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About Justin Carter - RotoBaller
Justin Carter is PhD candidate in creative writing at the University of North Texas. He writes about the NFL, NBA, and the WNBA here on RotoBaller. If he's not watching those things, he's either teaching college English or watching NASCAR.
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Justin Carter - RotoBaller has written 4109 articles so far, you can find them below.
Devonta Smith Week To Week With Knee Sprain
Philadelphia Eagles rookie wide receiver DeVonta Smith is currently "week to week" with a knee sprain. It doesn't sound like it's something that's worrying the team at this point and a sprain is probably the best-case scenario when it comes to a knee injury, but it's worth noting that Smith will miss some valuable practice... Read More
Fool Me Once... Second-Year Running Backs Who'll Bust Again
Out of pretty much every NFL position, running back is the one where immediate success should be the most expected. It's a position with the shortest shelf life, so players need to prove themselves quickly. So when a player's rookie year doesn't go well, that's a bad sign. And while some players will have a... Read More
2021 NBA Draft Winners and Losers - Instant Analysis
Last night, the annual NBA Draft happened. It was wild, and it included a Russell Westbrook trade that I'll be writing about soon in a different article, because there were just too many moving parts there. The first three picks of this draft went as expected, but then things went off the rails after that,... Read More
O.J. Howard Practices For First Time
For the first time since tearing his Achilles in October, Tampa Bay Buccaneers tight end O.J. Howard has practiced with the team. Entering his fifth NFL season, Howard -- a former first round pick -- looks like he isn't going to fulfill the massive promise that he entered the NFL with, though maybe another year... Read More
Colts Need Michael Pittman Jr. To Take Next Step
The Indianapolis Colts enter the 2021 season without a true No. 1 receiver for quarterback Carson Wentz, as T.Y. Hilton has seen his numbers dip the past two seasons. The team will be looking for second-year receiver Michael Pittman Jr. to be the guy who steps up and takes on that role. According to Zak... Read More
Blake Haubeil, Tucker McCann Battle For Titans Kicker Job
The Tennessee Titans have a kicker battle in training camp, with Blake Haubeil and Tucker McCann competing for the job. Neither player has attempted a field goal in an NFL game, so training camp results will matter a lot here, which is why Thursday's showing from both players was such a disappointment. Turron Davenport of... Read More
Melvin Gordon III In Line To Be "Clear-Cut Starter"
Denver Broncos running back Melvin Gordon III "is in line to be the clear-cut starter at running back," says The Athletic's Nick Kosmider. While the team drafted Javonte Williams and signed Mike Boone, it appears those two will mainly work as relief for Gordon, at least in the early going. Gordon spent last training camp... Read More
Teddy Bridgewater Appears To Have Edge In QB Competition
Through two training camp practices, it looks like Denver Broncos quarterback Teddy Bridgewater has the lead over Drew Lock in the team's competition to be the Week 1 starter. The Athletic's Nick Kosmider reports that "there has been only one ball thrown by quarterback Teddy Bridgewater that has hit the ground during team drills." Bridgewater... Read More
Bills Sign Bug Howard
The Buffalo Bills have signed free agent tight end Bug Howard, a 28-year-old from the University of North Carolina. Howard has bounced around NFL teams but has mainly just been a practice squad guy, though he did see some playing time in 2019 for the Atlanta Legends in the Alliance of American Football, as he... Read More
Taysom Hill, Jameis Winston Continue To Swap Reps
It appears we're in for a real quarterback competition in New Orleans, with Saints head coach Sean Payton saying that Jameis Winston and Taysom Hill will swap reps daily as the first-team QB. Winston's received the most praise so far in camp, but Hill's still a clear threat to Winston in the battle for the... Read More
Jacob Harris Sidelined For Next Couple Weeks
Los Angeles Rams tight end Jacob Harris will be held out of practice for the next couple of weeks after undergoing a procedure for a core injury. While it doesn't sound like the injury will impact Harris' availability for the regular season, he'll be missing valuable practice time, which is especially important as Harris is... Read More
Grizzlies Take Santi Aldama To End First Round
With the final pick of the first round of the 2021 NBA Draft, the Memphis Grizzlies have selected center Santi Aldama, a Spanish player who played at Loyola Baltimore last season. Aldama averaged 21.2 points and 10.1 rebounds per game, though he wasn't playing against elite competition. There's a ton of upside here as Aldama... Read More
Nets Take Day’Ron Sharpe At 29
With the 29th pick in the 2021 NBA Draft, the Brooklyn Nets — who acquired the picks from the Suns in a deal that sent Landry Shamet to Phoenix — have selected North Carolina center Day'Ron Sharpe. Last season, Sharpe averaged 9.5 points, 7.6 rebounds, and 0.9 blocks per game. He's an athletic big and... Read More
Sixers Draft Jaden Springer
With the 28th pick in the 2021 NBA Draft, the Phladelphia 76ers have selected Tennessee guard Jaden Springer. Last season, Springer averaged 12.5 points, 3.5 rebounds, 2.9 assists, and 1.2 steals per contest while shooting 43.5 prcent from three. He'll provide the Sixers with some useful bench scoring, but it's really hard to know what... Read More
Nets Take Cam Thomas At 27
With the 27th pick in the 2021 NBA Draft, the Brooklyn Nets have selected LSU guar Cam Thomas. Thomas showed a knack for scoring with LSU last season, averaging 23.0 points per game, though he shot just 40.6 percent. That efficiency should rise in Brooklyn though, as Thomas will be surrounded by James Harden, Kevin... Read More
Nuggets Draft Bones Hyland
With the 26th pick in the 2021 NBA Draft, the Denver Nuggets have drafted VCU guard Bones Hyland. The Atlantic-10 Player of the Year, Hyland is a great scorer who can hit the three but can also score inside. There are concerns about his strength, but Denver is a great landing spot for Hyland, who'll... Read More
Knicks Take Quentin Grimes At 25
With the 25th pick in the 2021 NBA Draft, the New York Knicks have selected Houston guard Quentin Grimes, who started his college career at Kansas before transferring and spending two seasons with the Cougars. Last year, Grimes fulfilled the promise he'd long had, averaging 17.8 points on 40.6 percent shooting while also connecting on... Read More
Rockets Use 24th Pick On Josh Christopher
With the 24th pick in the 2021 NBA Draft, the Houston Rockets have selected Arizona State guard Josh Christopher. A favorite of NBA Draft Twitter, Christopher averaged 14.3 points, 4.7 rebounds, and 1.5 steals per game last season. He shot just 30.2 percent from three, but he's a good at making tough shots. Of course,... Read More
Rockets Take Usman Garuba With 23rd Pick
With the 23rd pick in the 2021 NBA Draft, the Houston Rockets have drafted Real Madrid center Usman Garuba. This is the second international big taken by Houston in this draft after they traded up for Alperen Sengun. You can argue that both players were steals based on their upside, and if this works for... Read More
Wizards Draft Isaiah Jackson, Trade Him For Aaron Holiday
With the 22nd pick in the 2021 NBA Draft, the Washington Wizards selected Kentucky center Isaiah Jackson, then traded Jackson to the Indiana Pacers for guard Aaron Holiday. It's a weird trade for the Wizards, who acquire a player who averaged 7.2 points, 1.3 rebounds, and 1.9 assists per game last year for the Pacers.... Read More
Clippers Trade Up For Keon Johnson
The Los Angeles Clippers have traded up in the 2021 NBA Draft, acquiring New York's No. 21 pick and using it on Tennessee wing Keon Johnson. Johnson is a great athlete who averaged 1.1 steals per game last year and can block shots as well. Defense is how he'll make his living in the NBA,... Read More
Hawks Take Jalen Johnson With 20th Pick
With the No. 20 pick in the 2021 NBA Draft, the Atlanta Hawks have selected former Duke forward Jalen Johnson, who made waves when he opted out of college basketball during last season. In the 13 games he played, Johnson averaged 11.2 points and 6.1 rebounds per game, plus added on 1.2 blocks and 1.2... Read More
Charlotte Trades For 19th Pick, Takes Kai Jones
The Charlotte Hornets have traded a future first-round pick to the New York Knicks. In return, the Hornets netted the 19th pick in this year's NBA Draft, which the team used on Texas center Kai Jones. Jones is an incredibly athletic big, though he wasn't super productive for the Longhorns last season, averaging 8.8 points... Read More
Thunder Take Tre Mann With 18th Pick
With the 18th pick in the 2021 NBA Draft, the Oklahoma City Thunder have selected Florida guard Tre Mann. This might have been a bit of a reach, but Mann shot 40.2 percent from three last year while averaging 16.0 points, 5.6 rebounds, and 3.5 assists per game, as well as adding 1.4 steals per... Read More
Pelicans Take Trey Murphy At 17
With the No. 17 pick in the 2021 NBA Draft, the New Orleans Pelicans have traded Virginia guard Trey Murphy. Murphy's NBA game is all about shooting, as he shot 43.4 percent from three last season and 92.7 percent from the foul line. Murphy's ability to shoot off the catch should help him find early... Read More
Rockets Trade Up For Alperen Sengun
The Houston Rockets have traded up in the 2021 NBA Draft, sending two lottery-protected future firsts to the Thunder for the No. 16 pick. With that pick, Houston selected Turkey's Alperen Sengun, one of the most interesting prospects in this class. Sengun was dominant at times in Turkey last year, averaging 19.0 points, 8.7 rebounds,... Read More
Kings Take Davion Mitchell At Pick 9
With the No. 9 pick in the 2021 NBA Draft, the Sacramento Kings have selected Baylor guard Davion Mitchell. The 22-year-old is a bit of a risk because of his age, but he was incredibly productive for the Bears last year, averaging 14.0 points, 2.7 rebounds, 5.5 assists, and 1.9 steals per game. Arguably the... Read More
Warriors Use No. 7 Pick On Jonathan Kuminga
There's still a chance that the Warriors trade this pick later in the night, but for now, the Golden State Warriors are using the No. 7 pick on G League Ignite forward Jonathan Kuminga. Probably the most physical wing player in this draft, Kuminga can do some ball-handling and is an explosive player in transition.... Read More
Magic Take Jalen Suggs At Pick 5
With the No. 5 pick in the 2021 NBA Draft, the Orlando Magic have selected Gonzaga guard Jalen Suggs. A surprising pick because virtually everyone expected Suggs to be taken by the Raptors with the fourth pick, the Magic get a potentially elite guard who some analysts had ranked as high as second on their... Read More
Russell Westbrook Traded To Lakers
The Los Angeles Lakers and Washington Wizards have officially agreed to a trade that will send guard Russell Westbrook to the Lakers for a package that includes Kyle Kuzma, Montrezl Harrell, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, and the No. 22 pick in this year's draft. The former NBA MVP will join a Lakers team that also includes LeBron... Read More
