Jalen Suggs Shines in Summer League Debut!
It’s Tuesday and we have some more Summer League action. There is literally nothing happening in the NBA right now, so it’s time to talk about the best young prospects around.
New York Knicks vs Indiana Pacers
New York Knicks
There we go, that’s more like it. The Knicks might have the most talented summer league roster and their offense got going in this game.
Immanuel Quickley was excellent. His shooting is touch and go, but he’s got so much burst and can get to the rim so effortlessly. He had 32 points and 8 assists, showing why he can he be that spark guy off the bench offensively for Tom Thibodeau.
Obi Toppin again didn’t have the best shooting night but he still had 21 points and 9 rebounds. Sometimes I think he just needs to slow down a little bit, be more on control. He’s so gifted athletically that sometimes he gets out of control.
Jericho Sims was solid again. Miles McBride, the rookie from West Virginia, had 14 off the bench. He can shoot off the catch and create on his own in addition to his excellent defense. Could carve out a role for the Knicks in 2022.
Quintin Grimes struggled again, just 2/10 shooting for him. Not the best start for him, but again, it’s early. He’ll have time to turn things around.
Quickley and Topping looked good and Miles McBride did as well. Tom Thibodeau’s talent pool for next season is going to be immense.
Indiana Pacers
The Pacers don’t have too much young talent, but they had some standouts in this game.
Starting with Chris Duarte, their lottery pick. Some people knocked this pick because Duarte, as a rookie, is the same age as Devin Booker. I thought that was a incredibly stupid reason to knock a draft pick and Duarte proved me right. 14 points with 2 steals and 2 blocks. Defense looked really good and so did his shooting. Really like what Duarte can bring for Indiana.
Oshae Brissett played substantial minutes last year due to immense injuries and he had 22 points and 7 rebounds. He should have a roster spot in 2022 as well.
But off the bench, undrafted Ohio State product Duane Washington Jr. was very good. The Pacers signed him to a two-way contract and he looked very good in this game. 8/9 shooting, 5/5 from 3 with 23 points off the bench. Not bad, not bad at all for Washington.
Duarte is going to be very good. Brissett looked good and we’ll see if Washington can make the Indiana roster next season. He certainly had a good start to his summer league.
New Orleans Pelicans vs Chicago Bulls
New Orleans Pelicans
The Pelicans didn’t have the best offseason, to say the least. But at least Trey Murphy III is good? Is that enough to save this horrendous offseason? Probably not, but Murphy was really good in this game.
He had 26 points and 9 rebounds. He shot 6/9 from downtown. Should prove to help the Pelicans a lot on the wing. Naji Marshall and Kira Lewis Jr. were also solid, but who cares? It’s the Trey Murphy show.
Chicago Bulls
Patrick Williams struggled shooting. 2nd round pick Ayo Dosunmu struggled. But honestly, who cares? Lonzo Ball, anybody? DeMar DeRozan? How about, Alex Caruso? The Bulls are in win-now mode and their youth movement is over.
So the Summer League doesn’t do much for them like it has in the past couple of seasons.
Dallas Mavericks vs Philadelphia 76ers
Dallas Mavericks
The Mavericks don’t really have a Summer League team. Tyrell Terry was their 2nd round pick last year who didn’t play much, but he had 22 points in this game.
I guess they couldn’t play Josh Green because he was just at the Olympics with Australia, but I would like to see him play at some point this summer.
Who cares about the summer anyway, you have Luka anyway.
Philadelphia 76ers
The 76ers on the other hand, they have something more resembling of a summer league team.
Tyrese Maxey had 21 points. He’d better be good because they would’ve had James Harden if they added him in a trade. No pressure, or anything like that.
Isaiah Joe hit 4 3-pointers, Paul Reed was solid. Jaden Springer, the 76ers first round pick from this year, was ok. Missed some of his open jumpshots, although to be fair, he can’t really shoot.
Rayjon Tucker and Braxton Key also did things, if that matters to you in the slightest.
Brooklyn Nets vs Memphis Grizzlies
Brooklyn Nets
The Nets don’t have a lot in the summer league, evidently. They kind of have this trio of players, you might have heard of them. They’re actually pretty good at basketball, you should really watch them sometime.
Alize Johnson was decent. Brandon Knight is on this roster, because why not? But the Nets’ two first round picks played and I liked what I saw.
Cameron Thomas has 17 off the bench and he hit some tough shots. Got to the line well and a little inefficient. Everything I thought he would be but when he gets hot, he provides a lot of offense.
Day’Ron Sharpe, the UNC center the Nets also took in the first round, had 6 points and 8 rebounds. The Nets are hoping he could act like an anchor to their defense that desperately needs length and size.
But again, you really have to watch this Big 3. They’re pretty good.
Memphis Grizzlies
The Grizzlies are young and they have a lot of talent being showcased in Las Vegas this summer.
Starting with Desmond Bane, an impressive rookie from last year. 10/19 shooting with 6 3-pointers? 32 points? With Grayson Allen gone, Bane should get more minutes and opportunities.
Xavier Tillman had 15 points, 8 rebounds, and 7 assists. Should be a really good backup center to Steven Adams. Really like what he brings to the table.
Killian Tillie was drafted in 2020 but I’m pretty sure injuries held him back from playing in 2021. But he might have a role for Memphis. He was 6/10 from 3 with 20 points, but he had some good moments as a defender and passer. I think Tillie is very intriguing and he could be playing a role for the Grizzlies going forward.
The Grizzlies made a move this offseason to get the #10 overall pick, where they took Stanford wing Ziaire Williams. In his Summer League debut, Williams was ok. Had 7 points and some flashes, but I knew he was a development guy from the moment took him. Don’t expect too much from him this year, but in the future he could be really special.
The Grizzlies are a very young and they have a lot of talent being showcased here in Vegas.
Charlotte Hornets vs Sacramento Kings
Charlotte Hornets
The Hornets offense was shut down at times by the Kings defense. Talk about a Mad Lib.
James Bouknight was just 4/11 from the field, as at times, he was put in a complete box by Davion Mitchell. LiAngelo Ball was decent but nobody really got going. Kai Jones struggled again, showing just how raw he is right now. Going to need a lot of developing to unlock his potential.
Not a great game for Charlotte, in summary.
Sacramento Kings
The Kings playing defense? Yeah, ok. What’s next, it’s raining cats and dogs?
I didn’t exactly love the Kings selection of Davion Mitchell with the 9th pick. Mitchell is a very talented player but I just didn’t like the fit. Those concerns have been put to rest after watching him play because he is special. He absolutely locked down James Bouknight. Like put him in a box.
Offensively he showed his explosive burst to get the rim, with 10 points and 9 assists on the night. I am liking the Davion Mitchell pick a lot more now.
Guys like Chimezie Metu and Louis King were solid. Jahmi’us Ramsey, a 2nd round pick from last year, had 22 points.
But again, I liked Davion Mitchell as a player a lot. But I think he’s going to be really special in the NBA, giving the Kings some much needed perimeter defense. He should fit in feel in Sacramento.
San Antonio Spurs vs Minnesota T-Wolves
San Antonio Spurs
I am going to be completely honest with you. I didn’t pay that much attention to this game until the end. So take everything I am about to say with a grain of salt.
Joshua Primo struggled offensively. Only 8 points in 27 minutes, the Spurs better hope he’s going to develop in the future, otherwise they just blew a lottery pick.
Devin Vassell, the lottery pick from last year was very good with 23 points in this game. Tre Jones, another rookie from last year, had 16 points and 8 assists.
But the Spurs REALLY need Primo to be good, otherwise, they blew it.
Minnesota T-Wolves
The T-Wolves (for once) have exciting young talent. A lot of these guys played well and I think that they could really help a T-Wolves team on the rise.
Jaylen Nowell had his moments last year, but missed a lot of time with injury. He had 24 points in this game, he looks really good.
Jaden McDaniels was another rookie last year, he had 18 points. Nathan Knight was a rookie forward for the Hawks in 2021 and he had his moments with them. But he was great in this game with 19 points and 9 rebounds, including the game-winning putback at the end.
Nowell should prove to be a solid scorer, McDaniels might be the starting SF for the T-Wolves, and maybe Nathan Knight gets a roster spot for this performance. Not a bad showing from the T-Wolves youth.
Orlando Magic vs Golden State Warriors
Orlando Magic
Jalen Suggs was amazing in this game. If you want the definition of a winner, you’ll find Jalen Suggs. All the little things that he did in the game. Hustling for rebounds, going for charges, diving on the floor, it all shows. Then there is the defensive play at the end of regulation that saved the game for Orlando. It was a 2v1 in transition and Suggs looked dead in the water. A pass was made and it seemed like Suggs couldn’t recover. But he turned around and made a textbook block that eventually forced the game to go into OT, where the Magic won. Not bad for a debut.
24 points, 9 rebounds, 2 steals, and 3 blocks for Suggs. His jumpshot looked pretty good, he hit some 3’s. A really good debut for Suggs.
Guys like RJ Hampton, Cole Anthony, and Franz Wagner struggled, but Jalen Suggs is looking really, really good.
Golden State Warriors
While the Warriors lost, their rookies played really, really well. Moses Moody had 15 points as he got to the rim and hit some jumpers. Kuminga had 16 points and 6 rebounds with 3 steals. Had some really good defensive plays and if he gets that jumpshot to fall more consistently? Look out.
Gary Payton II looks just like his dad, an incredibly tenacious defender. Kyle Guy shot well. But it’s a good sign for the contending Warriors that their rookies look good. Maybe Gary Payton II even gets a roster spot with how well he’s been playing.
What Are Your Thoughts From Day 2 of Summer League? Leave A Comment Down Below!
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