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Brooklyn Nets Sign Thomas Robinson

By Gerald Bourguet

Nov 4, 2014; Portland, OR, USA; Portland Trail Blazers forward Thomas Robinson (41) drives past Cleveland Cavaliers center Anderson Varejao (17) during the second quarter at the Moda Center. Mandatory Credit: Craig Mitchelldyer-USA TODAY Sports
Nov 4, 2014; Portland, OR, USA; Portland Trail Blazers forward Thomas Robinson (41) drives past Cleveland Cavaliers center Anderson Varejao (17) during the second quarter at the Moda Center. Mandatory Credit: Craig Mitchelldyer-USA TODAY Sports /
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As the former No. 5 pick in the 2012 NBA Draft, Thomas Robinson hasn’t exactly lived up to the hype of being a lottery selection. After playing for three teams in his first two and a half seasons in the NBA — including being wavied by a fourth — Robinson will be hoping team No. 5 can become his lucky charm.

That team in question? The Brooklyn Nets, a team that recently acquired Thaddeus Young at the trade deadline in a deal for Kevin Garnett.

According to ESPN’s Mike Mazzeo, the Nets have signed the 23-year-old power forward to a 10-day contract. The deal cannot become official until Robinson clears waivers after he was waived by the Denver Nuggets, who received him in the Arron Afflalo trade last Thursday.

Robinson has mostly been a disappointment in his NBA career thus far. As a rookie, he averaged 4.8 points and 4.7 rebounds in 15.9 minutes per game with the Sacramento Kings, but they traded him to the Houston Rockets 51 games into the season. He averaged 4.5 points and 4.1 rebounds per game in 19 games with the Rockets, but he was traded to the Portland Trail Blazers in the offseason.

He averaged 4.8 points and 4.4 rebounds per game in 70 appearances with the Blazers during the 2013-14 season, but his production dropped off to 3.6 points and 4.2 rebounds per game this year. Including Robinson in a deal for Afflalo was pretty much a no-brainer for Rip City.

T-Rob has career averages of 4.6 points and 4.4 rebounds per game on 46.2 percent shooting. He will be an unrestricted free agent this summer.

On a team like Denver that’s fully stocked with power forwards, Robinson never would’ve had a chance off the bench. Now he joins a team fighting for a playoff spot at the bottom of the Eastern Conference standings.

The Nets currently sit at eighth in the conference with a 22-31 record, but the Detroit Pistons, Indiana Pacers and Charlotte Hornets are only 0.5 games back for that final playoff spot.

Robinson sits behind Young and Mirza Teletovic on the depth chart, but Teletovic has been sidelined with blood clots in his lungs. Teletovic is expected to make a full recovery, but Robinson has a chance to make an impact for a team that has nothing to gain by tanking.

The Atlanta Hawks have the right to swap first round picks with Brooklyn this season, and since the Nets were able to unload the contracts of Deron Williams, Joe Johnson or Brook Lopez at the trade deadline, they might as well shoot for a playoff appearance, even if it ends in an inevitable first round exit.

Next: NBA: 50 Greatest Players Of All Time

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