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NBA SUMMER LEAGUE INFORMATION

NBA Summer League Info (California Classic, Salt Lake City, Las Vegas) https://www.nba.com/summer-league/2021


Las Vegas Review Journal https://www.reviewjournal.com/sports/basketball/nba-summer-league/nbas-vegas-summer-league-returns-after-1-year-hiatus-2415512/

July 1, 2020 was the day reality began to set in for Albert Hall. That’s when he realized the crown jewel of his company — the NBA’s Vegas Summer League — wouldn’t happen.

At least not in 2020.

“It was a really hard day for me,’” said Hall, who co-founded the event in 2004, ensuring an annual NBA presence every summer in Las Vegas. “But we got through it, just like everything else. You just try and find ways. For us, it was, ‘When do we start the planning for the next one?’ Just the apprehension and not knowing, that was tough.”

Hall and fellow co-founder Warren LeGarie managed to power through the void that last year left in their operation and are eager to welcome the NBA and its fans back to Thomas & Mack Center and Cox Pavilion for Vegas Summer League once again.

The 10-day hoopfest begins Sunday and will conclude Aug. 17 with the championship game.

All 30 NBA teams are participating, and top draws include Cade Cunningham, Jalen Green, Evan Mobley, Scottie Barnes and Jalen Suggs, all of whom were drafted last month in the top five.

“Summer league is always about hope and optimism. Every team is undefeated before the play. Every team comes in with the belief ‘We’re going to be this. We’re going to be that,’” LeGarie said. “That’s the thing that drives us. … No matter what, our league is still about stars of tomorrow, today.”

That optimism waned last year as the COVID-19 pandemic surged, forcing a stoppage of the NBA 2019-20 season and putting months of planning in flux for Hall and LeGarie. They’d hoped some type of fall league would be plausible after the league concluded its year in a sterile, bubble setting in the Orlando area.

But the scheduling didn’t make sense and the two tabled plans, eyeing a return in 2021 instead.

“It’s like not having a life. No matter what, you incorporate (Vegas Summer League) into your yearly schedule,” LeGarie said. “It’s something that we expect to do. It’s a source of pride. There’s a lot of honor in this. … It’s tough. It’s a lot harder to go through than you realize.”

LeGarie’s optimism resurfaced, though, during the All-Star break in March, when COVID-19 vaccines became readily available and franchises began allowing limited fans to attend games. The planning process was truncated, but LeGarie said the NBA “felt as if (Vegas Summer League) was something from a health standpoint, that could be done.”

He also explained that NBA teams hoped to participate this summer in Vegas Summer League so they could evaluate their rookie class and second-year prospects, having not been able to do so last summer.

With that in mind, Hall and LeGarie worked in conjunction with the NBA and its television partners to identify dates for this year’s event. A preliminary announcement was made in May, with a more formal announcement following in June.

“This year, less is more,” Hall said. “If we can do what we do well, not throw a lot of wrinkles in there and just keep everybody safe, that’s our primary goal.”

Spectators will be required to wear facemasks inside the Thomas & Mack Center and Cox Pavilion. LeGarie said he may consider eliminating some seating as a way to create more safe space for spectators and league personnel: “Sacrifices that are necessary for things to be successful.”

But masks and seating arrangements aside, the league will go on as normal.

Games all day in one arena and games all day in the other.

“We want to be safe. We want to have a great environment … but also the extra effort to make sure we’re safe,” Hall said. “I always feel better when the ball is up in the air. Once we’re playing and we’re hooping, that’s when everything starts to feel special.”

California Classic Summer League (Aug 3-4)

Info https://www.nba.com/kings/caclassic

https://khtk.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/Classic.png

Salt Lake City Summer League (Aug 3-6)

Info https://www.nba.com/jazz/summerleague/2021#event

Schedule https://www.nba.com/summer-league/2021/utah/schedule

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NBA Las Vegas Summer League (Aug 8-17)

Info https://www.nba.com/summer-league/2021

Team Rosters https://www.nba.com/summer-league/2021/vegas/team-rosters

Game Results/Box Scores https://www.nba.com/summer-league/2021/vegas/schedule

NBA Summer League Game Highlights https://www.youtube.com/c/NBA/videos

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SALT LAKE CITY

Utah White 87 San Antonio 58

Box Score https://www.nba.com/game/sas-vs-utw-1622100002/box-score#box-score


Memphis 104 Utah Blue 65

Box Score https://www.nba.com/game/mem-vs-utb-1622100001/box-score#box-score


CALIFORNIA CLASSIC

Miami 80 Los Angeles Lakers 78

Box Score https://www.nba.com/game/lal-vs-mia-1322100001/box-score#box-score


Golden State 89 Sacramento 82 OT

Box Score https://www.nba.com/game/gsw-vs-sac-1322100002/box-score#box-score

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SALT LAKE CITY

Utah White 94 Memphis 75

Box Score https://www.nba.com/game/mem-vs-utw-1622100004/box-score#box-score


Utah Blue 78 San Antonio 64

Box Score https://www.nba.com/game/sas-vs-utb-1622100003/box-score#box-score


CALIFORNIA CLASSIC

Miami 94 Golden State 87

Box Score https://www.nba.com/game/mia-vs-gsw-1322100003/box-score#box-score


Los Angeles Lakers 84 Sacramento 74

Box Score https://www.nba.com/game/lal-vs-sac-1322100004/box-score#box-score

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Day 1 Standouts (Aug 3) https://www.nba.com/news/2021-summer-league-standouts-day-1

Day 2 Standouts (Aug 4) https://www.nba.com/news/2021-summer-league-standouts-day-2

Day 3 Standouts (Aug 6) https://www.nba.com/news/2021-summer-league-standouts-day-3

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SALT LAKE CITY

Memphis 82 San Antonio 77

Box Score https://www.nba.com/game/sas-vs-mem-1622100005/box-score#box-score


Utah White 83 Utah Blue 65

Box Score https://www.nba.com/game/utb-vs-utw-1622100006/box-score#box-score

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NBA https://www.nba.com/news/mgm-resorts-nba-summer-league-format-summary

The 16th MGM Resorts NBA Summer League will feature all 30 NBA teams playing five games each. After every team plays four games, the two teams with the best records from the first four games will meet in the Championship Game on Tuesday, Aug. 17 at 9 p.m. ET on ESPN. For a complete schedule, click here.


Format Summary

• All 30 NBA teams will participate. A total of 75 games will be played.

• Each team will play a total of five games. • Each team will play four games from Aug. 8-15.

• The top two teams from their first four games will play in the Championship Game (Aug. 17). Seeding for the Championship Game will be determined by winning percentage with tiebreakers set forth below.

• The 28 teams not playing in the Championship Game will play a fifth game on either Aug. 16 or 17.

• Consolation games will be determined by various factors, including team rivalries, broadcast interest and other scheduling considerations (e.g., timing of back-to-backs).


Tiebreak Criteria

1. Two Teams Tied. In the case of a tie in preliminary round records involving only two teams, the following criteria (in order) will be utilized:

• Head-to-head matchup: The team that won the game between the two teams in the preliminary round, if applicable, receives the higher seed.

• Point differential: The team with the greater point differential receives the higher seed.

• Random drawing: The higher seed shall be determined by a “coin flip.”


2. More Than Two Teams Tied. In the case of a tie in preliminary round records involving more than two teams, the following criteria (in order) will be utilized:

• Point differential: The team with the greater point differential receives the higher seed.

• Random drawing: The higher seed shall be determined by a “coin flip.”

Bleacher Report https://bleacherreport.com/articles/2946873-nba-summer-league-2021-previewing-biggest-games-on-las-vegas-schedule

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NBA Summer League 2021: Previewing Biggest Games On Las Vegas Schedule

The 2021 NBA Draft class is a talented one from top to bottom, with a group of top 10 picks that could rival that of prior draft classes.


Detroit Pistons- Cade Cunningham
Houston Rockets- Jalen Green
Cleveland Cavaliers- Evan Mobley
Toronto Raptors- Scottie Barnes
Orlando Magic- Jalen Suggs
Oklahoma City Thunder- Josh Giddey
Golden State Warriors- Jonathan Kuminga
Orlando Magic- Franz Wagner
Sacramento Kings- Davion Mitchell
Memphis Grizzlies- Ziaire Williams


The NBA Summer League is underway, but not for every team quite yet. There is some action taking place in Sacramento and Salt Lake City, though not every NBA organization is represented in these early games.

However, things will be picking up soon, because the NBA Summer League will be heading to Las Vegas beginning Sunday. All 30 franchises will send players to the league, which will run through Aug. 17, and there will be plenty of talent in action.

You won't get to see the big-name stars in Vegas, as most top players don't participate. But there will be incoming rookies and other youngsters looking to prove themselves while trying to make the roster for the 2021-22 season. And there will be a few veterans looking to do the same, too.

Here's a look at a few Summer League matchups you're going to want to catch over the next couple weeks.


Detroit Pistons vs. Oklahoma City Thunder, Aug. 8 at 8:30 p.m. ET

The Detroit Pistons used the No. 1 overall pick to select Oklahoma State guard Cade Cunningham in the 2021 NBA draft one week ago. And it won't be long before they get to see him in action, considering he'll be on their Summer League team that begins play Sunday against Oklahoma City.

The results for these games don't matter to most, but the 19-year-old wants to lead his new team to success, even though the Summer League championship isn't exactly comparable to the NBA title.

"I mean more than anything we want to win Summer League," Cunningham said, per Lauren Williams of MLive.com. "We want to go undefeated, as a team. On top of that, we want to just take a step forward as far as gelling as a young core, being together, playing for each other, things like that."

In addition to Cunningham, the Pistons' Summer League roster features center Luka Garza (second-round draft pick out of Iowa) and guard John Petty Jr. (undrafted out of Alabama) as notable rookies looking to perform well. Second-year players Saddiq Bey and Killian Hayes will be playing, as will Sekou Doumbouya, a 2019 first-round pick.

The Thunder have an exciting roster as well, with 2021 first-round draft picks Josh Giddey (No. 6 overall) and Tre Mann (No. 18) set to play. Theo Maledon will also be in action looking to build off his solid rookie NBA season.

This Pistons-Thunder matchup will tip off on Sunday at 8:30 p.m. ET on ESPN2.


New York Knicks vs. Los Angeles Lakers, Aug. 11 at 10 P.m. ET

While the Summer League is typically for incoming rookies and less-proven players, there are some notable names on the Knicks' roster who you may not have expected to see heading to Las Vegas. That includes guard Immanuel Quickley and forwards Obi Toppin and Kevin Knox.

Quickley and Toppin were both rookies last season, so they're not huge surprises. But Knox already has 182 games of NBA experience over three seasons. However, the 21-year-old told the Knicks that he wanted to participate in Summer League, according to SNY's Ian Begley.

New York will also get its first look at rookie guard Quentin Grimes, who was drafted by the Los Angeles Clippers with the No. 25 overall pick in the draft and then traded to the Knicks.

On the other side, the Lakers won't be sending many of their notable players, considering they have a lot of veterans on their roster. But one notable name suiting up for them is former Gonzaga guard Joel Ayayi, who went undrafted and then signed a two-way contract with the Lakers.

This Knicks-Lakers matchup will tip off on Wednesday at 10 p.m. ET on ESPN2.


Portland Trail Blazers vs. Indiana Pacers, Aug. 12 at 6 p.m. ET

Neither Michael Beasley nor Kenneth Faried has played in an NBA game since 2019. However, both veterans will be on the Trail Blazers' Summer League roster as two of the most experienced players in action in Las Vegas. But they also have a lot to prove.

Beasley played 11 NBA seasons, but his production waned later on. The forward is still only 32, though. Meanwhile, Faried is 31 and has eight years of NBA experience himself.

It will be interesting to see how the two look on the courts and whether they can still contribute for an NBA team, be it Portland or somebody else.

The Trail Blazers have some other notable players on their roster, such as rookies Greg Brown and CJ Elleby, both of whom were second-round draft picks, as well as forward Nassir Little, who is entering his third NBA season.

This matchup will also give fans the opportunity to see Pacers rookie guard Chris Duarte, who was selected with the No. 13 overall pick out of Oregon. He will be an older rookie at 24, but that could help him outperform some of the less-experienced players in the Summer League.

This Trail Blazers-Pacers matchup will tip off on Thursday at 6 p.m. ET on NBA TV.

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NBA https://www.nba.com/news/15-players-to-watch-at-2021-nba-summer-league

1. Cole Anthony, Magic

• First Game | Aug. 8: Magic vs. Warriors (8 ET, NBA TV)

Anthony averaged 12.9 points and 4.1 assists during his rookie campaign, both top five amongst rookies last season. His best moment was a buzzer-beater to beat the Grizzlies and cap off a 26-point performance. Starting this week in Las Vegas, he’ll get his first action alongside rookie Jalen Suggs, whom the Magic selected at No. 5 overall. Anthony will get the chance to show his skills at full strength after missing significant time due to a fractured rib last season.


2. Scottie Barnes, Raptors

• First Game | Aug. 8: Raptors vs. Knicks (4:30 ET, ESPN)

The Florida State product, who was the No. 4 pick in the 2021 NBA Draft, has an impressive frame at 6-foot-8, 225 pounds with a nearly 7-foot-3 wingspan. Keep an eye on the defensive end where Barnes is able to defend multiple positions with all-out effort. “I just want to be great. I’m just a great person, great teammate, great player. I want to be known for someone that just does it all,” Barnes said. His charisma and personality has already started to shine (plus Drake and Toronto have already welcomed him in with open arms). His versatility as a big who has the potential to play all positions will be exciting to watch in Las Vegas.


3. James Bouknight, Hornets

• First Game | Aug. 8: Hornets vs. Kings (6 ET, NBA TV)

Bouknight surprisingly fell outside the top 10 into the lap of the Hornets at No. 11 in the 2021 draft. The guard played two seasons for UConn, improving his points, assists, blocks and rebounds per game from his first to second season. He’s a great ballhandler and finisher, and he can get to the rim with ease. He’ll join a dynamic young team in Charlotte anchored by LaMelo Ball, Miles Bridges and Terry Rozier. “We’re going to be box office for sure,” Bouknight said of him and Ball. There will be a lot of excitement in Charlotte this season, and Bouknight will get the chance to show a reason why during Summer League play.


4. Cade Cunningham, Pistons

• First Game | Aug. 8: Thunder vs. Pistons (8:30 ET, ESPN2)

The No. 1 overall pick was the player of the year in his freshman campaign at Oklahoma State. He’s looking to bring his talent in isolation play and elite scoring ability to the Pistons in 2021-22. The Pistons have made the playoffs just twice in the last 12 seasons, and they are in need for a face of their franchise — Cunningham is just that. Not only is Cunningham a clutch scorer and talented defender, he’s a leader and knows how to win, which is a strong makeup for the cornerstone of a franchise. They’re already calling him ‘Motor Cade’ in the Motor City, and he’ll get the chance to live up to that name in Las Vegas alongside Detroit’s strong rookie group from last season (Saddiq Bey, Killian Hayes, Saben Lee and Isaiah Stewart).


5. Ayo Dosunmu, Bulls

• First Game | Aug. 9: Pelicans vs. Bulls (3 ET, ESPN2)

From Chicago to Champaign and back to Chicago. Dosunmu is staying in his home state of Illinois, where he grew up, starred at Illinois and is now playing professionally. The 2020-21 first-team All-American averaged 20.1 points for the Illini and carried them to a Big Ten Conference championship and No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament. Dosunmu went a little later than expected (No. 38 overall) and he’ll join a Bulls squad that continues to add talent this offseason. Summer League should be the perfect opportunity for Dosunmu to shine.


6. Chris Duarte, Pacers

• First Game | Aug. 8: Wizards vs. Pacers (8 ET, NBA TV)

The former Oregon star is a great shooter, winning the Jerry West Award last season as the nation’s best shooting guard. Contenders such as the Lakers and Warriors reportedly wanted to land Duarte, but he ended up with the Pacers at pick No. 13. He’s going to be a 24-year-old rookie, so he has more experience than other rookies. After being coached by Dana Altman at Oregon, he’ll certainly know how to adapt to the NBA and newly hired veteran coach Rick Carlisle. He’ll likely be a 3-and-D contributor who could join the Pacers’ rotation right away. His 3-point shot will be the thing to watch during the action in Las Vegas.


7. Josh Giddey, Thunder

• First Game | Aug. 8: Thunder vs. Pistons (8:30 ET, ESPN2)

The 18-year-old from Australia got drafted higher than projected to the Thunder at No. 6 overall. Giddey climbed up Draft boards in recent weeks, partly due to his performance for the Australian national team during the Olympics. Giddey played for the Adelaide 36ers in the National Basketball League last season, averaging 10.9 points, 7.3 rebounds and a league-best 7.6 assists, taking home NBL Rookie of the Year honors. He’s a triple-double threat, netting three in 28 games. “He makes other people better,” GM Sam Presti said. Giddey has great playmaking skills and a veteran feel for the game that the Thunder value. “It’s a great young team and I can’t wait to get down there,” Giddey said after he was drafted. He’s going to be an exciting player to watch in Vegas.


8. Jalen Green, Rockets

• First Game | Aug. 8: Rockets vs. Cavaliers (6:30 ET, ESPN2)

Opting to skip college and play for the G League Ignite instead, Jalen Green got the chance to play against NBA quality opponents. Doing so readied him for NBA-level competition. Green averaged 17.9 points in 15 NBA G League games and showcased his elite athleticism. The upside is tremendous for the ultra-confident No. 2 overall pick. He’ll team up with young guard Kevin Porter Jr. in Houston this season, making for an exciting backcourt. This week in Las Vegas will give Green the chance to show the NBA world what to expect this season.


9. Jalen Johnson, Hawks

• First Game | Aug. 8: Celtics vs. Hawks (4 ET, NBA TV)

Johnson was selected No. 20 in the Draft after playing 13 games at Duke as a freshman, averaging 11.2 points. In his debut, he had 19 points and 19 rebounds, showcasing his potential. He’s another player with tremendous upside, and the Hawks pounced on the opportunity to draft the forward, who they didn’t think would drop that far. There are a lot of questions surrounding Johnson after he left the Duke squad early and left IMG Academy his senior year. The stage in Las Vegas this week will provide him a good opportunity to show the Hawks why it was a good decision to select him.


10. Corey Kispert, Wizards

• First Game | Aug. 8: Wizards vs. Pacers (8 ET, NBA TV)

Kispert was the second former Gonzaga player drafted in the first round, going to the Wizards at No. 15. He played four years at Gonzaga and was 126-11 in that span. The 6-foot-7 forward dominated his senior year, averaging 18.6 points and shooting 44% on 3-pointers (which was sixth in the NCAA) while also being named West Coast Conference player of the year. Kispert is a fantastic shooter, knows how to win and has a strong work ethic, all of which are a recipe that can help a player contribute immediately in the NBA. The Wizards certainly need it as they enter a new era with Bradley Beal and Spencer Dinwiddie.


11. Jonathan Kuminga, Warriors

• First Game | Aug. 9: Magic vs. Warriors (8 ET, NBA TV)

Another G League Ignite product, the 6-foot-8 forward was selected No. 7 overall by Golden State. He’s 18 and incredibly talented with crazy athleticism and strength. It may take him a few seasons to develop, which made it an interesting selection for the Warriors who are in a win-now mindset. Kuminga averaged 15.8 points and 7.2 rebounds for the Ignite and, like Green, that time in the G League was important to Kuminga’s growth. However, it also exposed some of his weaknesses and rawness. He has tremendous upside, and he will certainly show off his raw talent in Las Vegas to impress Golden State.


12. Evan Mobley, Cavaliers

• First Game | Aug. 8: Rockets vs. Cavaliers (6:30 ET ET, ESPN2)

There’s no disputing that Mobley was the best-regarded big man in the 2021 NBA Draft. As a freshman at USC, the 7-footer was the Pac-12’s player of the year, defensive player of the year and rookie of the year after averaging 16.4 points, 8.7 rebounds, 2.4 assists and 2.9 blocks. Mobley was picked by Cleveland, which could use his interior presence. The team is young, which bodes well for Mobley, who will pair well with young guards Collin Sexton and Darius Garland, specifically in the pick-and-roll game. Mobley should be able to dominate in Vegas with his athleticism, defense and passing.


13. Jalen Suggs, Magic

• First Game | Aug. 9: Magic vs. Warriors (8 ET, NBA TV)

The man behind one of the best shots in NCAA tournament history, Jalen Suggs is arguably the best all-around player and most NBA ready prospect in this class. Suggs has a unique feel for the game, something he showcased all year in Spokane with the Gonzaga Bulldogs as West Coast Conference Rookie of the Year. Suggs is an incredible passer, which will be a great asset for the Magic, who were 28th in assists per game last season. “The sky’s the limit,” Suggs said after he was drafted. Another young team in rebuild, Suggs will battle to win the starting point guard role. Look out for some flashy passes from Suggs in Summer League action.


14. Jason Preston, Clippers

• First Game | Aug. 9: Clippers vs. Bucks (9 ET, ESPNU)

Preston’s story is undoubtedly intriguing: he averaged two points a game in high school, only started in one game and was planning on becoming an NBA writer. Now, he’s an NBA rookie. Preston hails from a mid-major (Ohio) and dominated as a sophomore and junior, averaging 16.4 points, 7.4 assists and 6.8 rebounds during that span. He almost single-handedly beat Illinois in 2020-21 and led the Bobcats to an NCAA Tournament upset of a powerhouse Virginia squad in 2021. He parlayed that into being the No. 33 pick in the Draft and could be a find for L.A. There’s so much to like about his story, and he will need to hit the ground running in Summer League as he looks to battle for a spot with the Clippers. Preston has overcome adversity before, and he won’t back down to the challenge.


15. Immanuel Quickley, Knicks

• First Game | Aug. 8: Raptors vs. Knicks (4:30 ET, ESPN2)

As a rookie, Quickley averaged 11.4 points and was an All-Rookie Second Team selection for the East’s No. 4 team. The No. 25 pick in 2020, he exceeded expectations and became a valuable rotation player for the Knicks. He was also selected to the USA basketball Select Team that got to compete this summer against the Olympic team, which should be beneficial for his game. This week in Las Vegas will give him an early chance to show how his game has developed since his rookie campaign.


Other Players To Watch:


Obi Toppin (Knicks)
Isaiah Todd (Wizards)
Brandon Knight (Nets)
Patrick Williams (Bulls)
Omer Yurtseven (Heat)
LiAngelo Ball (Hornets)
Davion Mitchell (Kings)
Alex Antetokounmpo (Kings)
Kenneth Faried (Trail Blazers)
Michael Beasley (Trail Blazers)

ESPN https://www.espn.com/nba/insider/story/_/id/31967319/nba-summer-league-2021-30-teams-30-players-need-know

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What should fans and teams be looking for from the most interesting prospects at the Las Vegas Summer League?

Following a 2020 hiatus due to COVID-19, the MGM Resorts NBA Summer League 2021 will take place Aug. 8-17 in Las Vegas at the Thomas & Mack Center and Cox Pavilion. The 75-game event will feature all 30 NBA teams, each playing five games apiece.

After the first four games are played, the two teams with the best record will play in the championship game on Aug. 17.

NBA Insiders Kevin Pelton and Mike Schmitz go team by team, giving one player to watch and why.

More: NBA Summer League scoreboard https://www.espn.com/nba-summer-league/scoreboard

Atlanta Hawks

Jalen Johnson | Small Forward

The summer league will be Johnson's first game action since February, when he decided to end his lone season at Duke with six games remaining in ACC play. That decision might have contributed to Johnson, who was once projected in the top 10, dropping to the Hawks at No. 20. We'll get a first look at what Johnson has added to his game in five months spent preparing for the draft. -- Kevin Pelton

Boston Celtics

Romeo Langford and Aaron Nesmith | Shoot Guards

Barely two months after getting regular minutes for the Celtics in their playoff loss to the Brooklyn Nets, former lottery picks Langford and Nesmith will be in action in Las Vegas. So too will Payton Pritchard, but this is a more important opportunity for Langford and Nesmith to prove they belong in Boston's 2021-22 rotation. With the addition of Josh Richardson, the Celtics have room for one, but maybe not both. -- Pelton

Brooklyn Nets

Cameron Thomas | Shooting Guard

The summer league style should be a good fit for Thomas' ability to get buckets. He averaged 23.0 PPG during his lone season at LSU, the most by a freshman in a major conference since Trae Young in 2017-18. I'd expect a 2-of-11 shooting night at some point, but also expect a game where he goes off for 30 points and leaves viewers wondering how he was still available at the 27th pick. -- Pelton

Charlotte Hornets

James Bouknight | Shooting Guard

Hey, did we mention that volume scorers can be fun in summer league? Bouknight, who averaged 18.7 PPG as a sophomore at UConn, certainly fits the bill too. He went for 40 points in an overtime loss to Creighton in December. I'm most curious to see how comfortable Bouknight looks from the NBA 3-point line after he shot just 29% from the shorter NCAA line last season, though he was reportedly more accurate in pre-draft workouts. -- Pelton

Chicago Bulls

Patrick Williams | Power Forward

Ordinarily, a rookie who saw nearly 2,000 minutes while starting 71 games would be excused from summer league, but Williams and fellow 2020 draft picks missed out on the experience last summer. Given that Chicago added Lonzo Ball and DeMar DeRozan, this might be Williams' last opportunity to try handling the ball for a while. -- Pelton

Cleveland Cavaliers

Evan Mobley | Center

Isaac Okoro, last year's No. 5 pick, heads to summer league with more experience (2,173 minutes) than Williams. Still, all eyes will be on Mobley, drafted third overall last month. Although the Cavaliers have a couple of other bigs on the roster, most notably former Clippers first-round pick Mfiondu Kabengele, Mobley will likely play mostly at center -- a different role than he might play in the fall alongside Jarrett Allen. -- Pelton

Dallas Mavericks

Tyrell Terry | Point Guard

Terry had his ups and downs as a rookie, playing just 56 NBA minutes while showing both the good and the bad in 13 G League bubble games. We'll have a close eye on how he's evolved physically, as whether he can hold up defensively will go a long way in determining if he'll be able to show his sharpshooting and playmaking potential in Dallas this season. Josh Green's confidence from beyond the arc will also be a point of interest, as he's an impactful enough defender to earn minutes under Jason Kidd next season. -- Mike Schmitz

Denver Nuggets

Bol Bol | Center

The 21-year-old, 7-foot-2 unicorn was unable to build on his bubble brilliance last season with an accomplished Nuggets team, appearing in just 36 games while averaging just 4.4 minutes per game. Talent has never been the question for Bol, it's whether or not he has the physicality and motor to play a real role throughout an entire season. How he looks in Las Vegas should help determine if he'll be able to make a leap next season. In addition to Bol, Bones Hyland is the type of bucket-getting guard built for summer league. I'll also have an eye on Nigerian guard Caleb Agada, who led the Israeli League in scoring last year. -- Schmitz

Detroit Pistons

Cade Cunningham | Shooting Guard

The Pistons will have plenty of young talent during summer league: Cunningham and 2020 first-round picks Saddiq Bey and Killian Hayes. Cunningham, the No. 1 overall pick, will be the marquee attraction not only for Detroit but for summer league as a whole, as we'll see how his versatile skill set translates to the NBA game for the first time. -- Pelton

Golden State Warriors

Jonathan Kuminga | Power Forward

Long considered the biggest wild card to hear his name called in the top 10, Kuminga will be watched closely by NBA scouts and executives in Vegas, especially considering that the Warriors front office faced tremendous pressure to nail both lottery picks. Will Kuminga look like the toolsy wing from the G League bubble, whom executives raved about as a potential No. 1 pick? Or will his streaky shooting, up-and-down motor and inconsistent decision-making show up? We'll learn more about just how ready the Congolese wing is to contribute alongside Steph Curry & Co. -- Schmitz

Houston Rockets

Alperen Sengun | Center

Jalen Green is the clear headliner here, but we know what he's capable of doing against NBA-caliber competition having watched him average an efficient 18.7 points per game in the G League bubble. I'm more interested in how Alperen Sengun's historic Turkish League production will translate to summer league. Will the 6-foot-10 Sengun be able to dominate the paint like he did in Turkey? Will he unleash the 3-point shooting and passing upside I saw in a practice setting? Will he look limited on the defensive end or were those concerns overblown? Given his status as the No. 1 prospect on Kevin Pelton's top 30 rankings, there's a lot of intrigue here. -- Schmitz

Indiana Pacers

Chris Duarte | Shooting Guard

It's unusual for a rookie to be among a team's older players in summer league, but that's the case with the 24-year-old Duarte, who's older than four teammates with NBA experience (Goga Bitadze, Jordan Bone, Oshae Brissett and Cassius Stanley). Given his age, the Pacers will expect Duarte to hit the ground running in training camp, making this an important development opportunity for the Oregon product. -- Pelton

LA Clippers

Brandon Boston Jr. | Shooting Guard

The Clippers took a talent swing with the No. 51 pick on the 6-foot-7 Boston, who was once a projected top-five pick, as the league will have an eye on whether the Clippers struck gold. Will he show us the glimpses of shot creation that had him so highly touted coming out of Sierra Canyon, or will he continue to struggle as he did at Kentucky with his shooting consistency, finishing and defensive toughness? Keon Johnson and Jason Preston are also ones to watch, but Boston is the most intriguing given the disparity between his ability, high school ranking and production last season. -- Schmitz

Los Angeles Lakers

Austin Reaves | Shooting Guard

I was shocked to see Reaves go undrafted after averaging 18.3 points, 5.5 rebounds and 4.6 assists at Oklahoma last season, highlighted by a 27-point outburst against Jalen Suggs and Gonzaga. The 23-year-old, 6-foot-6 guard is a creative shot generator who brings confidence and toughness to a Lakers team that could use another youthful playmaker. Even with the additions of Kendrick Nunn and Malik Monk, it wouldn't surprise me to see Reaves parlay a strong summer league into a rotation spot. Keep an eye on Michigan wing Chaundee Brown, who signed an Exhibit 10 with the Lakers and can add much-needed defensive toughness and perimeter shooting (42% from 3) on the perimeter. -- Schmitz

Memphis Grizzlies

Ziaire Williams | Small Forward

The Grizzlies sent shockwaves through the league by selecting Ziaire Williams at No. 10, and I'm eager to see how he looks in his first 5-on-5 action since March 3. Williams started gaining traction in the pre-draft process after workouts and interviews that answered questions about his subpar season at Stanford, inching closer to where he was projected when he started college (RSCI No. 6 player in 2020). Was Williams' underwhelming freshman year a product of COVID-19 stipulations and deaths in his family? Will his game pop with NBA spacing and more talent around him? Or will Williams' slight frame, streaky shooting (47% true shooting) and lack of toughness limit him? -- Schmitz

Miami Heat

Max Strus | Shooting Guard

Strus and fellow Miami two-way player Gabe Vincent saw regular action last season and could be called on to play even bigger roles in 2021-22 with the Heat sacrificing depth in order to acquire Kyle Lowry in a sign-and-trade deal. Strus will be on a full NBA deal this upcoming season after the Heat agreed to re-sign him as a restricted free agent, as reported by my ESPN colleague Adrian Wojnarowski. -- Pelton

Milwaukee Bucks

Elijah Bryant | Shooting Guard

The Bucks signed Bryant just before the end of the regular season and he actually got 50 minutes of playing time during their championship run. Milwaukee has loaded up at guard in free agency, putting obstacles in Bryant's path to regular playing time, but the shooting ability he flashed in Israel with Maccabi Tel Aviv (42% in the Israeli Super League last season and 39% over the past two in EuroLeague) gives him a chance. -- Pelton

Minnesota Timberwolves

McKinley Wright | Point Guard

The Colorado guard was one of my favorite undrafted prospects from the 2021 draft thanks to his defensive toughness, floor game and all-around winning impact. He reminds me of a young TJ McConnell with his intangibles, midrange game and defensive smarts. Expect Wright to apply nonstop ball pressure, slice and dice through opposing defenses and lead Minnesota to a handful of wins. The organizational focus will be on the highly intriguing Jaden McDaniels, but the Timberwolves added a true winner in Wright, who is on a two-way contract. -- Schmitz

New York Knicks

Obi Toppin | Center

Of the four players drafted in the top nine picks not to reach 1,000 minutes as a rookie, Toppin was the only one not to miss extended time due to injury. He was simply stuck behind Julius Randle, who has now agreed to a four-year contract extension after emerging as an All-NBA starter. That makes this an important opportunity for Toppin to show the Knicks what he can do in a bigger role. -- Pelton

New Orleans Pelicans

Kira Lewis Jr. | Point Guard

With Lonzo Ball off to Chicago, the door is open for 20-year-old Kira Lewis to prove he should be viewed as the team's lead guard of the future. Lewis had bright spots down the stretch last season, and his stellar open-court speed, scoring instincts and evolving floor game should shine in a summer league setting. Although it came in limited action, Lewis was the only rookie to post better than a 3.5 assist-to-turnover ratio last season, which wasn't considered a strength of his in college. Even with the addition of Devonte' Graham, Lewis is the most dynamic guard on New Orleans' roster, and that should come to light in Vegas. -- Schmitz

Oklahoma City Thunder

Josh Giddey | Shooting Guard

All eyes will be on the 6-foot-8 Aussie playmaker, especially since the Thunder brass selected him over highly touted prospects like Kuminga, Davion Mitchell and James Bouknight. Given how comfortable he looked against Nigeria in an Olympic exhibition, the 18-year-old Giddey should have no problem standing out with his passing and all-around basketball IQ. We'll have a close eye on how Giddey looks as a shooter, perimeter defender and his ability to get to his spots against rangier defenders like he did in the NBL last season. -- Schmitz

Orlando Magic

Jalen Suggs | Shooting Guard

The Orlando Summer League roster is stacked in the backcourt with Suggs and 2020 first-round picks Cole Anthony and R.J. Hampton. The last time we saw Suggs, he and his Gonzaga teammates fell just short of an undefeated season when they lost in the title game to Baylor after Suggs' game-winning 3 in the national semifinals against UCLA. Because of that run, Suggs might enter the NBA with more name recognition than any other rookie. -- Pelton

Philadelphia 76ers

Paul Reed | Small Forward

A contender for summer league MVP, Reed has produced everywhere he's gone. That was mostly in the G League last season, where the 2020 second-round pick won both MVP and Rookie of the Year honors. "B-Ball Paul" averaged 22.3 points, 11.8 rebounds and 1.8 blocks per game. I'll be curious how Reed's 3-point form looks after he made them at a 44% clip in the G League on 54 attempts. -- Pelton

Phoenix Suns

Jalen Smith | Power Forward

Smith logged just 169 NBA minutes and 98 G League minutes last season, making this an important summer for the former No. 10 overall pick. Smith's length and floor spacing potential make him a great candidate to emerge as a rotation player for a competitive Suns team looking to tinker with last year's conference championship formula. We'll have a close eye on how his frame has developed, how his perimeter game has evolved and his ability to process the game quickly on both ends. -- Schmitz

Portland Trail Blazers

Nassir Little | Small Forward

With the Blazers in dire need of length and shooting around Damian Lillard and CJ McCollum, this is an excellent opportunity for 21-year-old Little to prove he's worthy of a spot in the rotation after appearing in 51 games (12.4 minutes) last season. At 6-foot-6 with a 7-foot-1 wingspan, Little was always more of a long-term prospect when the Blazers selected him No. 25 overall in 2019. As he enters his third year in the NBA, Little needs to show more promise as a shooter (35% from 3), defender and decision-maker. -- Schmitz

Sacramento Kings

Davion Mitchell | Point Guard

If Mitchell can get to the rim at will, knock down pull-up 3s with range, dissect pick-and-roll coverages and defend with energy as he did at Baylor, executives who elected to pass on him might start to feel uneasy about their decision. Given his age and experience, don't be surprised to see Mitchell turn in a dominant Vegas performance. -- Schmitz

San Antonio Spurs

Devin Vassell | Shooting Guard

The Spurs are hoping to answer questions about Vassell during summer league. What type of player is the 20-year-old rangy wing? How has his body developed? Is he more comfortable with the NBA 3-point line after shooting just 34.7% from 3 last season? If the Spurs can truly pencil in Vassell as a 3-and-D wing alongside Keldon Johnson, Dejounte Murray and Derrick White, San Antonio's future becomes much more interesting. We'll also have a close eye on Josh Primo, the youngest player in the draft who crashed the lottery as the No. 12 overall pick. -- Schmitz

Toronto Raptors

Scottie Barnes | Small Forward

Summer league will be our first look at how the Raptors might use the versatile Barnes, who played point forward at Florida State and averaged 4.1 assists per game. The 6-foot-9 Barnes won't likely be a primary playmaker for a Raptors summer squad with second-year point guard Malachi Flynn, but the No. 4 pick will get plenty of opportunities to handle the ball and lock down on defense. -- Pelton

Utah Jazz

Elijah Hughes | Small Forward

After being hobbled by an ankle injury last season and shooting just 26% from 3 in 196 combined G League and NBA minutes, the No. 39 pick in the 2020 draft has an excellent opportunity to prove he's worthy of rotation minutes this upcoming season. Hughes is a big-bodied 6-foot-6 wing who led the ACC in scoring at Syracuse and could settle into a 3-and-D-style role if he's able to evolve into a knockdown shooter, while continuing to improve defensively. -- Schmitz

Washington Wizards

Corey Kispert | Small Forward

The depth the Wizards have added in the past eight days makes them less reliant on immediate contributions from Kispert, the No. 15 pick, but he'll surely get an opportunity as a rookie. The three-year starter at Gonzaga will be one of the best shooters in Las Vegas after making 91 3-pointers at a 44% clip as a senior. -- Pelton

CBS Sports https://www.cbssports.com/nba/news/team-usa-olympic-mens-basketball-predicting-who-represents-the-united-states-in-2024-summer-games/

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/2/27/NBA_Summer_League_logo.png

The NBA announced that the Las Vegas Summer League game between the Indiana Pacers and Washington Wizards set to take place Sunday at 8 p.m. ET has been postponed due to health and safety protocols. The Wizards won't have enough available players to suit up due to ongoing contact tracing.

Per the NBA's statement:

"Because of ongoing contact tracing within the Wizards, the team does not have enough available players to proceed with tonight's game against the Pacers."

Washington announced Saturday that three players -- Cassius Winston, Issuf Sanon and Isaiah Todd -- all entered health and safety protocols. The Las Vegas Summer League just started on Aug. 8, after a year absence due to the COVID-19 pandemic. There have been heightened health protocols put in place to ensure the safety of everyone in attendance, but it's impossible to completely eradicate the risk of COVID-19 without a bubble present.

The NBA learned that first hand during the 2020-21 season, with 31 games postponed over the course of the 72-games schedule due to health and safety protocols. In some cases, like with the Miami Heat and Boston Celtics, several consecutive games had to be rescheduled because there weren't enough players available to participate in the game. It appears the league is now facing that same issue with summer league, which isn't ideal on the first day after a year hiatus from the summer event.

While the Wizards-Pacers game is postponed, there will still be seven other games to tip off summer league on Sunday, starting with the Boston Celtics vs. Atlanta Hawks at 4 p.m. ET.

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LAS VEGAS SUMMER LEAGUE


TOP PERFORMERS

NBA.com https://www.nba.com/news/2021-summer-league-standouts-day-4


GAME HIGHLIGHTS

NBA Video https://www.youtube.com/c/NBA/videos


GAME RESULTS

Indiana vs Washington (PPD)


Boston 85 Atlanta 83 https://www.nba.com/game/bos-vs-atl-1522100001/box-score#box-score


Toronto 89 New York 79 https://www.nba.com/game/tor-vs-nyk-1522100002/box-score#box-score


Portland 93 Charlotte 86 https://www.nba.com/game/por-vs-cha-1522100003/box-score#box-score


Houston 84 Cleveland 76 https://www.nba.com/game/hou-vs-cle-1522100004/box-score#box-score


Oklahoma City 76 Detroit 72 https://www.nba.com/game/okc-vs-det-1522100006/box-score#box-score


Miami 97 Denver 77 https://www.nba.com/game/den-vs-mia-1522100007/box-score#box-score


LA Lakers 73 Phoenix 72 https://www.nba.com/game/lal-vs-phx-1522100008/box-score

NBA.com https://www.nba.com/news/second-year-players-finally-get-the-chance-to-shine-in-las-vegas

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Second-year players finally get the chance to shine in Las Vegas

The 2020 draft class is hitting the floor at Summer League for the first time after last year's edition was cancelled due to COVID-19.

“Don’t skip steps” is a coaching and NBA mantra, a constant reminder that doing work in the proper order is the surest way to build an individual’s game, his team or that team’s season.

Unfortunately, the Draft Class of 2020 skipped a huge step in their preparation for last season, through no fault of their own: For the rookies of 2020-21, there was no NBA Summer League in Las Vegas.

Shutdowns from the coronavirus pandemic blew right through what would have been the league’s traditional time to descend on this city for all manner of business, including the 10 days each July when newly drafted prospects get their first real tastes of life in the NBA.

Competition, strategies, team “culture,” bonding — all of it got scuttled as the globe quarantined itself. Heck, the NBA went on hiatus in March and didn’t rev up what was left of 2019-20 again until late July, well past the usual Draft and Summer League dates.

When they finally were drafted in November, the NBA’s shiny new hires had less than two weeks to sign their contracts, move to the city they’d call home and get to work at veterans’ training camp.

Strictly deep-end-of-the-pool stuff. Many swam. Some sank.

“We didn’t have this experience last year,” Detroit’s Saddiq Bey said Sunday. “I think it obviously could have helped us, because we would have had more game time. I think we’re trying to take it to be in the present moment and help us in the season to get better.”

Like college freshmen circling back to clean up an incomplete on their high school transcripts, Bey, several of his Pistons teammates and a bunch of 2020 draftees are Summer League newbies after their NBA rookie seasons. Five of the top 10 picks from 2020 and eight lottery selections overall are here.

And while it’s common for players heading into their second seasons to participate along with the true rookies, undrafted hopefuls and job-seeking veterans that fill their teams’ summer rosters, it’s highly unusual for them to be experiencing it for the first time.

Second-year Knicks guard Immanuel Quickley is getting his first taste of NBA Summer League.

“I was very curious,” New York forward Obi Toppin said about the experience and opportunity he and teammate Immanuel Quickley missed out on last summer. Both played 37 minutes in the Knicks’ opener against Toronto Sunday at the Thomas & Mack Center on the UNLV campus.

“So far it’s been a great experience. We lost. But we learned today,” Toppin said.

Toppin scored 24 points and grabbed eight rebounds, while Quickley — getting reps at point guard to build his decision-making — shot poorly (5-of-17) while finishing with 15 points, six rebounds, eight assists and two steals.

“Any time you have a chance to get better,” sad New York assistant coach Dice Yoshimoto, who handled the Knicks sideline Sunday while boss Tom Thibodeau and other Knicks brass sat across the court. “They are gym rats, both of them. Obi and Quick, they came right back after the end of the season. They started working. It’s a great opportunity for them.”

Other second-year players put their 2020-21 regular season experience to good use. Boston guard Payton Pritchard had 23 points and hit seven of his team’s 15 3-pointers. Cleveland wing Isaac Okoro scored 17 points against Houston. And Phoenix forward Jalen Smith, a veritable ghost last season despite being the No. 10 pick, scored 13 points in 24 minutes for the Suns’ entry.

Detroit lost to Oklahoma City in both teams’ openers but the Pistons had several second-year guys making their Vegas debuts. Bey finished with 14 points and 12 rebounds. Guard Saben Lee scored nine points while guard Killian Hayes had six points, nine boards and five assists.

The Pistons were largely dependent on rookies last season, including forward Isaiah Stewart who will miss Vegas after suffering a foot injury playing with the U.S. Select Team that prepped the Olympic squad. And now they’ve added wing Cade Cunningham, the 2021 No. 1 pick from Oklahoma State.

Cunningham (12 points on 5-of-17 shooting, six rebounds in 26 minutes) drew the usual throng of interested media and fans to his first professional game Sunday. But he was surrounded in Detroit’s starting lineup by a fairly seasoned group by Summer League standards: Bey (70), Hayes (26), Tyler Cook (45) and Sekou Doumbouya (94) brought 235 games of NBA regular-season experience. Their OKC counterparts had a combined 84.

The Class of 2020 wasn’t the first to miss out on the summer schooling ahead of their NBA debuts. Previously, lockouts in 1999 and 2011 wiped out the orientation opportunities in Las Vegas, Orlando and elsewhere.

Both those years produced notable perennial All-Stars: Paul Pierce, Dirk Nowitzki and Vince Carter in ’99, with Kawhi Leonard, Kyrie Irving, Klay Thompson, Jimmy Butler, Isaiah Thomas and Nikola Vucevic in ’11. But how some of their peers might have fared with proper timelines and summer training never will be known.

Even this offseason, scrunched by about a month from the traditional NBA calendar, has 61 days from Draft to big-league camps. The 2020 version was all of 13 days.

“All of these guys have been working hard, but this is the first time we’ve played against another opponent,” said Toppin. “So having that opportunity to play with these guys on the court was fun, but we have a lot to improve on.”

Toppin, Quickley and Bey, like Stewart, were part of the Select Team workouts as well, another chance to polish games that arrived rather abruptly in December.

“I’ve put in a lot of work this summer, and I’ve had a lot of guys helping me out,” the Knicks forward said. “Players, coaches, everybody’s been helping me out. Watching film and just improving my game all around.”

Better late than never, as far as the Summer League experience.

“I don’t think you can put a price on the value of Summer League, preseason, September with guys getting together voluntarily and working out together,” said Pistons assistant J.D Dubois, handling Detroit’s team under coach Dwane Casey. “To miss that, I know that was a real disadvantage for a lot of guys who came into our league last year.

“This is going to be a huge growing step for our organization. … We talk a lot about gratitude. Guys being grateful for the opportunity to play this game. So for those guys to be here healthy and able to play together and grow together is huge.”

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LAS VEGAS SUMMER LEAGUE


TOP PERFORMERS

NBA.com https://www.nba.com/news/2021-summer-league-standouts-day-5


GAME HIGHLIGHTS

NBA Video https://www.youtube.com/c/NBA/videos


GAME RESULTS

New York 94 Indiana 86 https://www.nba.com/game/nyk-vs-ind-1522100076/box-score#box-score


New Orleans 94 Chicago 77 https://www.nba.com/game/nop-vs-chi-1522100009/box-score#box-score


Philadelphia 95 Dallas 73 https://www.nba.com/game/dal-vs-phi-1522100010/box-score#box-score


Memphis 91 Brooklyn 84 https://www.nba.com/game/bkn-vs-mem-1522100011/box-score#box-score


Sacramento 80 Charlotte 70 https://www.nba.com/game/cha-vs-sac-1522100012/box-score#box-score


Minnesota 91 San Antonio 89 https://www.nba.com/game/sas-vs-min-1522100013/box-score#box-score


Orlando 91 Golden State 89 https://www.nba.com/game/orl-vs-gsw-1522100014/box-score#box-score


Milwaukee 81 LA Clippers 78 https://www.nba.com/game/lac-vs-mil-1522100015/box-score#box-score


Utah 63 Phoenix 57 https://www.nba.com/game/phx-vs-uta-1522100016/box-score#box-score

HoopsHype https://hoopshype.com/lists/oldest-players-2021-nba-summer-league/

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Summer league is usually for recently drafted players or young free agents giving the NBA dream a shot, but not all time. There are also veterans who use that platform to try and reignite their NBA careers.

Among those older guys playing this summer are very recognizable names like Michael Beasley and Kenneth Faried, both of whom are suiting up for the Portland Trail Blazers, as well as Brandon Knight (Brooklyn Nets) and many others.

Below, check out the oldest players participating in summer league this year:

1. Michael Beasley (Portland)
32 years and seven months


2. Kenneth Faried (Portland)
31 years and eight months


3. Kyle Fogg (Utah)
31 years and six months


4. Jordon Crawford (Portland)
31 years and 24 days


5. Austin Hollins (Washington)
29 years and nine months


6. Tarik Black (Denver)
29 years and eight months


7. Brandon Knight (Brooklyn)
29 years and eight months


8. Eric Moreland (Atlanta)
29 years and seven months


9. Janis Timma (Orlando)
29 years and one month


10. Joseph Young (Washington)
29 years and 14 days


11. Semaj Christon (Denver)
28 years and nine months


12. Gary Payton II (Golden State)
28 years and eight months


13. Malcolm Miller (Minnesota)
28 years and five months


14. DeVaughn Akoon-Purcell (Atlanta)
28 years and two months


15. Zach Auguste (Boston)
28 years and one month


15. Grant Jerrett (Detroit)
28 years and one month


17. Josh Gray (Denver)
27 years and 11 months


18. Tim Williams (Golden State)
27 years and nine months


19. Erik McCree (Portland)
27 years and seven months


20. Keifer Sykes (Indiana)
27 years and seven months


21. Milton Doyle (Portland)
27 years and seven months


22. George King (Portland)
27 years and six months


23. Deonte Burton (Denver)
27 years and six months


24. Cullen Russo (Minnesota)
27 years and six months


25. Amida Brimah (Indiana)
27 years and five months

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/2/27/NBA_Summer_League_logo.png

LAS VEGAS SUMMER LEAGUE


TOP PERFORMERS

NBA.com https://www.nba.com/news/2021-summer-league-standouts-day-6


GAME HIGHLIGHTS

NBA Video https://www.youtube.com/c/NBA/videos


GAME RESULTS

Atlanta 84 Indiana 83 https://www.nba.com/game/atl-vs-ind-1522100017/box-score#box-score


Boston 107 Denver 82 https://www.nba.com/game/bos-vs-den-1522100018/box-score#box-score


Chicago 92 San Antonio 89 https://www.nba.com/game/chi-vs-sas-1522100019/box-score#box-score


Houston 111 Detroit 91 https://www.nba.com/game/det-vs-hou-1522100020/box-score#box-score


Sacramento 89 Washington 75 https://www.nba.com/game/sac-vs-was-1522100021/box-score#box-score


Portland 89 LA Clippers 66 https://www.nba.com/game/lac-vs-por-1522100022/box-score#box-score

SI (Cunningham vs Green Rivalry) https://www.si.com/nba/2021/08/11/cade-cunningham-jalen-green-pistons-rockets-nba-summer-league


Bleacher Report https://bleacherreport.com/articles/2947115-grading-cade-cunningham-jalen-green-breakout-players-at-nba-summer-league

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Grading Cade Cunningham, Jalen Green & Breakout Players at NBA Summer League

If you're into getting excited about and drawing grand, sweeping conclusions from the performances of players with zero NBA experience in exhibition games, then hot damn, Day 3 of the Las Vegas Summer League was for you.

Noted non-shooter Sharife Cooper is apparently actually one of the greatest shooters alive. Chris Duarte has yet to meet a buzzer-beater attempt he doesn't like—or can't make. It turns out Romeo Langford has a license to baptize.

And this is all before getting into the showdown between Cade Cunningham and Jalen Green.

As a reminder, our summer league takeaways aren't designed to overstate. They are meant to analyze and identify notable outings that could, in theory, portend regular-season breakouts, and to keep tabs on performances from the top rookies. And while each talking point is inspired by the events of Day 3 in Sin City, hearkening back to previous contests and zooming out for bigger-picture musings remains fair game.


Cade Cunningham: A

Cade Cunningham's efficiency from the floor hasn't melted the mind, but so few, if any, players look as thoroughly in control.

Taking pull-back and behind-the-back dribble jumpers is already second nature. He drilled a viral edition of this shot against Jalen Green Tuesday night, the difficulty level on which was matched by the poise and control for the entire sequence.

Defenders already seem flummoxed by all he can do after putting the ball on the deck. He has the physicality—versus summer league opponents, anyway—to displace dudes with his shoulder and spins through traffic with clear intent. He has yet to attempt a free throw through two games, but little about his game signals this is more than an anomaly.

Modest assist totals (four in two games) don't do justice to his passing acumen. His patience in traffic is aspirational, and at 6'8", thickets of arms and doubles from bigs aren't enough to muddy his vision. He will drop extra dimes and commit fewer turnovers when he has more practice time with teammates.

Nothing, though, has impressed more than Cunningham's defense. Committing seven fouls like he did against the Houston Rockets won't fly in the regular season, but his disruption seems eminently translatable. He knows how to work angles in passing lanes without getting burned backdoor, and I, for one, am anxious to see how many jumpers he sends back during his rookie season.

Two games in Vegas isn't a lot to go on, and summer league isn't supposed to be profoundly indicative. But there is a universality to the way Cunningham plays, an impact that is everywhere and can take different forms. He even seems like more of a floor-spacing threat off the ball than anticipated, and though he prefers to break down defenses at a more deliberate pace, he has flashed changes in gear.

None of this is revelatory. It serves more as validation. Cunningham looks as advertised—and perhaps even better than that.


Jalen Green: A

Those who thrive off drama aren't going to like seeing a pair of "As" for two top rookies who just went up against one another. Tough noogies. They both deserve it.

Jalen Green continues to look like a portrait of inevitability on the offensive end. He is going take and make some tough shots. He's going to miss them, too. But the makes are invariably going to mean more and probably outnumber the misses. You can't teach his side-step three.

Personally, I'm not sure there's ever been a cooler 25-point performance in summer league than the one he cobbled together during Houston's win over the Detroit Pistons. He went 6-of-11 from the field and 10-of-11 at the charity stripe, showing much more of a penchant for attacking the basket and drawing contact than he did during his Las Vegas debut.

Green's capacity to toggle between central hub and off-ball threat might be more impressive than anything else. He can space the floor around other attackers—he buried a catch-and-shoot three in Cade Cunningham's face inside two minutes to play in the fourth quarter—but isn't only a bystander. He will blitz the rim after giving up the ball or slither his way through the lane more methodically until he finds an opening.

Better chemistry with his teammates should be a boon for his passing. He has often seemed predictable when putting the ball on the floor at full bore, but running the two-man game with one of his bigs is clearly inside his wheelhouse.

In all honesty, I'm not quite sure what to make of his defense just yet. I'm also not sure it matters. His shot-making bag is deep and sleek. He doesn't need to take on the toughest covers to leave his imprint—though, if summer league is any indication, the Rockets won't shy from testing his mettle.


Breakout Player Watch: Chris Duarte Is Clutcher Than You

On the one hand, two summer league games aren't enough to render any indisputable verdicts.

On the other, Chris Duarte and Damian Lillard take the same daily vitamins.

Duarte has hit three buzzer beaters through his first two games in Vegas, including two three-pointers to end the second and third quarters during the Indiana Pacers' Tuesday loss to the Atlanta Hawks. These aren't exactly on par with playoff-series winners, but still: Holy hell.

The hype isn't building solely off his late-clock heroics, either. Duarte has flashed a little of everything. His made buckets have been heavy on off-the-dribble triples, some of them in transition, but he's converted a handful of catch-and-shoot looks and drives to the hoop punctuated by finishes through contact and head fakes after he picks up his dribble.

Drooling over summer league defensive performances is shady business. Let's do it anyway. Duarte looks like someone who will effectively party crash two to three passing lanes per game away from the ball. His anticipation has largely been on point, even if a little risky at times, and those apparitions into opponents' sight lines should be a boon for Indy's transition attack.

Will the Pacers lean on him right away? It's tough to say. They could be a playoff lock at full strength and have a bundle of other bodies to roll out at the 2 and 3 spots: Justin Holiday, Jeremy Lamb, Caris LeVert, T.J. Warren, Torrey Craig, etc. It helps that Duarte is 24, and that Indiana can treat Malcolm Brogdon as a point guard while sliding some of their other wings up to the 4, but meaningful opportunities could be scarce.

That's a conversation for another day (read: month). For now, Duarate is leaving one heck of a first impression: that of a player who seems ready for minutes now, and who has the encyclopedic skill set of someone bound to carve out a long, productive career.


Breakout Player Watch: Boston's Kids May Be Coming Along

Bankable depth was hard to come by for the Boston Celtics last season. That figures to be the case again this year, unless one of their oft-forgotten kiddies goes kaboom, which is maybe, potentially, kind of looking possible.

Signing Dennis Schroder at a three-year, $78.1 million discount, per ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski, does add more structure to the projected rotation. But it's far from settled.

Boston has seven givens: Schroder, Jaylen Brown, Al Horford, Josh Richardson, Marcus Smart, Jayson Tatum and Robert Williams III. These playing-time formalities stretch to eight or more if you're vibing Kris Dunn, Enes Kanter or Jabari Parker. There should nevertheless be ample opportunity for Romeo Langord, Aaron Nesmith or Payton Pritchard to earn consistent burn.

They're all doing their damnedest to get it.

Langford hasn't turned in an otherworldly performance, but the fact he's healthy at all is a big friggin' deal. This is his first summer league stint, and he threw down a monstrous slam in Boston's win over the Denver Nuggets on Tuesday, almost like he needed to remind everyone he's actually healthy.

Nesmith didn't turn many heads in his first summer league game. He sure did in his second one. He hung 33 points on the Nuggets while dropping in seven of his nine three-point attempts. His overall shot profile was a nice blend of off-the-bounce jumpers, quick-fire threes off the catch and buckets coming out of traffic.

Pritchard, meanwhile, played well enough versus Denver for people to call him "White Kyrie." First off: Please, for the love of everything, don't do that. Stick with Fast PP. Or come up with literally anything else.

Moving right along, though, Pritchard's 21-point, 12-assist, eight-rebound outing was certainly impressive enough to wonder whether he'll win the "Next guard up" mantle behind Richardson, Smart, Schroder and, if you consider him a 2, Brown. He tossed an assortment of pretty passes, put defenders on tilt with medium-speed handles and sprayed in five threes, both off the dribble and the catch.

If nothing else, the Celtics' primary prospects are teasing strides big enough for the team to overvalue them in future trade talks like Danny Ainge never left. That's pretty huge.


Breakout Player Watch: Sharife Cooper Already Looks Like a Caps-Lock

Loads of people were shocked Sharife Cooper fell all the way to the Atlanta Hawks at No. 48.

Sure, he knocked down just 35.0 percent of his two-point jumpers and 22.8 percent of his threes at Auburn, per Hoop-Math. And yes, he's "only" 6'1". But transcendent orchestration out of the pick-and-roll is hard to find, and he forecasts as someone who provides it. Bleacher Report's Jonathan Wasserman had him coming off the board at No. 24 in his final mock.

Still, Cooper's draft-day fall implied more concerns about his potential effectiveness at the NBA level. Never mind that he converted 82.5 percent of his free throws. The outside shooting was, it seems, a red flag many teams weren't willing to overlook.

And it appears that's going to be great news for the Hawks.

After uncorking only one three-point attempt (and missing it) in his summer league debut, Cooper made five of his eight deep balls against the Pacers on Tuesday, including what proved to be the game-winning bucket from the right corner—a shot Trae Young loved so much he (illegally) stormed the court once it hit the bottom of the net.

"You tell me I can't do something, you best believe I'm working on it," Cooper told NBA TV's Dennis Scott afterward.

A singular detonation in an exhibition game isn't prognostic or all-revealing. But Cooper's accuracy in college at the foul line always suggested he could reach a higher level from the perimeter. If he even sniffs league-average efficiency and volume from behind the rainbow, Atlanta will have likely bagged the biggest steal of the entire draft.

Whether Cooper gets the opportunity to overturn his outside limitations in the regular season remains to be seen. The Hawks fancy themselves fringe contenders and have Lou Williams, Delon Wright and even Bogdan Bogdanovic to pilot the second-unit offense. Twenty-year-olds also seldom factor into the rotation of should-be playoff locks. Cooper could spend a lot of his time shuttling to and from the College Park Skyhawks.

Then again, Atlanta's backup point guard carousel is hazy enough that he could get a bite at semi-regular minutes. Bogdanovic, Williams and Wright are more secondary playmakers than floor generals.

Regardless, though, "Steal of the Draft" isn't a superlative that should be awarded out of the gate. It takes years to understand how a rookie class unfolds. That Cooper has already hinted at strengthening his largest weakness is an encouraging sign both for what it could mean now and later.

NBC Sports (click for full article) https://nba.nbcsports.com/2021/08/10/jalen-suggs-is-completely-on-brand-at-summer-league/

https://i2.wp.com/www.4umix.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/5-Pick-Jalen-Suggs-22-PTS-SHINES-in-NBA-Magic.jpg?resize=480%2C300&ssl=1

Jalen Suggs is completely on brand at Summer League

Jalen Suggs could not have been more on brand in his debut in an Orlando Magic uniform.

The Magic drafted him No. 5 because he played a fearless style at Gonzaga, always going all-out, never backing down from big moments, and he can make plays on both ends. With his Summer League debut game tied 83-83 with less than :30 seconds left, Suggs found himself the defender against a 2-on-1 Warriors break — and he got the game-saving block.

Then in overtime, Suggs scored the first six points as the Magic went on to win.

There is little as meaningless in basketball as a player’s first Summer League game, but a rebuilding Magic team hopes this is a sign of things to come for Suggs.

“The guy is a hooper. He is always ready to hoop and ready to play,” said fellow rookie Franz Wagner, who had five points in his debut. “I think his real personality comes out in the games. He had a great game today and I’m sure he is going to have a couple of more during the season.”

Suggs scored a game-high 24 points on 9-of-22 shooting (3-of-6 from three) and added nine rebounds.

“Man, I felt like a little kid on Christmas, to be honest,” Suggs said. “It was so much fun, getting out and running a game, getting the rhythm, getting the flow. I haven’t played five-on-five, aside yesterday [during practice], since the [NCAA] national championship game. Just getting out there and running around, being with a bunch of teammates, it was fun.”

Suggs making plays at the end of games is what he expects and what the Magic hope to see more of

“Just wanting to be there I think is the biggest thing,” Suggs said of his mindset at the end of games. “I want to be the one who’s in position to make a play when it’s time to win. When it’s time to make winning plays, I want the ball in my hands.”

“I think he’s shown that in his time at Gonzaga, he has really shown he’s not afraid of the moment, but he’s also willing to trust his teammates at times and making the right plays at times,” Orlando coach Jamahl Mosley said.

Having Suggs out there allowed the Magic to play up-tempo, something Mosley wants more of. He ran a little of Suggs/Cole Anthony/R.J. Hampton together and said he might try to do that a little more when the games matter this fall, again in the name of pace and space.

Having Suggs grab nine rebounds helps with the pace, also.

“We talk about good offense starts being able to secure the rebound defensively, and when you have guards who can rebound then get out and push it, it allows you to play with pace,” Mosley said.

Suggs has taken to watching film like he plays the game — intently. He said he focused on Chris Paul, Damian Lillard, Devin Booker “the way he gets to his spots, the way they move.”

It’s all good signs. Summer League is a chance to dream of what a player can be more than a valuable measuring stick (at least for rookies, it is a good way to benchmark the progress of older players). We are all a long way from knowing what kind of player Suggs will be in a couple of years.

But he has been as advertised so far, and that’s a good thing for Orlando.

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/2/27/NBA_Summer_League_logo.png

LAS VEGAS SUMMER LEAGUE


TOP PERFORMERS

NBA.com https://www.nba.com/news/2021-summer-league-standouts-day-7


GAME HIGHLIGHTS

NBA Video https://www.youtube.com/c/NBA/videos


GAME RESULTS

Brooklyn 97 Milwaukee 91 https://www.nba.com/game/mil-vs-bkn-1522100023/box-score#box-score


Miami 97 Memphis 94 (2 OT) https://www.nba.com/game/mia-vs-mem-1522100024/box-score#box-score


Cleveland 94 Orlando 84 https://www.nba.com/game/cle-vs-orl-1522100025/box-score#box-score


New Orleans 80 Oklahoma 65 https://www.nba.com/game/okc-vs-nop-1522100026/box-score#box-score


Golden State 90 Toronto 84 https://www.nba.com/game/tor-vs-gsw-1522100027/box-score#box-score


Utah 81 Dallas 80 (2 OT) https://www.nba.com/game/uta-vs-dal-1522100028/box-score#box-score


New York 91 LA Lakers 82 https://www.nba.com/game/nyk-vs-lal-1522100029/box-score#box-score

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/2/27/NBA_Summer_League_logo.png

LAS VEGAS SUMMER LEAGUE


TOP PERFORMERS

NBA.com https://www.nba.com/news/2021-summer-league-standouts-day-8


GAME HIGHLIGHTS

NBA Video https://www.youtube.com/c/NBA/videos


GAME RESULTS

San Antonio 106 Charlotte 105 https://www.nba.com/game/sas-vs-cha-1522100030/box-score#box-score


Minnesota 78 Chicago 59 https://www.nba.com/game/chi-vs-min-1522100031/box-score#box-score


Brooklyn 84 Washington 81 (2 OT) https://www.nba.com/game/was-vs-bkn-1522100032/box-score#box-score


Indiana 97 Portland 64 https://www.nba.com/game/ind-vs-por-1522100033/box-score#box-score


Boston 108 Orlando 71 https://www.nba.com/game/orl-vs-bos-1522100034/box-score#box-score


Toronto 92 Houston 76 https://www.nba.com/game/hou-vs-tor-1522100035/box-score#box-score


Philadelphia 96 Atlanta 88 (OT) https://www.nba.com/game/phi-vs-atl-1522100036/box-score#box-score


Phoenix 90 Denver 84 https://www.nba.com/game/phx-vs-den-1522100037/box-score#box-score

NBA.com https://www.nba.com/news/jalen-suggs-thumb-out-for-remainder-of-summer-league

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The Orlando Magic are taking the precautionary approach with their top Draft pick.

Jalen Suggs will miss the remainder of MGM Resorts 2021 NBA Summer League after an MRI confirmed a sprained left thumb.

The injury occurred during Thursday’s loss to the Boston Celtics. Suggs played 11 minutes and registered six points, two rebounds and two steals before exiting.

https://twitter.com/Magic_PR
Orlando Magic PR @Magic_PR
INJURY UPDATE: During the first half against Boston yesterday,
@OrlandoMagic guard @jalensuggs suffered an injury to his left thumb. An MRI conducted today confirmed a left thumb sprain.

As a precautionary measure, Suggs will be sidelined for the remainder of NBA Summer League.

Suggs impressed during his first taste of Summer League, recording 24 points, nine boards, three blocks and two steals in his debut.

CBS Sports https://www.cbssports.com/nba/news/jalen-green-injury-rockets-rookie-expected-to-miss-rest-of-summer-league-due-to-sore-hamstring-per-report/

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Houston Rockets guard Jalen Green, the No. 2 overall pick in the 2021 NBA Draft, is expected to miss the remainder of the Las Vegas Summer League due to a sore hamstring, according to Chris Haynes of Yahoo Sports. While the injury is not expected to be serious, he will undergo an MRI as a precaution, ESPN's Tim MacMahon added.

Green suffered the injury late in the first half of the Rockets matchup with the Toronto Raptors on Thursday night. With just under three minutes left in the second quarter, Green rose up for a pull-up jumper that fell short and started hobbling back the other way.

While it would have been nice for Green to get a few more reps with his future teammates, the good news for the Rockets is that this doesn't appear to be a serious issue. Barring some sort of setback, Green should be ready to go for training camp, which will get underway on Sept. 28.

Another positive for the Rockets is that Green was absolutely terrific when he was on the court in Vegas. He went for 23 points and five rebounds in his debut against the Cleveland Cavaliers and over two-plus games put up 61 points on 19-of-37 from the field and 10-of-19 from 3-point land.

Green spent last season playing for the G League Ignite, and as expected looked more than comfortable against this level of competition. Actual NBA games will be a step up, of course, but Green has the athleticism and scoring ability to contribute right from day one, which is why he's one of the favorites to win Rookie of the Year next season.

NBA.com https://ca.nba.com/news/can-liangelo-ball-carve-a-path-to-the-nba-with-his-summer-league-performance/19p14f4w3ej4o1ehw70bgul6i9

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2021 NBA Summer League: Is LiAngelo Ball carving a path to the NBA with his performance?

A member of the Hornets Summer League team, LiAngelo Ball is making a name for himself, proving that he isn't a novelty addition to the summer squad of his younger brother's franchise. Can it translate to a concrete opportunity in the league?

LiAngelo Ball isn't just the brother of Lonzo and LaMelo.

A member of the Charlotte Hornets Summer League team, LiAngelo is making a name for himself in Las Vegas, proving that he wasn't simply a novelty addition to the summer squad of his younger brother's franchise. With limited opportunity, Ball has proven that he can hold his own at the Summer League stage, turning in double-digit performances in each of his first two games.

MORE: LiAngelo making most of opportunity with Hornets https://ca.nba.com/news/2021-nba-summer-league-liangelo-ball-charlotte-hornets-lamelo/1ns4cjside54j1wpkgtjchmcbl

But could it translate to a concrete opportunity in the league?

LiAngelo, the middle of the three Ball brothers, has taken a unique path to get to this point, but his profile isn't that far off of a typical NBA player. Coming out of high school in 2017, 247Sports ranked Ball 226th among high school seniors, ahead of current NBA players in McKinley Wright, Nicolas Claxton and Chris Duarte.

While he only took the floor for an exhibition game in Westwood, Ball's standing as a prospect is a reminder that UCLA doesn't just offer anyone a basketball scholarship.

Four years later, Ball is looking to crack an NBA roster, and he's got the measurables to do it.

On the Hornets' Summer League roster, Ball is listed as a 6-foot-5 forward that weighs in at 230 pounds. Of roughly 60 NBA players that measured around 6-foot-5 last season, Ball's measurements are most similar to those of Kelan Martin of the Indiana Pacers and Abdel Nader of the Phoenix Suns.

Aside from their measurables, Martin and Nader are similar in that they each shot over 40 percent - albeit on low volume - from beyond the arc in the 2020-21 season, in addition to providing some value on the defensive end.

A shooter by trade, LiAngelo has the smoothest jump shot in the family, putting his jumper on full display by shooting 5-for-8 from deep in his summer debut. In today's NBA, there's always a place for shooting, but given his size, Ball's release might not be speedy enough for him to be a 6-foot-5 specialist at the NBA level like the 6-foot-7 Duncan Robinson or 6-foot-10 Davis Bertans, both all-world shooters, to boot.

This isn't to say that Ball can't develop into that calibre of a shooter - Robinson's break came after an impressive showing in the 2018 Summer League - but it is a reminder that there is a stark contrast to going 6-for-12 in two Summer League games and shooting at a similar clip over the course of an 82-game season.

With that in mind, Ball's best bet to carve a path to the league is a commitment to being a difference-maker on the defensive end to work himself into the mould of a 3-and-D player. Ball's athleticism won't blow you away, but he has the strength to hold his own and the basketball pedigree to be a smart defender, something that can cause teams to give him an attentive look.

But from what teams? And what would that look even amount to?

Let's start with Charlotte.

The Hornets believed in LiAngelo Ball enough to extend him the Summer League invite, and he's made the most of the minutes he's been granted by coach Dutch Gaitley, but Charlotte's NBA roster is pretty crowded at all positions.

After a busy offseason, the Hornets have 17 players on a standard NBA contract, while their two Two-Way slots have been filled by 2021 draft pick Scottie Lewis and 2018 draft pick Arnoldas Kulboka. Rookie DJ Carton signed an Exhibit 10 deal with the franchise, which ensures a training camp invite and an incentive-laden pathway to the franchise's G League affiliate, the Greensboro Swarm, should he be cut by the Hornets ahead of opening night of the 2021-22 NBA season.

Provided Charlotte doesn't trim down its roster over the next eight weeks, it could have its 20-man group for training camp already set.

That being said, LiAngelo Ball could still end up on a G League contract with the Greensboro Swarm, which is commonplace for Summer League standouts, even those that don't receive Exhibit 10 deals. Goodwill with the Hornets franchise could facilitate such a deal, which could also be a fast-track to a spot to join the roster at some point during the season.

Should a member of the Hornets' 15-man roster get traded or waived, a spot would become open. The same applies for the Two-Way players, each of whom could either be waived or see their contracts converted to a standard NBA deal, which could open a Two-Way contract.

Around the league, Ball's performance in the Summer League also doubles as an audition for 29 other teams. To keep things in the family, the Chicago Bulls have a number of roster openings, including both of their Two-Way spots.

LiAngelo Ball also has preexisting familiarity with the Detroit Pistons and Oklahoma City Thunder organizations, signing a deal with the Thunder's G League affiliate in March of 2020 and signing a training camp deal with the Pistons in December of 2020.

All this to say, it's not uncommon for teams to be enamoured with a player to the point that they sign them away from other teams during the Summer League.

It's becoming clearer and clearer that LiAngelo Ball isn't as far off from being an NBA player as many may have perceived, but there are still just 510 roster spots total, with thousands vying for each one of them, many of whom never suit up for a preseason game, let alone make a difference on the Summer League stage.

While it appears that the 23-year-old's best basketball is ahead of him, the path won't be any easier. This summer is proof to the world that LiAngelo Ball at least has a shot.

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/2/27/NBA_Summer_League_logo.png

LAS VEGAS SUMMER LEAGUE


TOP PERFORMERS

NBA.com https://www.nba.com/news/2021-summer-league-standouts-day-9


GAME HIGHLIGHTS

NBA Video https://www.youtube.com/c/NBA/videos


GAME RESULTS

Minnesota 91 Milwaukee 64 https://www.nba.com/game/min-vs-mil-1522100038/box-score#box-score


Utah 84 Miami 65 https://www.nba.com/game/mia-vs-uta-1522100039/box-score#box-score


New Orleans 87 Cleveland 74 https://www.nba.com/game/nop-vs-cle-1522100040/box-score#box-score


Golden State 94 Oklahoma City 84 https://www.nba.com/game/gsw-vs-okc-1522100041/box-score#box-score


Detroit 93 New York 87 https://www.nba.com/game/nyk-vs-det-1522100042/box-score#box-score


Sacramento 90 Memphis 75 https://www.nba.com/game/mem-vs-sac-1522100043/box-score#box-score


LA Lakers 86 LA Clippers 84 https://www.nba.com/game/lal-vs-lac-1522100044/box-score#box-score

ESPN https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/32010903/nba-summer-league-2021-biggest-surprises-disappointments-far-las-vegas

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NBA summer league 2021: Biggest surprises and disappointments so far in Las Vegas

Which rookies and veterans have surprised the most after one week of summer league basketball? Who have been the biggest disappointments?

Jalen Green and Jalen Suggs have had stellar performances in their summer league debuts, but are they worthy of being named the MVP of Vegas? Players like Payton Pritchard and Immanuel Quickley have impressed as "veterans" thus far, but are they ready to break out and have a standout regular season? And with non-lottery picks like Alperen Sengun and Josh Christopher showing real promise, do the Houston Rockets have the best collection of rookies in the 2021 class?

Our experts answer the big questions and pick their 2021 MGM Resorts NBA Summer League MVP after the first week of action in Las Vegas.


1. What has been the biggest surprise so far?

Tim Bontemps: While Jalen Johnson slipped to No. 20 in last month's NBA draft, it wasn't long ago that he was one of the most highly touted recruits in the country. And through the first few days in Las Vegas, it appears the Atlanta Hawks might've landed themselves a steal. Johnson was averaging 17.0 points, 10.3 rebounds and 1.3 blocks through his first three games, and shot over 56% from the field, flashing some impressive skills in the open court. He also has landed in a great situation, where he will play for a coach in Nate McMillan who will make him earn minutes, and on a team where he can be brought along slowly.

Andrew Lopez: When it was announced that LiAngelo Ball was going to be on the Charlotte Hornets' summer league roster, some might have scoffed at the idea that he was taking an opportunity away from someone else. So far in three games, he has proved that he's making the most of his chances. Ball has averaged 11.3 points while shooting 44.4% from 3-point range as he looks to assert himself as someone who could earn a training camp invitation, rather than someone who received it on his last name alone.

Kevin Pelton: The biggest surprise is that Kenneth Faried is here playing for the Portland Trail Blazers after two full seasons out of the league. He last played an NBA game in April 2019 and is averaging 8.3 rebounds in summer league thus far.

Mike Schmitz: While it won't come as a surprise to those who watched him at West Virginia, the New York Knicks have something in No. 36 pick Miles McBride, averaging 15.0 points, 5.0 rebounds and 2.7 assists on 63.6% from 2 and 61.5% from 3 through three summer league games. McBride could quickly become a Tom Thibodeau favorite with his relentless on-ball defense, possibly earning himself a spot in the rotation. With a 6-foot-9 wingspan, McBride can check either backcourt spot and has turned himself into a reliable floor spacer who doesn't need the ball to make an impact. That versatility should work alongside core players Julius Randle, RJ Barrett, Evan Fournier and Kemba Walker.

Royce Young: The buzz around Alperen Sengun on draft night was that he is a lottery-level talent, and thus far he has looked the part. He has shown a high offensive skill level, quality rebounding and even a knack for weakside shot-blocking. Perhaps he fell to the Rockets at No. 16 -- after they moved up in a deal with Oklahoma City to get him -- because of concerns about his fit in the modern NBA as a more traditional big, but Sengun has a polished game and could be a solid rotation player this season for Houston.


2. What has been the biggest disappointment so far?

Lopez: No Elam Ending. Two double-overtime games on Wednesday (Miami-Memphis and Utah-Dallas) and another on Thursday (Brooklyn-Washington) were decided in a sudden-death situation. Miami won when Max Strus drained a 3-pointer on the first play of double OT, Utah won after Trent Forrest drew a foul on the first possession. Forrest missed the first free throw, adding a little suspense, before knocking down the next one and waving goodbye to the Mavericks' bench, in summer league! Cameron Thomas got Brooklyn the victory with a one-legged, shot-clock-beating runner for 3. Let's add excitement to these games with the Elam Ending and get game-winning shots every time.

Bontemps: This has nothing to do with him as a player, but it was disappointing that Thunder guard Josh Giddey played only a couple of minutes before being shut down with an ankle injury. Giddey was one of the most interesting players during the pre-draft process, with a bunch of the teams in the mid-to-late lottery interested in him -- only to wind up going No. 6 to Oklahoma City. It will be fun to watch Giddey play alongside newly extended Shai Gilgeous-Alexander next season. It's just too bad we couldn't see him play here.

Pelton: It has been a rough couple of games for Cole Anthony, who has shot 5-of-25 from the field and handed out just six assists playing alongside No. 5 pick Jalen Suggs in the Orlando Magic backcourt. With the addition of Suggs and return of Markelle Fultz, Anthony could find his playing time squeezed after he started in 34 games and averaged 27.1 minutes as a rookie.

Schmitz: Watching Cade Cunningham stand in the corner while either Killian Hayes or Saben Lee consistently started and ended possessions was maddening. Using Cunningham as only a part-time ball handler is stripping him of one of his best skills (passing) while making him look ordinary. The situation reminds me of when the Dallas Mavericks tried their best to make the Luka Doncic-Dennis Smith Jr. pairing work before ultimately giving Doncic the keys. With the ball-dominant Hayes clearly not the level of player the Pistons were hoping for when they surprisingly selected him seventh overall, Detroit would be wise to shift Hayes to a bench playmaker role, using Cunningham as the lead initiator with the starting unit.

Young: Josh Giddey. Not because of anything he has done, but because we haven't had the opportunity to see what he can do. He played only five minutes in his summer league debut, throwing down a nice two-handed dunk off a slick crossover move, but then tweaked his ankle and hasn't played since. I'm just disappointed we haven't been able to see more.


3. Who has been the summer league MVP thus far?

Young: Jalen Suggs. There is a belief that Suggs is a culture changer, a player who can lift up a franchise with his polished professionalism and hard-charging competitive motor. So far in Orlando, that has been the case. He looks like the kind of player who wants to do it all, from rebounding and defending to scoring, passing and leading. There are some Russell Westbrook vibes to Suggs' makeup, and the Magic have to be thrilled that he fell to them at No. 5.

Lopez: The No. 2 pick in the 2021 NBA draft is going to put up some big numbers for the Rockets this season, and he's showing why in summer league. Jalen Green averaged 24 points on .514/.526/.929 splits in his first three games, and the Rockets went 2-1. Green's scoring ability has been on full display, and it's why he'll be in the mix for Rookie of the Year, no matter how Houston's season plays out.

Pelton: There's nothing more valuable in summer league than a competent point guard, and Payton Pritchard has given the Celtics exactly that during their 3-0 start, with 26 assists against just four turnovers. Pritchard also has shot 15-of-26 (57.7%) from 3-point range and has even contributed 17 rebounds in two games.

Schmitz: Max Strus edges out other standouts because of the chutzpah it took to pull up from 30 feet in the first possession of a sudden-death overtime game. If you count the California Classic, Strus has now scored 72 points in 95 summer league minutes, shooting 15-of-37 (40.5%) from distance. Strus is looking like a clear rotational player who can distort defenses with the threat of his on-the-move shooting at 6-foot-5, 215 pounds. Strus has earned himself an uptick in minutes this season with his play thus far.

Bontemps: Though he left his third game with a hand injury, Suggs showed the Magic, and their fans, everything they could have hoped for. Suggs, who dominated last year as a freshman at Gonzaga, has the potential to finally galvanize a Magic team that has been in desperate need of a true tentpole star to build around. He plays with a rugged, aggressive style at both ends of the court that's easy to fall for, and he can do it all on the court, as he showed by averaging 20 points, 8.5 rebounds, 3.0 assists and 1.5 steals through those first two games.


4. Who has been the best 'veteran' at summer league?

Schmitz: Though he's far from a "veteran," Tyrese Maxey has really caught my eye thus far. After shooting just 30.1% from 3 as a rookie and often turning down open looks in favor of downhill attacks, Maxey has been hunting pull-up 3s from well beyond the arc. If Maxey's improved shooting is a sign of things to come, I'd expect him to make a huge jump this upcoming season when you consider his already impressive rim attacks and defensive activity.

Young: Patrick Williams. Williams was an underrated rookie last season, quietly playing solid, efficient basketball in a more limited role for the Bulls. But after averaging 21.0 points and 9.7 rebounds in his first three games in Vegas, he looks like a prime breakout candidate for this upcoming season.

Bontemps: Payton Pritchard has looked terrific for the Boston Celtics -- who have also looked terrific, though that should come to the surprise of no one, given that half their roster is composed of players on NBA contracts. But Pritchard, who has a chance to carve out an even bigger role than the one he immediately filled as a rookie last year in the wake of Kemba Walker's departure, has looked like someone who is too good to be playing in summer league -- a good first step to carving out that kind of role.

Lopez: Because there wasn't a summer league last season, a lot of second-year NBA players are making their Vegas debuts. Memphis' Desmond Bane -- who played in 68 games last season and averaged 9.2 points while shooting 43.2% from 3 -- is making the most of his time. In his first game, Bane dropped 32 points while shooting 6-of-8 from 3. He followed that up by hitting 3-of-5 from 3 in Game 2.

Pelton: Besides Pritchard, Immanuel Quickley. Quickley hasn't shot the ball well thus far (7-of-29 on 3s), but has shown greater mastery of the game than he did as a surprise rookie for the Knicks. Quickley has handed out 23 assists against seven turnovers in three games and is getting to the free throw line repeatedly, where he's 19-of-19. Quickley is too good for this competition.


5. What has been your biggest takeaway from the first week?

Young: The five players everyone thought would be pretty good do, indeed, look pretty good. Drawing major conclusions from summer league is one of the seven deadly sins of the NBA, but there is an old adage that you can determine who can't play with a few looks in Vegas. And so far, there have been no red flags with the top five picks. The belief was this draft was unique in that it had five players qualified to be a No. 1 overall-caliber player, and so far, that appears to be holding true.

Bontemps: The idea that summer league was going to become a devalued part of the NBA calendar has died a quick death. Usman Garuba's arrival means that all 30 of this year's first-round picks are playing, silencing concerns that arose in 2019 when many top prospects didn't play.

Lopez: The Pelicans are going to get major minutes from rookie Trey Murphy III this season. Drafted at No. 17, Murphy had 26 points and nine rebounds in his debut, showing off his touch from deep and his willingness to fight around the rim. He also had a nice poster for his efforts. But on a team that wanted to add shooting and defense this summer, Murphy checks both boxes. He told reporters one of the main reasons he wanted to transfer to Virginia before last season was to work on his defense. Mission accomplished.

Schmitz: Even if Cade Cunningham hasn't had a true signature game quite yet, the depth of the 2021 class has lived up to the hype. Jalen Green is scoring from all over the floor. Evan Mobley is making pull-up 3s and passing like a guard. Jalen Suggs is making winning plays. Scottie Barnes and Jonathan Kuminga have flashed moments of brilliance. Davion Mitchell looks like a future DPOY candidate. Chris Duarte is raining 3s from deep range. Non-lottery picks like Alperen Sengun, Jalen Johnson and Sharife Cooper are shining. This draft will go down as one of the all-time greats.

Pelton: The league's future is in good hands. Nobody can say exactly how this year's rookie class will develop, but as Mike Schmitz noted earlier this week, there seems to be an unusually high number of players who bring strong defensive effort and look like great teammates. That bodes well for their development.


Fact or Fiction: The Rockets have the best rookies from this class

Bontemps: Fact. The combination of Jalen Green and Alperen Sengun has been impressive so far, while Josh Christopher has had some moments and Usman Garuba is now back. Then again, Houston ought to have the most talent here with four first-round picks, including two of the top 16 selections in the draft. But there has been an impressive amount of talent on display this week across the board, as many members of this year's rookie class -- plus the second-year guys in attendance -- have had their moments.

Lopez: Fiction. Houston's depth stands out -- Green, Sengun, Garuba and Christopher -- but I like the high-end potential of both Jonathan Kuminga and Moses Moody in Golden State. The Warriors legitimately could have picked either player at No. 7, and they wound up with both players. They are also going into a win-now situation with the Warriors with the right setup around both of them, surrounded by veterans who are going to push them to make the most of their contributions.

Pelton: Fact. Houston's rookie corps got even stronger Thursday when No. 23 pick Garuba made his debut after completing a buyout with Spanish power Real Madrid. That depth is unmatched by any other team.

Schmitz: Fact. Green is torching defenses with the scoring instincts of a longtime All-Star, Sengun looks like the steal of the draft, and Christopher is more than backing up his first-round selection. With that said, I think Atlanta has also been one of the big winners with Jalen Johnson looking like a top-10 pick and Cooper showing his incredible natural ability.

Young: Fiction. The Magic's Suggs and Franz Wagner are the best group so far. Suggs has been off to a roaring start as expected, while Wagner showcased some versatility with his shooting and ballhandling, and even stood tall defensively against No. 3 overall pick Evan Mobley.

SI https://www.si.com/college/washington/basketball/former-husky-naz-carter-resurfaces-in-nba-summer-league

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Former Husky Naz Carter Resurfaces in NBA Summer League

Rebuilding a tarnished personal reputation, Naz Carter played in an organized basketball game the other night, turning up in the NBA Summer League in Las Vegas.

This was noteworthy because it the first outing for the 6-foot-6 swingman in 18 months, since his junior season ended, and the University of Washington later dropped him from Mike Hopkins' program over allegations of sexual misconduct.

On Thursday night, Carter logged 13 minutes for the Atlanta Hawks in a 96-88 defeat to the Philadelphia 76ers. He took 4 shots and hit 1, and contributed a rebound, a steal and an assist, while drawing 3 personal fouls.

Carter ended up with the Hawks for the summer after working out for the Sacramento Kings prior to the NBA draft last month and he then went undrafted.

Coming out from under a dark cloud, Carter is attempting to resume his basketball career after the UW investigated claims of misbehavior made by multiple women and the school determined that he couldn't play his senior season for the Huskies and suspended him.

No criminal charges were ever filed. Carter quickly left school.

The nephew of entertainers Jay Z and Beyonce, the New York native was one of Hopkins' first UW recruits and he played three seasons in Seattle. Starting only as a junior, he averaged 12.2 points and 4.9 points per game.

In all, Carter played 102 games for the Huskies. At one time, he was considered an NBA prospect, appearing in a handful of mock drafts.

Bleacher Report https://bleacherreport.com/articles/2947234-biggest-surprises-questions-and-grades-for-top-rookies-at-summer-league

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There is only one thing for us to do now that the 2021 NBA Las Vegas Summer League is three or four games old for each team: Check in with every top-10 draft pick.

Nearly all of them have seen extensive court time so far. Josh Giddey, the sixth overall selection, is the lone exception, and even he saw the floor for a few minutes before suffering a left ankle sprain. Maybe I still have pandemic brain, but it feels like roughly forever since every top-10 draft prospect saw run in Sin City. Hence the impulse for a progress report.

Do not take these report cards as referendums beyond recall. They are merely thoughts and feels and questions based off first impressions. They are meant to change. They are also meant to take the newness of everyone into account.

Profound summer-league conclusions are for romantics or controversy artists. This aims to hover somewhere in the middle, indulging the anything's possible-ness incumbent of exhibition outings and de-emphasizing the box score without pretending that every rookie is actually perfect and on the super-duper-mega-star track.


10. Ziaire Williams, Memphis Grizzlies

Pleasant Surprise: Game-readiness

Maybe this shouldn't even count. The idea that Ziaire Williams needs extensive time to marinate was predicated on taking his performance with Stanford at face value.

Shooting 36.0 percent on two-point jumpers and 29.1 percent from deep, per Hoop-Math, still doesn't look good. Ditto for his averaging more turnovers than the assists. But college basketball, like the rest of our world, unfolded amid a global pandemic. And Williams played in California, a state that had some of the most rigid restrictions in place. Couldn't his struggles just be a symptom of relative limitation?

If how Williams has played so far hints at what to come, they absolutely will be.

Though his most recent outing against the Sacramento Kings saw him miss all six of his three-pointers, his offensive feels has flirted with divinity. He has looked at home working off the baseline, dribbled into some jumpers, taken drives all the way to the rim, got off catch-and-fire treys and even uncorked an impossible-to-guard step-back.

Biggest Question: What will his role be in Memphis next season?

Trading Jonas Valanciunas, taking on the salaries of Steven Adams and Eric Bledsoe and doing absolutely nothing during free agency suggests the Memphis Grizzlies are all-in on the big picture and the developmental window it creates.

Then again, they've obliterated expectations in each of the past two seasons, so who knows.

Regardless of their immediate direction, their angle with Williams is fuzzy. He should be able to give them minutes across the 3 and 4, but they're hardly barren at those spots. The Grizzlies have to this point treated Jaren Jackson Jr. like a power forward, which is also where Xavier Tillman logged a chunk of his minutes last season. The wing rotation, meanwhile, includes a steady mix of Kyle Anderson, Dillon Brooks and Desmond Bane, the latter of whom has demanded a more prominent role with his play in Vegas.

So, like, where does Williams fall amid this hodgepodge? It gets a little easier hashing out a spot in the rotation if Jackson mans the middle more often, but even then, do the Grizzlies have the stomach to withstand Williams' learning curve? Figuring out how to incorporate a bunch of playable talent into the rotation is a great problem to have, but it's a problem all the same—and one made more complicated by Williams' summer-league contributions.

Overall Grade: B+


9. Davion Mitchell, Sacramento Kings

Pleasant Surprise: Off-the-dribble three

Davion Mitchell drew comps to Patrick Beverley coming out of Baylor. They were not unwarranted. He profiled as a similar player in the NBA: someone under 6'3" who could defend much larger and would, in the absence of top-shelf playmaking, make his dent off the ball.

Beverley no longer feels like the most apt comparison Mitchell. He is already more of a floor general than Beverley and, in Vegas, has revealed a serviceable off-the-bounce jumper.

Each of his four made threes in Friday's win over the Grizzlies went unassisted. They're not all straightaway looks he moseys into, either. He has torched defenses all week with glimpses into his step-back J.

Biggest Question: Will the Kings play a three point guard lineup?

Oh, how times have changed in such a short amount of time. The Kings turned themselves into a Twitter punchline by drafting the 6'2" Mitchell when they already had De'Aaron Fox, Tyrese Haliburton and Buddy Hield. Flipping Delon Wright for Tristan Thompson didn't initially shift anything.

Now, here I am, wondering whether Mitchell is showing enough in Vegas to mandate he play beside both Fox and Haliburton. The answer, in my book, should be yes.

Mitchell has been that convincing. His on-ball defense isn't exhaustive; it's murderous. He doesn't end possessions; he erases people from the planet. Combined with his mix of set and off-the-dribble shooting, he should mesh with both Fox and Haliburton. That 1-2-3 combo will want for size, but I seriously, totally don't give a damn. Haliburton is 6'7" and Mitchell is muuuuuuch better suited to defending wings than Hield.

Make it happen, Sacramento.

Grade: A


8. Franz Wagner, Orlando Magic

Pleasant Surprise: Decision-making in space

Franz Wagner isn't putting together a summer league to remember—not for the right reasons, anyway. But his performance isn't without its silver linings.

Touted as more of a three-and-D prospect coming out of Michigan, he has unveiled layers to his offensive game. And that's huge, because his three-ball isn't currently falling.

Depending too much on his right hand will get Wagner in trouble at the next level. The Orlando Magic don't have enough bankable floor spacing for him to work solely outside of traffic. But he has demonstrated more wiggle on the ball when afforded breathing room.

Most recently, during Thursday's shellacking against the Boston Celtics, he shot-faked into an explosive baseline drive and froze the defense with twitchy shoulders and head pumps off the bounce. Both plays saw him use his strong hand while going right. But reliance isn't necessarily presage to predictability. He has some variance in his bag.

Biggest Question: Will the three-ball start to fall?

Through three games, Wagner has attempted 12 threes. He's made one of them.

That's miles from ideal, particularly when he's not subsisting on self-engineered, contested triples. He is missing wide-open threebies, with the same long, low release that contributed to his pre-draft red flags.

Optimists can and should point out that Wagner isn't grossly whiffing on these looks. Most of his misfires are on line and hitting the front of the rim. His clip on wide-open threes should climb in time—though this is certainly a situation in which he may need to quicken his motion and/or change his point of release if he's going to hit his absolute peak.

Overall Grade: C-


7. Jonathan Kuminga, Golden State Warriors

Pleasant Surprise: Holy finishing

Aspects of Jonathan Kuminga's game—most notably his shooting—remain a project. His finishing, on the other hand, looks game-ready.

Kuminga has spent his time in Las Vegas converting baskets while going through and around brick walls. He should be a devastating rim-runner if the Golden State Warriors have enough shooters on the floor and is reading defenses at a higher level than advertised. The frequency with which he's putting the ball on the deck and changing the angle of attempts at the basket and around bodies is prophetic.

Biggest Question: How much will the Warriors lean on him?

This is not the most surgical question, but it bears asking all the same. The Warriors are the rare team trying to incorporate three lottery picks from the past two drafts while reopening their title-contention window.

Having Stephen Curry, Draymond Green and, eventually, Klay Thompson should limit their reliance on the kiddies for playmaking and scoring. (Moses Moody, drafted at No. 14, might actually be the most immediately important youngster.) But development takes reps, and only so much can be done by shuttling players to and from Santa Cruz.

Golden State's roster isn't set up to tether its two primary rookies to the G-League. Its depth chart goes maybe four or five bodies deep, at full strength, of proven players who can log heavy minutes and make a high impact.

Whether that means Kuminga will be treated as a key rotation player or brought along more slowly is a matter of course. The Warriors are, for now, trying to juggle two separate windows, and it isn't yet clear how committed they are to intertwining the two.

Overall Grade: B+


6. Josh Giddey, Oklahoma City Thunder

Pleasant Surprise: He scored within the first 15 seconds of his summer-league career

This is cheating. But it comes from a good place.

Josh Giddey logged just over five minutes before suffering a left ankle sprain that has sidelined him ever since. On his first possession of the game, though, he scooted around a ball screen, scampered down the lane and finished a two-handed slam. That's not exactly the first impression you'd expect from someone billed as extremely pass-first coming out of Australia.

Biggest Question: Can he be a consistent scoring threat?

Summer league projected as the perfect environment for Giddey, a setting in which he'd be gifted full control over the offense and ample opportunity to address concerns that he's too passive of a scorer.

Welp.

Assuming his left ankle sprain isn't serious and his absence is more precautionary, the 18-year-old should get plenty of chances to steward the Oklahoma City Thunder. That's the benefit of playing on a team not, let's say, actively chasing wins.

At the same time, summer-league settings are unique. Giddey would've been The Guy. At worst, he'd have been Theo Maledon's Sidekick. His reps will be somewhat curtailed by the former and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander in the regular season. (But not Kemba Walker!)

Anyway...Will Giddey consistently look for his own shot out of the pick-and-roll? Does he have an off-the-dribble three we don't know about? Will defenses respect his range and scoring enough to do more than play all the way back on him? We're no closer to knowing the answers.

Put another way: Injuries suck.

Overall Grade: Incomplete


5. Jalen Suggs, Orlando Magic

Pleasant Surprise: Offensive balance

Jalen Suggs always figured to contend with Jalen Green for "Best Scorer of This Draft Class" honors. (Related: Cam Thomas will want a word if he gets regular-season minutes.) But that competition can imply one-track usage. And Suggs is not just a scorer.

The methods by which gets buckets vary. He compiled a highlight reel's worth of made from-scratch jumpers during his summer-league debut. Then, in his second outing, he showcased a capacity to play off others, relocating around the arc and barrelling through cracks and chasms in the defense away from the ball.

That second game, a loss to the Cleveland Cavaliers, also saw Suggs cake in more table-setting. He sprayed kick-outs and even hinted at a little misdirection in the form of a no-look pass the led to an easy two under the basket.

Ample opportunity is Suggs' rite of arrival. The Magic don't have any other pure bucket-getters on the roster. They need him to be high volume. But the role that should await him is not merely a byproduct of circumstance. It's one for which he looks (mostly) ready.

Biggest Question: How will he handle physical defenses?

Suggs never profiled as someone who would enter the league and get to the line in droves. Even by that standard, he seemed to fade for possessions at a time when facing defenses that move him around.

Cleveland had success forcing the ball out of his hands, and Suggs' drives were too compromised on the occasions he did try to blaze through contact. Life won't change much for him during the regular season. The Magic don't have many other shot-creators to spell him, and with limited spacing around him, his is an approach that, right now, looks like it'll stall out well before the rim.

Overall Grade: B+


4. Scottie Barnes, Toronto Raptors

Pleasant Surprise: Fluency Off the Bounce

Pay no mind to Scottie Barnes' shooting splits. Evaluating new kids on the block has to go beyond raw returns. For those in primary roles, quality efficiency should be viewed as a pleasant surprise, not the immediate standard.

That Barnes can work off the dribble so seamlessly is more telltale than his percentages from the floor. He doesn't just need unoccupied spaces to navigate. He has gone right at guys, created separation with his shoulder, hit shots going away from the basket, flashed a neat-o push shot and even given us a looksy at change-of-direction handles.

Everyone, everywhere, should still be thinking about the turnaround jumper he buried over Jonathan Kuminga after faking left. If he ever melds this all-encompassing attack mode with more consistent shot-making—he looks like he'll convert standalone threes in time—the Toronto Raptors should have another cornerstone on their ends.

Biggest Question: Do his minutes need to be monitored next season?

Barnes has shown signs of fatigue at various points in summer league—stretches in which he doesn't account for defenders catching up to him from behind, settles for shots that'll make Raptors head coach Nick Nurse's eyes pop out of their socket and racks up misses that aren't even close.

He has labored through moments of disengagement, too. After leaving the Raptors' Thursday night game against the Houston Rockets for a beat, he looked out of sorts and not particularly aggressive and didn't get his first made field goal until the fourth quarter.

Conditioning is a gradual process, if that's even his issue. But given some of his summer-league lows, Toronto may need to monitor his minutes like a hawk as it brings him along and expects him to remain hyper-active on defense.

Overall Grade: B


3. Evan Mobley, Cleveland Cavaliers

Pleasant Surprise: Playmaking

Four summer-league games are not enough to declare Evan Mobley the next Point Big Man. With that in mind: Don't rule it out.

Mobley's feel for setting up teammates defies his size. The Cleveland Cavaliers have him spearheading fast breaks and initiating the half-court offense from above the break. He's responded by flinging an array of swanky and witty dimes.

Standstill tosses, pitches on the move, leading teammates open, slick bounce passes, pick-and-roll orchestration—he does it all. His comfort launching jumpers off the dribble only strengthens his facilitation. Defenses cannot plan around a seven-footer with the handle, vision and face-up scoring chops of a wing.

Biggest Question: How will his offense look next to Jarrett Allen?

Joining the actual Cavaliers will invariably help Mobley. Nobody can hope for a 20-year-old big to come in and steer the offense. His role will be streamlined beside Darius Garland and Ricky Rubio, allowing him to focus more on finishing rather than creation and, thus, dabble in the best of both worlds to start his career.

Still, while Mobley is willing to sling threes and can fire over the top of defenders off the bounce, his floor game doesn't unfold with the speed of a guard. Not yet. Maybe not ever. His jump shots are not exactly givens right now, either.

He is still best suited at the 5, which is perfectly fine. But he will have to soak up reps at the 4 after Cleveland signed Jarrett Allen to a five-year, $100 million deal. Neither Mobley's offensive utility nor defensive mobility will be as stark of a mismatch in dual-big lineups. This doesn't mean the frontcourt partnership is doomed. But it does mean the extent to which he can coexist beside Allen will dictate how the Cavs proceed in the years to come.

Overall Grade: A-


2. Jalen Green, Houston Rockets

Pleasant Surprise: Efficiency

A right hamstring flare-up has limited Jalen Green to roughly 2.5 appearances, but that's all he needed to leave his mark.

His shooting splits suggest a role without frills. He's slashing 51.4/52.6(!)/92.9 for crying out loud. But his offense is coming within superstar context: tough jumpers, brain-bending sidestep threes, physical finishes, the whole nine.

Calling him a human bucket undersells his body of work. His scoring was known. This marriage of volume and efficiency, on this stage, having faced off against Cade Cunningham, is nothing short of revelatory.

Biggest Question: Will his offense IMMEDIATELY translate?

Using Green's detonations against him feels lame. Full stop. It's also a fair question

Summer league is almost supposed to be Green's playground after spending last year with the G-League Ignite. Once more, with feeling, the efficiency he sustained amid his mode of operation is bonkers. But his shot selection lends itself to streakiness. Tracking the ebbs and flows of his rookie-year performance will be an interesting exercise.

Count me among those who believe he'll be mostly OK. He may not shoot infinity percent on off-the-dribble threes, but he did a rock-solid job toggling between focal-point usage and complementary finishing. He can space the floor around other ball-handlers and will hotfoot his way down the lane after giving up the ball.

Playing beside other snazzy shot creators on the Houston Rockets—Eric Gordon, Kevin Porter Jr., John Wall, Josh Christopher—should enable him to balance out his scoring.

Overall Grade: A


1. Cade Cunningham, Detroit Pistons

Pleasant Surprise: Off-ball feel

Plenty of people wondered how Cade Cunningham would work within an offense that also featured Killian Hayes. (Aside: If you're a masochist, go ahead and check out Killian Hayes Twitter takes.) That concern, while fair, no longer seems like a real issue.

Stepping into catch-and-shoot jumpers seemed reflexive for Cunningham and doesn't appear content to stand stationary when dotting the corners. The Detroit Pistons should try to get him moving off the ball even more, if only for duck-ins, but the dynamic between he and Hayes—and, for that matter, any other ball-handler—will be just fine.

Bonus point: His off-ball effectiveness on defense is similarly tantalizing. He already has a good feel for party crashing passing lanes without losing sight of everything else that happens around him.

Biggest Question: Will turnovers be a yearlong issue?

Cunningham's size, handle, patience and overall vision should allow him to throw whatever pass he wants. His line of sight cannot be obscured by trees, and he's capable of hitting all sorts of angles.

Right now, though, he's too often leaving his feet. That, in turn, has seemed to muck up his timing. Growing pains are part of being a rookie, but this is something to watch if, as expected, he assumes control of Detroit's offense from Day 1.

Overall Grade: A-

NBA.com https://www.nba.com/magic/news/review-jalen-suggs-nba-summer-league-20210814

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Jalen Suggs has been ruled out for the remainder of summer league after spraining his left thumb during Thursday’s game against the Boston Celtics. The 6-foot-4, 205-pounder played just under 66 minutes over three games and averaged 15.3 points, 6.3 rebounds, 2.3 assists and 1.7 steals.

Selected fifth overall by the Orlando Magic in last month’s draft, Suggs had an unsurprisingly impressive start to his NBA career. All the things he excelled at in his one season at Gonzaga, which with Suggs’ leadership made it all the way to the NCAA championship game, were on display in Las Vegas.

Let’s break down what the 20-year-old did well and where he must improve.


PLAYMAKING

Suggs’ top strengths are his passing and game management. Some have compared him to Jason Kidd for that reason. Both in pick-and-roll and in the open floor, he makes excellent reads and decisions while surveying the court.

Using a nice blend of agility, craftiness, and ingenuity, the Saint Paul, Minnesota native routinely got into the paint and made sound choices. The Magic haven’t shot the ball well at summer league, so Suggs didn’t rack up a ton of assists. But many of the good looks Orlando got stemmed from his savviness and prudence.

Spotting open teammates on the perimeter after collapsing the defense on drives is something he’s elite at doing.


OFFENSIVE AGGRESSIVNESS

Suggs played on a stacked team at Gonzaga. For that reason, it wasn’t critical for him to always have a scorer’s mentality. Based on his approach at summer league, it appears he’s more than capable of taking over games if necessary.

Although he only shot 41.5 percent from the field, Suggs was able to show off some of his offensive creativity. Interesting about him is that he’s very unpredictable. It’s hard for defenders to guess whether he’s going to accelerate all the way to the basket, stop on a dime and attempt a pull-up jumper or create separation using his good footwork, ball handling and shiftiness.

Initiating contact on drives is something else he thrived at. He took nine free throws.


DEFENSIVE VERSATLITY/INTENSITY

Deflections aren’t officially tallied in summer league, but just based on the eye test, it appeared Suggs had a lot of them. He has incredible instincts and anticipation. Several passes attempted by the Magic’s opponents didn’t reach the intended target because of Suggs’ peskiness and alertness.

What also stood out on the defensive end was Suggs’ timing, both when guarding the ball and when rising to block a shot. He had a huge block on Moses Moody in the win over the Warriors and a steal on Carsen Edwards against the Celtics just before injuring his left hand.


REBOUNDING

The Magic are unique in that all their young guards are good rebounders. Suggs, Cole Anthony, R.J. Hampton and Markelle Fultz are unafraid to mix it up with the big boys in the paint. In Suggs’ case, he will use his supreme athleticism to fly in for rebounds.


AREAS TO IMPROVE

As mentioned earlier, Suggs only shot 41.5 percent from the floor. Obviously, that’s not a good mark. He has a nice touch on his floater and good mechanics on his jumper, so it would be somewhat surprising if he wasn’t more efficient in his career. But it’s too early to tell whether he’s someone that can go on scoring tears. He made five of his 14 3-point attempts. Once again, his form is good, but does he have it in him to knock down shots from various ranges consistently?

Another thing that’s still a bit ambiguous and maybe misunderstood is Suggs’ blow-by speed. While a spectacular vertical athlete and electrifying in the open floor, he’s not necessarily someone that’s going to zip by every defender in his path. He relies more on shiftiness to elude and outfox opponents. But when he goes full force downhill, he’s tough to contain because of his excellent balance, body control, strength and coordination.

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LAS VEGAS SUMMER LEAGUE


TOP PERFORMERS

NBA.com https://www.nba.com/news/2021-summer-league-standouts-day-10


GAME HIGHLIGHTS

NBA Video https://www.youtube.com/c/NBA/videos


GAME RESULTS

Denver 89 Dallas 85 (OT) https://www.nba.com/game/den-vs-dal-1522100045/box-score#box-score


Atlanta 94 Miami 90 https://www.nba.com/game/atl-vs-mia-1522100046/box-score#box-score


Boston 100 Philadelphia 80 https://www.nba.com/game/phi-vs-bos-1522100047/box-score#box-score


Indiana 95 Oklahoma City 61 https://www.nba.com/game/ind-vs-okc-1522100048/box-score#box-score


Toronto 80 Charlotte 79 https://www.nba.com/game/cha-vs-tor-1522100049/box-score#box-score


New York 103 Cleveland 94 https://www.nba.com/game/cle-vs-nyk-1522100050/box-score#box-score


Phoenix 79 Portland 70 https://www.nba.com/game/por-vs-phx-1522100051/box-score#box-score


Detroit 103 LA Lakers 86 https://www.nba.com/game/det-vs-lal-1522100052/box-score

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/2/27/NBA_Summer_League_logo.png

LAS VEGAS SUMMER LEAGUE


TOP PERFORMERS

NBA.com https://www.nba.com/news/2021-summer-league-standouts-day-11


GAME HIGHLIGHTS

NBA Video https://www.youtube.com/c/NBA/videos


GAME RESULTS

Sacramento 86 Dallas 70 https://www.nba.com/game/dal-vs-sac-1522100053/box-score#box-score


Washington 93 Milwaukee 83 https://www.nba.com/game/mil-vs-was-1522100054/box-score#box-score


LA Clippers 94 Utah 90 https://www.nba.com/game/uta-vs-lac-1522100055/box-score#box-score


Brooklyn 104 San Antonio 100 https://www.nba.com/game/bkn-vs-sas-1522100056/box-score#box-score


Minnesota 99 Philadelphia 96 (OT) https://www.nba.com/game/min-vs-phi-1522100057/box-score#box-score


Orlando 99 Houston 76 https://www.nba.com/game/orl-vs-hou-1522100058/box-score#box-score


Golden State 79 New Orleans 80 https://www.nba.com/game/gsw-vs-nop-1522100059/box-score#box-score


Memphis 96 Chicago 91 https://www.nba.com/game/mem-vs-chi-1522100060/box-score#box-score

ESPN https://www.espn.com/nba/insider/story/_/id/32031337/nba-summer-league-2021-rookies-sophomores-stood-las-vegas

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NBA summer league 2021: The rookies and sophomores who stood out in Las Vegas

The list of NBA summer league MVPs is, like the event itself, an interesting mix of future stars making their debuts and players who never quite caught on in the league. Consider 2012, when the MVP award was split between Portland Trail Blazers rookie Damian Lillard (now a six-time All-NBA pick) and Josh Selby of the Memphis Grizzlies, who would play just 10 more games in the NBA.

Even if it doesn't necessarily portend stardom, playing well in Las Vegas has been a good indicator of who can contribute more than expected. Recent NBA summer league MVPs Kyle Anderson, Brandon Clarke and Josh Hart have outperformed their draft spots late in the first round.

With that in mind, let's take a look at the top picks, returning veterans and players hoping to solidify their spot in the NBA who have been most impressive over the first week of competition in this year's summer league, which concludes with Tuesday's championship game.

Cade Cunningham, Detroit Pistons

Consider the adjustment to the NBA 3-point line made by the No. 1 overall pick, who has been lights out from downtown in Las Vegas, shooting 13-of-26 (50%) beyond the arc. That was highlighted in a game against the New York Knicks on Friday, when Cunningham made seven treys en route to 24 points.

Cunningham could still show more closer to the basket. He hasn't been able to generate much separation off the dribble, which has hampered his 2-point percentage (8-of-23, 35%) and yielded just one trip to the free throw line.

But we've also seen Cunningham make plays for teammates that they've been unable to finish, something that should be less of an issue when starters Jerami Grant and Isaiah Stewart join the young Detroit core that's been playing in summer league.

Jalen Green, Houston Rockets

The top two picks of the 2021 NBA draft put on a show during their time in Las Vegas. Ethan Miller/Getty Images
Of the top picks in action over the past week, none has been more impressive than Green, who scored 61 points in 72 minutes, before suffering a hamstring injury that will surely sideline him the remainder of summer league.

In particular, Green's ability to make pull-up 3-pointers off the dribble has stood out, including four unassisted 3s in two-plus games. That's typically a skill pick-and-roll ball handlers don't develop until much later in their careers. Granted, Green won't likely continue making 53% of his 3-point tries -- he hit 36.5% of them in the G League -- but the mere threat of that shot will open things up for Green to get to the basket.

Green did struggle against Detroit when the Pistons trapped his pick-and-rolls, a summer league rarity. That's a point of adjustment as he prepares for more difficult competition in the regular season.


Tre Jones, San Antonio Spurs

Taken with the 41st pick of last year's NBA draft, Jones played just 269 minutes as a rookie -- more than 60% of which came in the fourth quarter, typically in garbage time. So aside from seven appearances in the G League bubble, this has been our first extended look at Jones. He has impressed, averaging 24.7 points and 6.7 assists per game.

Long-range shooting has been a weakness for Jones, who went 1-of-12 from 3-point range in the G League. He hasn't entirely answered that question -- making three treys in as many games -- so much as he has overcome it with his ability to create shots inside the arc. Jones' 24 2-pointers were third among all players through Saturday's games.

Befitting a player whose older brother (Tyus Jones, the 2016 NBA summer league MVP) led the NBA in assist-to-turnover ratio last season, Tre Jones has handed out 20 assists against just five turnovers thus far.


Tyrese Maxey, Philadelphia 76ers

Among the handful of second-year players who look like they have no reason to be playing summer league basketball, Maxey leads the list. Less than two months ago, Maxey scored 16 points off the bench to help the Sixers win Game 6 of their playoff series against the Hawks in Atlanta and force a deciding Game 7 at home, so it's no surprise he has overwhelmed opponents at this level of competition.

In 58 minutes, Maxey scored 52 points (averaging 26 per game, the highest of anyone in Las Vegas) before heading home to host a youth camp. Without him, a Philadelphia squad that started 2-0 lost by 20 on Saturday to the undefeated Boston Celtics.

The 76ers have gotten strong contributions from their other 2020 draft picks. Isaiah Joe has averaged 17 points per game while knocking down 41% of his 3s on 11.3 attempts per outing (tied with Miami Heat guard Max Strus for most among all players). Meanwhile, G League MVP Paul Reed of the Sixers is one of four players averaging a double-double.


Trey Murphy III, New Orleans Pelicans

It's no surprise that Murphy has been an efficient scorer after posting a 50-40-90 season at Virginia last season. He is just off that pace so far in Las Vegas, making 39% of his 18 3-point attempts and shooting 9-of-13 (69%) inside the arc -- six of those coming in his opening game.

I was more impressed by the passing ability Murphy flashed against the Cleveland Cavaliers on Friday, when he handed out seven assists as part of a line that would work on the nearby Las Vegas Strip: 7 points, 7 boards, 7 assists. Murphy never had seven assists in an NCAA game and only handed out more than four once, back in 2020, while playing for Rice before transferring.

Phoenix Suns forward Cameron Johnson was a popular comparison for Murphy during the draft process, and thus far Murphy looks similarly capable of contributing immediately as a more experienced rookie -- akin to Chris Duarte of the Indiana Pacers.


Payton Pritchard, Boston Celtics

Payton Pritchard has been a leading man for the Celtics during summer league. David Dow/NBAE via Getty Images
In the three games he played before leaving for what Celtics summer league coach Joe Mazzulla termed "a prior engagement," Pritchard was the best player in the NBA summer league by my assessment.

Although not quite as dominant as some of the other second-year point guards in Las Vegas (Maxey and New York's Immanuel Quickley), Pritchard stood out with his efficiency. He made a remarkable 15 of his 26 3-point attempts (58%) while handing out 26 assists with just four turnovers -- the top assist-to-turnover ratio for players with more than 75 minutes of action.

Absent Pritchard, Boston has rolled along undefeated with another candidate for this list in fellow 2020 first-round pick Aaron Nesmith, who has averaged 18.8 PPG while shooting 52% from the field and 39% on 3s.


Alperen Sengun, Houston Rockets

One of the big questions coming into summer league was whether Sengun's statistical dominance in his native Turkey would translate against more physical competition. Although summer league isn't the same as NBA competition, so far, so good for Sengun -- perhaps the most productive rookie in Las Vegas.

Sengun has struggled to finish at times, shooting just 12-of-28 (43%) on 2-point attempts. But he has compensated for that with his uncanny ability to make good things happen. That starts with getting to the foul line a remarkable 24 times in three games. Sengun could help himself by shooting more like the 81% he shot last year in the Turkish BSL at the foul line rather than 62.5% in Las Vegas, which is more in line with his previous accuracy.

I've been pleasantly surprised by Sengun's shot-blocking. He has swat three shots per game, putting him among summer league leaders. (Only Daniel Oturu has averaged more.) And Sengun has been predictably outstanding on the glass, averaging 11.0 rebounds per game to rank third in Las Vegas.


Cameron Thomas, Brooklyn Nets

Before summer league started, I wrote of Thomas in our preview: "I'd expect a 2-of-11 shooting night at some point, but also expect a game where he goes off for 30 points and leaves viewers wondering how he was still available at the 27th pick." Consider me partially right.

Thomas did have a tough shooting night in his Las Vegas debut (5-of-15, 1-of-6 from 3), but not nearly as bad as I predicted. Meanwhile, he has gone for 30-plus twice, leading all players in scoring thus far (26.5 PPG). And Thomas ended his other game with an improbable one-foot floater from 3-point range in double overtime to beat the Milwaukee Bucks.

Ideally, we'd see more contributions from Thomas besides scoring. His four assists against Milwaukee were encouraging, before Thomas had just one each in his 30-point games. And he has combined for seven rebounds in 115 minutes. Still, Thomas' ability to score prolifically and efficiently (thanks largely to 33 free throws in 39 attempts) has been impressive.


Omer Yurtseven, Miami Heat

It's been a great summer for Turkish centers. Yurtseven, who recently re-signed with the Heat for two years as a restricted free agent after joining the team late in the 2020-21 regular season, has also been among the most productive players in summer league.

That started in Sacramento, where Yurtseven averaged 26 points in two games of the California Classic. Since getting to Las Vegas, he has averaged an even 20 PPG with 9.7 rebounds. Always a productive player -- he was among the leaders in my wins above replacement player metric in the G League bubble -- Yurtseven has surprised with his shot-blocking in summer league. With 2.7 blocks per game, he ranks just behind his countryman Sengun in this category.

Given the depth Miami sacrificed to complete a sign-and-trade deal for Kyle Lowry, there's an opening for contributors with the Heat. Both Yurtseven and Strus (20.8 PPG, including a walk-off 3-pointer in double overtime against the Grizzlies) have offered indications they're capable of stepping up.

SI https://www.si.com/nba/2021/08/16/nba-summer-league-notebook-biggest-takeaways

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NBA Summer League Notebook: 10 Biggest Takeaways From Vegas

Who were the biggest standouts? Who disappointed? Here are some notable observations.

NBA Summer League comes to a close this week, and while I physically escaped the desert a couple of days ago, I have more thoughts on everything that went down. You didn’t come here to read a long introduction. I’m dumping out my notes from Vegas here, with my All–Summer League picks coming later in the week.

1. I am pleased to report that many of the best players here were sophomores. That’s something we expect every year, but doesn’t always hold true. Of course, there was no Summer League in 2020 due to the pandemic, so many of last season’s rookies were making their Vegas debuts. Players like Tyrese Maxey, Patrick Williams, Payton Pritchard, Aaron Nesmith, Desmond Bane, Immanuel Quickley, Xavier Tillman and Jaden McDaniels looked like they’d played significant minutes in the NBA last season. All had impressive moments, and some of them probably didn’t need to play here at all. Casual NBA fans should at least be familiar with most of those guys by now. And while it’s probably not worth overselling anything here (I don’t foresee Pritchard transforming into Chris Paul anytime soon), it’s always a good thing when high-level experience translates into growth and development.


2. On the flip side, there are a couple of high-profile sophomores I am somewhat worried about moving forward. They were top-10 picks in the 2020 draft, and next season will be critical for both when it comes to establishing themselves as legitimate rotation players. They are Obi Toppin and Jalen Smith.


3. As for Smith: Through four Summer League games he was shooting just 36% from the field and hadn’t blocked a shot. He floats around the perimeter a bit too much, and isn’t a very natural face-up player, relying on bully-ball tactics that don’t work for all but the most physically gifted NBA players. Smith just doesn’t separate well from defenders on the interior and is heavily right-hand dominant as a finisher. I’ve criticized the Suns for drafting him at No. 10 at several junctures, and this isn’t aiming to pile on here (although, yes, Tyrese Haliburton was drafted two spots later). I’m just not convinced Smith is mobile or skilled enough to truly excel as a stretch big in the NBA. If he can beat out Frank Kaminsky this time around, he’ll have a pathway to increased minutes as Deandre Ayton’s backup, but that type of profile is almost certainly not what the Suns hoped they were getting.

When Phoenix invested significantly to select Smith 10th, that essentially signaled that they believed he could share the floor with Ayton. Many rival teams viewed him as more of a late-first-round-caliber prospect. His physical stiffness was always of concern to discerning scouts. And the biggest optimists hoped Smith could be a Myles Turner–type big who blocks shots, makes threes and offers some consistency despite his limitations. Logic says you just don’t draft a rookie in the top 10 who plays the same position as one of your team’s young centerpieces and offers minimal flexibility. So, assuming some degree of reasonable draft strategy here, Phoenix had to believe Smith could play power forward for meaningful stretches of games, space the floor and rebound.

To his credit, entering Monday Smith had made 35% of his threes on seven attempts per game in Vegas and averaged 12.5 rebounds, which was tied for tops in the league. If Smith does those things, he can help Phoenix in some capacity. But, similar to the situation in New York with Randle and Toppin, it seems pretty unlikely that Phoenix can field winning lineups with Smith and Ayton together. He appeared in just 27 games last season and made essentially no impact. Based on what I saw at Summer League, it’s a stretch to think there’s a real opportunity for a sophomore leap coming. And another year of limited returns would thrust Smith further into limbo.


4. Anyway, let’s take a more positive angle: Confirmation bias be damned, the 2021 draft class has a chance to be really good. I wrote a bit about the top picks last week, and the overall sentiment remains unchanged. Cade Cunningham and Jalen Green are as advertised. It’s worth noting that Evan Mobley struggled a bit, but he should be fine when paired with better guards. Jalen Suggs might be the Magic’s best player already, Scottie Barnes is solid and Jonathan Kuminga’s athletic tools are going to translate in a big way. There were players all over the first round who landed in great situations and look poised to have strong careers.

In six days in Vegas, I saw strong moments from the marquee players, as well as late-first-round guys like Quentin Grimes, Cam Thomas, Josh Christopher and Bones Hyland. Guard was a clear position of depth in this class, and second-rounders like Jason Preston, Miles McBride, and Jared Butler (who didn’t play Summer League, and we’ll have to wait to see in action) could have been justified in the late 20s, as well. Second-rounders Sharife Cooper (Atlanta, No. 48, more on him later), Dalano Banton (Toronto, No. 46) and Juhann Begarin (Boston, No. 45) also showed intriguing things.


5. No. 16 pick Alperen Sengün is already a cult hero in Houston, and he’s unsurprisingly been one of the most productive players at Summer League, after dominating against older guys in Turkey all last season. He was the No. 10 prospect on our Big Board. This was my first opportunity to watch Sengün play in person, and I came away more enthralled with his unorthodox game than I expected. The most likely outcome here is that he lands somewhere on the Jonas Valanciunas–to–Enes Kanter spectrum, where he plays in the NBA forever, averages double doubles at the peak of his career, but his true contributions to winning are still reliant upon who else is on his team. For the 16th pick, that’s a great outcome.

While I’m not completely bullish yet that Sengün will leap into the elite tier of NBA bigs—it’s a little worrisome he shot only 43% from the field through four Summer League games—I will say that he was much more impressive on the defensive end than I could discern from watching him on tape. Sengün isn’t a rim protector in the truest sense, which could be a limitation on his pathway to crunch-time minutes, but he is physical, likes contact, has quick hands and at least offered a degree of resistance when opponents tried to face him up and attack the basket. Will he be able to meet the best NBA leapers at the rim on a consistent basis? Maybe not. But at a glance, I think there’s a decent chance Sengün will eventually hold his own. He’s not a great mover, and is not an above-the-rim finisher, but he plays so hard and has such good instincts for coming up with 50-50 balls that you can see him excelling even on a team full of ball-dominant perimeter scorers. It’s probably not a coincidence that the Rockets appear to be assembling such a roster. Houston won’t win many games this season, but whatever becomes of this rebuild will be a pretty interesting subplot.


6. The Pelicans may have nailed their selection of Trey Murphy at No. 17, addressing their need for shooting, defensive versatility and frontcourt size with one impressive prospect. Murphy was clearly one of the better rookies at Summer League, and a big reason why New Orleans won its first four games, shooting 55% from the field and 44% from three, while capably defending a range of opponents that included Evan Mobley, Patrick Williams and Jonathan Kuminga. While I’m not ready to classify Murphy as a legit perimeter stopper yet—he’s not laterally quick enough to stick with agile guards—he clearly is willing to step up on that end, and he has legitimate size to help absolve Zion Williamson and Brandon Ingram of unwanted matchups. The Pelicans making the leap as a legitimate playoff team requires (1) both of their stars to step up defensively or (2) everyone else on the floor to do that in a manner unseen over the past couple of seasons.

Clearly, New Orleans has a grasp on that piece of the equation and has built up some versatile defensive backbone with the additions of Murphy and 35th pick Herbert Jones. Jones doesn’t share his gifts as a shooter, but he’s a smart passer and cutter and can defend pretty much anybody. Naji Marshall, who spent last year on a two-way, also looks ready for a bigger role. They also added veteran Garrett Temple. It’s unclear what will happen to restricted free agent Josh Hart next season, with a sign-and-trade still possible, but the stockpiling of young, defensively capable forwards could pay dividends for the Pelicans over the next few seasons. Side note: New Orleans also added my personal favorite undrafted prospect, Georgia Tech guard Jose Alvarado, on a two-way contract. Despite minimal fanfare, I thought he was the best player in the ACC last season, and it won’t shock me if he carves out a legitimate, T.J. McConnell–type career.


7. James Bouknight took a bit of flak for an uninspiring start to Summer League (Davion Mitchell notably put the clamps on him head-to-head), but he was absolutely terrific in the second half of the game I watched against San Antonio. Bouknight played point guard for most of the second half and finished with eight assists, no turnovers and plenty of impressive moments. He’s been unfairly labeled as a gunner, primarily because he had to take so many shots on a UConn team that was otherwise hamstrung on offense.

For me, the most impressive thing about Bouknight was his degree of poise and feel for a high-usage college scorer, and it could certainly be that he turns the corner and becomes a legitimate, Swiss-army-knife combo guard next to LaMelo Ball. He should eventually thrive attacking defenses off the catch, and that coupled with his creativity as a finisher could make him quite valuable. His handle and jumper have to get better, but I wouldn’t overreact to the growing pains that are probably coming. Bouknight could be a steal at No. 11.


8. Atlanta got positive showings out of draft picks Jalen Johnson (No. 20) and Sharife Cooper (No. 48), both of whom fell as rival teams shirked away from perceived risk. It looks like the Hawks made out pretty well as a result. While the real test with Johnson will be how he deals with adverse situations (being big, skilled and versatile at Summer League helps a lot), there should never have been much question about his ability to play a complementary role in the NBA. Front offices were concerned with his history of off-court unreliability dating back to high school, and multiple teams I spoke with said he wasn’t particularly impressive in interviews, which all contributed to his fall to No. 20. Atlanta has a lot of forwards, and he may not play much immediately, but Johnson is another intriguing wild card on a deep roster.

As for Cooper, the Hawks got him on a two-way contract, which is a nice bargain for a player who has a pathway to being a legit NBA backup. Cooper led Summer League with nine assists per game entering Monday but also averaged an unsightly 5.7 turnovers through his three games. He clearly has an NBA-caliber skill and a terrific understanding of angles for a guy his size, and he finished better than expected in the paint. He also often takes needless risks, doesn’t shoot the ball consistently and won’t offer much resistance on defense. Cooper slipped in the draft due in part to those weaknesses, and he’s still not going to be for everyone, especially teams with aversions to undersized guards. Realistically, Cooper may be blocked in Atlanta long-term given the fact you can’t responsibly play him next to Trae Young. But he certainly turned some heads this week and looked much more NBA-ready than some of his peers, and it won’t be surprising if he has a big year in the G League and turns that into a longer look as a bench playmaker, whether that’s with his hometown Hawks, or elsewhere.


9. I have held significant real estate on the Max Strus archipelago dating back to his time at DePaul. The Heat have him on a real contract now, and it won’t shock me if he eventually carves out a specialist role there. In addition to a sudden-death game-winner against the Grizzlies, Strus continues to impress with his shot-making, toughness and feel. While he’s lost a bit of his mobility and vertical burst after tearing his ACL in December 2019, the elements that made him a potential role player are still present. At worst, he should hang around on the end of benches moving forward. The Heat just re-signed Duncan Robinson, but you can never have too much shooting, right?


10. Finally, for what it’s worth, the first-round prospects who struggled the most in Vegas were Franz Wagner (No. 8), Jaden Springer (No. 28) and Santi Aldama (No. 30). Wagner’s passive tendencies manifested, and he struggled to make shots, both of which could limit his pathway to minutes behind Jonathan Isaac and Chuma Okeke in Orlando. Springer and Aldama will strongly benefit from seasoning in the G League. For now, we’ll leave it there.

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/2/27/NBA_Summer_League_logo.png

LAS VEGAS SUMMER LEAGUE


TOP PERFORMERS

NBA.com https://www.nba.com/news/2021-summer-league-standouts-day-12


GAME HIGHLIGHTS

NBA Video https://www.youtube.com/c/NBA/videos


GAME RESULTS

Indiana 74 Washington 65 https://www.nba.com/game/ind-vs-was-1522100061/box-score#box-score


Denver 94 Milwaukee 87 https://www.nba.com/game/mil-vs-den-1522100062/box-score#box-score


Oklahoma City 116 San Antonio 91 https://www.nba.com/game/sas-vs-okc-1522100063/box-score#box-score


Cleveland 88 Phoenix 85 https://www.nba.com/game/cle-vs-phx-1522100064/box-score#box-score


New York 104 Atlanta 85 https://www.nba.com/game/atl-vs-nyk-1522100065/box-score#box-score


Detroit 79 Orlando 78 https://www.nba.com/game/det-vs-orl-1522100066/box-score#box-score


Memphis 104 LA Clippers 95 https://www.nba.com/game/mem-vs-lac-1522100067/box-score#box-score


Chicago 99 Charlotte 74 https://www.nba.com/game/cha-vs-chi-1522100068/box-score#box-score

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/2/27/NBA_Summer_League_logo.png

LAS VEGAS SUMMER LEAGUE


TOP PERFORMERS

NBA.com https://www.nba.com/news/2021-summer-league-standouts-day-13


GAME HIGHLIGHTS

NBA Video https://www.youtube.com/c/NBA/videos


GAME RESULTS

Dallas 83 Miami 82 https://www.nba.com/game/dal-vs-mia-1522100069/box-score#box-score


Philadelphia 103 Utah 98 https://www.nba.com/game/uta-vs-phi-1522100070/box-score#box-score


Houston 95 Portland 92 https://www.nba.com/game/hou-vs-por-1522100071/box-score#box-score


Toronto 86 Brooklyn 72 https://www.nba.com/game/bkn-vs-tor-1522100072/box-score#box-score


LA Lakers 84 Golden State 76 https://www.nba.com/game/lal-vs-gsw-1522100073/box-score#box-score


New Orleans 87 Minnesota 56 https://www.nba.com/game/nop-vs-min-1522100074/box-score#box-score


*Sacramento 100 Boston 67 https://www.nba.com/game/sac-vs-bos-1522100075/box-score#box-score

*Summer League Championship Game

ESPN https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/32042285/sacramento-kings-rout-boston-celtics-claim-nba-summer-league-title

https://im.indiatimes.in/media/content/2014/Jul/s_1406027148_540x540.jpg

Louis King slammed home a two-handed dunk with a little more than two minutes left in the third quarter of the NBA summer league championship game, let out a monstrous roar and promptly flexed with authority.

Fittingly, it was King who dominated for Sacramento and finished with 21 points to help the Kings cruise to a 100-67 victory over the Boston Celtics on Tuesday night in front of a sparse, masked crowd that barely filled the bottom bowl, an uncommon scene for a title game that has packed the venue in recent years prior to the pandemic.

It was Sacramento's first summer league title since 2014.

"Our transition, that's what started it, our defense and transition points, that's what it came down to," said King, who started his career in Detroit after going undrafted from Oregon in 2019. "I feel like everything we're doing now, that we're doing all summer, and what we've been doing is just going to translate into our regular-season team.

"We've got new guys, new faces and we just got to trust each other."

One of those new faces is defensive stopper Davion Mitchell, who was taken ninth overall in last month's draft and was out to prove the franchise didn't make a mistake in adding him to an already guard-heavy lineup that includes Tyrese Haliburton and De'Aaron Fox.

It's not as if the Kings needed a boost to an offense that ranked 11th in the league with 113.7 points per game last season. Instead, it was the guard's defensive tenacity the Kings are hoping will help a lethargic defense that allowed 117.4 points per game, third-worst in the league.

"We loved what we saw and that's why we drafted him," Kings coach Luke Walton said. "We continue to try to bring a certain player in and the front office has done a nice job, and you watch Davion play and you see him win a national championship, you get his background and how he competes and how he leads and how he works, and that's why we spent a top-10 pick on him."

While the Kings got additional contributions from Jahmi'us Ramsey (16), Matt Coleman III (14), and Ade Murkey (10), Mitchell chipped in with nine points but more importantly shut down Boston sharpshooter Payton Pritchard.

Carsen Edwards had 15 points and Aaron Nesmith 12 for Boston. Pritchard finished with just six points after being limited to 3-of-9 shooting from the floor.

"All my life I've played with a chip on my shoulder. I've kind of always been like the underdog, especially coming to Sacramento hearing that they're not a really good defensive team," Mitchell said. "That kind of just turned me on, like I really want to change the narrative, I want to be a defensive team because defense wins championships. So yeah, coming into Summer League I tried to show that and I think I did a really good job of that."

After the Celtics took a 14-4 lead behind the strong play of Nesmith, who opened the game with eight points, the Kings stormed back quickly with a 20-6 run to take a four-point lead after one behind 10 points from King.

The Kings, who had the edge in fast-break points (24-4), pulled away in the third quarter by outscoring Boston 26-13 to take a 70-49 lead into the final 10 minutes.

"I didn't know what to expect out of this game," coach Bobby Jackson said. "I knew it was going to be a really good game because looking at them on film they play fast, they shot a lot of 3s. In my meetings, I always told the guys they haven't run across a defense like us, and if we buy into defending and have each other's backs, the ball is going to fall. It was just an effort on the defensive side of the ball."

Bleacher Report https://bleacherreport.com/articles/2947318-grading-every-top-nba-rookie-at-2021-las-vegas-summer-league

https://n.sinaimg.cn/sports/transform/188/w650h338/20210815/84ff-b29addc31c6af2d508437ad04d58f6f4.jpg

Grading Every Top NBA Rookie at 2021 Las Vegas Summer League

The 2021 NBA draft class showed out in Las Vegas for summer league.

There were far more individual winners than disappointments, from the top picks to the non-lottery prospects and the handful of inevitable second-round steals.

We graded each lottery prospect who played at least three full games in Las Vegas while highlighting the standouts who were slept on during draft night.


Incompletes

Jalen Suggs

Suggs hurt his thumb against the Boston Celtics during his third game, cutting his summer league short. But he did get in two full games prior. And he was productive in both, finishing with 24 points and nine boards against the Golden State Warriors and 16 points and five assists against the Cleveland Cavaliers.

He clearly looked like Orlando's top prospect while showing off his pull-up game, passing skills and athleticism around the rim at both ends. It's not often you see point guards throwing down putback dunks and racking up three blocks in a night.

Working with Cole Anthony, Suggs wound up scoring more than playmaking. But it seemed evident he had enough vision and IQ to thrive as a lead ball-handler, while his five smooth threes felt encouraging after an-and-down season shooting at Gonzaga.


Josh Primo

Primo played four summer-league games total, though only two in Las Vegas. He logged enough minutes for us to get a read on where he is developmentally, a question many scouts asked after he played such a limited role at Alabama.

He was given significantly more freedom to create and play through mistakes with the Spurs. And the positives outweigh the negatives for the draft's youngest prospect, who averaged 14.3 points on just 36.2 percent shooting and 27.6 percent from three.

Primo executed more advanced shots in four games than he did all season in college. Even with all the missed shots, he still looked comfortable on the ball using his handle, pull-up game and floater. His size for his position seemed advantageous, as he was able to get his shot off in the mid-range and paint.

The Spurs have a logjam in the backcourt, and at 18 years old, Primo figures to spend most of his rookie year in the G League. But these summer-league results suggest he's further along than most expected. Based on his shot selection and lack of playmaking, Primo figures to work best as a 2-guard who plays alongside a facilitator.


Cade Cunningham (Detroit Pistons, PG/SG)

Positives

The Detroit Pistons got a good look at how Cade Cunningham might fit with 2020 lottery pick Killian Hayes. And the first encouraging sign was that Cunningham's shooting looks legitimate. In three games, he buried 13-of-26 threes, drilling jumpers off the catch and dribble with convincing balance and fluidity.

Off the ball, he showed a good feel for getting himself open by making subtle movements or relocations. While many labeled him a point guard in college, his IQ and skill set suggest he's equally suited for reps at 2-guard.

As a ball-handler, he flashes his signature ability to create space into pull-ups with different dribble moves. Cunningham figures to see plenty of ball screens during the season, and he showed good pacing with his hesitations for getting to the rim. Though not explosive, he compensated at times by using his strength to play through contact.

Defensively, he looked smarter than the average rookie, as his anticipation popped throughout his time in Las Vegas.

Negatives

Cunningham had trouble inside the arc at Oklahoma State, and he wasn't any more effective from two-point range this past week (34.8 percent). He struggled to get separation around the key and doesn't always pick the right shot attempt to use in traffic.

In lineups alongside Hayes or Saben Lee, Cunningham spent more time standing around the arc than he's used to. So we didn't get to see much playmaking from the No. 1 overall pick who totaled seven assists to 12 turnovers. He can be too casual, though more on-ball reps and shooters around him should result in a higher assist rate.

Grade: B+


Jalen Green (Houston Rockets, SG)

Positives

After watching three summer-league games, the strengths section of Jalen Green's predraft scouting report told no lies. He averaged 20.3 points in 24.1 minutes, demonstrating the shot-creation and shot-making that fuel NBA scoring champion potential.

His advanced ability to create space on jumpers was on full display, though Green didn't need much room. Just as he did in the G League bubble, he got into his step-back with ease and hit difficult dribble jumpers at an outstanding clip.

Green was also effective shooting off the catch, an encouraging sign before he eventually teams up with John Wall.

Aside from his jumper looking sharp (10-of-19 3PT), his elite athleticism popped on various drives. Green's burst and quickness turning the corner is outrageous, almost allowing him to teleport from the top of the arc to the rim in a blink of an eye.

And though not considered a facilitator, he did make basic passing reads out of pick-and-rolls, a set he should receive action in during the season for his blow-by explosion and pull-up game.

Negatives

Green had some trouble when defenses sent pressure the moment he crossed half court. He had four turnovers against the Detroit Pistons, who tried to speed him up and turn a scorer into a passer by trapping and blitzing. He totaled seven turnovers to six assists in 72 minutes.

Defensively, the results were mixed, though no red flags emerged.

Grade: A


Evan Mobley (Cleveland Cavaliers, PF/C)

Positives

Versatility sets Evan Mobley apart from most bigs, and his reputation held up in Las Vegas. He flashed a little of everything through three games before being shut down, including face-up play that's just different for a 7-footer.

He converted on pull-ups and drives from the arc and elbows. He showcased his touch on one-handers and fallaways in the paint. And he reminded us of his playmaking potential for a big, racking up six assists against the Orlando Magic, more than No. 2 pick Jalen Green had in three games. Mobley delivered some high-level passes from the top of the key, an area where he figures to have the most success with his mid-range touch and ability to find teammates.

Though a lack of strength is an obvious weakness now, Mobley did try to play through contact, at one point bullying No. 16 pick Alperen Sengun on a dunk after catching an offensive board in traffic.

He also flashed his all-world defensive potential by sliding with guards, covering ground, anticipating shots and using his monster wingspan to contest.

Negatives

Mobley shot an ugly 34.9 percent from the floor, with his lack of lower-body power becoming exposed on back-to-the-basket possessions. His struggles on post-ups at USC carried over to Las Vegas, where he had trouble moving defenders back or gaining position. He was forced to fall away or take awkward shots too often. Mobley, who had 10 turnovers (three games) and an underwhelming 12.0 rebounding percentage, could be stronger with the ball.

His shot looks promising, particularly around the elbows and short corners. And he can occasionally hit the pick-and-pop three. But he still missed seven of eight attempts from behind the arc and doesn't look ready to start regularly threatening defenses from deep.

Grade: B


Scottie Barnes (Toronto Raptors, SF/PF)

Positives

Though not known for being a scorer, Scottie Barnes averaged 15.5 points through four games, mostly by using his ball-handling skills, length around the basket and motor.

He's earned himself dunks by running the floor in transition. But he's also had success in the half court, maneuvering off the dribble, hitting unorthodox one-handers in the paint and drawing fouls.

Barnes flashed some promising touch on his three three-point makes, free throws (17-of-23 overall) and a few mid-range shots out of the post.

Averaging 3.3 assists and 2.0 blocks, his signature two-way playmaking stood out as well. Barnes delivered some high-IQ passes and made outstanding defensive plays on the ball that highlight his incredible wingspan, mobility and awareness. No guard or forward from the draft covers ground or airspace as fast as Barnes.

Aside from his production and versatility, his competitiveness and intensity have been evident.

Negatives

Shooting is still a weakness for Barnes, who missed eight of his 11 attempts from three. And he relied mostly on open lanes and fast breaks for scoring, as he's missing a go-to skill for creating an easy shot (41.2 percent FG) against a set defense.

Grade: B+


Jonathan Kuminga (Golden State Warriors, SF/PF)

Positives

With at least 16 points in each of his five summer-league games, Jonathan Kuminga was a consistent, three-level scoring threat for the Golden State Warriors.

His mix of power, athleticism and coordination for driving and finishing shined most. He was at his best when focused on getting downhill, where he can play through contact and adjust afterward to hit tough layups. He also showed good footwork, Eurosteps and deceleration to elude defenders, as opposed to going full-speed ahead.

His flashes of creation stood out. Though he can get carried away or hold the ball too long, Kuminga shook defenders with nifty ball-handling moves out of isolation. He isn't known for playmaking, but he also delivered a handful of impressive assists off the dribble, showing both passing skill and vision when he didn't predetermine a shot for himself.

Defensively, it was easy to detect potential tied to his strength and length to guard the perimeter and multiple positions.

Negatives

Kuminga shot 39.7 percent, 27.3 percent from three and 65.7 percent from the line with 17 turnovers, eight assists and 17 fouls in five games.

Questionable awareness led to forced shots and drives into traffic. His jumper isn't reliable and or quick delivery-wise. And he's mistake-prone on defense, as are most teenagers.

Decision-making and shooting issues led to inefficiency, just as they did in the G League bubble.

Grade: B


Franz Wagner (Orlando Magic, SF/PF)

Positives

Not many possessions ran through Franz Wagner, but he clearly operated with a team-first mindset, playing the right way by moving the ball and getting it to playmakers.

As mostly an off-ball weapon in Las Vegas, he generated offense by getting himself open as a cutter and transition finisher. He also converted a few impressive drives past closeouts into finishes, showing off his wing-like movement/coordination for a 6'9", 220-pound forward.

Wagner didn't score a lot, but he made quick decisions and didn't prioritize himself or his stats. "Knows how to play" was a phrase often used to describe Wagner at Michigan, and that was the case in Las Vegas.

Defense is where he'll earn his NBA playing time early on. He put himself in the right position often, appeared alert and gave off veteran vibes with how vocal he was making reads out loud to teammates.

Weaknesses

Creating his own shot was a weakness in college, and Wagner didn't attempt many one-on-one moves with the summer league Orlando Magic. He took six free-throw attempts in four games.

Wagner made a few lazy passes, and he lost the ball off the dribble, showing a need to tighten his handle in the half court.

Poor shooting hurt him most, however, with Wagner just 2-of-13 from three. His jumper looked stiff from NBA distance.

Grade: B-


Davion Mitchell (Sacramento Kings, PG)

Positives

After a pair of strong games in the California Classic, Davion Mitchell has the Sacramento Kings playing in the Las Vegas Summer League championship game.

He's been difficult to stay in front off, with his absurd burst off hesitation for driving, and a nasty snatch-back move into his dribble jumpers. He goes from zero to 100 as fast as anyone from this draft. Big men who've been forced to switch onto Mitchell haven't stood a chance against his change of speed and direction.

But he also hit four of six threes against the Memphis Grizzlies and two of three versus the Washington Wizards.

Since arriving in Las Vegas, Mitchell has also put more of an emphasis on showcasing playmaking, having averaged 5.5 assists through four games. He's capitalized on all the attention he's generating off the dribble by making the right, simple reads to roll men and shooters.

Defensively, Mitchell has looked as advertised with his quick feet and relentless pressure. Guarding both backcourt positions, a lack of size hasn't held him back from frustrating taller guards.

Negatives

Aside from an off-game versus the Dallas Mavericks (2-of-8), Mitchell hasn't made many mistakes.

He could use his explosiveness more effectively to draw fouls. He hasn't gotten to the free-throw line often (he didn't at Baylor, either), as he's just 1-of-5 in Las Vegas. Mitchell has a tendency to take wild layups in traffic instead of initiating contact or kicking the ball out.

Grade: A


Ziaire Williams (Memphis Grizzlies, SG/SF)

Positives

Despite inconsistent results, Ziaire Williams put together promising highlights of shot-creation and shot-making.

He went 4-of-6 from three versus the Miami Heat, and though his three-ball didn't fall against anyone else, Williams showed off his ability to separate into pull-ups and step-backs in the mid-range.

He also earned himself a handful of easy baskets by flying in transition and crashing the glass.

Williams had some nice defensive sequences as well, moving his feet and keeping the play in front of him guarding pick-and-rolls. He got his hands in passing lanes from off the ball.

Negatives

Williams shot a combined 0-of-14 from three against the Chicago Bulls, Brooklyn Nets and Sacramento Kings. Inconsistent shooting was a theme at Stanford, and it continued in Las Vegas.

His lack of explosion was also evident, as he often settled for pull-ups instead of driving to the rim. Most of his two-point baskets came off broken plays or miscellaneous finishes, as opposed to self-creation skills or off-the-dribble moves. He didn't do much in one-on-one situations or against pressure defense.

Grade: B-


James Bouknight (Charlotte Hornets, SG)

Positives

Viewed as one of the draft's most polished scorers, James Bouknight delivered in summer league with his signature mix of creation and athleticism.

He rarely had trouble separating in Las Vegas with his ball-handling and abrupt explosiveness or step-back footwork that catches defenders off guard. He excelled at finding open space, knowing whether to hit the gas on a drive or stop-and-pop.

Concerns about his shooting percentages started to fade during workouts and the predraft process. And though he needed a 3-of-4 three-point performance against the San Antonio Spurs to salvage his final summer-league stats, the eye test on his jumper remains convincing.

However, arguably the most encouraging development with Bouknight was his playmaking against the Spurs (eight assists) and Toronto Raptors (five assists). His career high at Connecticut through two seasons was five assists. Bouknight delivered some encouraging setup passes to teammate Kai Jones off penetration.

Negatives

Bouknight did too much dancing at times while teammates stood around. The ball stuck. He settled for tough shots and got to the free-throw line 10 times in four games despite a 27.5 percent usage.

Bouknight also had trouble getting separation against the summer league's better defenders like Davion Mitchell and Tre Jones. And outside of the Spurs game, he shot 3-of-12 from three.

Prone to making mistakes at both ends, Bouknight had some rough turnovers and losing gambles on defense.

Grade: B+


Chris Duarte (Indiana Pacers, SG)

Positives

Considered NBA-ready at 24 years old, Chris Duarte looked like one of summer league's most polished scorers.

You got the feeling he regularly felt like the best player on the floor, demonstrating visible confidence in his one-on-one game and shot-making. There were questions about how his self-creation would translate, and Duarte pulled off a number of high-level moves getting into his jumper or drive.

He hit deep threes, tough pull-ups and physical layups after contact. And he made 14 triples in four games at a 48.3 percent clip, burying them from on and off the ball.

Duarte averaged 3.8 assists, 2.5 steals and 1.8 blocks as well, flashing secondary playmaking skills and an aggressive defensive approach.

Negatives

While Duarte was lights out from behind the arc, he only shot 42.9 percent on two-pointers. His lack of explosiveness and a tendency to force tough shots are to blame. Granted, he was a top option for the Pacers' summer-league team, and he'll be relied on less to create with the NBA squad.

Grade: A


Moses Moody (Golden State Warriors, SG)

Just as Moses Moody did at Arkansas, he found ways to score in summer league without needing isolation touches or ball screens.

He put up points mostly by catch-and-shooting, attacking in straight lines, finishing in transition and crashing the offensive glass. Shot-making is still Moody's bread-and-butter skill, as he made eight of 18 threes and various pull-ups in Las Vegas.

Moody did flash some self-creation (though nothing fancy), managing to separate just by timing his shot attempt and using his length to convert over defenders.

Despite offering limited playmaking ability, he added value with his passing, showing high IQ on certain reads.

Defensively, Moody did a good job staying attached to guards and wings, and though adding strength is an obvious priority, the Warriors coaching staff figures to feel comfortable using him early for his three-and-D.

Weaknesses

No explosiveness or advanced ball-handling held back Moody in the half court. He shot 41.7 percent inside the arc, relying mostly on open shots or lanes to score.

He had some trouble finishing in crowded areas, lacking lower-body strength and plus-athletic ability.

Grade: A-


First-Round Standouts


Alperen Sengun (Houston Rockets, C, No. 16 pick)

Sengun is leading all rookies in rebounds per game and tied for first in blocks per game while averaging 14.5 points. The MVP of the Turkish BSL continued to feast with his scoring instincts, ambidexterity and footwork. But it's the flashes of shooting touch and face-up dribble moves that suggest there is far more offensive upside for the Rockets to unlock.


Trey Murphy III (New Orleans Pelicans, SF/PF, No. 17 pick)

After four games, Murphy is 11-of-25 from three while averaging 16.3 points, 1.8 steals and 1.3 blocks. His shot-making carried over, but he's also made plays around the rim that highlight exciting athletic ability. Assuming New Orleans put extra stock into the three-and-D archetype during its prospect search, the Pelicans should feel good about their pick at No. 17.


Jalen Johnson (Atlanta Hawks, SF/PF, No. 20 pick)

The No. 7 player on Bleacher Report's big board fell to No. 20, where it looks like the Hawks found a steal. At 19.0 points per game, he is fourth among rookies in scoring and tied for second in rebounding (9.5). Johnson converted some fantastic finishes in transition, but he also looked sharper than advertised as a shooter with five threes in four games. His athleticism, face-up game, passing and improving touch create unique versatility and star potential that too many teams overlooked.


Isaiah Jackson (Indiana Pacers, PF/C, No. 22 pick)

Jackson was active in limited minutes, mostly by tapping into his quickness, bounce and motor for finishes, putbacks and blocks. His plus-13 is tied for second among rookies with teammate Chris Duarte. And he tied a summer-league record with seven blocks on Monday.


Josh Christopher (Houston Rockets, SG/SF, No. 24 pick)

Christopher struggled from three, but he still managed 16.0 points and a surprising 4.0 assists per game. He showed off his self-creation in the mid-range and athleticism as a transition weapon and slasher. And he defended with energy and toughness, using his powerful legs against bigger wings.


Quentin Grimes (New York Knicks, SG, No. 25 pick)

After a shaky start, Grimes averaged 23.0 points over his final three summer-league games. Though he's limited inside the arc, his shooting, decision-making and defense hint at an easy fit and role-player potential.


Nah'Shon Hyland (Denver Nuggets, SG, No. 26 pick)

Third among rookies in scoring, Hyland lived up to his reputation as a human microwave with creative moves and streak shooting skills. He even averaged 4.8 assists, looking more capable as a playmaker than he did at VCU, where he carried a huge workload as a No. 1 option.


Cameron Thomas (Brooklyn Nets, SG, No. 27 pick)

Thomas led all freshmen in scoring at LSU, and he'll finish summer league leading all rookies. He had two games with 30-plus points, burying defenses with his pull-up game from the mid-range and deep. The No. 9 prospect on Bleacher Report's board fell all the way to No. 27, where the Nets figure to have added a major steal who'll add instant offense off the bench.


Second Round/Undrafted Standouts


Jeremiah Robinson-Earl (Oklahoma City Thunder, PF, No. 32 pick)

Robinson-Earl's skill and IQ served him well in summer league. A fundamentally sound forward, the Villanova product showed off his soft hands, encouraging shooting touch, rebounding motor and flashes of driving ability past closeouts.


Herbert Jones (New Orleans Pelicans, SF, No. 35 pick)

The Pelicans could see Jones as a rotation player after watching his defensive versatility, IQ and impact in Las Vegas. Though he didn't score a lot, his ability to guard, make reads, pass and finish plays was evident and felt translatable.


Miles McBride (New York Knicks, PG/SG, No. 36 pick)

McBride has made a strong case to receive NBA minutes with his shot-making and defense. He hit at least five threes in three games while playing on and off the ball and pestering opposing ball-handlers into tough jumpers and turnovers.


Sharife Cooper (Atlanta Hawks, PG, No. 48 pick)

Cooper has already started to make most of the NBA look silly for betting against his size and shooting. He's third in summer league in assists (7.3), and he made five threes against the Indiana Pacers, including a buzzer-beater winner. Even if the scoring doesn't translate, his passing will.


Luka Garza (Detroit Pistons, C, No. 52 pick)

Garza's improved shooting and passing showed up in summer league, making it easier to picture an NBA fit.


Jericho Sims (New York Knicks, C, No. 58 pick)

Sims' strength and bounce translated to easy baskets, shot-blocking and a two-way contract. He shot 81.0 percent from the floor.


Sam Hauser (Boston Celtics, SF, undrafted)

Shooting always gave Hauser a chance at making a roster, and he's been one the most accurate in Las Vegas, hitting 10 of 22 threes before the championship game.


Eugene Omoruyi (Dallas Mavericks, PF, undrafted)

Shooting 19-of-22 inside the arc, Omoruyi has been productive around the basket with his strength and touch.


DeJon Jarreau (Miami Heat, PG/SG, undrafted)

The AAC's Defensive Player of the Year at Houston, Jarreau ranks second among rookies in summer league in assists (6.8) while averaging 11.5 points, showcasing improved perimeter scoring skills off the dribble.

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/2/27/NBA_Summer_League_logo.png

1. Sacramento Kings (5-0 *Summer League Champions)

2. New Orleans Pelicans (5-0)

3. Boston Celtics (4-1)

4. Minnesota Timberwolves (4-1)

5. Toronto Raptors (4-1)

6. New York Knicks (4-2)

7. Detroit Pistons (3-2)

8. Houston Rockets (3-2)

9. Indiana Pacers (3-2)

10. Los Angeles Lakers (3-2)

11. Memphis Grizzlies (3-2)

12. Philadelphia Sixers (3-2)

13. Utah Jazz (3-2)

14. Brooklyn Nets (3-2)

15. Atlanta Hawks (2-3)

16. Chicago Bulls (2-3)

17. Cleveland Cavaliers (2-3)

18. Denver Nuggets (2-3)

19. Golden State Warriors (2-3)

20. Miami Heat (2-3)

21. Orlando Magic (2-3)

22. Phoenix Suns (2-3)

23. Portland Trail Blazers (2-3)

24. Oklahoma City Thunder (2-3)

25. Washington Wizards (1-3)

26. Dallas Mavericks (1-4)

27. Los Angeles Clippers (1-4)

28. Milwaukee Bucks (1-4)

29. San Antonio Spurs (1-4)

30. Charlotte Hornets (0-5)

Sporting News (click for full article) https://www.sportingnews.com/au/nba/news/2021-nba-summer-league-10-rookies-who-had-breakout-performances-in-las-vegas/18p73z8abe9iw16rkzxhvtwfsv

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2021 NBA Summer League: 10 rookies who had breakout performances in Las Vegas

Summer League is always headlined by the opportunity to see the top draft picks in their first NBA action.

This year, the hype surrounded Cade Cunningham, Jalen Green, Evan Mobley, Scottie Barnes, Jalen Suggs and Jonathan Kuminga, while another top-10 pick in Davion Mitchell took home Summer League co-MVP honours after leading his Sacramento Kings to a championship.

But every year, there are some under-the-radar rookies who were picked outside of the lottery that show out on the Summer League stage, displaying some promise to make an impact in their first NBA season.

Who were those rookies that made a name for themselves at this year's summer exhibition?

In order of their 2021 NBA Draft selection.


Alperen Sengün, Houston Rockets

2021 NBA Draft pick: No. 16

Summer League averages: 14.5 PTS (43.2% FG, 37.5% 3PT), 10.8 REB, 2.8 AST, 3.0 BLK, 1.3 STL

The Rockets traded two future first-round picks to move up and take Sengün on draft night, and his Summer League performance made him appear to be worthy of that price.

A former Turkish League MVP at 18-years-old, Sengün wasn't phased in his first NBA action, recording double-doubles in two of the four games he played in. He finished tied for third in rebounds per game and flashed some improved skills, like his playmaking and ball handling.


Houston looks to have found a starting-calibre big man to slot alongside Christian Wood from Day 1 in Sengün.


Trey Murphy III, New Orleans Pelicans

2021 NBA Draft pick: No. 17

Summer League averages: 16.3 PTS (55.8% FG, 44.0% 3PT), 7.0 REB, 2.8 AST, 1.8 BLK, 1.3 STL

Murphy's name picked up steam following an impressive showing at the NBA Combine and his performance at Summer League proved exactly why he shot up draft boards.

The 3-and-D forward went off for 26 points and nine rebounds in his debut, knocking down six 3s on nine attempts.

Murphy closed Summer League strong, going for 22 points on four 3s with six boards, three steals and two blocks in his last game, and his efforts earned him a spot on the All-Summer League First Team.

He shot 44.0 percent from 3 in Las Vegas, an asset that can immediately help the Pelicans create some spacing for superstar forward Zion Williamson. His defensive presence and versatility will also be a welcome sight in New Orleans, as the Pelicans were the 23rd-ranked defence in the league last season.

Murphy looks like he will crack a rotation spot in New Orleans right away.


Jalen Johnson, Atlanta Hawks

2021 NBA Draft pick: No. 20

Summer League averages: 19.0 PTS (57.4% FG, 41.7% 3PT), 9.5 REB, 2.0 AST, 1.3 STL

Johnson was a bit of an unknown heading into the NBA Draft after leaving Duke just 13 games into his freshman season. He put a lot of the questions surrounding his name to bed after dominating on the Summer League stage, earning an All-Summer League First Team bid.

He recorded three double-doubles in four games, crashing the defensive glass and pushing the ball in transition. His ball handling and athleticism were on full display, proving to be a player who can create his own offence as a power forward.


He shot extremely efficiently from both the field and from 3-point range, and the Hawks appear to have bolstered their frontcourt depth with this 19-year-old prospect falling to them at No. 20.

Johnson will make for a terrorizing pick-and-roll or pick-and-pop threat with Trae Young, giving Atlanta another forward with a similar skill set as John Collins, who just inked a $125 million extension.


Bones Hyland, Denver Nuggets

2021 NBA Draft pick: No. 26

Summer League averages: 19.8 PTS (46.4% FG, 40.0% 3PT), 4.8 AST, 3.3 REB

Hyland was another name that gained momentum after a strong showing at the NBA Combine. He has a lot of NBA-ready skills as a crafty scorer with a shifty handle, a nice floater and confident step-backs. He is a solid playmaker, too.

He let all of those weapons shine on the Summer League stage, nearly averaging 20 points per game. He went off for 28 points on five 3-pointers in his best performance while also dishing out four assists.


With Jamal Murray expected to miss the start of the season after suffering a torn ACL last year, the Nuggets were in desperate need of some guard depth. Hyland looks like he is poised to take on a significant role to start his NBA career, playing big minutes for Denver while its star guard recovers.


Cam Thomas, Brooklyn Nets

2021 NBA Draft pick: No. 27

Summer League averages: 27.0 PTS (42.3% FG, 36.0% 3PT), 2.0 AST, 1.8 REB, 1.3 STL

Thomas proved what we knew about him heading into the 2021 NBA Draft — the 19-year-old is a flat-out bucket.

His 27.0 points per game led the entire Summer League in scoring, helping him earn co-Most Valuable Player honours alongside Mitchell. He went for over 30 points twice, one being a 31-point outing capped off by a game-winner, the other being a 36-point outing in his final game to leave his mark on the summer exhibition.

Learning underneath three of the best scorers in the NBA today in Kevin Durant, James Harden and Kyrie Irving, it's scary to think of what Thomas can become as an offensive player. As if the Nets needed any more scoring, they landed themselves one of the most prolific scorers in this year's draft, one who could make an impact off the bench during the regular season.


Deuce McBride, New York Knicks

2021 NBA Draft pick: No. 36

Summer League averages: 15.2 PTS (53.2% FG, 50.0% 3PT), 3.5 AST, 3.5 REB, 1.3 STL

McBride fell to the second round in the 2021 NBA Draft but played like a first-round pick at Summer League.

The 20-year-old showed the poise of floor general on offence while letting his West Virginia scrappiness shine on the defensive end, often picking up his matchup on the other side of halfcourt.

His in-your-face defence likely has head coach Tom Thibodeau grinning from ear-to-ear, looking like every bit of a Knicks guard on that side of the ball. He also knocked down some timely shots and proved capable of orchestrating an offence, looking like a hit on a second-round pick for New York.

Playing time will be tough to come by in Year 1 with how crowded the Knicks' backcourt is, but McBride is a name to remember down the line in New York.


Sharife Cooper, Atlanta Hawks

2021 NBA Draft pick: No. 48

Summer League averages: 14.8 PTS (46.3% FG, 33.3% 3PT), 7.3 AST, 1.5 REB

Cooper had the reputation of being one of the best playmakers in this draft class and he further proved that in Summer League. His 7.3 assists ranked first among all rookies and third to only Payton Pritchard (8.5 APG) and Immanuel Quickley (7.8), two second-year players who played significant minutes as rookies last season.

Cooper's most impressive game was his lone double-double, going for 21 points and 12 assists, making some ridiculous passes along the way.

He also had 21 points and nine assists in a game where he knocked down the winning shot at the buzzer, flashing a clutch gene.

Although the Hawks re-signed Lou Williams, they could still use some guard depth behind All-Star guard Young, and Cooper might be the playmaker to eat up some minutes in their backcourt.


Luka Garza, Detroit Pistons

2021 NBA Draft pick: No. 52

Summer League averages: 15.0 PTS (52.0% FG, 40.0% 3PT), 9.6 REB, 1.8 AST, 1.0 BLK

Garza ran away with every Player of the Year award the NCAA had to offer last season, yet because of his lack of speed and lateral mobility, he fell all the way to pick No. 52 with the Pistons.

A relentless worker, Garza reportedly shed about 30 pounds in just two months to prepare for the NBA Draft, and he looked much more lean and ready to play at the next level at Summer League. He went from strictly being an interior player in his first few years of college to slowly extending his play beyond the 3-point line to adapt to today's game, and that work showed in Vegas, knocking down 40.0 percent of 20 3-point attempts over five games.

There was no guarantee that he would land a roster spot with the Pistons, but his efforts impressed the front office enough to receive a Two-Way contract before the end of Summer League.

He concluded his standout performance in Vegas with consecutive games with over 20 points and 10 rebounds, even notching a double-double by halftime in one of those two contests.

He was rewarded for a strong showing by landing a spot on the All-Summer League Second Team. With the work ethic that Garza possesses, don't be surprised to see him stick around in the NBA for years to come.


Jericho Sims, New York Knicks

2021 NBA Draft pick: No. 58

Summer League averages: 8.2 PTS (81.0% FG), 8.2 REB, 1.0 BLK, 1.0 AST

Sims nearly went undrafted, but the Knicks will be glad they selected him with only three picks remaining in the 2021 NBA Draft.

The 22-year-old center is an athletic freak, showing his value as a lob threat and rim protector at Summer League. He was insanely efficient, shooting 81.0 percent from the field, which mostly included a variation of alley-oops, putbacks and dunks.

New York is fairly deep at every position, but having an athlete of Sims' calibre in-waiting at center could become valuable because he can stay on the floor against teams that play small. He'll have to be patient for playing time, but Sims could be a problem as a rim-runner in the future.


Eugene Omoruyi, Dallas Mavericks

2021 NBA Draft pick: Undrafted

Summer League averages: 14.8 PTS (55.3% FG), 5.3 REB, 1.3 AST

Omoruyi didn't get drafted but the 22-year-old impressed the Mavericks enough to offer him a Two-Way contract before the end of Summer League.

The Oregon product is a tough and energetic defender, but he can also put the ball on the floor and score at the rim. He scored over 15 points in three of his four Summer League appearances, leading his team with 14.8 points per game.

He'll have to develop as a 3-point shooter if he is going to be able to play alongside Luka Doncic and crack Dallas' rotation, but his aggressiveness on the defensive end could prove useful for a team that could improve on that side of the ball.

NBA.com https://www.nba.com/news/kings-davion-mitchell-nets-cam-thomas-named-summer-league-co-mvps

After successful showings at the MGM Resorts NBA Summer League, the Sacramento Kings’ Davion Mitchell and the Brooklyn Nets’ Cam Thomas have been named co-MVPs of the event.

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Mitchell keyed Sacramento’s run to the Summer League championship, which they locked up on Tuesday by rolling past the Boston Celtics. He averaged 10.8 points, 1.4 rebounds and 5.8 assists in Summer League while shooting 42.3% overall and 47.1% on 3-pointers.

Thomas was the No. 1 scorer in Summer League (27.0 ppg) and helped Brooklyn to a 3-2 mark in the showcase event. He shot 42.3% overall and 36% on 3-pointers while also averaging 1.8 rpg and 2.0 apg for the Nets.

Mitchell and Thomas were also among the players named to the All-Summer League First Team, a group that includes Jalen Johnson (Atlanta Hawks), Trey Murphy III (New Orleans Pelicans), Payton Pritchard (Boston Celtics), Jalen Smith (Phoenix Suns) and Obi Toppin (New York Knicks).

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The No. 1 overall pick in the 2021 Draft, Detroit’s Cade Cunningham, led the All-Summer League Second Team. Joining him on that list were No. 2 overall pick Jalen Green of the Houston Rockets as well as Paul Reed (Philadelphia 76ers), Patrick Williams (Chicago Bulls) and Luke Garza (Pistons). Both All-Summer League teams were selected by a panel of media.

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