Seattle (AP) — The Seattle SeaDogs started free agency with a disaster as the team was experiencing technical difficulties at SeaDogs HQ and were unable to get any communication to the league on the most important day of free agency, ultimately leading to Seattle losing key contributor and spark plug Bryant Walsh to the London Knights. With just four players on the roster, one of whom was a second round pick, and no cap space, the team found itself with its back against the wall. However, they were able to quickly pivot and in the proceeding two days reached agreements with nine players as they attempted to build out the roster and stay competitive with an aging team. Let’s take a deeper look at each of these signings and where these players could potentially fit in so far.
SF Walker Hunt ($1,285,691/1 yr)
Seattle finally kicked off its free agency by re-signing role player Walker Hunt for the third time. Now 28, Hunt has had an up-and-down last two years with Seattle.
2033 saw him play a career-high 16.8 minutes across 54 games in Seattle. The 6’6″ three-and-D specialist scored just 4.7 points while posting just 39.6/95.2/29.6 shooting percentages–a massive drop from the 47.4/80.0/37.2 line he hit during the 2032 campaign. Hunt will likely see a reduced role as an end-of-bench player in both wing spots in 2034 based on last year’s performance. Ultimately, the success or failure of this signing will depend on which version Seattle gets in year three.
SG William Cuellar ($1,789,441/1 yr)
William Cuellar has been a player that SeaDogs GM Jay Amado has coveted for nearly a decade, and he finally gets him–though only a shell of the player he was at his peak.
Cuellar has made over $90 million in his career and now finds himself relegated to an ancillary role player position. After being named an All-OBWL player in 2032 while posting 15.8 ppg, 7.0 rpg, and 6.4 apg, he ended up being used as a key reserve on the much-improved San Diego Storm last season. At 32 now, Cuellar figures to come in as one of the main rotation guards, backing up Charles Ackerman and Geraldo Ibanez. Seattle will look to him to bring consistent outside shooting as well as a strong rebounding and ball handling presence with the second unit.
PF Joe Aviles for ($14,735,000/2 yr)
Another aging veteran whose glory days are behind him, Joe Aviles will return for his swan song with the SeaDogs. The 33-year-old agreed to a two year deal with the second year being a team option that Seattle is unlikely to pick up.
Starting all 64 games in which he played last year, Aviles found himself battling both Father Time and shooting woes in his 11th OBWL season. Despite playing nearly 33 mpg, he failed to crack double-digit points per game for the first time since 2023, when he was still just a spot bench player. The plan with Aviles now appears to be to get him back to the key bench role that he found himself in in 2032. While he may never be a consistent scoring threat again, he still brings gritty defense, rebounding, passing, and leadership to a team that has its eyes on one more title run.
SF Edward Baranowski ($13,928,829/2 yr)
Less than 24 hours after the abrupt departure of starting SF Bryant Walsh with London, the SeaDogs were able to replace him with their flashiest free agency move, agreeing to a 1+1 deal at the Mid-Level Exception rate with Edward Baranowski.
A 3x All-Star who has managed to play in just 24 playoff games in a 12-year career, he joins the SeaDogs now in a quest to chase a title. At 6’5″, he does leave a bit to be desired as a SF in terms of size, but thus far in his career, that has not slowed him down. “Bara” will now come in and be looked at as a complementary scorer and penetrator who will be looked to for 30+ mpg. He has career averages of 16.4 ppg, 5.1 rpg, 2.0 apg, and 1.4 spg in 30.4 minutes per game. Though he’s lost a step, Seattle is hopeful that with the strongest talent around him that he’s ever had, he may be able to keep the same pace.
C Gino Rodriguez ($2,504,333/ 1 Yr)
A former first round pick who has made over $140 million in his career to this point, Gino Rodriguez, much like Baranowski, is now playing solely in pursuit of a title. He joins the SeaDogs on a one-year Low Exception contract.
A 6’9” center with bricks for feet, Rodriguez won’t be winning any foot races anytime soon, but at 277 lbs, he’s able to bully people down low as one of the strongest and best low post defenders and rebounders in the OBWL. Like all of the other bigs in Seattle, he is going to struggle with fouls, but the SeaDogs are now forming a front court full of players with the same ilk: players who aren’t afraid to shy from contact and who won’t give up any easy buckets or rebounds. “G-Rod” joins the group after compiling career averages of 7.7 ppg, 6.4 rpg, and 2.0 apg in 931 career games. He’ll join a deep group of veteran big men as one of the first players off the bench in Seattle.
C Erik Langlois ($8,257,420/ 1 yr)
After agreeing to a one-year deal with the team for a MLE last year, Langlois returns to Seattle again on a one year deal worth slightly more in 2034.
Stop me if you’ve heard this one before, but Langlois is a big, strong, foul-prone big man who is a strong defensive rebounder and low post presence, but unlike many of the other bigs in Seattle, he also brings a polished offensive game to the mix as well. Last year, in 64 games for the SeaDogs, the 7’0”, 300 lb 30-year-old posted 11.8 ppg and 5.3 rpg in 20.7 minutes per game. He’ll likely find himself in the exact same role this year, as he gives the SeaDogs another big who can crash the boards and the bodies. There’s also a shot that Seattle could occasionally throw out a “twin towers” lineup featuring both Langlois and Andrew Culbertson in the front court.
C Darwin Weisman ($1,729,291/1 Yr)
Darwin Weisman has made a career out of being a strong, spot minute low post big man who will come in night in and night out and do his job with a workmanlike approach. He joins the team for a second time on a minimum salary, having reached the finals with Seattle in 2030. His minutes will be limited, but boasting elite defensive rebounding and strong shot blocking as well as an unselfish style of play, he’ll still see the court.
SF Jack Davis ($1,060,131/1 Yr)
A day after signing Baranowski, Seattle was able to sign one of the players they viewed as a top minimum salary bench option behind him in Jack Davis. Davis is a solid spot up shooter with decent athleticism and size who is still just 23 years old. He’ll be the most junior man in the rotation this year and is expected to battle Walker Hunt for minutes at the 3.
PF Michael Urena ($969,907/1 Yr)
Michael Urena is a big man who just a few years ago found himself completely out of basketball. Finally debuting in the OBWL at the age of 28 for the Portland Lumberjacks in 2032, he found himself as a deep bench body in New York last year, where he never played a game. He’s a long-shot to survive training camps.
The SeaDogs still have up to 7 spots open for league minimum players and are said to be focusing much of their attention on the wings as they look to bring in one more player who can round out their rotation.
