Summer League Roster Mini-Previews: Pt. 2
3 Things to Watch for each team in the Southeast and Southwest Divisions
No matter how many words of caution we hear to not overthink or overreact to what we see at Summer League, the human mind jumps to conclusions.
For the next two weeks, Las Vegas becomes the epicenter of the basketball world. Star rookies, NBA hopefuls and young whippersnappers all converge on Sin City to try and prove their value to the 30 NBA teams watching. Some will increase their standing in the rotation or add new traits. Others will prove their worth as a roster candidate heading into training camp.
Context is always important, so before watching each team play, you have to know what questions to ask and what to be looking for. Our Summer League preview features a skim through all 30 teams, briefly looking at three questions we’ll be watching for the answers to out in Vegas.
Atlantic & Central Division Preview
Southeast & Southwest Division Preview
Northwest & Pacific Division Preview
Miami Heat
The Heat have the benefit of already playing in the Sacramento summer league, but their showing out in Vegas will be much different. There aren’t a ton of guys here with NBA experience, but what the Heat do have are some young players we are incredibly curious to see play. The organization has a track record of plucking mid-major or unconventional path players out of obscurity and developing them into NBA-caliber rotation guys. Fans of the game and those outside the Heat organization always track them closely to see some guys that might be worth snatching up down the line.
How does Nikola Jovic defend? The Heat first-round selection was a lottery talent on offense in our book, but we struggled to see how he could reliably stay on the floor based on his film in Europe. Miami didn’t reach to get him in the later part of the first round (it’s right where we projected him to be) but there is work to be done to make sure he develops. Moving his feet in space and finding a natural position to guard are important for Jovic. If he impresses in both areas, he will look like a steal of a selection.
Which ‘returners’ cement themselves as true NBA rotation guys? Every year the Heat snatch someone up from obscurity. Another frequent development in the summer is for one guy who has some NBA experience to come out here and blow everyone else away. The Heat have a few with that experience: Marcus Garrett, Mychal Mulder, Omer Yurtseven, Haywood Highsmith and Javonte Smart. The odds indicate that one of these guys, if not more, will perform really well.
Who is the next Miami Heat deep gem they have unearthed? Three candidates from the undrafted free agent market come to mind. Jamaree Bouyea from San Francisco is a well-rounded point guard with long arms and defensive prowess. Orlando Robinson from Fresno State is an inside-outside big man with real NBA range. Bryson Williams out of Texas Tech can really defend and has a grittiness and toughness about him that fits in well with the Heat.
Sleeper name(s) to watch: Jamaree Bouyea, Orlando Robinson
Atlanta Hawks
After pulling off a big trade for Dejounte Murray and surrounding three future selections in the draft, the onus is on the Hawks front office to find cheap, young talent they can keep developing. They’ve been hit or miss with some draft prospects over the last few years, and none of their big names or first round picks will be playing this year. The lone exception is AJ Griffin, the latest in a long line of ‘swing for the fences’ wings the Hawks have taken over the last few draft cycles. There are a million questions with Griffin, as well as some other prospects of note.
Does Griffin function successfully with the ball in his hands? Nobody is questioning that AJ Griffin can shoot. And (hopefully) nobody is assuming he’s ready to be a solid defender. But the Summer League is about upside, and Griffin can provide upside down the road if he returns to his high school self. If the Hawks let him operate with the ball in his hands, make sure you watch every second and see how fluid, natural and comfortable he looks.
Can Sharife Cooper take the next step? The second most important player on their summer roster, Cooper may have importance as a backup point guard on the NBA team this upcoming season. Cooper is a tough prospect to peg because he’s so clearly talented with the ball in his hands, but he needs it to be successful, doesn’t shoot it great and struggles to defend. He started shooting better this year and finished at 37% from 3, a great mark. The next step for him is doing that consistently off the bounce and defending at the point of attack. If he does, he’s definitely an NBA second-unit guard.
Will any of the other guards surpass him? The Hawks have brought in a good deal of smaller guards to the roster. Chris Clemons, Tyson Etienne, James Akinjo… either they aren’t planning on playing Sharife much or are looking for an additional body to add for training camp and beyond. Either way, if one of these guys plays incredibly well, look for them to be camp competition for Sharife.
Sleeper name(s) to watch: Tyson Etienne
Charlotte Hornets
Draft night was strange for the Hornets, but they got their guy in Mark Williams and found a solid second-round sleeper in Bryce McGowens. Both will play this summer, as will 2021 first round pick Kai Jones. The Hornets should have good frontcourt depth — an area of need on this roster — but with a hole opening on the wing due to the Miles Bridges saga, there are more needs developing than anticipated.
Kai Jones: a 4 or a 5? Put the rookies aside for a moment. The intrigue around this team is more about how the older guys keep developing. Charlotte has two big men here in Williams and Nick Richards who are pretty well-known commodities. They play the 5, are really good on defense and need floor spacing around them. Jones was a bit of a tweener back on draft night, and there seems to be a lack of certainty around what his true position will be in the NBA. He may play the 4 a lot this summer, and that should provide definitive data as to whether he can thrive in that role — if they commit to playing that way long enough. The exact same thing can be said of 2021 second round pick JT Thor.
How far away is Bryce McGowens? The Hornets have some talented guards in LaMelo Ball and Terry Rozier. The depth behind them: seriously lacking. Charlotte drafted Bryce McGowens knowing he was raw and needed a year or two; very few rookies contribute right away, and last year’s class with the Hornets shows their patience with guys. James Bouknight, last year’s lottery pick, is not playing this summer due to surgery on his pinky. We’ll get more minutes for McGowens and a better feel for just how far away he is from a playmaking and defensive perspective.
Are there wings on this team they can get something out of? If Bridges is out of the picture, adding another wing becomes a necessity; they’re pretty far behind the rest of the East at the position without him. We like Scottie Lewis, whom they have on a two-way, and Justin Minaya from Providence. Beyond them, it’s an older group that isn’t very NBA-tested.
Sleeper name(s) to watch: Justin Minaya
Orlando Magic
What a young nucleus the Magic have stumbled into. Paolo Banchero, Jalen Suggs, Franz Wagner, Jonathan Isaac, Wendell Carter, Cole Anthony, RJ Hampton… what a great group. Only two among that group — Hampton and Banchero — will suit up this summer for the Magic. There are other young role players hoping to fill out the roster that could make a leap and a couple of names we are intrigued by.
How does Hampton look running the point? Let’s be clear here: there just aren’t many on-ball reps left in Orlando. Cole Anthony deserves some. Jalen Suggs deserves some. Markelle Fultz deserves some. Paolo Banchero is a playmaking forward. Poor Hampton, who we believe is best as a lead guard, getting jettisoned to off-ball duties time and time again. What this summer could do for Hampton is get him on-ball reps that rehabilitate or raise his value on the trade market for Orlando to cash in on eventually.
What can we expect from Caleb Houstan? When the Magic drafted Houstan early in the second round, we saw yet another Michigan prospect head to Orlando. He was a once-promising lottery prospect who now fills the 3-and-D role at the NBA. He has to hit shots and show some athletic improvements if he’s going to be the recipient of any minutes.
Does anybody else separate themselves? Lots of good players here that we’ve long been fond of. Devin Cannady (still upset that he killed my team when he was in high school) is a steady hand, Tommy Kuhse is a good backup guard, and Zavier Simpson has an unorthodox game that is successful. Those three point guards could take away on-ball reps from Hampton — and it would take a really strong performance from one to continually deserve that. We’re fans of Jeremiah Tilmon and Admiral Schofield, too.
Sleeper name(s) to watch: Zavier Simpson, Jeremiah Tilmon
Washington Wizards
Bradley Beal needs help. The Wizards haven’t prioritized (or been able to pull off) immediate impact players, so it’s likely there are opportunities for fringe guys to earn their way into potential roles in Washington. 10th overall pick Johnny Davis highlights the summer squad despite seeing the team bring in multiple guards through the first few days of free agency.
Are Vernon Carey and Isaiah Todd clearly NBA players? The two most coveted members of this frontcourt, the tandem of the bruising Carey and stretch shooting Todd can play alongside each other. If both are NBA-ready, that’s great for the Wizards, giving them depth to depend on. If one is, that’s a solid return from two former second-round guys. If neither are, some of the priority talents on this Summer League team will be disappointments.
How ready is Johnny Davis? The Wizards have brought in more backcourt depth, but there isn’t a gamechanger and long-term partner with Beal that can elevate this group. If Davis looks incredibly ready to impact the pros right away, that will be the best-case scenario for this Wizards team. They’re starving for a secondary scoring option on the perimeter, so the reps that Davis gets in continuing to score the ball this summer are important.
Which sleepers leave a positive impression? This isn’t a summer group made up of household names, but there are interesting players. Pat Spencer is a former D1 Lacrosse POY who is physical and hypercompetitive. Davion Mintz is a shooting specialist from Kentucky who is often slept on. Quenton Jackson can score it, Devon Dotson plays tough defense… there are fascinating guys to learn here.
Sleeper name(s) worth knowing: Davion Mintz
Memphis Grizzlies
The Grizzlies have this team-building thing down. Identify talent with very few misses. Draft young guys they like who fit a certain mentality and skill type. Develop them to fit the system even more and make them better players. Keep and invest in those young guys year after year, keeping their cupboards constantly stocked with interesting young talent. That makes them a consistently fun team to watch over the summer, and this year’s squad is no exception.
Can Ziaire Williams take another step? Ziaire already got regular season rotation minutes on a playoff team, so if he plays for long stretches this summer, it will likely be so he can develop with the ball in his hands. Ziaire is a talented passer and has a smooth mid-range game; prioritizing those reps for him is important for the Grizz.
Is anyone else (other than Xavier Tillman) going to separate themselves as NBA-ready? Jake LaRavia has an easy role as a shooter and has enough IQ to fit in early. David Roddy is physically mature and can do a little bit of everything. Santi Aldama is super unique and skilled for a bigger guy. Kennedy Chandler has a ton of skill for a point guard. Those four, plus Vince Williams, Kenneth Lofton and Romeo Weems, will all likely be sniffing the team next year. The Grizzlies will judge based on how they fit in next to Morant and company, not just their raw production in Memphis.
Do they find another diamond in the rough? There are plenty of diamonds on this roster from unique backgrounds. EJ Onu, who played last year in Canada and was an NAIA superstar, definitely has NBA upside. We really like Keve Aluma, the undrafted rookie out of Virginia Tech, and the playmaking of Tremont Waters, a G-League stalwart the last few seasons. This team seems pretty content in developing and rolling with the 8-9 guys with potential for their club, so the rotation might be set.
Sleeper name(s) to watch: Keve Aluma
Dallas Mavericks
The Mavericks have a void in the backcourt after Jalen Brunson’s departure but are still a playoff team. Jaden Hardy is the lone player here signed to a contract, a sign that the Mavs are both fielding a veteran-based team and have struck out on some recent picks (sorry, Tyrell Terry). Their roster is ripe for a player to earn a priority spot in terms of long-term development, just the way guys like Dorian Finney-Smith have.
How does Hardy look? We’ll be honest: the Mavericks have one of our favorite value draft picks in years with Jaden Hardy. With the departure of Jalen Brunson and the potential challenges that come in filling that role, getting minutes from Hardy early in his career could be meaningful for the organization. He’s one player we are incredibly excited to watch this summer.
Can someone walk away with a two-way deal? The Mavericks do not have any players currently signed to a two-way contract. Eugene Omoruiyi, who they had on one last year, was snatched up by the Thunder, while Theo Pinson has been promoted up to a standard deal in Dallas. It’s hard to point to anyone that might be a frontrunner, but if one guy plays really well in Vegas, look for the Mavs to jump on the opportunity and get them locked into a two-way deal.
Will one of the stretch-5s make enough of an impact to get on the team’s radar long-term? Dallas signed two bigs to the summer league team that can really shoot: Sam Waardenburg from Miami and Marcus Bingham Jr. from Michigan State. Guo Haowen is also a tall shooter, and Moses Wright has a ton of skill for a big. The Mavs like floor spacing around Luka Doncic, especially from their frontcourt, and it’s clear they brought in this type of player with Luka in mind.
Sleeper name(s) to watch: Marcus Bingham Jr.
New Orleans Pelicans
The Pels are right there, knocking on the door. Zion Williamson is coming back (we think). Brandon Ingram and CJ McCollum are really good next options. There’s creativity throughout the organization, from coaching staff to front office. They’ve crushed the draft and free agent market over the last couple of seasons and now have a great deal of depth on their roster.
Is Dyson Daniels more of a primary guy or a secondary option? Throughout the G-League Ignite season, we saw Daniels function more as a connector piece. He made good passing reads but wasn’t a primary PNR option, and defended multiple positions. He ended up with the lowest usage rate and per-40 scoring numbers of any lottery pick. Yet the entire workout circuit, all we heard was how impressive his workouts were and how much more he could do on offense than he showed. Well… this is the time to show if that is for real and what type of role he can fulfill at the NBA level — at least early in his career.
How much playing time to the other big league guys get? Trey Murphy, Jose Alvarado and Naji Marshall are the three guys that are with the team to get some run this summer, but it is unclear how much time they’ll get. Summer League head coach Jarron Collins already said it’s unlikely they play the whole time so we could be in for a few games of putting the whole crew together and a few games for the rest of the squad to show out.
Which unique prospects show enough NBA preparedness? The Pels filled out their roster with a lot of guys we are intrigued by. Dereon Seabron is essentially a 6’7” slashing guard who gets into the lane at will — not a great shooter but with the ball in his hands he has real potential. John Butler is a 7’0” shooting guard and one of the more unorthodox defenders for someone his size. Even rookie EJ Liddell, a second round pick, is a tweener 4 and 5 who needs to shoot the ball better than he showed in college.
Sleeper name(s) to watch: Dereon Seabron, Daeqwon Plowden
Houston Rockets
We loved the way draft night fell for the Rockets, getting them an elite floor-spacer and high-ceiling defender in Jabari Smith, plus two really good value picks in Tari Eason and TyTy Washington. Put them with some of our favorite rookies last year in Jalen Green, Alperen Sengun and Usman Garuba and it’s clear this is our type of team. On this rebuilding journey, the Rockets are in no rush and have done a great job plucking diamonds in the rough out of nowhere (Jae’Sean Tate, Armoni Brooks, KJ Martin). Will one more emerge on their Summer League team?
How do the rookies look? All three rookies in Eason, Washington and Smith will be suiting up. The longevity of this team’s rebuild will depend on how much they can get from these guys early in their careers. Jabari has the chance to answer questions about his dribble arsenal, Eason his shot, and TyTy his defense. All three will be the focus of Houston’s summer.
Is there on-court chemistry between Jabari and Garuba? Closing lineups in the NBA often feature a little smaller of a unit and more versatility on both ends. For the Rockets, that closing group may be best served including Jabari and Garuba: both can switch and guard on the perimeter, both play offense beyond the 3-point line, and Garuba’s playmaking is a good complement to Jabari’s shooting. If we were in charge of the Rockets, we’d be making sure we took advantage of the moments to play these two together when possible.
Do Daishen Nix or Josh Christopher add different layers to their game? The Rockets need to be looking for growth from their guys year over year, and the summer is a great environment to be scouting that out. Christopher could add more off-the-dribble scoring and playmaking balance. Nix needs to keep knocking down perimeter jumpers. If both are showing progress in those areas, summer will at least be a success for their development program.
Sleeper name(s) to watch: Trevor Hudgins
San Antonio Spurs
The Spurs are taking the long view here, resetting their cap sheets and trimming salaries while they build around the young core they’ve drafted the last few years. Devin Vassell, Keldon Johnson, Josh Primo, Malaki Branham, Blake Wesley and Jeremy Sochan are the youngest, most promising guys on this roster. We’ll see some of them in Las Vegas, as well as some other guys hoping to earn a roster spot that we are incredibly fond of.
Is Primo ready to be the man? I know that Spurs fans want to see their rookies and how they play, but our eyes go first and foremost on Primo. The 2021 lottery pick looked excellent in an expanded role with the Spurs G-League team, especially at the G-League Showcase. Now that Murray is gone, the Spurs need a lead guard, and they’re still searching for a big-time scorer. An unbelievable summer from Primo would put many Spurs fans at ease that they have such an option in their second-year youngster.
How do the rookies look early on at correcting their improvement areas? The common thread between this rookie class for San Antonio: they all have one area that was a glaring hole in their game. Sochan’s is his shooting consistency, as is Blake Wesley’s. Malaki Branham’s is his defense, and shooting range off the dribble. The Spurs haven’t worked with these guys long enough to be responsible for their improvement in those spots, but if the guys show a natural propensity to grow and have put in the work since the end of their college seasons, the expectation for immediate impact may grow. There will be minutes available to these young guys… it’s just a question of who is most ready to seize them early.
Who earns an additional role in San Antonio? There are SO many guys on this summer squad we like, it would take too much time to run through each. Jordan Hall and Dominick Barlow were two of our favorite undrafted free agent signings across the league. Javin DeLaurier is a hell of a worker and fits a need as an undersized, defensive-minded big. Anthony Polite and Sasha Stefanovic are shooting specialists, and those guys tend to have some ability to earn their way onto a roster.
Sleeper name(s) to watch: Jordan Hall, Javin DeLaurier
Atlantic & Central Division Preview