The Brooklyn Nets have signed center Justin Hamilton to a two-year, 6 million deal, according to Shams Charania of The Vertical.
Free agent center Justin Hamilton has agreed to a two-year, $6 million deal with the Brooklyn Nets, league source tells The Vertical.
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) July 2, 2016
You might not be able to get tickets to the Broadway play “Hamilton,” but there’s a good chance you can find them to see Brooklyn’s new center. Hamilton was traded to the Miami Heat during the draft in 2012, but didn’t make the roster initially. After a few attempts to play overseas in Croatia and Latvia, Hamilton become a force in the D-League during the 2013-2014 season.
That year, Hamilton averaged 19.3 points, 9.2 rebounds, and 2 blocks over 35.8 minutes per game for the Sioux Falls Skyforce and was named to the D-League All-Star Game. Among other teams, Hamilton has spent time with the Charlotte Bobcats, New Orleans Pelicans, and, most recently, Minnesota Timberwolves.
In 21 games for the Timberwolves in 2015-2016, Hamilton averaged 9 points, 5.1 rebounds, 1 steal, and 1 block over 15 minutes per game as the backup center to rookie sensation Karl-Anthony Towns. Additionally, he has also shown promise from behind the arc, shooting 35% in his career from 3-point range, despite attempting just one per game.
Kevin Pelton of ESPN chimed in on the new signing:
Justin Hamilton was my Rip Van Winkle-level sleeper this summer. Great snag by Sean Marks for the Nets at $6 million for two years.
— Kevin Pelton (@kpelton) July 2, 2016
Following the release of last year’s backup center, Wille Reed, Hamilton is now expected to fill the role behind Brook Lopez. As we noted, Hamilton is not a high-profile pickup, but he’s shown glimpses of potential and his cheap price tag allows general manager Sean Marks to continue chasing the franchise’s bigger targets.
