[JNixonParticipant]

Toronto:

Sonny Weems was impressive. Made his usual athletic finishes around the basket, and showed the strong mid-range game he’s known for. He’ll need to improve his handle to take the next step, but he has improved. Only mediocre defender despite his physical and athletic ability. Underrated passer. He’s should improve offensively next year, I think he’ll get 10 or 11 ppg for what that’s worth.

Demar Derozan was also strong. He’s an overrated athlete IMO, but he can slash and draw contact. He’s more saavy than he used to be, and he’s improved his range a little. No longer simply a spot up mid-range shooter. Good defender for the most part, especially on the ball. Not a strong ball-handler, but better than he used to be. Expect a sizeable improvement next year from Derozan, like 13 ppg.

Ed Davis is slowly showing why he’s not really ready to play as much as he may have to next year. He’s not a talented scorer, and he struggles when he has to create offense too much. Needs loose balls or the ball to be dropped off to him to score a lot. He is a decent shot-blocker, but only average rebounder. Needs to add strength and offensive versatility. He would benefit from a mid-range game.

Solomon Alabi is a stiff, but he did factor on the glass and is a defensive presence.

Joey Dorsey is a bulldog and will play strong and rebound. He has an enforcer style of D, similar to a poor mans Ben Wallace.

Knicks:

Andy Rautins could stand to improve his jump shot, but he’s good at everything else…..LOL. Just playing. (Vice versa). Looks like a potential liability on D.

Landry Fields continues to do his best Jared Dudley impression. Scrappy, strong and has a nose for rebounds. Especially offensive. He’s not quite quick or athletic, but he does make the most of what he has. Classic overachiever.

Toney Douglass has played high level in the SL so far. He’s an improved shooter spotting up, can slash a little, and he’s a strong defender. He’s not very good in transition, but he is perfect for half-court on both ends. He’s also a better than advertised playmaker. Watching him play, he reminds me of Jarrett Jack.

Billie Bill Walker has improved his athleticism and quickness with his lost weight, but his jump shot is a little erratic despite the fact that it is better than it was at K-State. Tough and competitive defender and slasher.

[pattymills]

IT SAYS ITS HALFTIME. is nba.com slow?

[gregoden08Participant]

Has always been a very good rebounder and shot blocker. 3 games of summer league does not make him an average rebounder. Also, he played good today. His b-ball IQ has looked much better and he faced up and hit a mid range jumper (good sign for him). He hasn’t played a lot of 5 on 5 ball and I think he’s played really well so far (besides game 2). His future is bright.

[NarcParticipant]

I think Walker needs to adjust a little to the weight loss. A lot of people don’t realize that as an athlete when you do lose weight, when ever thing is lighter it takes a while to get used to the less weight. Anyway, I think a lot of people in NY, myself being on owe Landry Fields and apology for booing him on draft night.

[stanford hoops]

Told y’all don’t sleep on fields. Better and more athletic then people think

[OhCanada-Participant]

Ed Davis is not at the conditioning level he would like to be, he is not running full sprint back on D and hes lift on rebounding attempts, dunks, and finishing plays to the basket are effected by this. Its just like when Reggie Evans had his debut for Toronto last year after being injured.He played 5 hard minutes and was so tired he had to sit the rest of the game due to his conditioning.The fact that he is doing what he’s doing as far as his energy level, motor and tenacity go is great going forward.

DeMar Derozan definitely is not an underrated athlete and I have no clue why you would say that. Being able to make strong runs to the rim, under contact, and exploding to the basket all game long shows he is an incredible athlete.

Soloman Alabi is very raw and needs to learn how to play at the NBA speed to be effective. He has great touch for a 7’1 250 pound Center and displayed that with goof FT shooting, a mid-range game and good raw passing abillity (as shown from multiple high-low passes to Davis, and a quick touch pass to Davis for a dunk in the 4th.

[stanford hoops]

for sum but when I lost weight and played I played much better. Same with caracter Kobe etc. Everyone I know or seen lose weight don’t need time to adjust and always play better because they get quicker and jump higher. Just looks like walker hasn’t worked on his game much since the end of the season

[JNixonParticipant]

DeMar Derozan was compared to Vince Carter athletically. THAT makes him overrated in my eyes. He’s a very good athlete, but he’s not elite. His quickness and agility aren’t at anything more than an above average level.

[gregoden08Participant]

He’s a very good athlete, but clearly not a great one.

[stanford hoops]

I think he says overrated athlete because so much was made about how he’s almost a mirror image of Vince Carter athleticallt which he us not. From what I’ve seen From college till now he’s a lil below Kobe when Kobe was the same age which of course is below Vince

[stanford hoops]

Lol

[JNixonParticipant]

Ed Davis will prove to be a very mediocre rebounder. He’s not that good a defensive rebounder, but he’s probably above average on the offensive glass. He’s not going to be more than a 7 or 8 rpg guy at his best.

[gregoden08Participant]

3 games of summer league…let’s not rush anything lol. Especially considering the fact that he’s not in ideal playing shape. That is a big factor right there. Davis has the opportunity to be a double digit rebounder (obviously not next year). He was one of the best rebounders at UNC and it will translate to the NBA. Especially playing along side Andrea who is a below average rebounder on a good day.

[OhCanada-Participant]

As far as being as great an athlete as Carter, i think if you believed that there was truely something wrong with your brain.

I think Derozan has the potential to be an elite athlete in this league and you dont buy only time will tell.

We’ll see about that Nixon…

[stanford hoops]

There was alot of NBA scouts with Brain issues then cuz many compared his athletic ability to Vince

[JNixonParticipant]

You’re acting like I didn’t watch UNC play. He got a good bit of his rebounds because Deon Thompson was a well below average rebounder on the college level as well.

He’s not that good a defensive rebounder. He averaged 6.4 defensive rpg, which is only average for a college big man. He averaged nearly 3 offensive boards a game, which is well above average for a college big man. So, I stand behind what I said. He’ll be an average defensive rebounder and above average offensive rebounder.

[stanford hoops]

I think we should see what draftexpress scouting report on him because they are usually on point

[Malik-UniversalParticipant]

derozan is a great athlete, but not an elite one tho, cmon man, yall cant say he isnt a great athelte, dont look into the SL to much

[JNixonParticipant]

Make sure you read what everybody said, because everyone has said he’s a very good athlete.

[TRC1991Participant]

Is gallinari playing for NYs team?

[JNixonParticipant]

Nah he didn’t play. I would see no point of him playing unless he was trying to learn a new position.

[Bison 49Participant]

Want to chime in on a few points after watching the game.

1) Weems is looking very good, and I think that if he starts (as has been discussed in some interviews with DeRozan) he will be closer to 13ppg for the season. Keep in mind that his SL production is coming in a relatively few minutes. It will be tough to fully guage guys’ defensive abilities at summer league as well, because the team defense is not routine yet for these guys. Not like it will be at mid season, and could throw them off.

2) A few of these guys need a few years with the Raptors trainers befre they can really produce. I am talking about Alibi and Davis in particular. But will also chime in on DeRozan shortly.
Alibi looks like he is too big for his body strength right now, and lacks coordination (much like the awkward kid in 7th grade that grew too fast). I could expect to see him work with this, get his strength up and become much better at managing his size. This will help him become much more coordinated (much like it has helped Hibbert over the past few years). He appears to have a great motor, good defense and rebounding, and even offense. I am really impressed with his offensive game so far (compared to what i had expected).
Ed Davis has probably always been a little light for his class (as a freshman and sophmore), and he did appear to get pushed around quite a bit on the defensive end. This probably has and will continue to affect his defensive rebounding until he gets it fixed. It also did not help his rebounding numbers that he was on the floor with Dorsey (who gets every rebound in his area) and Alibi. Both of these guys really hit the boards when they are out there. The strength issue will change though once he completes a few years of NBA training. It has been said by the Raptors brass that they are getting that guy in the weight room right away… Expect his defensive rebounding ability to surpass anything we have seen at the college/summer league level, once he does this. He still looks like a great prospect.

3) DeRozan is still super young. He (and Kobe both) came into the league way before Vince. In fact matching their ages, DeRozan would be around the same age as Vince was when he came into the league, next year. His athleticism can improve a lot by that time. In summer league it seems his strength and athleticism already has. He looks more athletic already than he did last year, and expect to see even more of an improvement. He might not be right at where Vince was, but when viewing him in comparision with the rest of the professional athletes in the NBA Vince is a good comparison from an athelticism point of view. He is absolutely explosive (when he wants/needs to be) I expect the Raps to groom him to be their future, and see him getting a lot of shots. Expect around 16 ppg and 5rpg, (maybe around 2 apg – does need to work on his facilitation) from him this year. His development will continue to progress over the rest of the summer, and throughout the year. He has already shown a great ability to improve.

4) I really hope Dorsey sticks around. If we need toughness and grit he is the ticket. Play him with the four softest players in the league and other teams would still be careful calling the raps soft.

[Bison 49Participant]

Want to chime in on a few points after watching the game.

1) Weems is looking very good, and I think that if he starts (as has been discussed in some interviews with DeRozan) he will be closer to 13ppg for the season. Keep in mind that his SL production is coming in a relatively few minutes. It will be tough to fully guage guys’ defensive abilities at summer league as well, because the team defense is not routine yet for these guys. Not like it will be at mid season, and could throw them off.

2) A few of these guys need a few years with the Raptors trainers befre they can really produce. I am talking about Alibi and Davis in particular. But will also chime in on DeRozan shortly.
Alibi looks like he is too big for his body strength right now, and lacks coordination (much like the awkward kid in 7th grade that grew too fast). I could expect to see him work with this, get his strength up and become much better at managing his size. This will help him become much more coordinated (much like it has helped Hibbert over the past few years). He appears to have a great motor, good defense and rebounding, and even offense. I am really impressed with his offensive game so far (compared to what i had expected).
Ed Davis has probably always been a little light for his class (as a freshman and sophmore), and he did appear to get pushed around quite a bit on the defensive end. This probably has and will continue to affect his defensive rebounding until he gets it fixed. It also did not help his rebounding numbers that he was on the floor with Dorsey (who gets every rebound in his area) and Alibi. Both of these guys really hit the boards when they are out there. The strength issue will change though once he completes a few years of NBA training. It has been said by the Raptors brass that they are getting that guy in the weight room right away… Expect his defensive rebounding ability to surpass anything we have seen at the college/summer league level, once he does this. He still looks like a great prospect.

3) DeRozan is still super young. He (and Kobe both) came into the league way before Vince. In fact matching their ages, DeRozan would be around the same age as Vince was when he came into the league, next year. His athleticism can improve a lot by that time. In summer league it seems his strength and athleticism already has. He looks more athletic already than he did last year, and expect to see even more of an improvement. He might not be right at where Vince was, but when viewing him in comparision with the rest of the professional athletes in the NBA Vince is a good comparison from an athelticism point of view. He is absolutely explosive (when he wants/needs to be) I expect the Raps to groom him to be their future, and see him getting a lot of shots. Expect around 16 ppg and 5rpg, (maybe around 2 apg – does need to work on his facilitation) from him this year. His development will continue to progress over the rest of the summer, and throughout the year. He has already shown a great ability to improve.

4) I really hope Dorsey sticks around. If we need toughness and grit he is the ticket. Play him with the four softest players in the league and other teams would still be careful calling the raps soft.

[Bison 49Participant]

My appologies for the double post.

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