In case you missed it, Sioux Falls Skyforce forward Justin Champagnie signed a two-way deal with the Washington Wizards Tuesday, with the move becoming official Thursday. With the season winding down, is there other members of the Sioux Falls Skyforce who could earn a similar NBA opportunity–whether it’s with Miami or someone else? For the sake of conversation, I did not include any of the Heat’s two-way players: Cole Swider, Jamal Cain or Alondes Williams.
Let’s examine three potential candidates!
Jamaree Bouyea, G
We know the Skyforce can score; even within their recent 11-game stretch, where they went 6-5, they were in the top half of the G-League in offense (112.8 ORTG; 12th). They have the fourth-best offense this season and place in the top-7 in effective field goal percentage (55.0) and true-shooting percentage (60.9). But one of the biggest driving forces behind its offensive production has been Bouyea, who’s in his second season in the Heat organization.
After he spent the better part of last season and the summer in the Heat organization, he signed a two-way contract with Portland in November, but returned to Miami later in the month and has been with the Heat ever since. In 21 combined regular season and showcase games, the 6-foot-2 guard averaged 15.3 points, 5.3 rebounds, 7.0 assists, two steals and 1.2 blocks with the Skyforce. He’s shooting 44.9 percent from the floor, 38.7 percent from 3-point range and 79.4 percent from the free-throw line.
He’s excellent with the ball in his hands as a distributor who can initiate offense and make the majority of necessary reads in the open court and pick-and-roll. Bouyea leverages his quick speed by generating paint touches with a lethal first step. He’s also a very strong on-ball defender with good hands/dexterity, where he can utilize his 6-foot-6 wingspan to his advantage.
I tabbed him as a secondary candidate to earn a two-way spot with Miami after RJ Hampton got cut, even though Williams was the favorite. Lo and behold, Williams earned the spot, but I could definitely see him getting a two-way spot across the league in the future if he sustains this level of production.
Caleb Daniels, G
Daniels hasn’t lit up the stat sheet in Sioux Falls, but he’s been productive. The 6-foot-4 guard entered the NBA as a six-year collegiate player who spent four years at Villanova (three eligible) after two at Tulane.
Daniels’ shooting at the collegiate level was inconsistent. He finished his college career shooting 47.9 percent from the floor and 35.8 percent from 3-point range, but his percentages dipped to 39.4 percent and 33.2 percent, respectively, as a senior.
He’s answered those questions so far as a rookie in the G-League, averaging 11.3 points and 4.1 rebounds on 42.7 percent shooting and 39.1 percent (4.2 3PA) from 3-point range in 26.6 minutes. His stats don’t pop out the most, but his physicality and development as a floor spacer do, which could be important for his future prospects in the league.
Josh Christopher, G
The Heat recently acquired Christopher in exchange for Hampton–both players with an NBA pedigree. Christopher’s played only eight games with the Skyfroce so far, averaging 12.9 points, 5.0 rebounds, 2.3 assists and 1.3 steals in 23.7 minutes on 42.4/37.8/85.7 shooting splits. In five games with the Salt Lake City Stars, the Jazz’s G-League affiliate, Christopher averaged 21.0 points, 5.4 rebounds, 5.6 assists and 2.0 steals, shooting 48.1 percent from the floor and 51.7 percent from 3-point range.
Drafted No. 24 overall by Houston in 2021, he accumulated 138 career games in his previous two seasons with the Rockets, averaging 6.9 points on 45.5 percent shooting. He’s an athletic prospect whose physical traits could be appealing to an NBA organization, especially if he impresses down the stretch and over the summer (if he plays in the Summer League).
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Love the Skyforce coverage. Like the defensive stats from Bouyea. Could we get an update on non-Heat Skyforce alumni in the nba sometime?