2017 Summer League

Justin Jackson playing with ease himself, reminds me so much of Nick Batum. We had strong interest in him, he completed several workouts for us...so seasoned. I thought his tourney performances would've solidified a lottery position for him.


Kings should feel so proud of their future, they need maybe 1 more young piece.
 
mafra said:
We all knew DSJ had the goods and is a legit elite prospect; we all felt the punch in the gut when we passed on him....

But just like an ex-player said in NBA radio today.... SL comprised of D-league players.... most won't even play in NBA.... let's wait to see how these rookie perform in Nov before we start declaring what a prospect is or might be.

I mean, Forbes from SA looks like a HOF talent vs a lot of these scrubs.
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Some prospects you really don't need to wait on, these guys are playing against NBA players too not all G-Leaguers. On the flipside they won't be playing next to so called scrubs either, they'll be playing alongside better players which could actually enhance their game. It looks too easy for him and he has a bevy of skills.

Forbes is a Spurs pick of course he'll show something...they draft well. BTW Frobes was on the Spurs roster last yr so this speaks to what I said about playing against NBA talent and not all scrubs. There are about 2 NBA players with 1-2yrs experience on each roster, some of them are really good too...like Taurean Prince/Chris/Heild/Maker/Goucho/Selden/Martin/Brown/McCaw etc etc
 
Dennis Smith Jr. - G - Mavericks
Dennis Smith Jr.'s highlight reel got even longer during an 83-76 win over the Kings on Thursday, scoring 25 points with seven rebounds, two assists, three steals, four turnovers an four 3-pointers in 27 minutes.
Next time someone tells you Summer League is boring, go tell them to go watch Dennis Smith Jr. He had about five hesitation highlights, had two flashy dimes in the second half, he had a couple heat-check threes, and he may have had the greatest missed dunk in Summer League history (video in link below). Vegas sports books had him at 16:1 for Rookie of the Year earlier this month, but those odds are probably closer to even money at this point. Expect him to have a lofty price tag on draft day, which looks like it'll be justified.
Source: Mike Gallagher on Twitter Jul 13 - 10:34 PM

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Meanwhile, in NY, the guy who went 1 pick ahead of DSJ.... well, the hope is he can contribute in 3 years,
 
mafra said:
Dennis Smith Jr. - G - Mavericks
Dennis Smith Jr.'s highlight reel got even longer during an 83-76 win over the Kings on Thursday, scoring 25 points with seven rebounds, two assists, three steals, four turnovers an four 3-pointers in 27 minutes.
Next time someone tells you Summer League is boring, go tell them to go watch Dennis Smith Jr. He had about five hesitation highlights, had two flashy dimes in the second half, he had a couple heat-check threes, and he may have had the greatest missed dunk in Summer League history (video in link below). Vegas sports books had him at 16:1 for Rookie of the Year earlier this month, but those odds are probably closer to even money at this point. Expect him to have a lofty price tag on draft day, which looks like it'll be justified.
Source: Mike Gallagher on Twitter Jul 13 - 10:34 PM

------/

Meanwhile, in NY, the guy who went 1 pick ahead of DSJ.... well, the hope is he can contribute in 3 years,
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Phil Jackson's last gift to the Knicks drafting a guy who was a better fit to play in the triangle. I knew Phil was a mistake the first day we hired him.
 
In my mind, it's very simple. Either DSJ will be able to drive past players in the NBA or he won't. There was never any doubt he'd be able to get past SL competition. Can he do it with Rudy Gobert waiting for him in the paint? If he can't get to the hoop at will at the NBA level, what does his game become?

We watched a season of Derrick Rose, penetrating like crazy, averaging almost 20 points a game. His 4 assists a game as a starting PG didn't get anybody excited.

We've watched Rondo for years elevate teams with double digit assist games and defense.

People have already crowned DSJ the ROY and he seems a given to be a stat sheet stuffer, but is a shoot-first slam dunk contest champ waiting to happen really who we wanted to pair with KP, WHG, and now THJ? I'm not sure.

If Ntilikina is a complete bust, none of this will matter.
 
tiger0330 said:
Phil Jackson's last gift to the Knicks drafting a guy who was a better fit to play in the triangle. I knew Phil was a mistake the first day we hired him.
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The SL games showed so many potential candidates for ROY from so many teams.
My guess will be the rookie who have the best NBA ready mind and body to last through the 82 games season will receive the ROY .. 76ers Simmons.

Hypothetically speaking .. If Dennis Smith Jr. win the ROY .. Phil Jackson sold us out (for money under the table from Cuban!).
All the footage i watched of Frank Nitty then DSJ .. i would have like to rebuild around both Frank n DSJ .. but senile Phil did not know how to negotiate to get the Knicks two first round picks having Melo, and a undeveloped 2nd season KP.
Plus the Knicks need a Defensive-mind PG Frank more than they needed DSJ explosive offense .. having a NTC Melo who might be on the team next season, plus the probability Phil resigning D.Rose.
I'm not happy bout the poor coaching staff the Knicks have for developing Frank/WHG/and KP.
 
DSJ finally looked human today, very MIAish had like 2-3 sloppy plays although had a couple nice assists. Brusillo and Yogi were lights out with their shooting. The highlight of the game between Boston and Mavs was the fans love affair for DING...unreal, :teeth: :teeth: :teeth:.

Too bad didn't get to see Tatum or Brown play...Lonzo and the LakeShow next.
 
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Broadway said:
DSJ finally looked human today, very MIAish had like 2-3 sloppy plays although had a couple nice assists. Brusillo and Yogi were lights out with his shooting. The highlight of the game between Boston and Mavs was the fans love affair for DING...unreal, :teeth: :teeth: :teeth:.

Too bad didn't get to see Tatum or Brown play...Lonzo and the LakeShow next.
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Summer League can't end soon enough for Knicks fan. Our pick didn't play and our team that did play was abysmal. Meanwhile, every other draft pick played great. Happy to move on.
 
Broadway said:
DSJ finally looked human today, very MIAish had like 2-3 sloppy plays although had a couple nice assists. Brusillo and Yogi were lights out with their shooting. The highlight of the game between Boston and Mavs was the fans love affair for DING...unreal, :teeth: :teeth: :teeth:.

Too bad didn't get to see Tatum or Brown play...Lonzo and the LakeShow next.
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Ding is a fan favorite and not by just Asians by the crowd shots they showed. I doubt he makes the Mavs roster, just doesn't strike me as having enough ability but I hope he proves me wrong because his popularity would be great for the league. You'd have people in China watching his games at 4am and Cuban would have Chinese companies throwing money at him because of the kid.
 
htr10 said:
Summer League can't end soon enough for Knicks fan. Our pick didn't play and our team that did play was abysmal. Meanwhile, every other draft pick played great. Happy to move on.
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I'm sticking to my original Gun on the Knicks .... the Knicks poor-poor worthless coaching-staff has lead the Knicks SL team to a 1-4 record in SL games in Orlando. Imagine what the Knicks coaching-staff will do in the regular season .. Nothing!

The Memphis Grizz has a 5-0 record in the SL games thanks to their dynamic coaching-staff plus creative scoring players Seldon Hunter Baldwin Davis Brooks n Washpun dominating team performance on both side of the court.

Quote Originally Posted by Broadway View Post
DSJ finally looked human today, very MIAish had like 2-3 sloppy plays although had a couple nice assists. Brusillo and Yogi were lights out with their shooting. The highlight of the game between Boston and Mavs was the fans love affair for DING...unreal, .
Too bad didn't get to see Tatum or Brown play...Lonzo and the LakeShow next.
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So True!

The Dallas Mavs has a 5-0 record in the SL games from having Rick Carlisle amazing creative coaching-staff, at first i gave the Mavs their 2-0 SL start to the amazing all-around performance of Dennis Smith Jr. .. and then i notice how well the Mavs team set-up on offense without DSJ in the lineup n how quick they get back on defense to slow-down their opponent offense having a great defensive lineup that can score n pass at both tempo of the game having several ball-movement players in Ferrell Ashley Finney Brussino and Ding to find the open Man.

The Lakers Walton also have a decent coaching-staff built for the development of the young Lakers players in the SL games holding a 4-2 record by having the best two pass-first PG Alonzo Ball and Alex Caruso in the SL games, plus having a Bigman Kuzma in the post.
As a long time Knick fan i would actually trade our offseason signed players THJ and Baker to the Lakers for just one of the Lakers undrafted SL pickup players "Alex Caruso high B.ball IQ to lead our point plus challenge Frank Nitty passing-skills in every practice".
I am clueless of what Magic Johnson and Walton did to get the Lakers SL team to follow Ball and Caruso lead as a same-page team but the Lakers SL team passing-skills has been outstanding.

The Kings and Wolves were the SL team i thought would be one of the last 4 winning SL teams ..
The Kings had a 2-4 SL record that disappointed me by having two first round draft picks in "Fox n Jackson" to add creative scoring power at the end of each SL game.
The Wolves had a 3-2 SL record that i could not believe having some decent undrafted D.League players on their SL roster .. I was optimistic bout PG-Paige n the undrafted Deonte Burton i wanted us to select with one of our 2nd round picks. I was not thrilled bout Thibs coaching-staff playing a 4 guard lineup throughout each SL game.
 
tiger0330 said:
Ding is a fan favorite and not by just Asians by the crowd shots they showed. I doubt he makes the Mavs roster, just doesn't strike me as having enough ability but I hope he proves me wrong because his popularity would be great for the league. You'd have people in China watching his games at 4am and Cuban would have Chinese companies throwing money at him because of the kid.
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Nelson sounded like he has a shot but I think the fact he banks like $1mil+ over there is what could hold things up. Kid has game, it was crazy energy for him.
 
Listening to Neil Olshey as a 2nd qrt guest with JVG and Jones was refreshing. He sounds like an executive who gets it.
 
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Lonzo Ball is balling, LakeShow look good. They have some interesting prospects...it'll be interesting to see what kind of yr they have
 
Broadway said:
Lonzo Ball is balling, LakeShow look good. They have some interesting prospects...it'll be interesting to see what kind of yr they have
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If Ball and Ingram and Randle play well enough, it'll attract Lebron and George..... maybe Westbrook too.
 
Ball = LV Summer League MVP
Kuzman = Summer League Championship Game MVP

Lakers might be on the come up if Lebron crybabies himself from Cleveland to L.A.
 
Broadway said:
Ball = LV Summer League MVP
Kuzman = Summer League Championship Game MVP

Lakers might be on the come up if Lebron crybabies himself from Cleveland to L.A.
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Kuz was a stud. If he can shoot beyond the arc during the regular season like he did in SL, he may replace Randle in the starting lineup. He would be a better fit for a pace and space offense with Ball than Randle.
 
Something I was thinking while watching him in SL was Buddy Hield being a player who should have dominated with an NBA season under his belt when I thought this guy is going to be a bust and he was the player they wanted for Cuz.

Tedesco: Buddy Hield turns 24 in December, and he played ... fine? I didn't love Jayson Tatum, but at least he's only 19 and hit a bunch of his difficult shots. Hield shot 35.6 percent on 15 attempts per game. Oof.

The New Orleans Pelicans should feel lucky that they swapped Hield for DeMarcus Cousins. Even if Cousins walks as a free agent, they'll mostly end up off the hook for passing on Jamal Murray.
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tiger0330 said:
Something I was thinking while watching him in SL was Buddy Hield being a player who should have dominated with an NBA season under his belt when I thought this guy is going to be a bust and he was the player they wanted for Cuz.
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Buddy showed a little life last couple games, I think he'll thrive in spurts this yr. Keep in mind he shot 46%fg and 43%fg(3pt) post trade. So it's a matter of which sample do you want to rock with!
 
Victor Mather / NY Times

Lonzo Ball Is Summer League M.V.P. So He?s Going to Be a Star, Right?


The roster of recent M.V.P.s of the Vegas summer league is a decidedly mixed bag. Of the last six, only two could really be called unqualified N.B.A. successes so far. Two are established bench players, and two would have to be called busts.

Damian Lillard, the 2012 M.V.P., regularly scores 20 points a game as one of the Portland Trail Blazers? stars. Jonas Valanciunas, the 2013 M.V.P., is a solid player for the Toronto Raptors.

Kyle Anderson, the 2015 M.V.P., gets about 10 minutes a game with the San Antonio Spurs, and Tyus Jones, last year?s M.V.P., is on the bench with the Minnesota Timberwolves.

But Josh Selby, Lillard?s co-M.V.P., was out of the N.B.A. after two seasons with the Grizzlies and played in Israel last season. He had ranked third in scoring in the summer league with 24 points and shot .557. And Glen Rice Jr., the 2014 M.V.P., washed out after two seasons with the Washington Wizards and went to the N.B.A. Development League.
 
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