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Is the D-League a viable option for NBA veterans making a comeback?

By Chris Reichert

January 22, 2016; Los Angeles, CA, USA; San Antonio Spurs forward Rasual Butler (18) controls the ball against Los Angeles Lakers forward Anthony Brown (3) during the second half at Staples Center. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports
January 22, 2016; Los Angeles, CA, USA; San Antonio Spurs forward Rasual Butler (18) controls the ball against Los Angeles Lakers forward Anthony Brown (3) during the second half at Staples Center. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports /
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Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports
Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports /

Two weeks ago the NBA D-League took Twitter by storm with the news that former NBA All-Star Baron Davis had signed with the league. Davis cleared waivers, entered the player pool and as of right now remains a free agent.

With the NBADL being a guard-heavy league — not to mention the fact that Davis is 36-years-old — teams might assume it will be hard to find minutes for him. Nonetheless, it’s still a little perplexing that not one of the 19 teams will take a shot on a guy with his name recognition.

So that got me thinking: How successful have NBA veterans with a lot of experience been using the D-League as a means to get back to The Association?

First, let’s define NBA veteran. For this piece, I searched back to the 2011-12 season and found every player who was at least 30-years-old and had played at least 100 NBA games before signing with the D-League.

Players 30+ years old with 100+ NBA games 2011-2014
Players 30+ years old with 100+ NBA games 2011-14 /

As you can see, many players over the last five years have attempted to use the D-League as their vessel to carry them back to their glory days of the NBA. On the surface it seems like a wise decision — stay close to the league, stay in shape, play in NBA-style schemes and attempt to show that you’ve still got it. There are some rather impressive names on this list, too. Antoine Walker was one of my favorites with the Celtics because he had no regard for efficiency, as his career field goal percentage (41.4) clearly shows. But he played 12 seasons and almost 900 games in the best league in the world. He finished his career playing two full seasons with the Idaho Stampede, never getting his second chance in the NBA.

We didn’t hear from most of these players again once they left the NBA, and I’d be willing to bet a lot of fans did not even realize they were mounting a comeback in the D-League at the time. Some players, however, were able to make this gamble payoff.

Jamaal Tinsley didn’t play professional basketball in 2010-11, but the following year was a first round draft pick of the Los Angeles D-Fenders. He only played eight games in L.A. before being called up by the Utah Jazz. Tinsley appeared in 111 games for the Jazz through the 2013-14 season, ultimately elongating what looked to be a finished NBA career.

Rasual Butler, who currently plays for the San Antonio Spurs, was waived by the Toronto Raptors in 2012. He entered the D-League player pool in 2013 and finished the season averaging 17.8 points and 5.1 rebounds for the Tulsa 66ers (now the Oklahoma City Blue). While Bulter did not earn a call up during that season, the Indiana Pacers signed him the following season, proving his time in the D-League was ultimately beneficial. Butler has played 153 NBA games and counting since his D-League stint.

Players 30+ years old with 100+ games of NBA experience
Players 30+ years old with 100+ games of NBA experience /

Just last season two NBA vets earned their second shot in the league, when Earl Barron (Phoenix Suns) and Dahntay Jones (Los Angeles Clippers) both received call ups and finished the 2014-15 season on NBA rosters. Unfortunately, neither stuck and Barron is still a free agent, while Jones is back in the D-League playing for the Grand Rapids Drive.

This season there have only been 12 NBA call ups and none of them spent on NBA veterans. Jeff Ayres is the oldest call up at 28-years-old. Keith Bogans has signed with the league, but, like Baron Davis, is still unclaimed in the player pool. Cartier Martin injured his wrist and is out for the season, which leaves the most likely call up candidate for these veterans as John Lucas III. Lucas is proven back up point guard who could get a chance as the season rolls on.

Since the 2011-12 season, there have been 220 call ups and only 10 of those have gone to players at least 30-years-old with at least 100 games of NBA experience already under their belt. That’s only 4.5 percent.

As the league continues to grow, I imagine this number will only dwindle as NBA clubs are looking to use their affiliates as true minor league teams where young players can be brought in to develop and eventually become rotational players in the league. The days of a 34-year-old Tinsley or Butler jumping in the D-League and then quickly making a move to the NBA have most likely come and gone, but that doesn’t mean they will stop trying anytime soon.

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