On to the fourth part of the Summer League Review, with a look at Dallas, Denver, Houston and New Orleans.  Some good players on display and some surprises as well.

Make sure to check out parts I-III on the front page - NBADraftBlog.com - Part V will be the conclusion with the West Coast teams and John Wall's debut. 

Part IV - After the jump.......

The Vegas Summer League Review continues with a look at the Bulls, Pistons, Bucks, Grizzlies and Timberwolves.  Two of these teams were really bad - can you guess which ones?   (Here's a hint - the Grizzlies and the Timberwolves).

If you haven't checked out Part 1 (Spurs and Raptors) and Part 2 (Hawks, Cavs, Heat and Knicks) - do so now, Part 3 will still be here when you get back. 

 

CHICAGO BULLS   (1-4)

 

Leaders

 

 

PPG – John Lucas III – 18.3

 

RPG   Trent Plaisted – 9.0

 

APG – John Lucas III – 2.7

 

 

Most Valuable Player – Samardo Samuels

 

Most Improved Player – John Lucas III

 

Biggest Surprise – Samardo Samuels

 

 

Summer League Review – Samardo Samuels was out to prove a point this week, and did he ever.  Everything people expected to see out of him at Louisville, finally started to come out in Las Vegas.  He was tough in the post, showed nice footwork, a face-up game which I never knew he had, and good touch on his shots.  Defensively, he played aggressively, but smart, and played with passion.  He started to wear down a bit by the end of the week, but he showed up in better condition than he was in last season.  James Johnson, on the other hand, was a disappointment.  He has showed little improvement from last season, and in some ways, such as defensively, has regressed.  He needs to focus on doing what he does best – rebounding and being a tough presence down low.  John Lucas III played in only three games, but he showed some excellent skills while out there.  The most impressive part was the improvement he has shown as a perimeter shooter, with a much quicker release and longer range.  Matt Bouldin had an up and down week. He did a decent job running the offense, but his shot wasn’t falling and he seemed frustrated by pressure defense.  Morris Almond showed that he can still score, but that’s about it.  Trent Plaisted continued to make the case to be on a roster this fall with strong play on the boards.  He didn’t do as much on the offensive end as he did in Orlando, but he still looked ready to play NBA level ball.  Just the opposite, AJ Ogilvie still has some work to do.  Solid fundamentally, he lacks the athleticism or muscle to be a true post player.

 

Who to Look For This Season – Samuels should make the team with a decent showing in pre-season camp.  Ogilvie, Bouldin and Almond will either be in the D-League or overseas for the year.  Lucas is a tough call, he has a ton of heart, but just doesn’t seem quick enough to play the point in the NBA.

 

 

 

 

DETROIT PISTONS   (2-3)

 

Leaders

PPG – DeJuan Summers – 15.8

 

RPG   Greg Monroe – 8.0

 

APG – Edgar Sosa – 2.8

 

 

Most Valuable Player – Austin Daye

 

Most Improved Player – DeJuan Summers

 

Biggest Surprise – Edgar Sosa

 

 

Summer League Review – While I was anticipating the debuts of Greg Monroe and Terrico White, it was the 2^nd year players who stole the show for the Pistons.  DeJuan Summers, Austin Daye, and Jonas Jerebko all have shown great improvement over the last year.  Daye has become a threat inside and out, and his court vision has improved greatly.  He still needs to work on getting stronger, though he is not as weak as he looks.  Summers has become a more consistent perimeter shooter and has improved his defense, especially off the ball.  Jerebko was probably the most polished of the three last year, though his rate of improvement is not as great.  Monroe was inconsistent all week, though he improved each game.  Again, he is someone who needs to add some muscle to be more of a true post player.  White showed off his perimeter range on a few occasions, but needs to improve getting to the rim, as well as his defensive presence on the ball.  Edgar Sosa played better here than I ever remember at Louisville.  He played in control, got the ball to players in the right spots, and played tough defense.  He should get a chance to come to pre-season camp off of this performance.  Both Mac Koshwal and Marquez Haynes had their moments in limited minutes – Koshwal because of foul troubles and Haynes because of Sosa’s play.  Koshwal is a couple of years from being a NBA player, though he has the body and raw talent to eventually make it.

 

Who to Look For This Season – Summers has a real shot at moving ahead of Jerebko on the depth chart this fall, while Daye should become more of an impact player in Year 2.  Monroe will be a member of the All-Rookie Team, while White will be a great addition off the bench for Rip Hamilton.  Sosa should get a camp invite, though I don’t think we will see him on a NBA roster this season

 

 

 

 

 

 

MILWAUKEE BUCKS   (1-4)

 

Leaders

 

 

PPG – Larry Sanders – 14.0

 

RPG   Larry Sanders – 8.4

 

APG – Dominic James – 3.5

 

 

Most Valuable Player – Larry Sanders

 

Most Improved Player – Tiny Gallon

 

Biggest Surprise – Deron Washington

 

 

Summer League Review – While the results could have been better for the Bucks, there was still plenty for them to be happy about during the week.  Larry Sanders showed why he may be one of the most NBA-ready rookies this season.  He showed he could play both inside and out, though he needs to improve his ballhandling a bit.  He showed good range on his jumper and did a good job on the boards.  Tiny Gallon steadily improved as the week went on.  By the end of the week, Gallon was playing hard, showed some strong moves to the basket and was grabbing a lot of tough rebounds.  Conditioning will still be an issue for him, but he can provide valuable minutes during the season.  Deron Washington did a great job getting into the lane and finishing, and played much better defense than when I last watched him.  Dominic James made a case as to why he should be in the NBA, though I am not sure he has the size and strength for it.  Micah Downs had a so-so week, doing a little bit of everything on the offensive end, though his defense leaves a lot to be desired.  His footwork was a bit slow.  Sean Williams looked good in limited minutes, playing tough defense and showing nice agility around the rim.  Darington Hobson did not play due to a groin injury.

 

Who to Look For This Season – Sanders should play a lot of minutes immediately for the Bucks, while Gallon should be good for 10-15 solid minutes a game.  I think Washington will have a shot to stick around as back-up and could get some minutes when they need quick scoring.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

MEMPHIS GRIZZLIES   (2-3)

 

Leaders

 

 

PPG – Sam Young – 19.4

 

RPG   Hasheem Thabeet – 8.6

 

APG – Greivis Vasquez – 4.0

 

 

 

Most Valuable Player – Sam Young

 

Most Improved Player – Hasheem Thabeet

 

Biggest Surprise – Greivis Vasquez

 

 

Summer League Review – The Grizzlies did not look good in Vegas, especially when you consider that their starting 5 all played in the NBA last season.  OJ Mayo cannot be a NBA-level point guard.  That was quite clear in Vegas where his decision-making was poor, his instincts were off, and his passes were all over the place.  Luckily, he only played in 2 games and was spared further humiliation.  Sam Young was the best player by default, having been one of the few Grizzlies to play more than 1 good game.  He still does much of his scoring around the basket, but has yet to adjust to playing out on the perimeter.  He does still have the best head fake in all of basketball though.  DeMarre Carroll has not improved at all since college, and really didn’t show much in Vegas.  I liked some of the improvements I saw in Hasheem Thabeet, especially how he raised his aggressiveness level around the basket on offense.  He did a good job on the boards, but still needs to get stronger to have an impact.  Greivis Vasquez got off to a decent start in his Grizzlies career, showing great playmaking abilities and some good hustle.  He also showed his propensity towards silly turnovers.  Jeff Adrien continued to be one of my favorite players this summer with some very tough play in the lane.

 

Who to Look For This Season – The person we really need to look for is Xavier Henry.  The Grizzlies will need him to make a run at a .500 record again this season.

 

 

  

 

 

 

MINNESOTA TIMBERWOLVES   (1-4)

 

Leaders

 

 

PPG – Wayne Ellington – 15.8

 

RPG   Patrick O’Bryant – 7.0

 

APG – Jeremy Pargo – 4.2

 

 

Most Valuable Player – Wayne Ellington

 

Most Improved Player – Wayne Ellington

 

Biggest Surprise – Wayne Ellington

 

 

Summer League Review – As you can see from the awards above, there was very little for the Timberwolves to get excited about other than Wayne Ellington.  Ellington showed that he has gotten much better working one-on-one, though his long-range shot wasn’t working for him.  Defensively, he still has some issues, especially closing on shooters.  Lazar Hayward had a decent first showing as a Timberwolf, showing decent range on his perimeter shot and playing tough defense, though he still needs to adjust to the speed of the NBA game.  Wesley Johnson looked good in the one game he played before he was shut down, and Jonny Flynn didn’t play at all.  Though it would have been fun to see them play together, it may have been a smart move keeping them off the floor.  Jeremy Pargo was the primary point guard for the week and seemed to show the effects of playing back to back summer leagues.  He didn’t show the motor he had last week playing for the Bobcats.  Patrick O’Bryant did an admirable job manning the middle, though he hasn’t improved much since he came into the league.  Cedric Simmons was another player who I had high hopes for after a good week in Orlando, but he seemed to be out of sync with the TWolves team and didn’t get much court time.

 

Who to Look For This Season – The trio of Flynn, Ellington and Johnson should provide some exciting moments this upcoming season.  Hayward will provide solid minutes off the bench – especially being able to guard multiple positions and rebound. And I almost forgot, Darko is making a lot of money.

 

 

More to come tonight with the Rockets, Mavericks (don’t be surprised if I am the only one critical of Jeremy Lin), Nuggets, and Hornets.

 

My review of Vegas continues with a look at how the Summer League went for the Atlanta Hawks, Cleveland Cavaliers, Miami Heat and New York Knicks.  If you missed Part 1 (Spurs and Raptors) - check it out here.  Part II after the jump..... no comments

After a fantastic 10 days in Vegas, the NBA Summer League came to a close yesterday.  Over the next few days, I will give you my recap of each of the teams out there, along with other tidbits and conversations from my time out there. 

 

Two teams finished undefeated out in Vegas, but each did it in very different ways.  Let’s take a look at the Summer League Review for the San Antonio Spurs and the Toronto Raptors.

 

 

SAN ANTONIO SPURS   (5-0)

 

Leaders

PPG – Gary Neal – 16.0

 

RPG   Tyler Wilkerson – 6.6

 

APG – Curtis Jerrells – 4.4

 

Most Valuable Players – Gary Neal and Alonzo Gee

 

Most Improved Player – Curtis Jerrells

 

Biggest Surprise - Gary Neal

 

 

Summer League Review – The Spurs were easily the most impressive team to watch in Vegas.  With possibly the fewest number of NBA players on their roster, this summer league squad looked like they had been playing together for a few years.  Alonzo Gee had a great week – showing a quick first step and phenomenal leaping ability.  I can recall very few instances where a defender stopped him one-on-one all week.  He still worries a bit about making a spectacular play rather than the smart play, but he was a pleasure to watch and should be seen on the Spurs roster more often this season.  Gary Neal needs to be signed immediately, if not by the Spurs, then by any team looking for a shooter with good range and the ability to shoot of the catch or dribble.  Curtis Jerrells has shown remarkable improvement since his time at Baylor, showing good ability to run a half-court offense while also creating shots when needed.  Daryl Watkins and Tyler Wilkerson both did admirable jobs down low against stronger and more talented competition.  DeJuan Blair was in attendance but did not play.

 

Who to Look For This Season – Gee should receive some minutes this season, and expect both Jerrells and Neal to be in pre-season camp.

 

 

TORONTO RAPTORS   (5-0)

 

Leaders

PPG – DeMar DeRozan – 16.0

 

RPG   Joey Dorsey – 9.8

 

APG – Curtis Stinson and Bobby Brown – 4.0

 

 

Most Valuable Player – DeMar DeRozan

 

Most Improved Player – Sonny Weems

 

Biggest Surprise – Ed Davis

 

 

Summer League Review – DeMar DeRozan looks like he is ready to make the leap in his second year to being one of those players that you need to worry about every night if you are the opposition.  Last week, he showed an improved mid-range game, the ability to go strong to the basket, and more than a couple highlight dunks in transition.  He still needs to improve his defense, especially positioning, but he is looking very good right now.  Sonny Weems is still not much of a threat in the half-court offense, but in transition he does a great job filling the lanes and getting to the rim.  Defensively, he has shown improvement, though he is still prone to silly fouls.  Bobby Brown did a great job pacing the Toronto offense, both in transition and in half-court sets.  He does a great job taking what the offense gives him, though I don’t think he would be much of a scorer at the NBA level.  Ed Davis looked more like the freshman everyone raved about rather than the disappointing sophomore.  He showed nice footwork in the post, good touch on his shots and did a great job on defense.  He still needs to gets a little stronger and add some bulk, plus he needs to work on not trying to force all of his moves to the left side of the court.  Joey Dorsey was a monster on defense and as a rebounder.  While not in great shape, he used his body to force offensive players out of the lane and easily out-muscled bigger players on the glass. 

 

Who to Look For This Season – Davis is looking more and more that he could be a viable long-term replacement for Chris Bosh.  Solomon Alabi was a nice complement down low and can provide instant defensive help for the team.  Look for Brown to get a shot as a backup point guard for the team, and Dorsey could provide some valuable minutes in the frontcourt.

 

Check back later today for Part 2, as I take a look at the Summer League had by the Miami Heat, New York Knicks, Atlanta Hawks and Cleveland Cavaliers

 

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While it’s Day 5 here in Vegas for the NBA Summer League, it is my first day here at the Thomas & Mack Center.  There is a lot of action going on and it takes a bit to get used to.  Throw in talking to some people and it was tough to catch many full games.  I did see a few full games and at least a half of the others, so, for today, I will just give quick rundowns of who and what I noticed so far.

 

DENVER  99                Chicago 71

 

The big surprise of this game was when I walked into the gym and saw JR Smith suited up and ready to play.  In the few minutes he played, he was JR doing what JR does best.  For the players on the Summer League roster, the Nuggets kept on rolling.  Ty Lawson is doing a great job leading the team, and Coby Karl really does do a lot of things to make the players around him better.  I was also impressed with the hustle of Laurence Ekperigin.  He did a great job finding open spots and making plays when he had the chance.

 

Not a lot to say about the Bulls.  I liked the way Matt Bouldin played, especially at the point, though I think he needs to be more aggressive looking for his shot.

 

 

TORONTO  100                 Houston    91

 

Demar Derozan and Sonny Weems continue to be a lethal 1-2 combo for the Raptors here in Vegas.  Derozan has done a great job showing how versatile he can be on the offensive end, and Weems has been good for the highlight reel each game.  I have loved the way Joey Dorsey has played here in Vegas, looking like he wants to play and just using his bulk to toss people out of his way. 

 

For Houston, Jermaine Taylor has done a great job getting to the rim, and Ishmael Smith has been impressive running the point.

 

 

MEMPHIS  67                     Milwaukee   64

 

This was a sloppy game, especially with both teams opting to use full court pressure at times.  Larry Sanders has looked very good on both ends of the court, and Deron Washington has shown great scoring ability here in Vegas.  Tiny Gallon looks completely lost at times out on the court, though I have been impressed with how his jumper looks.

 

Hasheem Thabeet is playing with more aggression than I have ever seen out of him, and he even showed a few new moves in today’s game.  Just as in Orlando, I love watching Jeff Adrien play.  He goes full out whenever he is on the court and he plays like a player half a foot taller than him.

 

 

SACRAMENTO  90                       Los Angeles Lakers 84

 

DeMarcus Cousins has been a force here, especially on the boards.  So far, he has been playing hard, so let’s see if he can keep it going.  Donte Greene played a huge game, and did a great job getting to the rim in the 2^nd half.

 

DJ Strawaberry was very impressive running the point, showing he is much more than a defensive stopper.  Courtney Sims was a beast on the offensive boards, and doing a good job defending the middle.

 

 

Make sure to check back tonight for the Day 6 recap – look for a much more thorough treatment.

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