That didn't take long. Jeremy Lamb, the former Huskies All-American guard and the 12th pick in last June's NBA Draft, has been assigned to the D-League by the Oklahoma City Thunder. Lamb was originally drafted by the Houston Rockets, but was part of the trade that sent James Harden from the Thunder to the Rockets.
Lamb appeared in eight games with Oklahoma City, averaging 2.1 points and 4.3 minutes. He headed to the Tulsa 66ers Thursday and is expected to be available Friday, Nov. 30.
During his two years at UConn, Lamb, a 6-5 shooting guard who could score from anywhere on the court, averaged 14.1 points, 4.7 rebounds, 1.7 assist and 32 minutes per game. He was a vital cog in the Huskies' 2010-11 national championship team, and he left Storrs as only the sixth player in school history 1,000 career points.
While UConn could certainly use Lamb's service, the demotion isn't necessarily a bad thing. DailyThunder.com's Royce White explains:
Lamb obviously was seen as a prize prospect in the James Harden deal, but hasn’t factored in at all in the regular rotation. It’s pretty simple with the Thunder though. If you’re a young player and you’re not getting playing time, you’re not just going to show up, put on a warmup and sit on the bench. …
Don’t be surprised if Lamb is called right back up soon. The Thunder tend to do that. Let a guy run to Tulsa to get a little playing time and then return right away back to the team.
So this is less an indictment on Lamb's long-term prospects and more an opportunity to get him some playing time.
Coincidentally, the Thunder beat the Rockets Wednesday night, 120-98. Lamb played three minutes and scored six points on 2-for-2 shooting from behind the arc.
