Keeping It Heel
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UNC Alumni in the NBA: Looking at a few Tar Heel free agents

By Trevor Marks

TORONTO, ON - MAY 07: Danny Green #14 of the Toronto Raptors reacts after sinking a 3 pointer during Game Five of the second round of the 2019 NBA Playoffs against the Philadelphia 76ers at Scotiabank Arena on May 7, 2019 in Toronto, Canada. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Vaughn Ridley/Getty Images)
TORONTO, ON - MAY 07: Danny Green #14 of the Toronto Raptors reacts after sinking a 3 pointer during Game Five of the second round of the 2019 NBA Playoffs against the Philadelphia 76ers at Scotiabank Arena on May 7, 2019 in Toronto, Canada. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Vaughn Ridley/Getty Images) /
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NEW YORK, NEW YORK – APRIL 18: Theo Pinson #10 of the Brooklyn Nets reacts in the first quarter against the Philadelphia 76ers during game three of Round One of the 2019 NBA Playoffs at Barclays Center on April 18, 2019 in the Brooklyn borough of New York City. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Elsa/Getty Images)
NEW YORK, NEW YORK – APRIL 18: Theo Pinson #10 of the Brooklyn Nets reacts in the first quarter against the Philadelphia 76ers during game three of Round One of the 2019 NBA Playoffs at Barclays Center on April 18, 2019 in the Brooklyn borough of New York City. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Elsa/Getty Images) /

Theo Pinson 

2018-19 Stats (18 GP): 4.5 ppg, 2.0 rpg, 1.2 apg on .342/.261/.864

He may not have heard his name called on draft night last year, but Theo Pinson certainly showed teams that passing on him in the 2018 NBA Draft was nothing but a major mistake.
Serving on a two-way contract that saw him split time between the Brooklyn Nets and their counterparts in Long Island, the 6-foot-6 point-forward posted a top-tier G League stat line of 20.7 points, 5.9 rebounds, 6.1 assists, 0.9 steals and 0.7 blocks on 44.6 percent shooting from the field, 38.5 percent shooting from downtown (!!!), and 84.4 percent shooting from the charity stripe through 34 games.

His newfound shooting stroke, which has been chronicled in the past, has elevated the former Tar Heel’s game to new heights, with shooting being the only real blemish to his game coming out of UNC. It’s nothing short of an amazing development for Pinson, a testament to his hard work and determination.

His production in the G League earned him recognition as a member of the All-G League Second Team, with Pinson standing out as one of the G League’s best players as an undrafted rookie.
Pinson saw his two-way deal get converted into a standard contract late in the season, and although he only appeared in a few games as a Brooklyn Net, it didn’t discourage the organization from extending him a qualifying offer.

The Nets would likely be happy with seeing Pinson suit up for them again for the 2019-2020 NBA season, but given their pursuit of high-dollar free agents, it’s possible that Pinson’s offer could be rescinded in order to remove his cap hold in order to sign players that are higher in the pecking order. Granted, such a move would still allow them to re-sign Pinson to a minimum contract (~$1.4 million) if they choose to — it’s all the same, merely a formality or a professional courtesy to extend the qualifying offer heading into free agency.

Simply put, they wouldn’t tag him as a restricted free agent if they didn’t envision a future that had him in a Nets uniform in the next few months. We’ll see what happens next, but it’s a fair bet that he’s back in Brooklyn for his first full season in the NBA.

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