a step in the right direction. Glad to see Quinn betting on himself starting to pay off as i read earlier this season he turned down a 350k offer to play overseas.

he can team up with Seth again, who had a huge game last night and has to be in contention for Bigliest Improved Player of the Year Award, or something.

[dukefan_828]

The important thing is that even a 10 day counts as a year of service (which is why I was mad that he was not able to get one last season). If Quinn takes advantage of this opportunity as well as the summer, it will increase his minimum salary for next season and beyond. Seth did not get much chance to prove himself in his two seasons of 10 days, but once he did put himself in demand during the next summer, he was able to earn double the minimum of a rookie with his two years of service.

Wow didnt know that, thanks for the insider insight... Go Quinn, Go Duke!!!

[SCMatt33]

Dallas officially announced the signing (https://www.mavs.com/mavs-sign-quinn-cook-to-10-day-contract/) today. The Mavs next game is tomorrow night against the Heat. One other cool note is that Quinn will get to wear #2 with the team.

[wsb3]

Dallas officially announced the signing (https://www.mavs.com/mavs-sign-quinn-cook-to-10-day-contract/) today. The Mavs next game is tomorrow night against the Heat. One other cool note is that Quinn will get to wear #2 with the team.

I love this. Thank you for sharing link..

[moonpie23]

step up, mr cook......show yourself!!!!

[FerryFor50]

Dallas officially announced the signing (https://www.mavs.com/mavs-sign-quinn-cook-to-10-day-contract/) today. The Mavs next game is tomorrow night against the Heat. One other cool note is that Quinn will get to wear #2 with the team.

Unfortunately he would get minutes at the expense of Seth Curry and, less unfortunate, Yogi Ferrell. Hope he does well!

[g-money]

Awesome news! It's so great to see Quinn's persistence pay off. I hope he sticks.

[DukieInBrasil]

Unfortunately he would get minutes at the expense of Seth Curry and, less unfortunate, Yogi Ferrell. Hope he does well!

i doubt he'll be taking any minutes from Seth, who seems to be well entrenched as their starting P/SG. There's definitely minutes available as Seth's backup, and if Quinn gets any minutes, i bet it will be there.

[Billy Dat]

This is extremely exciting news as Quinn follows the recent path blazed by Lance, Seth and Ryan who used the D-League to stay relevant and on the NBA radar. I knew he was doing really well, but I didn't realize he was putting up these kinds of gaudy numbers:

"Cook was recently named Most Valuable Player of the D-League All Star Game last weekend in New Orleans. This season, he is averaging 26.1 points, 6.7 assists, 4.0 rebounds, 1.1 steals and 38.9 minutes in 35 games with Canton."

Our guys have really shown a tremendous amount of grit in chasing their NBA dreams, another reason to be proud!

Dallas is a smart and classy operation, and I am sure Seth's success helped Quinn get a serious look.

[uh_no]

Dallas officially announced the signing (https://www.mavs.com/mavs-sign-quinn-cook-to-10-day-contract/) today. The Mavs next game is tomorrow night against the Heat. One other cool note is that Quinn will get to wear #2 with the team.

close up the thread! We're done here! MODS!

[BD80]

close up the thread! We're done here! MODS!

But, but, but ...

We could still discuss minutes, or draft prospects, or why Coach K won't play his bench more...

[tbyers11]

And it is now officially official for Quinn.

He played 11 min in the 1st half. 2 pts on 1-4 shooting with 1 reb, 1 last and 1 TO.

Congrats!!

Video of his first basket here (https://twitter.com/dallasmavs/status/836395263430373376/video/1)

[ChillinDuke]

And it is now officially official for Quinn.

He played 11 min in the 1st half. 2 pts on 1-4 shooting with 1 reb, 1 last and 1 TO.

Congrats!!

Video of his first basket here (https://twitter.com/dallasmavs/status/836395263430373376/video/1)

He finished with 2 pts on 1-5 (0-3 from deep) with 2 boards, 2 dimes, and 2 TOs in 17 mins of action.

And perhaps not surprisingly, Quinn Cook is 1-0 in the NBA.

- Chillin

[flyingdutchdevil]

He finished with 2 pts on 1-5 (0-3 from deep) with 2 boards, 2 dimes, and 2 TOs in 17 mins of action.

And perhaps not surprisingly, Quinn Cook is 1-0 in the NBA.

- Chillin

I'd do anything for Quinn Cook right now: excellent ball handler, solid defender, best leader.

Am I living in the best? You bet you sweet butt I am!

[moonpie23]

ugh.....why does he have to be on dallas.....hell, why does SETH have to be on dallas? :( i'm just now getting to the point of not actually hating on GS.....the cause of the stench is gone, but the stench itself still lingers....


now i gotta act like i want dallas to do well....


blah...

[53n206]

Seth was the leading scorer in this game, and it's not the first time that he's been the leading scorer.

[Reilly]

Quinn needs 1 point to tie Andre Dawkins for #68 on the all-time Duke-players-in-the-NBA scoring list:

http://www.basketball-reference.com/friv/colleges.cgi?college=duke

[Duke79UNLV77]

Quinn needs 1 point to tie Andre Dawkins for #68 on the all-time Duke-players-in-the-NBA scoring list:

http://www.basketball-reference.com/friv/colleges.cgi?college=duke

I note that Marshall is the current all-time leader in FG percentage, Seth is the all-time leader in 3-point percentage, and Lance amazingly is 3rd in that category, though I expect Marshall eventually to lead in 3-point percentage, too, given his college numbers.

[rocketeli]

Quinn needs 1 point to tie Andre Dawkins for #68 on the all-time Duke-players-in-the-NBA scoring list:

http://www.basketball-reference.com/friv/colleges.cgi?college=duke

But it will be a while before he gets to Marty Nessley territory!

[dragoneye776]

As today is 11 days after this signing, let's see if anyone can find any updates on Quinn Cook!

[SCMatt33]

As today is 11 days after this signing, let's see if anyone can find any updates on Quinn Cook!

I'll refer you to the general NBA thread where it was discussed for more details, but the short version is that Dallas allowed Cook's contract to expire with JJ Barea returning from injury and signed a shooting guard instead. He's expected to return to Canton.

[DukieInBrasil]

But it will be a while before he gets to Marty Nessley territory!

he has greatly exceeded Andre's total now.
Btw, Ryan Kelly only needs 34 pts to hit 1K for his career.

[Furniture]

In case it's not seen in the D-league thread.

Pelicans expected to extend guard Quinn Cook to 10-day contract
http://www.nola.com/pelicans/index.s...gn_guar_1.html (http://www.nola.com/pelicans/index.ssf/2017/03/pelicans_expected_to_sign_guar_1.html)


The New Orleans Pelicans are expected to extend guard Quinn Cook to a 10-day contract, a league source confirmed on Saturday afternoon.

ESPN's Marc Stein was the first to report that Cook was signing with the Pelicans.

Cook, a 6-foot-2 point guard, will fill the roster spot left vacant by shooting guard Wayne Selden Jr., who left the Pelicans after the completion of his 10-day contract and agreed to a contract deal with the Memphis Grizzlies.

Cook, 23, was on the Pelicans' preseason roster before he was one of the final cuts before the regular season began in October. He performed well in the preseason, averaging 8.3 points and 2.7 assists in three games.

Last month, Cook was extended two 10-day contracts with the Dallas Mavericks before he was waived and went back to the NBA Development League with the Canton Charge.

In five games with the Mavericks, Cook averaged 5.4 points and 2.4 assists in 15.4 minutes per game.

Cook was a four-year player at Duke, helping the Blue Devils win the national championship in 2015. Cook went undrafted in the 2015 NBA Draft but emerged in the NBA Development Laague, earning the 2016 rookie of the year award.

[dukefan_828]

Congrats, Quinn!!!

[yancem]

This is awesome news. Since this is his second 10 day contract, does that mean he stays for the remainder of the season or is it the 3rd 10 day contract?

[BigWayne]

This is awesome news. Since this is his second 10 day contract, does that mean he stays for the remainder of the season or is it the 3rd 10 day contract?
There is no 3rd 10 day contract. You can have two with a particular team and then you have to have a rest of year contract after that. The two contracts he had with Dallas only affect what Dallas can do. Pelicans could sign him to a second 10 day and then have to keep or release him.

[yancem]

There is no 3rd 10 day contract. You can have two with a particular team and then you have to have a rest of year contract after that. The two contracts he had with Dallas only affect what Dallas can do. Pelicans could sign him to a second 10 day and then have to keep or release him.

Thanks for the clarification.

[BigWayne]

Thanks for the clarification.

It seems he only had one 10 day with Dallas BTW. Above posting from nola.com was in error I think. Anyway, his current deal is his 2nd 10 day contract for the year. Each 10 day contract is worth almost $32K, which is more that the D league salary for the whole year.

[dukefan_828]

Been checking on quinn several DNP coaches decision, so has not really got to showcase his talents. He was on NO final roster cut so atleast they know what he is capable of. Only 2 other PG's on the roster would ease the pain a bit of early tournament exit if a former national champion in my main man Quinn Cook could get a contract!! LETS GO QUINN!!!!

[dukelifer]

Been checking on quinn several DNP coaches decision, so has not really got to showcase his talents. He was on NO final roster cut so atleast they know what he is capable of. Only 2 other PG's on the roster would ease the pain a bit of early tournament exit if a former national champion in my main man Quinn Cook could get a contract!! LETS GO QUINN!!!!

Quinn with 3 points in 6 minutes today.

[DukieInBrasil]

Quinn with 3 points in 6 minutes today.

with that game, Quinn's stats look pretty good for a pair-of-10-day contracts only kind of guy. 43% FGs, 35% 3FGs and 14:8 a:to ratio, along with 3.8ppg. Throw in a hilarious 0% FT to boot.
It's hard to say that he's become a bona fide NBA player, but those kind of numbers ought to keep getting him some looks. Certainly better than Seth Curry looked at the end of his 1st 2 10-day contracts.

[Furniture]

Are the latest 10 days about to be up?

[DukieInBrasil]

Are the latest 10 days about to be up?

He's played in 3 games with NOLA, so i assume he's got at least a couple more games on the 2nd deal.

[Exnicios]

New Orleans Pelicans plan to issue a second 10-day contract to guard Quinn Cook, league source tells ESPN.

https://twitter.com/ChrisBHaynes/status/847111800881643520

[dukefan_828]

New Orleans Pelicans plan to issue a second 10-day contract to guard Quinn Cook, league source tells ESPN.

https://twitter.com/ChrisBHaynes/status/847111800881643520

Quinn has now earned well over over $100,000 this year not to shabby although he had an offer of 350k w a premier euro league club before the start of the season. Hopefully Quinn's option to bet on himself continues to pay off and he fulfills his dreams (and pockets) by getting a guaranteed NBA contract! Congrats on being a step closer!!

[DukieInBrasil]

Quinn has now earned well over over $100,000 this year not to shabby although he had an offer of 350k w a premier euro league club before the start of the season. Hopefully Quinn's option to bet on himself continues to pay off and he fulfills his dreams (and pockets) by getting a guaranteed NBA contract! Congrats on being a step closer!!

even if all he gets is a minimum contract next year, the pay will be higher than that Euro deal b/c he now has 1 year of "service" in the NBA. Kudos to Quinn.

[atoomer0881]

Quinn has now earned well over over $100,000 this year not to shabby although he had an offer of 350k w a premier euro league club before the start of the season. Hopefully Quinn's option to bet on himself continues to pay off and he fulfills his dreams (and pockets) by getting a guaranteed NBA contract! Congrats on being a step closer!!

Gotta admit I was a bit bummed this week with the Luke news so seeing this today really, really made me happy. So freaking happy for this dude. No one deserves it more. I'd say yea, it looks like his option to bet on himself paid off. And lastly: it's about damn time!

http://www.dukechronicle.com/article/2017/04/report-former-duke-mens-basketball-standout-quinn-cook-to-sign-2-year-deal-with-new-orleans-pelicans

[MCFinARL]

Gotta admit I was a bit bummed this week with the Luke news so seeing this today really, really made me happy. So freaking happy for this dude. No one deserves it more. I'd say yea, it looks like his option to bet on himself paid off. And lastly: it's about damn time!

http://www.dukechronicle.com/article/2017/04/report-former-duke-mens-basketball-standout-quinn-cook-to-sign-2-year-deal-with-new-orleans-pelicans

This is terrific news! Congrats to Quinn, and thanks for posting.

[coldriver10]

Gotta admit I was a bit bummed this week with the Luke news so seeing this today really, really made me happy. So freaking happy for this dude. No one deserves it more. I'd say yea, it looks like his option to bet on himself paid off. And lastly: it's about damn time!

http://www.dukechronicle.com/article/2017/04/report-former-duke-mens-basketball-standout-quinn-cook-to-sign-2-year-deal-with-new-orleans-pelicans
So excited to see this!! I'm always happy when our former players find success, but this is especially sweet...he is in the top 3 of my all-time favorite Dukies, and I just love seeing his hard work pay off. Very proud of our guy!

[Indoor66]

Go for it, big fella. Congrats. 😎

[TampaDukie]

This is an example of great things happening to great people. Quinn has worked so hard and it's wonderful to see all his hard work pay off. I'm so thrilled for him.

[richardjackson199]

This is an example of great things happening to great people. Quinn has worked so hard and it's wonderful to see all his hard work pay off. I'm so thrilled for him.

Ditto what you said! I'm so excited to see this and so happy for Quinn!

I just became a huge Pelicans fan. Boogie and Davis have always had very nice things to say about playing for Coach K.

[Doria]

Wow, great news. Nice to see hard work and perseverence rewarded!

[brevity]

The Bird Writes (http://www.thebirdwrites.com/2017/4/8/15229890/quinn-cook-signs-2-year-contract-new-orleans-pelicans-jordan-crawford) (the SB Nation site for the Pelicans) has no new information but offers some speculation about the contract terms.


Although the terms have yet to be announced, Cook’s deal is probably identical to the one inked by Jordan Crawford, a two-year partially guaranteed contract. In essence, it will pay Cook his minimum for the rest of this season and then next year the Pelicans can decide to keep or waive him by a certain set date. (For the 2016-17 campaign, January 10 was the date all contracts guaranteed for the rest of the season.)

On yesterday’s broadcast, Joel Meyers mentioned the Pelicans were very interested in having Cook play with the next summer league team. Consider that matter handled now.

[dukelifer]

I suspect that playing at Duke and for K has developed the mental toughness needed for such a journey. Both Seth and Quinn are undersized guards that had to work hard to make it. I am sure many players out there are watching.

[arnie]

I suspect that playing at Duke and for K has developed the mental toughness needed for such a journey. Both Seth and Quinn are undersized guards that had to work hard to make it. I am sure many players out there are watching.

And Quinn following up with 10 of 13 from the floor and 22 pts last night not bad either.

[Indoor66]

I suspect that playing at Duke and for K has developed the mental toughness needed for such a journey. Both Seth and Quinn are undersized guards that had to work hard to make it. I am sure many players out there are watching.

I agree with you and further add that it is also quite helpful, as an undersized guard, that you can fill up the basket from outside. That is the real key.

[miramar]

Couldn't happen to a more deserving player.

[Furniture]

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=o08gKGBQevg

[atoomer0881]

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=o08gKGBQevg

Wow what a way to follow up inking a 2 year deal!!! Thanks for posting the video! He looks so confident out there -- like he knows he belongs. Love it! So proud of this guy. Couldn't have happened to a better man. I guess I'm going to have to start following Pelican box scores and games now :-)

[moonpie23]

man....that is so dang awesome..........

[JasonEvans]

By the way, thanks to his series of 10-day contracts this season, Quinn will be a 2nd year player next season. That means his salary will go from $800k (this year, he only made a fraction of that because he never signed a full year contract) to $1.3 mil next season.

-Jason "the skyrocketing salary cap has really boosted NBA minimum salaries" Evans

[kako]

I went to the Warriors-Pelicans game last night. There was not going to be much drama. The Warriors have already clinched the 1st seed, and the Pelicans are in the unenviable place of being out of the playoffs and the lottery. Stephen Curry, DeMarcus Cousins and Anthony Davis all sat out. I thought the only thing going in would be to see how Durant comes back from his knee injury. So for most people in Oakland, it was a game to watch Durant get his stamina back and no one else to get hurt. But I was a little excited to see Quinn Cook, who I found out before the game that was actually on the Pelicans (he signed a 2-year deal after two 10-day contracts, but it's probably not guaranteed).

OK, the game was a blowout as you might expect, 123-101 (and it wasn't actually that close). No Curry for the Warriors, but they still have Thompson, Green, Igoudala and Durant - 4 All-Stars. The Pelicans, well, had Jordan Crawford. And Jrue Holiday. And Cook. It wasn't much of a game. But the thing I noticed was that he took a leadership role with the team. He led them in the huddle before the game. He was talkative on the floor. He hustled. And he actually led all scorers in points with 22 (probably his career high) and his +/- in this blowout was only -3. I was pretty impressed. A lot of the Warriors sought him out after the game, including Durant - there was respect. So here's hoping he sticks. But at least, he's going to finish the season in the NBA. He's likely going to be in the summer league, so die-hards can catch him play there.

7344

[Furniture]

http://hoopshype.com/2017/04/01/a-behind-the-scenes-look-at-life-on-10-day-contract-in-the-nba/

Cook: “A lot of people assume the 10 days fly by, but it honestly felt like I was there for a month. It went by slowly for me, not quickly. But that was good because I didn’t want it to fly by. I wanted to cherish every moment because I didn’t know what was going to happen.
“I know there are certain things that I can’t control. Getting a call-up is all about opportunities and situations. You can’t control whether a team calls you up or calls another guy up. Last year, I would get frustrated a lot. It’ll drive you crazy if you’re constantly looking at it like, ‘Why did this team call that guy up instead of me?’ I learned that my first year. This year, I just focused on the tasks at hand, controlled what I could control and made sure that I was ready when that call came.”

[subzero02]

http://hoopshype.com/2017/04/01/a-behind-the-scenes-look-at-life-on-10-day-contract-in-the-nba/

Cook: “A lot of people assume the 10 days fly by, but it honestly felt like I was there for a month. It went by slowly for me, not quickly. But that was good because I didn’t want it to fly by. I wanted to cherish every moment because I didn’t know what was going to happen.
“I know there are certain things that I can’t control. Getting a call-up is all about opportunities and situations. You can’t control whether a team calls you up or calls another guy up. Last year, I would get frustrated a lot. It’ll drive you crazy if you’re constantly looking at it like, ‘Why did this team call that guy up instead of me?’ I learned that my first year. This year, I just focused on the tasks at hand, controlled what I could control and made sure that I was ready when that call came.”

I am beginning to really enjoy the D-league process. Cook and Curry have represented our university in an amazing way thus far.

[DukieInBrasil]

I am beginning to really enjoy the D-league process. Cook and Curry have represented our university in an amazing way thus far.

Lance Thomas also got some D-League run before he really got NBA attention. McBobs as well. Although MP3 had an NBA contract, he played a lot in the d-league with only sporadic appearances in NY until the last couple of weeks.
Overall, i'd say the D-league has been a positive for Duke alumni. Maybe Amile will use the D-league to earn an invitation to the Show.

[Furniture]

Lance Thomas also got some D-League run before he really got NBA attention. McBobs as well. Although MP3 had an NBA contract, he played a lot in the d-league with only sporadic appearances in NY until the last couple of weeks.
Overall, i'd say the D-league has been a positive for Duke alumni. Maybe Amile will use the D-league to earn an invitation to the Show.
And Matt!!

[dukefan_828]

AWESOME!!!:cool::cool: Big Money Quinn is what he will go by from here on out!! WOOOHOOOO THE BROTHERHOOD!!!

[lotusland]

Great news! I have to say Quin's NBA success has been a very pleasant surprise. 5 pros already on 2015 champ team and I think Grayson will also make it. Love to see Matt and Amile beat the odds too.

[Furniture]

Great news! I have to say Quin's NBA success has been a very pleasant surprise. 5 pros already on 2015 champ team and I think Grayson will also make it. Love to see Matt and Amile beat the odds too.

That's a good point. I wonder how many of UNCs 2017 championship team will make it to the NBA?

[COYS]

Great news! I have to say Quin's NBA success has been a very pleasant surprise. 5 pros already on 2015 champ team and I think Grayson will also make it. Love to see Matt and Amile beat the odds too.

It's funny, the 2010 team, which many doubted going into the season because of the lack of multiple players with NBA talent, ended up producing quite a few NBA players in Ryan, Mason, Miles, Lance, Kyle, and (briefly) Nolan. Even Andre had a cup of coffee. That's seven guys who played in the NBA. It's even possible that the only reason Jon (freak eye injury) and Brian (back) aren't on this list is due to injury. They at least had a chance to sneak onto a roster and push the number to nine. And Seth was in his redshirt year. What's even crazier is that of the five guys who started the championship game, Lance is the one who has managed to be the biggest NBA contributor.

Is it possible that the 2010 team had more nba talent than the 2015 team? Tyus, Justice, and Jah are obviously NBA players, as is Marshall. Quinn joins the list. But at least two of Grayson, Amile, and Matt will have to play an NBA game to equal 2010 (although Semi kind of counts since he looks like a first round pick, but he transferred out mid year). It does go to show that the 2010 team was a lot better than most pundits will ever give it credit for being.

It also goes to show that Having NBA talent is helpful for winning a title. The good news is that at Duke, we're never starved for NBA-caliber basketball players. I'd love to talk about how the 2018 Champions boasted NBA players like Carter, Trent, Duval, Allen, Jackson, Bolden plus some Quinn/Seth/Lance-like stories about how DeLaurier and White eventually found their way onto a roster.

[brevity]

I wonder how many of UNCs 2017 championship team will make it to the NBA?

All of them, if the owner of the Charlotte Hornets empties his current roster.

[HCheek37]

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=o08gKGBQevg

at 1:24 in the video you can see Curry reacting to Q's drive and lefty layup...pretty cool to see one of the stars of the game admiring Cook's move. Bright future ahead for national champion, Quinn Cook.

[dukefan_828]

What a game by Quinn!! Making the pelicans GM look very smart. I'm so happy for Quinn with all he went through growing up losing his father i'm so glad things worked out!! Great guy, i tear up when i watch his sr yr banquet speech you could tell he really loved playing for Duke.

[weezie]

...Bright future ahead for national champion, Quinn Cook.

His footwork! Wow, Quinn has really worked hard. Look at how fluidly he moves.

[CameronBornAndBred]

Lance Thomas also got some D-League run before he really got NBA attention. McBobs as well. Although MP3 had an NBA contract, he played a lot in the d-league with only sporadic appearances in NY until the last couple of weeks.
Overall, I'd say the D-league has been a positive for Duke alumni. Maybe Amile will use the D-league to earn an invitation to the Show.
I'd go so far as to argue that Lance is the one that has made the most of his opportunity. A majority of people didn't think he had a chance to make it the big league, but he has more than proved them wrong. As far as I know, he is the first undrafted Dukie to turn a D-League run into an NBA career.

[Indoor66]

I'd go so far as to argue that Lance is the one that has made the most of his opportunity. A majority of people didn't think he had a chance to make it the big league, but he has more than proved them wrong. As far as I know, he is the first undrafted Dukie to turn a D-League run into an NBA career.

Lance and Quinn's success might also be a comment on the talent evaluation on this Board. 🤔

[flyingdutchdevil]

Lance and Quinn's success might also be a comment on the talent evaluation on this Board. 🤔

You mean every draft guru in the world?

Come on - let's face it - Lance and Seth (especially Lance) didn't exactly look like NBA talent in college. That doesn't mean they didn't contribute or add value; they clearly did, but "NBA potential" isn't a phrase many would use.

[ChillinDuke]

You mean every draft guru in the world?

Come on - let's face it - Lance and Seth (especially Lance) didn't exactly look like NBA talent in college. That doesn't mean they didn't contribute or add value; they clearly did, but "NBA potential" isn't a phrase many would use.

Yeah, agreed. In particular if you watch Seth Curry today, he looks head and shoulders above where he was in college - a testament to his hard work but also a testament to the oft-undervalued (around here) ability of the NBA to develop players. Seth is better in every facet than he was at Duke.

Quinn too. Shot is better, floater is better, finishing is better, pace is better.

YMMV, but to my eye college and pros are just different games. Obviously similar rules but different styles with different skill requirements. Even though there's obviously a correlation, players that were great in college (e.g. Quinn, Seth, Lance) may still have to reinvent their skill set or hone it to adapt to the NBA game. Seth and Quinn absolutely have done just that.

- Chillin

[killerleft]

Yeah, agreed. In particular if you watch Seth Curry today, he looks head and shoulders above where he was in college - a testament to his hard work but also a testament to the oft-undervalued (around here) ability of the NBA to develop players. Seth is better in every facet than he was at Duke.

Quinn too. Shot is better, floater is better, finishing is better, pace is better.

YMMV, but to my eye college and pros are just different games. Obviously similar rules but different styles with different skill requirements. Even though there's obviously a correlation, players that were great in college (e.g. Quinn, Seth, Lance) may still have to reinvent their skill set or hone it to adapt to the NBA game. Seth and Quinn absolutely have done just that.

- Chillin

Young post-collegiate athletes are still reaching their physical potential for sure, and very likely their mental maturity.:) I'd put those reasons above the NBA's superior development of players, which I'm sure is quite good.

[cato]

http://hoopshype.com/2017/04/01/a-behind-the-scenes-look-at-life-on-10-day-contract-in-the-nba/

Cook: “A lot of people assume the 10 days fly by, but it honestly felt like I was there for a month. It went by slowly for me, not quickly. But that was good because I didn’t want it to fly by. I wanted to cherish every moment because I didn’t know what was going to happen.
“I know there are certain things that I can’t control. Getting a call-up is all about opportunities and situations. You can’t control whether a team calls you up or calls another guy up. Last year, I would get frustrated a lot. It’ll drive you crazy if you’re constantly looking at it like, ‘Why did this team call that guy up instead of me?’ I learned that my first year. This year, I just focused on the tasks at hand, controlled what I could control and made sure that I was ready when that call came.”

This is a great piece. It gives a nice snapshot of the life of guys -- rookies and vets -- working to land a spot on a roster mid- to late-season.

[ChillinDuke]

Young post-collegiate athletes are still reaching their physical potential for sure, and very likely their mental maturity.:) I'd put those reasons above the NBA's superior development of players, which I'm sure is quite good.

Yeah, you're right to add those two concepts into the mix. But I'm not just talking about the literal ability of the NBA to develop players (i.e. coach teaches players, drills players skills, etc) as much as the environment in which a player can develop himself.

All of these aspects are part of it. But people around here tend to say college is better for player development. And maybe it is. But the NBA is not bad for player development - that's just silly. Not saying you have that view yourself, just some around here definitely do.

- Chillin

[awhom111]

By the way, thanks to his series of 10-day contracts this season, Quinn will be a 2nd year player next season. That means his salary will go from $800k (this year, he only made a fraction of that because he never signed a full year contract) to $1.3 mil next season.

-Jason "the skyrocketing salary cap has really boosted NBA minimum salaries" Evans

Basketball Insiders, which is probably the most reputable salary cap site now, finally has some details on the deal for the second season. They have it as fully unguaranteed until July 5th, then $25,000 guaranteed if he is cut anytime between then and July 25th, bumping up to $100,000 guaranteed at that point.

Interestingly, they have Ryan Kelly as fully guaranteed if he can last past July 7th.

[SilkyJ]

Basketball Insiders, which is probably the most reputable salary cap site now, finally has some details on the deal for the second season. They have it as fully unguaranteed until July 5th, then $25,000 guaranteed if he is cut anytime between then and July 25th, bumping up to $100,000 guaranteed at that point.

Interestingly, they have Ryan Kelly as fully guaranteed if he can last past July 7th.

Thanks. So just to be clear, that means the first year (i.e. next year, 2017-2018 season) is fully guaranteed and the 2nd year is effectively a team option?

[Ichabod Drain]

Thanks. So just to be clear, that means the first year (i.e. next year, 2017-2018 season) is fully guaranteed and the 2nd year is effectively a team option?

Next year is the second year I believe. Could be wrong though.

[SilkyJ]

Next year is the second year I believe. Could be wrong though.

Yea i think you might be right. He signed his "2 year contract" (http://www.nola.com/pelicans/index.ssf/2017/04/pelicans_expected_to_extend_qu.html)after the pelicans signed him to the max of two 10 day contracts. He signed it on April 8th before the season was over, so that last ~2 weeks of the season may have been the first "year" of the contract. Someone with more knowledge can hopefully clarify...

[JasonEvans]

Yea i think you might be right. He signed his "2 year contract" (http://www.nola.com/pelicans/index.ssf/2017/04/pelicans_expected_to_extend_qu.html)after the pelicans signed him to the max of two 10 day contracts. He signed it on April 8th before the season was over, so that last ~2 weeks of the season may have been the first "year" of the contract. Someone with more knowledge can hopefully clarify...

You are correct. Though it was a "2 year contract" the first year was just the end of the 2016-17 regular season. The second year of the deal covers next season and is likely worth $1.3 million (the NBA minimum for a 2nd year player).

But, here is the reality -- The NBA summer league takes place during early-mid July. As awhom111 pointed out, Cook gets $25k guaranteed if he is with the Pelicans through July 25th. That covers the entire summer league season. So, they are paying him $25k to play on their summer league team. If things go well and they want to keep him around through NBA training camp, then they will keep him on the roster and another $100k becomes guaranteed after July 25th. I'm guessing he will make additional monies at various stages of training camp and especially once the season starts. I do not know for sure, but most NBA contracts become fully guaranteed in early January.

Quin made just a shade under $80k playing less than a month for the Pelicans at the end of the season. He also made $31,969 from his first 10-day contract with the Mavs. If he can make it to January, he gets $1.3 mil!

-Jason "rooting for him in a big way... kid was such a warrior for Duke" Evans

[MCFinARL]

You are correct. Though it was a "2 year contract" the first year was just the end of the 2016-17 regular season. The second year of the deal covers next season and is likely worth $1.3 million (the NBA minimum for a 2nd year player).

But, here is the reality -- The NBA summer league takes place during early-mid July. As awhom111 pointed out, Cook gets $25k guaranteed if he is with the Pelicans through July 25th. That covers the entire summer league season. So, they are paying him $25k to play on their summer league team. If things go well and they want to keep him around through NBA training camp, then they will keep him on the roster and another $100k becomes guaranteed after July 25th. I'm guessing he will make additional monies at various stages of training camp and especially once the season starts. I do not know for sure, but most NBA contracts become fully guaranteed in early January.

Quin made just a shade under $80k playing less than a month for the Pelicans at the end of the season. He also made $31,969 from his first 10-day contract with the Mavs. If he can make it to January, he gets $1.3 mil!

-Jason "rooting for him in a big way... kid was such a warrior for Duke" Evans

Here's hoping for January--that would be terrific, and an appropriate reward for the hard work Quinn has put in (recognizing that, of course, hard work is not always rewarded commensurately). I'm already happy, though, that he managed to pull down $80K for a month after playing a great deal longer for a lot less money in the D League.

[awhom111]

You are correct. Though it was a "2 year contract" the first year was just the end of the 2016-17 regular season. The second year of the deal covers next season and is likely worth $1.3 million (the NBA minimum for a 2nd year player).

But, here is the reality -- The NBA summer league takes place during early-mid July. As awhom111 pointed out, Cook gets $25k guaranteed if he is with the Pelicans through July 25th. That covers the entire summer league season. So, they are paying him $25k to play on their summer league team. If things go well and they want to keep him around through NBA training camp, then they will keep him on the roster and another $100k becomes guaranteed after July 25th. I'm guessing he will make additional monies at various stages of training camp and especially once the season starts. I do not know for sure, but most NBA contracts become fully guaranteed in early January.

Quin made just a shade under $80k playing less than a month for the Pelicans at the end of the season. He also made $31,969 from his first 10-day contract with the Mavs. If he can make it to January, he gets $1.3 mil!

-Jason "rooting for him in a big way... kid was such a warrior for Duke" Evans

Because of their salary cap situation, this was the longest contract that the Pelicans could have offered him. All contracts do become guaranteed in early January. Generally speaking, the actual salary on your contract gets paid based on how many regular season games your team plays while you are under contract (hence Dahntay's $9,000 salary no matter how many playoff games he plays). Players do get per diem during training camp, but nothing in terms of salary.

The other Duke contract to watch in the coming months is Marshall's. Basketball Insiders has it as $100,000 guaranteed if he can make it to July, becoming fully guaranteed on October 20th.

[Ichabod Drain]

Everyone should be rooting against the Pelicans on the draft lottery night. From my understanding, if the Pelicans get lucky and get one of the top three picks they get to keep their pick and would very likely take one of the top PGs available. If they don't get top three then their pick goes to Sacramento and they don't have any first round picks.

[wsb3]

https://www.cbssports.com/fantasy/basketball/news/hawks-quinn-cook-signs-two-year-contract-with-hawks/

Thought I would bump this back & those of you that are more knowledgeable in the NBA matters might chime in on his chances to stick...

I know we are all pulling for him. OAD or not if he does not buy in we don't cut the nets down in 2015. For that I will forever be grateful & always pull for him.