Day 3 Summer League Notes

Several rookies settled in during a day filled with standout performances

Game 1 of Summer League is almost always a mess for NBA rookies. They want to show they belong and play too amped up. Or some are nervous and play too passive. It’s rare that one finds their footing in Game 1.

Game 2 is often a different story. Guys have now played a game, know that they belong, and they approach things differently. Several young players followed this script perfectly on Sunday. Here’s what I saw across each game!

Cleveland Cavaliers vs Milwaukee Bucks

·         In his second game, the Cavs put Jaylon Tyson on the ball a bit more. He did fairly well too. That won’t be his role in the NBA right away, but Tyson has some playmaking skills.

·         Like so many Australian products before him, Luke Travers just knows how to play. And he’s tough as nails. If he shot it better, he’d be an NBA rotation player right now. He might end up that soon anyway.

·         Zhaire Smith had the highlight dunk. That was great, but what surely caught NBA scouts’ attention was his defense. Smith was everywhere and made life tough on the Bucks ballhandlers all afternoon.

·         This was not a good showing for the Bucks. Their rostered players had a tough time, and the longshots struggled too.

LA Clippers vs Brooklyn Nets

·         After a monster first game in Vegas, Jordan Miller returned to earth a bit. But he was still really aggressive and got himself to the line 13 times, without nary a miss. I’m intrigued, because the Clippers could use a young wing.

·         Kobe Brown looked more settled in Game 2. He shot it better and didn’t seem as rushed.

·         Terry Taylor continues to be an offensive rebounding machine, despite his small size. He’s such a unique player.

·         Jalen Wilson was focused on getting his three-point attempts up in his second game. He looked pretty good too. With the Nets rebuilding, Wilson is a player to monitor.

·         Noah Clowney turned in another strong game. He could work his way into the rotation at some point this season.

·         Nice game from Keon Johnson. You can see why he was drafted in the first round, but bringing it consistently has been an issue for him.

Minnesota Timberwolves vs Indiana Pacers

·         Much better from Rob Dillingham the second time out. He looked confident and didn’t get sped up as much. Dropping eight dimes was really good to see, because he’ll need to be a table-setter initially in the NBA.

·         Another strong effort from Terrance Shannon Jr. The Wolves could probably use another wing and Shannon might be ready to play right away.

·         Wanted to see more from Leonard Miller in Year 2 of Summer League. Everything is still a bit slow for him.

·         Good to see Josh Minott get on the glass.

·         Another nice all-around game from Jarace Walker. It’s going to get really hard for the Pacers to keep him off the floor this season.

·         Tristen Newton can really run a team. He’ll help a ton in the G League. If he’s going to make it in the NBA, he has to shoot better.

·         Johnny Furphy stuffed the stat sheet again. He’s not going to crack the Pacers rotation this season, but it’s easy to see why so many had a first-round grade on him.

Houston Rockets vs Washington Wizards

·         Reed Sheppard plays with the swagger of a guy who knows he’s the best player on the floor. Then he backs it up over and over and over.

·         Just a guess, but this is probably it for Cam Whitmore. He’s shown what he needed to in Vegas.

·         Monster effort from Orlando Robinson. He can play. It’s about finding that right fit and staying healthy.

·         Alex Sarr really struggled in this one. You can see that the speed and physicality of the NBA is going to be an adjustment for him. Whitmore Robinson both ate him up.

·         This is the time to challenge players to come out of their comfort zone. So, it was good to see Kyshawn George get a ton of on-ball reps. The turnovers were a predictable mess, but that’s fine. He did a nice job creating his on off-the-dribble looks.

·         Bub Carrington didn’t shoot it well, but he did a nice job staying on the attack.

Orlando Magic vs New Orleans Pelicans

·         Tristan Da Silva knows how to find space. He’s always moving and looking for an angle. He also seems to understand when to stay rooted to his spot, or to lift for a passer.

·         Anthony Black didn’t hit shots, but did a nice job setting up his teammates.

·         It wasn’t as good as Game 1, but Jett Howard still hit some shots. He looks far more confident this year.

·         Jordan Hawkins comes to the gym ready to shoot. He’s been pretty inefficient in Vegas so far, but he doesn’t have a lot of help. In the end, these extra reps will help Hawkins out.

·         Solid energy from Yves Missi, but he’s pretty lost on both ends. Everything is off instinct right now. But those instincts are good. So, as he learns, he’ll rapidly improve. He’ll be a vastly different player in March/April than October/November.

·         Maybe he was excited about his NBA contract, but Karlo Matkovic was the definition of “doing too much” in this one. He had some wild turnovers. But better that than being a passive observer.