NBA Summer League | Mavs end off 4-1

[HoosierDaddyKid]

I think there is wisdom here.  No real flow because the priority was trying to accomplish a specific outcome that wasn’t necessarily a focus on team basketball.  Once he went out, things went back to a more natural flow.

Personally, I hated this approach to the summer.  From day one I’ve said the key to unlocking all Hardy can be is his decision making.  I think his natural instinct (from watching his play at all levels) is not a very valuable archetype in the NBA.  The league has more than enough undersized twos who are willing to take lots of shots and score lots of points on mediocre (or worse) efficiency.  Some people fawn all over his PPG and don’t realize that anyone could have taken those shots at that level of efficiency.

What (might) make Hardy special is reigning in the worst of his shots and raising his efficiency in terms of 3% and TS%.  Get him over 40% on 3’s and over 60% on TS (like he was in February and March) and you have something.  The way they handled the summer just invited him to take lots of bad shots and not play within the flow of the game.  If all we want is to develop another Jordan Clarkson, we should trade him now.  If he’s to ever be special, the path there is efficiency on good volume rather than inefficiency on high volume.  He’s never going to have prototypical size.  He’s never going to be a plus defender and he’s never going to be a PG.  I’d rather we work on the thing that might make him special rather than the thing that might make him average.

That is a very astute analysis.  Fix his efficiency, and roll with that. I still see him as a chucker, but he can become efficient.

[Chicagojk]

I didn't watch the game last night. I think I had seen enough from the rookies this summer. I may watch later in the summer if I get really bored, but I am looking for a few month break from basketball.

I am more than satisfied with both of the rookies. So, with that being said, Let me highlight two slight disappointments with Lively. One, I thought he would block more shots. Especially in summer league as guys are going hiyo silver attacking the rim with no caution. Second, is his rebounding. There were a handful of rebounds where he extended over everyone in the gym to secure a rebound, but there were not many. From what I see, he just seemed a tick offbeat. He typically looks to make contact with the defender when the ball is shot and this is a good thing. But to me it appears, he is just a tad late doing this and this sets everything off a bit. He is a little late locating the ball. A little late reacting, etc. I hope this is something that they work on him with. It could be the difference in him getting consistent minutes early. One more thing, with Lively being the defender at the rim, it will be imperative the rest of the defenders just don't watch. Lively's man is going to crash the rim, so we will need to be aggressive going for rebounds.

As far as the last 2 way spot, it will be interesting to see what they do. Wright could be a emergency third guard and he is a tough kid. Just not sure keeping two 6 foot guards on a two way is the best way to use your resources.

Saw this link the other day, does any of these interest you (some are taken already)

https://twitter.com/halfawaketakes/statu...3760505857

Would you have any interest in the last spot or two way going to Trendon Watford or Harry Giles? Giles is more of a longshot, but Nico has shown he does like former top ranked recruits. I don't know much about Watford but looked at his college highlights and looks like a pretty talented offensive player. Big too.

[khaled1987]

Would you have any interest in the last spot or two way going to Trendon Watford or Harry Giles?  

Damn, I didn't believe that he is still eligible for 2 way contract,  feels like his name has been there forever

[SleepingHero]

https://twitter.com/nbapr/status/1681016...95713?s=46&t=Fmdr94oXagcEyy75KJqaFg

NBA Communications (@NBAPR)
The NBA 2K24 Summer League Most Valuable Player:

@HoustonRockets forward Cam Whitmore ?

---

I guess it should be said that despite the guy who I truly wanted at #10 winning the MVP of SL, I'm not horribly depressed over it.

That alone should say how well Lively+OMax looked. Still... Whitmore+Omax would be looking reeeeeaaaalllllllly good right now.

Okay okay I won't cross that bridge and just hope Lively pans out.

[khaled1987]

Cam Whitmore headlines the NBA All-Summer League First Team for 2023 as he was also named MVP.

First Team
Keyonte George, Jazz
Sam Merrill, Cavaliers
Orlando Robinson, Heat
Hunter Tyson, Nuggets
Cam Whitmore, Rockets

Second Team
Max Christie, Lakers
Javon Freeman-Liberty, Bulls
Xavier Moon, Clippers
Emoni Bates, Cavaliers
Jabari Smith Jr., Rockets
Jalen Wilson, Nets

[HoosierDaddyKid]

[quote="khaled1987" pid="191426" dateline="1689629838"]
Cam Whitmore headlines the NBA All-Summer League First Team for 2023 as he was also named MVP.

First Team
Keyonte George, Jazz
Sam Merrill, Cavaliers
Orlando Robinson, Heat
Hunter Tyson, Nuggets
Cam Whitmore, Rockets

Second Team
Max Christie, Lakers
Javon Freeman-Liberty, Bulls
Xavier Moon, Clippers
Emoni Bates, Cavaliers
Jabari Smith Jr., Rockets
Jalen Wilson, Nets


Mavs reject Nate Hinton trying to earn a roster spot. He's played well, but Cleveland is up for now.

[dirkfansince1998]

Whitemore is forcing it. Hardy-like performance. Cavs almost look like an NBA team. Feels like no one is playing for his stats. Patient offense. Chasing mismatches. Making the extra pass. Mostly Porter/Mobley pick and roll with Bates and Merrill spacing the floor.

[dirkfansince1998]

Porter Jr worked out for the Mavs. Would have been a great pickup. Hard to believe that he went undrafted. Probably the best perimeter defender and floor general in summer league.

[HoosierDaddyKid]

Both Mobley's got some game. Isiah might work his way into the rotation this year. And Bates could be the steal of the draft with the 49th pick, and Sam Merrill is lights out from 3.

[myconsumerclub]

Ready for A team games. These B teamers are ok to get a look at but the A team is what makes me a fan.

Our rookies made me very happy and I would be ok if the mavs decided to start them right away and just let the team learn to make it work. I could see OMax Lively and Grant being the frontcourt add in Luka and Irving and this is a contender waiting to take the league by surprise. In my mind I like most of the bench as well. Hardy Green Seth Exum if he can find his defensive ability like he used to have that is a great platoon behind Luka and Irving.

Frontcourt with the above mentioned starters you got our vets backing them up at PF and C Holmes and Kleber then at SF you can use Omax Luka Exum and Green behind Grant but who wants to play Luka or Omax there? If THJ is here still he adds depth to the backcourt and sometimes at the 3 he can be that guy.

Adding more to this byu trading McGee and THJ is anticipated but if I see who is being discussed I tend to be less enthusiastic than most about those moves. The flip of an asset worth less for one that makes more makes sense but I just am not that big a fan of Cap Hella. The name scares me too much. Personally I would have gone with Yurtseven but Utah signed him. Their old center Udoka Azabuike is supposedly still available but it looks like he is getting looked at by Boston. Either of those are cheap ways to develop another guy to pair with Lively without taking a lot of our cap to use it on more 5's. Lively is going to impress enough to earn time early if you ask me. I am ok with keeping McGee as well and THJ if he is still here after TC is not to bad of a situation. I see the team being mostly there and taking time to see what we have makes more sense than rushing in to throw more money at guys who are pretty much bottom of the barrel at this point. TDL will probably be a more productive time to make a final move. I mean it worked out well for us last year when we started to rebuild with a move to add Irving and that seemed to make a lot of sense at that time when it happened and I was all for the tank to make changes.

[SleepingHero]

[Chicagojk]

Hollinger's worst of summer league. Note this is an extreme small sample and results may not matter at all.

1) Charlotte's depressing summer
2) Detroit's frontcourt
3)Laker's draft picks---note he has good comments about Max Christie and their two undrafted guys
4) Kobe Bufkin
5)Noah Clowney
6) young guards: Black, Coulibaly, Cason Wallace, Jordan Wallace, Podziemski

[KillerLeft]

Incredible. I didn’t know about this guy. Instant subscribe, thanks!

[mvossman]

This was great.  My one mild disagreement is that I don't think Hardy will generally be running the second unit.  I think they will stagger Luka and Kyrie such that he will generally be playing off one of them.  I think that is where he will be most effective anyways.

[Chicagojk]

Mavs mention in John Hollinger’s way under the radar summer league guys

Mike Miles Jr., Dallas

I always hesitate to get too excited when a small, shoot-first guard has a strong summer league; I’ve seen this movie too many times before.

In Miles’s case, however, there is a reason to make a notable exception: He’s only 20, he went undrafted, and he still cooked. Miles did this while struggling from the 3-point line, but he was so good inside the arc (63.0 percent on 2s, with a high free-throw rate) that it didn’t matter much. Miles repeatedly used his strong frame to either burrow to the rim or get into pull-ups, and he wasn’t just playing bully ball — he managed an assist every five minutes and only had nine turnovers for the summer.

Miles went undrafted because of questions about his shooting and his alligator arms (measuring with just a 6-0 1/2 wingspan at the combine), but his summer showed he may succeed anyway. Dallas signed Miles to a two-way after the draft, and his immediate path to minutes seems blocked by a similar player (Jaden Hardy), but he’s another one to track through the G League as the year goes on.

[myconsumerclub]

I am concerned we end up losing out on trades for a center that can start day one but there is one semi decent free agent prospect left whose initials are not WCS.

Udoka Azabuike is an ok guy to have play behind Lively and if we are smart I say lets just get Lively in the starting role faster and use our rookie.

Udoka would give us a low cost vet min option that has bulk who can bang and rebound plus he scores inside at an 81.9% FG% With our 2 PG's that guy would be a dangerous weapon inside and if teams play off him or put someone weak on him that cannot push him around it is an ez bucket waiting to happen so just throw that ball inside.

He has never been given a real shot at playing huge minutes so the upside is huge. Only real problem is his FT %.

He did well for Boston in SL so having him here is not to much of a gamble. He could possibly even start to give us a way to bring Lively along slowly.

In 5 games for Boston's SL team he played about 16:22 minutes a game and he produced 36 points on 18/22 shooting for 7.2 PPG

Rebounds he grabbed 34 total for 6.8

in 24 minutes he would grab 10 RPG at that pace and he would score more than 10 PPG. Could be that he is a double double if you play him 24 minutes a game.

Playing Lively the other 24 minutes should produce a nice balanced attack. If you lower each players minutes and play Holmes and Kleber that might be a nice platoon to use.

Blocks for Udoka he had 3 in 81 close to 82 minutes of total SL action

He added 3 steals and 4 assists to 4 TO's and he had a total of 11 fouls 2.2 PG as well so he produced well enough to be given a camp invite if we do not get a starting center and this would make me a lot more comfortable about our chances and this is a vet minimum as well so we save a lot of money on that position.

We may like what we see. If nothing transpires between now and then to add another decent starting center this guy is a potential double double that might be even better with Luka and KY passing the ball since he has languished up in UTAH for his entire young career.

[myconsumerclub]

His production in the NBA is based on very limited chances but with what he did in SL he has to be a much better option than starting Powell.

https://www.nba.com/stats/player/1628962

[dirkfansince1998]

His production in the NBA is based on very limited chances but with what he did in SL he has to be a much better option than starting Powell.

https://www.nba.com/stats/player/1628962

I like Azubuike. In 21/22 he started five games for the Jazz when Gobert was out with an injury. Jazz went 5-0. Azubuike put up great numbers. Only to be benched for the rest of the season. Coach prefered Whiteside as the backup.

But I don´t understand why you are so low on Powell. No he isn´t a legit starter but neither is Azubuike. Not like Powell was a complete disaster. Best +/- on the roster. Don´t think Lively would start over him. Even more unlikely that a summer league body gets minutes over him.

[omahen]

I like Azubuike. In 21/22 he started five games for the Jazz when Gobert was out with an injury. Jazz went 5-0. Azubuike put up great numbers. Only to be benched for the rest of the season. Coach prefered Whiteside as the backup.

But I don´t understand why you are so low on Powell. No he isn´t a legit starter but neither is Azubuike. Not like Powell was a complete disaster. Best +/- on the roster. Don´t think Lively would start over him. Even more unlikely that a summer league body gets minutes over him.

As far as I have seen Azubuike, he can't defend in space at all. And can't shoot. A dinosaur. I never understood why so many people here are enamoured with him.

[dirkfansince1998]

As far as I have seen Azubuike, he can't defend in space at all. And can't shoot. A dinosaur. I never understood why so many people here are enamoured with him.

Bigger bodies still have a role in the NBA. Even though it isn´t nearly as important as it used to be. One vet min or rookie dinosaur on the roster for special occasions. Not a contract in the Capela range.