This is well-established amongst those that work in some capacity in basketball, but it must be said, Las Vegas Summer League is more of a social event than an exhibition of high-quality play. That is no more evident than in the coverage that seems more interested in the sidelines and the stands, than what’s actually occurring on the floor. While it’s a fun introduction to the impending rookie class, and the occasional fringe roster guy may find an opportunity to showcase a prior deficiency in a manner that gives him a chance to sign a two-way, an exhibit 10, or find a placement overseas, in reality the mediocre quality of play at summer league gives way to a brand of basketball that really only confirms already held assumptions about the vast majority of players. That doesn’t mean it’s not enjoyable to watch your favorite prospect explode for 30. Or that you should not relish the opportunity to take a victory lap when the guy you’ve been telling everyone to keep an eye on flashes his talents. But in truth, summer league is not the place to learn something new about most players in attendance.
Knowing that going in, I utilize summer league as an opportunity to reinforce my already held ideas about most guys. In that vein, here are some notable preconceived notions that my 3-day weekend at the Vegas Summer League only helped solidify.
– Jaden Hardy can score―if you let him dribble the air out of the ball for 18 seconds before the shot. But a ball-dominant undersized shooting guard who isn’t much of a creator for others and cannot be a threat as a catch and shoot scorer seems an odd fit in Dallas. It’s early, and there’s a lot there, but guys fawning over his first game forget that it’s summer league.
– Chet Holmgren flashed some brilliance, especially regarding his shot-blocking and motor, but his body at times offers less resistance than the Wendy’s Twitter account. His ceiling isn’t the question, it’s whether the physical concerns drop the floor.
– If Jaden Ivey can shoot at the next level, Detroit is in the fast lane to become a problem. He really is tantalizingly electric.
– Jonathan Kuminga has all the talent to be great, and at times, all the attitude to thwart that. I’m cheering for him, but the body language can be dismaying for even the most ardent supporter. That being said, the Golden State ecosystem is perfect for his development, both physically and emotionally, and he has all the raw potential to become a special player.
– Keegan Murray is just a professional scorer. Pencil that dude for 18 and 9 for the next twelve years.
– Benedict Mathurin has a chance to be something special. His combination of shooting, pace, balance, and bounce reminds me of Bradley Beal. Indiana may have the most exciting three-guard rotation in the league in about two years.
– Paulo Banchero is great with the ball in his hands, and he may be the most polished player in this rookie class, but he can’t really break a defense until he makes himself a threat to shoot off the catch. Defenses are too smart at the next level, and he makes their job far too easy rotationally if he won’t consistently present the threat of being a willing shooter when the ball swings to him. Yet, his size cannot be understated, nor some of the flashes of next-level skills that he presents.
– RJ Hampton has all the physical tools and none of the mental acumen. It’s easy to understand what’s enticing about him, but I’m just not sure he’ll ever put it together.
– If Jericho Sims can ever cultivate enough skill to match with his athletic prowess, he can be an impactful player, though he’ll struggle for reps with the Knicks at an impacted position. Otherwise, with that body, he may want to see if Disney is looking for their next Marvel superhero.
– Jalen Duren is a big body with some bounce and good hands, but he’s a guy you can find around the league at a far less significant opportunity cost than what Detroit paid for him. I know he makes sense on their trajectory from an age standpoint, though with that being their thought process, I think Mark Williams has a lot more upside if they wanted to fixate on a big to develop along with their young core. I know that Williams would have cost the same, but I just think he is potentially a more uniquely effective player at the position.
– While we have been inundated with takes regarding the death of the big man basically since Shaq and Tim Duncan ceded their domination upon the league, in reality the center position is thriving, albeit with a far more diverse skillset than in the halcyon days of the plodding paint dweller. What position-less basketball has possibly come to quell is the era of the traditional point guard. With the eventual retirement of Chris Paul, we may see the end of the diminutive floor general who prioritizes distribution and leadership. With players at all five positions now showing an aptitude and attitude for ballhandling and offensive initiation, the traditional point guard seems to be the archetypical player that is no longer being coveted the way it used to be. Blame Jokic, blame the Raptors, blame LeBron, blame immense increases in general coordination, size, and athleticism, but the little lead guard seems to now be regarded very little.
