Summer League 2017 fantasy takeaways
Aug 12, 2017 12:55:20 GMT 2
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Post by Portland TrailBlazers on Aug 12, 2017 12:55:20 GMT 2
Lebron the scout is back to base after a long vacation in Las Vegas working remotely to bring you the word on who emerged, who dug himself a hole and who got FAT!!
Dennis Smith Jr: It’s already looking like his slide to No. 9 in the draft will haunt teams for a while.
Lonzo Ball: Lonzo Ball had 4 games with 10 assists while no other rookie in Vegas Summer League history has had more than 1. What’s most amazing about him is he did all this despite shooting the ball terribly. Just imagine when Ball hits an average amount of his threes.
Donovan Mitchell: Mitchell was the star of the Utah Jazz Summer League after going bonkers against the Sixers, Spurs and Celtics and he continued demolishing opponents in Las Vegas scoring the most points (37) while wreaking havoc on both ends of the floor.
Jason Tatum: He looked more or less like he was supposed to. The question now is whether he, on a loaded Celtics roster, can make NBA veterans look as foolish as Summer League talent.
Josh Jackson: We already know by now that his shooting is erratic, his athleticism is just off the charts while he showed off his toughness. Highlight dunks and blocks took center stage for the Phoenix Suns’ rookie, but showing off some advanced NBA footwork and secondary playmaking, Jackson already looks the part of a super role player.
Luke Kennard: For large stretches of Orlando Summer League, no one could guard him. Nothing worked. The Detroit Pistons desperately need shooting this year, which is exactly what they’re getting from Kennard. Now if only SVG could let us know why he gave $21m for Langston Galloway 😉.
John Collins: 15 points and 9 rebounds on 60% shooting 🤓and although It’s unclear what else Collins can really do well, those two traits may be enough to carry him toward a productive career in the NBA.
Jordan Bell: Javale's return to the Warriors hurts his value this year but his defensive versatility was impressive with 2.6 blocks and 2.0 steals.
Caleb Swannigan aka "Biggie": Motor, rebounding and passing potential are all there after averaging 16.1 points and 10.6 rebounds.
Kyle Kuzma: Big Summer League for Kyle Kuzma. 48 3P% (50 3PAs) after shooting only 30% in 3 yrs at Utah. Whether he can sustain this kind of production it remains to be seen.
Frank Mason III: The statistics are not elite for Mason, but he did a great job in fulfilling his role as the backup point guard for the Kings. Mason also showed his best highlights when given starting minutes when De’Aaron Fox wasn’t active to play.
Dwayne Bacon: Before the summer league, Bacon was expected to be nothing more than a developmental player to fill out the team’s roster but after his impressive showing, the swingman proved that he may be more NBA ready than previously thought averaging 15.4 points per game and 4.2 rebounds while shooting 41.8% from the field and 100% from the free throw line, showing that he could consistently create space and make tough shots on the offensive end.
Derrick White: He looks to be in good shape with the San Antonio Spurs. White’s solid play in the NBA Summer League showed that he is well on his way to playing significant minutes with the Spurs as he averaged a healthy 15 points on 24 minutes per game. White is known for his high basketball IQ and that was on full display. With or without the ball, White always looks for the best shot, the smartest pass and the headiest cut, is there a better fit for the Spurs than that?
Sindarius Thornwell: Sindarius continued to show his growth by displaying his high basketball IQ and stellar instincts during his time in Las Vegas. Despite lacking elite athleticism, Thornwell fought his way to the rim repeatedly, and make a stunning 32(!) trips to the free throw line during his four games in Las Vegas. He also covered everyone from shooting guards to power forwards and notably volunteered to guard Brandon Ingram after he started dominating the Clippers’ frontcourt, proceeding to guard Ingram better than anyone else that the Clippers threw at him.
Bryan Forbes: By filling up the stat sheet in Vegas, finishing second in the Summer League in scoring while playing a lot of point guard for the Spurs’ summer league team, Forbes made a strong case he belongs in the discussion about San Antonio's future.
Troy Williams: Sam Dekker is off to the Clippers, and Williams is putting himself in position to stick on the roster. He’s averaged 25.7 points over three games, and a low-cost three-and-D forward is exactly the type of part the Rockets need.
Wayne Selden: Selden knew it was time to prove to everyone he deserved his spot in the NBA during this year's summer league. His impressive performance proved doubters wrong after the Grizzlies signed him to a multi-year guaranteed contract.
Cheick Diallo: The 2nd year player averaged 18.6 points and 9.8 rebounds per game on 56.3% shooting. He also hit over 80% of his free throws and got to the line a good bit impressing everyone with a refined scoring touch.
DeAndre' Bembry: Bembry was a steady hand for the Hawks throughout the summer league and he was highly efficient in doing so. The most encouraging thing from Bembry was apparent confidence in his jump shot after shooting 9% (🙈) from downtown last year and the small sample of results reflected some progression as Bembry looks to be a rotation player next season.
Tyler Lydon: In five games for the Nuggets in Las Vegas, Lydon went 4-for-20 from the field, averaging 2.4 points per game 🙈. Not the production you expect from a first round pick that was basically traded for Donovan Mitchell.
Zach Collins: Defensively he showed a lot of promise and he wa able to rebound well (5.7) but he was outplayed by the other pick, Caleb Swannigan and looked ugly shooting the ball while failing to stretch the floor.
Lauri Markkanen: Bulls forward shot just 29% in three games and 2-25 in one of those but at least he managed to average nine rebounds and block some shots.
Georgios Papagiannis: Still looks like 2-3 years away from being a relevant option for the Kings, struggled to defend mobile Centers while shooting only 41% from the field. Papagiannis lost plenty of balls either through lack of concentration or by having smaller players walk in and take it from him. It’s a flaw in his game that NBA players will exploit if he doesn’t improve quickly.
Skal Labissiere: He was ready to perform but through the first three games of Summer League, Labissiere struggled, averaging just 8.3 points and 4.7 rebounds in 27.3 minutes a night as he seems better suited for the C position instead of a stretch PF.
Pat Connaughton and Jake Layman have not helped their case for a roster spot with the Blazers.
Dejounte Murray: Horrible at both ends showing no progress at all while losing minutes to Bryan Forbes and averaging just 3 assists per game.
Kevon Looney: After 2 seasons defined by injuries and limited playing time Looney doesn’t appear to have made a single improvement since being drafted which might be an indicator that the hypothetical ceiling isn’t all that high after all, while Jordan Bell can immediately have a more substantial impact in every facet of the game the minute he steps on the court.
Ivica Zubac: Unfortunately for the Lakers, they didn't receive the type of production they were hoping for from Zubac. After a great Summer League last season, and some good moments in the regular season, Zubac doesn’t appear to have taken a step forward. The poor performances of Zubac have resulted in him not being on the court to finish games. Instead, the Lakers have been using small lineups with Kyle Kuzma as the tallest player on the court and Zubac seems to lack the necessary confidence to recover from it.
“If that’s the way we’re going to win the game because [the opponent] is way too small, then we’ve got to play small ball. I’m good with that.”
Kris Dunn & Cameron Payne: They shot a combined 12-of-38 (31.6 percent) and 3-of-12 from 3-point range and also had more turnovers (nine) than assists (eight) while failing to develop any chemistry with the rest of the young Bulls as they had to leave due to personal reasons.
Dragan Bender and Marquese Chriss: The sophomore lottery picks both shot worse than 40 percent from the floor and didn't exactly dominate the glass (each averaged 6.0 rebounds per game) as Phoenix went 2-4. That isn't exactly reason to believe that the Suns' rebuilding project can be fast-tracked. Extra negative points to Chriss for showing up fat and with an atrocious body language that screamed "I don't want to be here".
ROOKIE RISERS:
Dennis Smith Jr: It’s already looking like his slide to No. 9 in the draft will haunt teams for a while.
Lonzo Ball: Lonzo Ball had 4 games with 10 assists while no other rookie in Vegas Summer League history has had more than 1. What’s most amazing about him is he did all this despite shooting the ball terribly. Just imagine when Ball hits an average amount of his threes.
Donovan Mitchell: Mitchell was the star of the Utah Jazz Summer League after going bonkers against the Sixers, Spurs and Celtics and he continued demolishing opponents in Las Vegas scoring the most points (37) while wreaking havoc on both ends of the floor.
Jason Tatum: He looked more or less like he was supposed to. The question now is whether he, on a loaded Celtics roster, can make NBA veterans look as foolish as Summer League talent.
Josh Jackson: We already know by now that his shooting is erratic, his athleticism is just off the charts while he showed off his toughness. Highlight dunks and blocks took center stage for the Phoenix Suns’ rookie, but showing off some advanced NBA footwork and secondary playmaking, Jackson already looks the part of a super role player.
Luke Kennard: For large stretches of Orlando Summer League, no one could guard him. Nothing worked. The Detroit Pistons desperately need shooting this year, which is exactly what they’re getting from Kennard. Now if only SVG could let us know why he gave $21m for Langston Galloway 😉.
John Collins: 15 points and 9 rebounds on 60% shooting 🤓and although It’s unclear what else Collins can really do well, those two traits may be enough to carry him toward a productive career in the NBA.
Jordan Bell: Javale's return to the Warriors hurts his value this year but his defensive versatility was impressive with 2.6 blocks and 2.0 steals.
Caleb Swannigan aka "Biggie": Motor, rebounding and passing potential are all there after averaging 16.1 points and 10.6 rebounds.
Kyle Kuzma: Big Summer League for Kyle Kuzma. 48 3P% (50 3PAs) after shooting only 30% in 3 yrs at Utah. Whether he can sustain this kind of production it remains to be seen.
Frank Mason III: The statistics are not elite for Mason, but he did a great job in fulfilling his role as the backup point guard for the Kings. Mason also showed his best highlights when given starting minutes when De’Aaron Fox wasn’t active to play.
Dwayne Bacon: Before the summer league, Bacon was expected to be nothing more than a developmental player to fill out the team’s roster but after his impressive showing, the swingman proved that he may be more NBA ready than previously thought averaging 15.4 points per game and 4.2 rebounds while shooting 41.8% from the field and 100% from the free throw line, showing that he could consistently create space and make tough shots on the offensive end.
Derrick White: He looks to be in good shape with the San Antonio Spurs. White’s solid play in the NBA Summer League showed that he is well on his way to playing significant minutes with the Spurs as he averaged a healthy 15 points on 24 minutes per game. White is known for his high basketball IQ and that was on full display. With or without the ball, White always looks for the best shot, the smartest pass and the headiest cut, is there a better fit for the Spurs than that?
Sindarius Thornwell: Sindarius continued to show his growth by displaying his high basketball IQ and stellar instincts during his time in Las Vegas. Despite lacking elite athleticism, Thornwell fought his way to the rim repeatedly, and make a stunning 32(!) trips to the free throw line during his four games in Las Vegas. He also covered everyone from shooting guards to power forwards and notably volunteered to guard Brandon Ingram after he started dominating the Clippers’ frontcourt, proceeding to guard Ingram better than anyone else that the Clippers threw at him.
RETURNING PLAYERS:
Bryan Forbes: By filling up the stat sheet in Vegas, finishing second in the Summer League in scoring while playing a lot of point guard for the Spurs’ summer league team, Forbes made a strong case he belongs in the discussion about San Antonio's future.
Troy Williams: Sam Dekker is off to the Clippers, and Williams is putting himself in position to stick on the roster. He’s averaged 25.7 points over three games, and a low-cost three-and-D forward is exactly the type of part the Rockets need.
Wayne Selden: Selden knew it was time to prove to everyone he deserved his spot in the NBA during this year's summer league. His impressive performance proved doubters wrong after the Grizzlies signed him to a multi-year guaranteed contract.
Cheick Diallo: The 2nd year player averaged 18.6 points and 9.8 rebounds per game on 56.3% shooting. He also hit over 80% of his free throws and got to the line a good bit impressing everyone with a refined scoring touch.
DeAndre' Bembry: Bembry was a steady hand for the Hawks throughout the summer league and he was highly efficient in doing so. The most encouraging thing from Bembry was apparent confidence in his jump shot after shooting 9% (🙈) from downtown last year and the small sample of results reflected some progression as Bembry looks to be a rotation player next season.
ROOKIE BUSTS:
Tyler Lydon: In five games for the Nuggets in Las Vegas, Lydon went 4-for-20 from the field, averaging 2.4 points per game 🙈. Not the production you expect from a first round pick that was basically traded for Donovan Mitchell.
Zach Collins: Defensively he showed a lot of promise and he wa able to rebound well (5.7) but he was outplayed by the other pick, Caleb Swannigan and looked ugly shooting the ball while failing to stretch the floor.
Lauri Markkanen: Bulls forward shot just 29% in three games and 2-25 in one of those but at least he managed to average nine rebounds and block some shots.
RETURNING FALLERS:
Georgios Papagiannis: Still looks like 2-3 years away from being a relevant option for the Kings, struggled to defend mobile Centers while shooting only 41% from the field. Papagiannis lost plenty of balls either through lack of concentration or by having smaller players walk in and take it from him. It’s a flaw in his game that NBA players will exploit if he doesn’t improve quickly.
Skal Labissiere: He was ready to perform but through the first three games of Summer League, Labissiere struggled, averaging just 8.3 points and 4.7 rebounds in 27.3 minutes a night as he seems better suited for the C position instead of a stretch PF.
Pat Connaughton and Jake Layman have not helped their case for a roster spot with the Blazers.
Dejounte Murray: Horrible at both ends showing no progress at all while losing minutes to Bryan Forbes and averaging just 3 assists per game.
Kevon Looney: After 2 seasons defined by injuries and limited playing time Looney doesn’t appear to have made a single improvement since being drafted which might be an indicator that the hypothetical ceiling isn’t all that high after all, while Jordan Bell can immediately have a more substantial impact in every facet of the game the minute he steps on the court.
Ivica Zubac: Unfortunately for the Lakers, they didn't receive the type of production they were hoping for from Zubac. After a great Summer League last season, and some good moments in the regular season, Zubac doesn’t appear to have taken a step forward. The poor performances of Zubac have resulted in him not being on the court to finish games. Instead, the Lakers have been using small lineups with Kyle Kuzma as the tallest player on the court and Zubac seems to lack the necessary confidence to recover from it.
“If that’s the way we’re going to win the game because [the opponent] is way too small, then we’ve got to play small ball. I’m good with that.”
Kris Dunn & Cameron Payne: They shot a combined 12-of-38 (31.6 percent) and 3-of-12 from 3-point range and also had more turnovers (nine) than assists (eight) while failing to develop any chemistry with the rest of the young Bulls as they had to leave due to personal reasons.
Dragan Bender and Marquese Chriss: The sophomore lottery picks both shot worse than 40 percent from the floor and didn't exactly dominate the glass (each averaged 6.0 rebounds per game) as Phoenix went 2-4. That isn't exactly reason to believe that the Suns' rebuilding project can be fast-tracked. Extra negative points to Chriss for showing up fat and with an atrocious body language that screamed "I don't want to be here".