Poor Jimmy - Ebi looks gone....

[Billyhoyle]

Ebi surprised by Wolves seeking NBDL waiver

MINNEAPOLIS -- The Minnesota Timberwolves are petitioning the NBA for an exception that would allow them to send third-year pro Ndudi Ebi to the NBDL, something that came as a surprise to Ebi.

"I'm not a development league player. I'm an NBA player," Ebi said Friday after practice. "I've been playing against NBA players since I was 15 years old. I'm an NBA player. I'm not a developmental league player, period."

Entering his third season in the NBA, Ebi is not eligible under a new rule that allows teams to assign players with less than two years of experience to the NBDL.

The Timberwolves are hoping that the league would allow the 21-year-old Ebi, who was drafted in the first round in 2003 straight out of high school, to be "grandfathered in."

"That's a great word for it," new coach Dwane Casey said. "This kid needs to play. He's a talented athlete. He needs to get a feel for the game with bodies out there and how to navigate those players."

Ebi has played in just 19 games in his two seasons, including only two last year. He looked impressive in one of them, scoring 18 points against San Antonio in the final game of the year.

He hasn't seen much playing time this preseason either, averaging less than 4.0 minutes and 3.0 points in three games.

"It's premature to speculate on whether Ndudi is truly a candidate for this type of option," Ebi's agent, Dan Fegan, told The Associated Press. "But the spirit of the rule, on both sides of the table, was to help younger players get an opportunity to develop. Ndudi wants to be a good teammate and good part of the organization and is willing explore the options that will help him do that."

Casey, general manager Jim Stack and vice president of basketball operations Kevin McHale think a stint in the D-league, where he would get much more playing time, would help Ebi develop.

"We're just looking at options, there's nothing wrong with that," Casey said. "We're trying to see if it's a possibility. This kid needs to play. He's a talented athlete. He needs to get a feel for the game with bodies out there and how to navigate those players."

The biggest mistake the Timberwolves may have made was letting news of their proposal slip out before discussing it with Ebi.

McHale declined comment on Friday and Casey apologized for not informing Ebi sooner, saying he wasn't surprised at Ebi's initial resistance.

"No player should expect themselves to be a D-league player. I'd be very disappointed with any player who was jumping up and down saying, 'Hey, I want to go to the D-league.' That's not to be unexpected."

As upset as Ebi was, he said he would need time to think about how he would take such a proposition, if it comes.

"I've been doing this for a long time, but if that's how they feel, that's how they feel," Ebi said. "A lot of guys in my position would go crazy right now. But I know what I can do. My confidence is still the same.

"If that's what they want to do, I respect their decision. Basketball's a business, I understand that."

Casey said no decision has been made yet on whether Ebi will make the roster, even though his $800,000 salary is guaranteed this season, or if they would assign him to the D-league if that is an option.

"We haven't got to that bridge yet," Casey said. "At least I haven't."

 

[Trey]

nothing to get excited about scoring 18 on the spurs in the last game of the season...Ive seen the spurs beaten by 44 one end of season game....final games dont mean shite when you've cemented your spot...

LOL

 

[WoobieZarz]

He's certainly been beefed up for Live 06, prick dropped 15 and 4 blocks on me last night!!!

 

[erccc]

he's been building up in gym all time
so its time to play..... in NBDL ? huh?

poor ebi...

 

[thumbboy]

man, they can't stop screwing him over.
I reckon he's paid his dues. He's up there with Darko in terms of talent riding the bench for far too long.
4 minutes per game in pre-season??
so he's averaging 3ppg in that 4 mins, what can they actually tell from that?
Why aren't they playing him more minutes, Minnesota is f*cked!
honestly, they want to ship him off to ABDL to get some experience, they wont even give him a chance to hine in the PRE-SEASON...
goddamn, I reckon he's better off being traded than spending his career getting handled by a bunch of nitwits.

They should start a new NBA team solely for players with talent that don't get court time and see how they go.

 

[Trey]

its pretty messed up he's getting buckleys minutes...like the spurs play their 14th and 15th men more then they do their starters in the pre season!

 

[thumbboy]

Wayne asked me to post for him that he's pissed about it but hopefully his JR Smith's make up for it.

 

[jimboiitmac]

i think that's just stupid. Ebi was a all-american 1st team high schooler with lebron james, luol deng, sebastian telfair and marvin williams, all who will probably become all-star calibre players. if they just gave him more minutes and focused more on developing him in trainings he could evolve to a star, same with travis outlaw.

 

[erccc]

wow!

- from NBA.com

Minneapolis/St. Paul – Minnesota Timberwolves Vice President of Basketball Operations Kevin McHale today announced the team has acquired forward Ronald Dupree from the Detroit Pistons in exchange for a future second-round draft pick. Additionally, the team waived forward Ndudi Ebi. The opening night roster now stands at 15 players.

 

[jimboiitmac]

awesome deal, i liked ronald dupree in his early rookie season when he was putting up 9 ppg and 6 rpg for the bulls, he's a defensive specialist who can guard all positions and rebound and score well and if he was a starter he could give you 12 and 7 every game.

 

[Billyhoyle]

WOOHOO finally a chance for him to sign witha team that will play him!!

 

[jimboiitmac]

i totally agree billy, he will be one of the BEST defensive tandems with Trenton Hassell at the 2 and 3 spot, of course Dupree learning from supreme defenders like Chauncey Billups and Tayshaun Prince and Hassell being one of the top perimeter defenders in the league.

Dupree will play probably mainly 3 and bits of 2, so he'll be playing with Wally and Rashad Mccants and Hassell.

 

[Billyhoyle]

I mean Ebi

 

[jimboiitmac]

hahaha oh my bad. i feel sorry for ebi, i saw his stats etc when he was in high school but can't make a judgement on him now, never seen him in a game except for when he was dunked on by charlie villanueva in the hs all-star game.

 

[Trey]

spurs may be looking at ebi if or when he becomes available!