{"id":86034,"date":"2024-07-15T20:39:38","date_gmt":"2024-07-16T00:39:38","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/?p=86034"},"modified":"2024-07-15T20:40:11","modified_gmt":"2024-07-16T00:40:11","slug":"nba-free-agency-nearly-one-dozen-players-vying-for-comeback","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/2024\/07\/15\/nba-free-agency-nearly-one-dozen-players-vying-for-comeback\/","title":{"rendered":"NBA Free Agency: Nearly One Dozen Players Vying For Comeback"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>In an effort to make an NBA comeback, former Toronto Raptors center <a href=\"https:\/\/www.basketball-reference.com\/players\/k\/kolokch01.html\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Christian Koloko<\/a> \u201cwas <a href=\"https:\/\/www.the-sun.com\/sport\/11915567\/christian-koloko-nba-summer-league-raptors-eric-bledsoe\/\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">joined by fellow<\/a> free agents D.J. Wilson, Thon Maker, Cory Joseph, Austin Rivers, Brandon Boston Jr., Talen Horton-Tucker, Juan Toscano-Anderson, and (Eric Bledsoe),\u201d according to The U.S. Sun\u2019s Damian Burchardt.<\/p>\n<blockquote><p>\u201cThey showcased their skills in front of dozens of NBA team representatives from across the league.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p>Of those players, Koloko, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.basketball-reference.com\/players\/m\/makerth01.html\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Thon Maker<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.basketball-reference.com\/players\/r\/riverau01.html\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Austin Rivers<\/a>, and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.basketball-reference.com\/players\/b\/bledser01.html?__hstc=213859787.696aba0fab34cada59967479ccb509d6.1721089129091.1721089129091.1721089129091.1&amp;__hssc=213859787.1.1721089129091&amp;__hsfp=2451415754\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Eric Bledsoe<\/a> have been out of the league for a season or more. However, Koloko is the only one whose career was upended by a medical issue.<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\">\n<p dir=\"ltr\" lang=\"en\">Former Raptors center Christian Koloko has a blood clot issue that is threatening his basketball career, details on <a  href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/TheRally?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">@TheRally<\/a>: <a  href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/ZpNV5FG9uJ\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">pic.twitter.com\/ZpNV5FG9uJ<\/a><\/p>\n<p>\u2014 Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) <a  href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/ShamsCharania\/status\/1748130969100358014?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">January 18, 2024<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/p>\n<p>In Jan. 2024, the then 23-year-old was diagnosed with a career-threatening \u201cblood clot issue,\u201d per The Athletic\u2019s Shams Charania.<\/p>\n<h2>Nearly One Dozen Players Vying For Comeback<\/h2>\n<h3>Thon Maker<\/h3>\n<p>Maker is arguably the most interesting player brought into the workout.<\/p>\n<p>A skilled seven-footer who excels as a shot-blocker, Maker\u2019s game fits today\u2019s NBA much better than it did when he was drafted 10th overall in 2016. His last NBA game was in Jan. 2021, with the 27-year-old playing eight contests with Cleveland Cavaliers. In those games, Maker averaged 14.2 points, 8.5 rebounds, and 1.9 blocks per 36 minutes.<\/p>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"\u3010CBA 33 Rounds\u3011Thon Maker vs NanJing(\u5357\u4eac) 31 pts 12 rebs 3 asts 2 stls 2 blks Highlights\" width=\"640\" height=\"360\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/I0AeosfPbkI?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/p>\n<p>Since his last NBA stint, Maker has primarily played with the CBA\u2019s Fujian Sturgeons. In the past two seasons, he\u2019s averaged 15.6 points, 8.6 rebounds, 1.8 blocks, and 1.2 steals per game while shooting 34.0 percent from 3. If signed by a team, it\u2019ll be worth seeing if he can rectify his career.<\/p>\n<h3>Austin Rivers<\/h3>\n<p>Rivers isn\u2019t exactly a star player, but he\u2019s no stranger to the spotlight.<\/p>\n<p>The son of longtime NBA head coach Doc Rivers, it\u2019s fair to say that his career didn\u2019t plan out as expected. He was a high school hoops sensation who played for prestigious Duke University. He was the 10th overall pick in the 2012 NBA Draft. Yet, he\u2019s also a jack-of-all-trades and master of none.<\/p>\n<p>https:\/\/youtu.be\/jDuPBzZOOyw?si=lgzHrxauLsuKFGio<\/p>\n<p>In his 11-year career, Rivers unironically played his best under his father with the Los Angeles Clippers. He averaged career-highs of 15.1 points, 4.0 assists, and 1.2 steals per game with the Clippers in 2017-18. He even made a career-high 37.8 percent of his 3s.<\/p>\n<p>Rivers didn\u2019t play competitively last season, instead taking his talents to the media.<\/p>\n<h3>Eric Bledsoe<\/h3>\n<p>There was a time in which Bledsoe was seen as a key ingredient for multiple playoff contenders. Built like a beastly running back at 6-foot-1 and 214 pounds, his physical approach led to him being dubbed \u201cMini-LeBron.\u201d However, as the league began to shift towards analytics and emphasized spacing concepts, Bledsoe was passed over in favor of better 3-point shooters. To that point, Bledsoe\u2019s made just 33.6 percent of his 3s in his NBA career.<\/p>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"\u3010CBA 31 Rounds\u3011Eric Bledsoe vs NingBo(\u5b81\u6ce2) 34 pts 8 rebs 7 asts 3 stls Highlights\" width=\"640\" height=\"360\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/tWxPgQ8doP0?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/p>\n<p>Unfortunately for Bledsoe, his shooting stroke hasn\u2019t improved in the two seasons he\u2019s spent with the Shanghai Sharks. In 69 games, the former first-rounder has made just 33.2 percent of his 3s. If signed, it will have to be by a team that prioritizes or needs two-way playmaking more than perimeter shooting.<\/p>\n<h3>Isaiah Thomas and John Wall<\/h3>\n<p>Though they weren\u2019t at the workout, two-time All-Star <a href=\"https:\/\/www.basketball-reference.com\/players\/t\/thomais02.html\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Isaiah Thomas<\/a> and five-time All-Star <a href=\"https:\/\/www.basketball-reference.com\/players\/w\/walljo01.html\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">John Wall<\/a> have recently <a href=\"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/2024\/07\/15\/former-no-1-pick-doubles-down-on-nba-return-aspirations-john-wall\/\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_self\">declared their desire<\/a> to keep playing.<\/p>\n<p>It remains to be seen if they\u2019ll go the way of <a href=\"https:\/\/www.basketball-reference.com\/players\/r\/rubiori01.html\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Ricky Rubio<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.basketball-reference.com\/players\/c\/couside01.html\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">DeMarcus Cousins<\/a>, and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.basketball-reference.com\/players\/w\/walkeke02.html\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Kemba Walker<\/a>, former stars who have retired from the NBA over the past year. Thomas signing <a href=\"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/2024\/04\/09\/beloved-guard-signs-with-suns-for-rest-of-season-isaiah-thomas\/\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_self\">an end-of-season contract<\/a> with the Phoenix Suns in 2023-24 <a href=\"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/2024\/07\/15\/former-mvp-candidate-wants-to-play-1-2-more-years-isaiah-thomas\/\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_self\">only emboldens him<\/a>. Wall\u2019s relationship with Miami Heat players and members has reinforced his confidence. Nonetheless, at 35 and 33 respectively, the clock is ticking.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>In an effort to make an NBA comeback, former Toronto Raptors center Christian Koloko \u201cwas joined by fellow free agents D.J. Wilson, Thon Maker, Cory Joseph, Austin Rivers, Brandon Boston Jr., Talen Horton-Tucker, Juan Toscano-Anderson, and (Eric Bledsoe),\u201d according to The U.S. Sun\u2019s Damian Burchardt. \u201cThey showcased their skills in front of dozens of NBA [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":5008,"featured_media":86055,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_lmt_disableupdate":"no","_lmt_disable":"","sfio_featured_image":false,"sfio_embed_code":"","_ef_editorial_meta_date_first-draft-date":"","_ef_editorial_meta_paragraph_assignment":"","_ef_editorial_meta_checkbox_needs-photo":"","_ef_editorial_meta_number_word-count":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[62,1608,9,27,16,3,28],"tags":[425,4544,133,171,310,297,960],"class_list":["post-86034","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-nba","category-basketball","category-cavaliers","category-clippers","category-heat","category-news","category-suns","tag-austin-rivers","tag-christian-koloko","tag-eric-bledsoe","tag-isaiah-thomas","tag-john-wall","tag-nba-free-agency","tag-thon-maker"],"modified_by":"Quenton S Albertie","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/86034","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/5008"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=86034"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/86034\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/86055"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=86034"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=86034"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=86034"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}