Skyforce Trade Nwamu to Wisconsin Herd
The dominoes continue to fall for Ike Nwamu as Sioux Falls and Wisconsin come to an agreement on the high-flying sharpshooter. In exchange, the Skyforce get the rights to a talented forward.
It was reported Wednesday that Nwamu landed a training camp offer from the Milwaukee Bucks. As a note of clarification, such an offer does not automatically transfer Nwamu to the NBA G League’s Wisconsin Herd.
That part of the equation was met on Thursday as the two teams announced the trade of the returning player rights for Nwamu who played two years for the Sioux Falls Skyforce and Perry Ellis a 6-7 forward out of Kansas.
Nwamu’s time with the ‘Force saw him display the leaping ability that made him highlight-reel friendly around the rim. There was also the freedom within the Skyforce-Heat system to launch from long range setting single-season franchise records for three-point shots made (143) and attempted (393) in a season.
On the other side of the trade, Ellis enters his third professional season after getting a training camp offer from Charlotte in 2016 and spending that season with the Greensboro Swarm. When the Herd joined the league, Ellis was plucked from the Greensboro roster in the expansion draft. However, he has not suited up for the Bucks’ affiliate. Instead, he opted to play for teams in Australia and Italy last season.
To explain returning rights in a general sense, a team does have a two-year time frame during which that player’s rights to play in the G League are held by the acquiring team even if that player never reports.
Using a current player as an example, Briante Weber was in training camp with the Los Angeles Lakers followed by a two-way contract with Houston which placed Weber temporarily with the Rockets affiliate in Rio Grande Valley. Once released from the two-way deal, Sioux Falls continued to hold Weber’s rights and the Skyforce graciously welcomed Weber into the fold about mid-season.
Depending on how things play out, Nwamu and Ellis could be on opposing sides when Sioux Falls and Wisconsin meet November 10 at the Sanford Pentagon.