Out for a Reason?
Every season we see exciting prospects from college and Europe enter the CSL. However, there are also players who leave the league for good. Some of the players who start a season without a contract end up finding their next home during the next few months. In fact, Robert Upshaw is about to sign for the Knicks even though his previous stint in the CSL was with the Hornets way back in 20/21.
But not every player who’s currently without a contract will get a chance to play again in the CSL. That being said, let’s take a look at a team made of players currently without a CSL contract who haven’t played a single minute in current CSL season but have featured in 20/21. Just bear in mind that we gave younger guys advantage when picking the team, as some of them are more likely to make a comeback than the vets.
PG – Grevis Vasquez
Not so often do we get a chance to see a player who featured 82 times in a CSL campaign end up not getting a contract offer from any team in the league next. Still, that seems to be the case with Grevis Vasquez who last played for the Bulls in 20/21. Not only did he play in all 82 games last season but he started in 22 of them. Former Maryland guard averaged 24.0 MPG, shooting 41.6% from the floor for Chicago. Considering he’s 35, it’s quite possible we’ve seen the last from Vasquez in the CSL.
SG – Zoran Dragic
Famous for being Goran Dragic’s brother, Zoran got a chance to show what he can do in the CSL. After having played for the Warriors between 2016 and 2019, Dragic spent last season with the Los Angeles Lakers. Unlike Vasquez, Dragic didn’t manage to start to record a single start for the Lakers but he featured in 40 games, averaging 11.7 MPG. He was shooting 43.2% from the field and 31.3% for three which wasn’t enough for any CSL team to give him a contract in 21/22. Aged 29, Dragic still has a few years to work his way back into the league.
SF – Shabazz Muhammad
Here’s another guy who was occasionally starting for a CSL team in 20/21 but finds himself without a contract at the moment. Former UCLA forward played for the Magic last season where he averaged respectable 8.1 PPG in 23.1 MPG. Muhammad is just 27, which leaves plenty of time for him to get back into the league. However, it seems like CSL teams don’t need Muhammad’s skillset at the moment. Perhaps it’s his 29.7 3P% that drives teams to pick other players over him?
PF – Cristiano Felicio
It’s not unusual for Marcos Beck, the GM for the Bulls, to bring his fellow Brazilian players to Chicago (Raul Neto right now). Last season, he signed PF Cristian Felicio who ended up featuring 20 for the Bulls. Before his time with the Bulls, Felicio spent 4 years in the CSL with the Lakers and Trail Blazers, making over 150 appearances. However, he only averaged 5.1 MPG with the Bulls, shooting just 27.6% from the field. Felicio is just 25 and could potentially play again in the league. The question is whether there’s or will be a team willing to give him a chance.
C – Sam Dower
Another player to find his spot in this list is Sam Dower who featured in 42 games for Miami last season but didn’t manage to find a new team in 21/22. He averaged in 13.6 minutes for the Heat, 45.2% from the field. Known for his rebounding skills, Dower might just get a chance to feature in the CSL again even though he’s 30 years old.
