The NBA’s No Man’s Land: JD Davison

There is a saying that when one door closes, another one opens. On May 12, 2025, during Game 4 of the Eastern Conference Semi-Finals versus the New York Knicks, a massive door slammed shut on the Boston Celtics. In a matter of moments, the franchise came to a screeching halt and was forced to begin in a new direction after the reigning champions’ franchise cornerstone, Jayson Tatum, suffered a right Achilles ‘ tear. Boston went from a chance at fighting for back-to-back titles to instead starting a bridge year while their 26-year-old phenom finishes his rehab. 

While the Tatum injury is catastrophic for the team’s championship aspirations in 2025-26, it opens the door for development for players during a season with significantly lower expectations. One of these players is fourth-year player and reigning NBA G-League MVP, JD Davison, who is currently stuck in the no-man’s land of the NBA hierarchy. The Alabama product has shown that he is too good to stay in the G-League, but in his brief stints with the big league club, his game struggled to translate, failing to crack Coach Joe Mazzulla’s already guard-heavy rotation.

Last season with the Maine Celtics, Davison averaged 25.1 points, 5.2 rebounds, and 7.5 assists on 48/33/74 shooting splits, leading the team to a 21-13 record and ECF appearance while taking home the league’s MVP. But life in the world’s most talented basketball association moves quickly, as Davison was released by the Celtics on July 24th as another door shut on the reigning G-League MVP. 

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However, it did not take long for Davison to find a new home, landing with the Houston Rockets on another two-way deal, joining an elite class of Houston newcomers, including two-time champion Kevin Durant and former Rocket Clint Capela, among others. In joining Houston, Davison finds himself in a very similar situation: an afterthought on the bench of a contending team, while starring in the G League once again. 

Read More: Franchise Deep Dive: Boston Celtics

Davison is not the first of former G-League MVPs to fall into the NBA’s no-man’s land, and he probably won’t be the last. While winning the award is not a death sentence by any means, past MVPs like Chris Boucher (2018-19) and Paul Reed (2020-21) have carved out solid careers as role players over the past half-decade. Other award winners, such as Tim Frazier, Trevelin Queen, and Frank Mason III, all fit the bill of undersized scoring guards who can control an entire offense in the G-League. However, without the keys to the system, they fail to provide the same punch in the NBA.

If Davison wants to stay in the league, he is going to need to change and expand his repertoire. What does that look like?

First and foremost, Davison, playing in a smaller, more complementary role in the league, will need to change his shot diet to better match his lower usage. Less frequent pull-up mid-range shots off drives, instead favoring more spot-up catch and shoot threes and cuts to the rim that allow him to show off the top-percentile athleticism that spring-boarded his basketball career. Improving his shot selection will help Davison adjust to no longer needing to be the focal point of the offense and letting the game come to him instead of trying to impose his will on the game.

Hopefully, Davison eventually gets his chance to step up at the big league level and can carve out a role in the league for years to come. The door has been left ajar in Houston, and the well-traveled Davison knows all too well that same door can be slammed shut at any moment.