T.J. Warren dominating G League in quest for NBA return

Nine-year NBA veteran T.J. Warren has been forced to take an unconventional route this season to revive his professional basketball career. The 31-year-old finds himself in the NBA G League, showcasing the skills that once made him a standout player.

Warren’s career has been anything but smooth since his memorable scoring run in the 2020 NBA bubble. A stress fracture sidelined him for most of the 2020-21 season and kept him out entirely in 2021-22.

Since then, the flashy scorer has been on a whirlwind journey, signing short stints with the Brooklyn Nets, Phoenix Suns, Minnesota Timberwolves and New York Knicks before finding himself in the G League.

After being waived by the Knicks during the offseason, Warren joined the Westchester Knicks, New York’s G League affiliate. The move mirrored the team’s handling of other veterans like Matt Ryan and Landry Shamet, who were selected first and second in the 2024 G League Draft. Ryan has since earned a call-up to the Knicks, leaving Warren as a top candidate for a potential promotion.

The 6-foot-8 forward has been dominant in 12 games with Westchester. He averages 25.7 points, 7.4 rebounds, 3.5 assists and 1.9 steals per game and shoots an efficient 51.3 percent from the field and 36.5 percent from three-point range. 

His scoring average ranks fourth in the league, and his offensive impact has been nothing short of electrifying. Warren made an immediate impression, opening the season with a 35-point, 11-rebound performance in a win over the Long Island Nets. The scoring burst remains his season-high. 

More recently, he started December with three consecutive 30-point games, shooting over 50 percent in each contest. His defensive contributions have also been notable, as he recorded four steals in two of those games.