Kyle Weaver

Kyle Weaver

Weaver's NBA candle is burning out. Now 27, he's fresh from a D-League season in which he averaged 13.5 points, 5.5 rebounds and 4.3 assists per game for the Canton Charge. His rare skillset intrigues but he's yet to excel at any level.

Kyle Weaver - Weaver signed with the Bulls for training camp, and, in his few preseason minutes, played rather well. He had every chance of making a Bulls roster that had two open roster spots, plus a need for a two guard. However, Weaver undermined his own chances by reportedly being late for practice on more than one occasion, which is just not a good idea when you are fighting for a roster spot on an unguaranteed contract. Weaver has since gone to the D-League to play for the Bulls's affiliate, the Iowa Energy, and has returned good all around stats. He is averaging 17.4 points, 6/1 rebounds, 3.3 assists, 3.1 turnovers, 1.3 steals and 1.3 blocks in 39 minutes per game, shooting 46% from the field and 43% from three. He remains on the cusp. But with Chicago, he blew a good chance.

Weaver's chances of making the team would be very good were it not for the presence of Keith Bogans. Whatever role he could have filled as the versatile and productive backup shooting guard has been negated by the Bogans signing; Keith Bogans has always had an uncanny knack of squelching out 1,000 minutes a season, and he will not stop now. This could put the death knell on Weaver's chances, since Kyle Korver can (and should, but won't) play some two guard as well, and the occasional two point guard lineup of Derrick Rose and C.J. Watson might also figure. Then again, even with the Notorious B.O.G.[a.n.s.] on the team, the Bulls need a quality two guard, and Weaver is that. He was given little opportunity in his first two NBA seasons due to a depth chart that was stacked against him and some struggles with injuries, yet he's a versatile player who is adequate in all facets of the game, a solid playmaker and defender with a sufficient jumpshot. If his jumpshot was slightly better than adequate, he would be a lock to stick, considering the Bulls aforementioned and well-established jumpshooting problems.

Kyle Weaver - Weaver is not a free agent at the time of writing, but he might be by the time of reading. Oklahoma City will waive him before his contract becomes guaranteed, thereby opening up a roster spot, a thing they don't have a lot of any more. Weaver played only 144 minutes in the NBA last year, and only 5 games in the D-League, due to shoulder surgery. He has done nothing to deserve to lose his roster spot, demonstrating a decent all-around game, with good defense, an OK outside shooting, size, athleticism, and the ability to occasionally masquerade as a point guard. Yet Daequan Cook and Morris Peterson are earning nearly $9 million combined next year, and can probably handle all 400 of Weaver's slated minutes. If the Roger Mason signing does not go through for Chicago, I'd rather have Kyle Weaver than Keith Bogans.

Kyle Weaver

Weaver played only 144 minutes in the NBA last year, and only 5 games in the D-League, due to shoulder surgery. He has a contract for both this season and next; however, neither year is guaranteed. Weaver has done nothing to deserve to lose his roster spot, demonstrating a decent all-around game. Yet problematically for him, Oklahoma City are just running out of roster spots. It'd be magnanimous for the team to waive Daequan Cook to open up a roster spot for Weaver, but considering Cook is earning $2.2 million this season, magnanimity isn't the top priority.