Ten days of competition are behind us, so to speak, and Las Vegas has therefore given us our first rebounds and, inevitably, our first impressions for the season which will begin in about three months. Who caught our eye, what project seems coherent to us when others will probably ask for a little patience? We make a big point on the fifteen franchises of the Eastern Conference with always this watchword: nuance. And above all rule number 1: no hasty conclusions.
Orlando Magic
We’re not going to cut corners, one man has caught all the attention for the Magic this Summer League, and that man isn’t Daniel Oturu at all. We are obviously talking about Paolo Banchero, more than solid number 1 draft for his first game (against number 3 Jabari Smith Jr.), even better against Keegan Murray’s Kings two days later, and the Magic decreed that the party was over, that his crack had shown enough. Scoring, excessive playmaking, leadership and defense? We said softly about hasty conclusions but, there, it seems that the Magic has found a real attraction.
Detroit Pistons
It was one of the most anticipated teams in Vegas and for good reason, a trifecta of players stood out in the focus department. Killian Hayes first of all, who didn’t force anything but who quickly showed, especially to the distribution, that if he was still fragile in the NBA, he was above all too good for these Summer League idiots. Then the pivot Jalen Duren, child in an adult body himself sculpted in marble, and, above all, Jaden Ivey, recovered somewhat miraculously with pick 5 of the Draft. Result of the races for the two rookies? Jalen Duren was discreet but very clean and Jaden Ivey was the ray of sunshine at the start of the competition, slamming a marvel of opening match against the Blazers but having to stop dead in his SL afterwards due to a minor but sufficiently reluctant injury. to have to get back into denim shorts on the bench.
Indiana Pacers
There were also young people to watch, and the Pacers probably have a bright future ahead of them, it remains to be seen from when. We thus saw the beginnings in Indiana of the former Celtic Aaron Nesmith, who arrived in the trade which had sent Malcolm Brogdon to Boston, we also saw the “old” Chris Duarte (quickly), Duane Washington, Isaiah Jackson and Terry Taylor, but we especially saw the very self-confident esthete Bennedict Mathurin, a kind of very Canadian reason to smile for the Pacers as the No. 6 in the draft seemed above the lot, with ease. A big game against the Pistons in particular, and the message sent is clear about the kid’s week: give me the keys, I drive a little abruptly but I like the risk.
New York Knicks
A very nice Summer League for the Knicks, ended just a stone’s throw from yesterday’s final victory against the Blazers. Jericho Sims, Miles McBride and Quentin Grimes did some dirty work before their season 2, rookies Jean Montero and Trevor Keels showed great things and will probably get tougher in the G League this season, just like Micah Potter or Feron Hunt who also have looked out the window. On the verge of getting a ring, guys, and that’s it, so we wrote the words “ring” and “Knicks” in the same paragraph.
Washington Wizards
Three wins and two losses for the Wizards in this Summer League and quite frankly… not much to eat. Rookie Johnny Davis struggled to send good signals and didn’t seem super concerned, Colombian Jaime Echenique was impactful but above all he has a funny name, Vernon Carey Jr. confirmed that he was a solid interior and Jordan Schakel that he could score and had a nice name. That’s all for the moment.
Charlotte Hornets
Yippee, we were finally able to put basketball back at the center of the debates last week in Charlotte. Out of my sight the gloomy stories of some, here we took advantage of the talent and the desire of the sophomores JT Thor (30 pawns the last evening and a game winner against the Lakers), Kai Jones or Nick Richards, while the rookies Mark Williams and especially Bryce McGowens caught our eye a little casually. Sympatoche the Charlotte, and a little taste of coming back to it.
Cleveland Cavaliers
We discovered a great pivot from Spain, Amar Sylla, an RJ Nembhard in attacking leader mode, a Luke Travers whose fantastic mullet is matched only by the accuracy of his game (really huh), and we appreciated also the first steps of Ochai Agbaji, not always with his wrist well regulated but author of one or two big cards and above all the custodian of a great desire to take things in hand when asked. The positive point ? It’s rather reassuring. The negative point ? We risk not asking too much of him this season so we will have to seize the opportunities like a carousel pompom.
Brooklyn Nets
A bit of Yves Pons, knocking out the circle on each of his entries that is…twice in a week, but mostly a lot of Kessler Edwards, Day’Ron Sharpe, David Duke Jr., and a lot of Cam Thomas , MVP of the competition last season with Davion Mitchell and who could have done the double this year if the Nets had won a few more games. A band of “old hands” who in any case held the house for the Nets who live above all in expectation of the continuation concerning Kevin Durant. Because if Kessler Edwards or someone else has to fade Ben Simmons as a mentor, not sure that the kid’s career takes off as expected.
Atlanta Hawks
The Hawks had ignited the beginning of Free Agency by going to find Dejounte Murray in San Antonio and drafting AJ Griffin we do not know how, but know that they did not really ignite much in Vegas. We have seen an appreciable Justin Tillman and the duo Tyrese Martin / Tyson Etienne take one or two heat strokes, but overall the month of July will not remain in Atlanta in basketball annals, in particular because of the absence of AJ Griffin, very quickly announced absent from the festivities because, for the moment, it is especially for this kind of news that he is known to the general public. It should be noted, however, that two Frenchmen took part in this SL with the Hawks, Alpha Kaba who did not really manage to pull out of the game, and Joel Ayayi, a little more prominent and who will run for another small two-way contract to whoever wants to offer him. For lack of anything better, for the moment.
Toronto Raptors
The Raptors have been talked about a bit more lately… when the Kevin Durant trade was mentioned, but on the Vegas courts it was playing basketball. We could see the rookie Christian Koloko begin to build a small Cameroonian colony with the Dinos, but we especially saw the facilities of NBA stamped players like Dalano Banton, DJ Wilson or Armoni Brooks or even the former crack (no) of the Magic Jeff Dowtin. Frankly, nothing exceptional, we are now awaiting the departure of Scottie Barnes in Brooklyn.
Chicago Bulls
One of the very pleasant teams of this SL, except for one ghost match. Marko Simonovic shone under the panels and was even clutch at the start of the competition, Dalen Terry has everything to become one of the darlings of the United Center, and overall the Bulls have produced almost a good game over these ten days. We saw Carlick Jones and Malcolm Hill and we took advantage of it because we shouldn’t be seeing them again anytime soon, and we even discovered Makur Maker, Thon’s brother, just to add a bit of storytelling to the week of Bulls. A nice batch of summer in Chicago, waiting for the recovery in the wake of the new rich Zach LaVine and Hall Of Famer of the Drew League DeMar DeRozan.
Milwaukee Bucks
A rather daunting match (never in the abuse here) against the Celtics, and a rather serious Summer League overall. Sandro Mamukelsahvili was one of the best players in the entire competition, Lendell Wigginton continued his “beautiful” momentum at the end of last season and rookie Marjon Beauchamp added to the tears of his draft the start of a very beautiful story. with the frankness of Giannis because, write it down somewhere, this young man has something special. Acne but flow, an air of faux-slow but the ability to make differences, in short, a very nice pickaxe low enough in the Draft for very clever Bucks and suddenly very happy. Special mention also to Dewan Hernandez, Rayjon Tucker and a bit of Lucas Vildoza, while, under the orders of Vin Baker and… TJ Parker, the Frenchies Hugo Besson and Sylvain Francisco did not particularly take advantage of the moment.
Philadelphia Sixers
Let’s be honest, we have a bit of a break in front of the Sixers Summer League. Filip Petrusev in sequence, Charles Bassey and a very prominent Isaiah Joe at the start of the week, especially against the Raptors. Jaden Springer was… uneven, and that’s about it, when we tell you we hacked, that means we hacked. It had to fall on a team so sorry Sixers fans, this time it fell on yours so can’t wait for the start of the season and the cards from the French pivot from Philly.
Miami Heat
The Heat had attacked before the others by taking part in the California Classic Summer League, letting us, for example, discover the skills of Nikola Jovic in an NBA context. Hard at first then better afterwards, we feel that the guy is both a killer and a poet, in short we feel that Nikola Jovic is a bit like the Nero of the NBA. For the rest ? We were able to appreciate the skills of Mychal Mulder, an incredible phrase if ever there was one, but no less than the phrase “nobody can stop Bouyea”, we swear we heard it live. Otherwise ? Javonte Smart has been sending cinder blocks all week so he’s been ordered to pack his bags, while Kyle Allman Jr. has brought his Betclic touch back in a fairly inconsistent but quite satisfying fashion.
Boston Celtics
One of the strongest teams in the League in Vegas, more in feeling than in game scores, and we remind you here that we don’t give a damn about scores. A huge big-up to start… Juhann Begarin, clearly one of the best players in the competition, author of a few cards in his last outings (here, or there) and more than 18 points on average in his six games , but also to the rookie JD Davison, supercharged leader and signatory of a two-way contract with the C’s not long ago. We also saw Sam Hauser, Brodric Thomas or the incredible sniper Matt Ryan, and even a bit of Mfiondu Kabengele (another two-way contract player), who we think might not hurt the Cetlics racket this season. Good summer basketball in any case and a fun team to see played, it shows.
