Summer League 4. Phoenix at Golden State, 8:00 PM

War of the Virginia rookies

The master Summer League post index has links to all the game previews and reports, and the full Summer League schedule.

Schedule

Las Vegas Summer League, July 12-22

• Sat 7/13/24. Phoenix at Golden State, 8:00 PM - 11:00 PM, ESPN2

• Sun 7/14/24. Chicago at Golden State, 7:00 PM - 10:00 PM, ESPN2

• Wed 7/17/24. Golden State at Cleveland, 7:00 PM - 10:00 PM, NBA TV

• Fri 7/19/24. Golden State at Oklahoma City, 7:30 PM - 10:30 PM, NBA TV

The full schedule is here.

Summer League Roster

The picture is the official roster released before the CA Classic. Quinten Post was not listed because at that time, the trade had not become official. He does intend to play part of summer league.

• #10 Donta Scott joining the team in Las Vegas.

Players to Watch

Who plays Summer League?

• So as a loose guideline, of the NBA roster players, you definitely see rookies and usually 1st year players who didn’t get that much playing time (JK and MM played after Y1, so did Keegan Murray), but not usually players after that.

• I believe anyone can play SL, so GSW could send out the entire actual GSW team. But the team and player have to balance messing up summer rest, special events like Olympics, injury risk versus a chance to see players possibly get extended run, possibly in roles they don’t get to play in normal situations.

  • For instance, Kuminga and Moody are too established as NBA players to be selected or agree to play Summer League. As far as I know, there is not a literal age limit.

  • Also, Wembanyama probably wouldn’t play Summer League even if he weren’t already occupied with the France Olympics MBB.

• The rest of the SL teams are made of players wanting to be noticed by NBA teams and get signed to a G-League team or perhaps even a two-way contract. These are usually undrafted free agents, both right out of college and experienced non-NBA pros (overseas or G-League). A small number are free agents like Kevin Knox who were drafted but fell out of the league and are trying to make a comeback.

Current Warriors

These guys are already on the GSW roster.

• Brandin Podziemski. 2023 #19 pick. Says he wants to play to practice being an on-ball point guard. I assume he won’t play much.

  • Johnson: Brandin Podziemski says "scoring the ball more" and defense has been his main offseason focus. Steve Kerr has encouraged him to shoot more 3s.

  • Podziemski and Jackson-Davis are part of USA Select who are scrimmaging the USA Olympic Men’s Basketball team, so they will be away Jul 5 - 8. Podz plans to play in the Jul 10 CA Classic and at least two games in Las Vegas. I assume TJD has the same schedule.

• Trayce Jackson-Davis. 2023 #57 pick.

  • I assume he won’t play much. See Podziemski notes above.

• Gui Santos. 2022 #55 pick.

  • Local cult hero for his aggressive, wild, and charismatic play with the Warriors. He was under contract in Brazil for multiple years, but came over to play on the Santa Cruz Warriors in the G-League, and made it to the All-Star Weekend G-League Next Up Game.

  • He might get some run. Staff may want to see if Gui can dominate Summer League.

  • However, Gui is with the Brazilian Olympic team during the CA Classic dates so if he plays, it will probably be in Las Vegas.

  • (2024-07-13) Olympics basketball starts around Jul 27, so there is plenty of time for Gui to play GSW SL. However, BRA may play exhibition matches like USA MBB is doing, so I don’t really know whether Gui is playing SL or not. He’s on the official roster.

• Quinten Post. 2024 #52 pick.

  • Scouting report here. First press conference here.

  • Johnson: Quinten Post has a minor left leg injury he’s getting over from a pre-draft workout. Post doesn’t know if he’ll be able to play in the California Classic but “really hopes” to play in the Las Vegas Summer League

  • I expect Quinten Post to play in the Las Vegas Summer League games, possibly as early as the first weekend. I suspect GSW will play Trayce Jackson-Davis for two of the first three games and play and start Post for the rest. This would (1) not overdo it for TJD, (2) give Bolden and Sorkin a little more playing time, (3) not rush Post into action.

  • Quinten Post is the most accomplished Stretch 5 in the second round of the Draft. The offense at Boston College often ran through Post at the high or low post with numerous off-ball cutters, so I think Post would fit in quickly in the Kerrball system. He also is a legit 7-0 in socks who was #2 in blocks in the ACC so there is rim protection there. Did I mention he shot a stunning 43.1% and 42.6% 3P in his last two years? That’s over 170 3PA. His career FT% is 80.1%, so that shooting looks real.

  • The big question is whether he’s athletic enough to stay on the court. Let’s see if he can hang with the highly athletic (if disorganized) players of Summer League.

• Reece Beekman. Undrafted in 2024, joined on a two-way.

  • Scouting report here.

  • I rather dismissively called him too small in the DNHQ Draft Tourney Group C. But he’s definitely worth a shot to see if he can play bigger than his size. At least in college, his wingspan allowed him to be a plus defender (ACC Defensive Player of the Year, TWICE). The dream would be that he develops into a point of attack defender like GP2 but healthy and someone who can really run an offense well.

• Pat Spencer. May be auditioning to keep his two-way contract with GSW or at least catch on with another team.

• Lindy Waters III. Traded from OKC for 2024 #52 pick. New, but as he’s already a three-year NBA pro, MDJ says he WON’T play Summer League.

  • Scouting report here.

• Usman Garuba.

  • There were reports that Garuba was headed back to Real Madrid, but Garuba said he hadn’t decided. As of Jul 4, he still had not signed with anyone yet, hoping to get back to the NBA.

  • GSW had an extended look at Garuba in the G-League and also had him on a minimum at the end of the season, and did not give him much playing time.

  • I haven’t found a direct confirmation, but we can infer that GSW did not extend a qualifying offer and Garuba is now an unrestricted free agent.

  • He is definitely not playing on the GSW Summer League teams. In fact he’s currently playing for the Spain Olympic team.

• Jonathan Kuminga and Moses Moody. Too old for summer league.

  • They are too established as NBA players to be selected or agree to play Summer League.

• Anthony Vereen is an Assistant Coach with GSW and he is serving as SL head coach.

The Santa Cruz Guys

These guys were on the Santa Cruz Warriors last year, and are fighting for a two-way contract (or more).

• Yuri Collins. 6-0 but he can play. Pass-first with 5+ assists per game, shoots 39.7% 3P. (G-League stats)

  • Did not play Game 1, due to Coach Vereen wanting to alternate players between games, to give each one more run in each game

• Jackson Rowe. 6-7 wing who shoots 6+ 3PA per game and hit 35.6% of them. (G-League stats)

• Jimmy Whitt. I admit I know little about Jimmy. Only played 22 of the 31 games.

The other guys

• Mantas Rubstavicius, NZ Breakers

  • 6'6 G/F, 43% 3P, 81% FT in NBL, really fast in transition, super quick release from deep, high arching shot. - OriiBeruu

  • Had pre-draft workout with GSW.

  • Did not play Game 1, due to Coach Vereen wanting to alternate players between games, to give each one more run in each game

  • Game 2, he looked pretty spry, showed off 2-5 shooting from three.

• Allen Flanigan, Ole Miss

  • reportedly not with the team anymore, no reason given.

• Santiago Vescovi, Tennessee

  • I don’t know why this guy became a site cult favorite, but he has no chance of getting a two-way with GSW. He might work himself onto a G-League team, or if he goes crazy, maybe a two-way with another team.

  • Played for U Tennessee. Undrafted in 2024

  • A bit more about Tennessee records he set:

    • Vescovi started the most games in Vols history with 144, but that isn't the only record he set. He also is the program-record holder with 212 steals. He's the lone player in program history to record more than 1,500 points, 500 rebounds, 400 assists and 200 steals.

    • He ranks No. 2 with made 3-pointers with 325. He is one of two players to make more than 100 3-pointers in season after making 102 as a junior in the 2021-22 season.

    • The 6-foot-3 guard is eighth in assists with 453 and 10th in 3-point percentage with 37.2%..

  • Had pre-draft workout with GSW.

• Kevin Knox II, Rip City Remix

  • 2018 #9 pick by NYK. It never worked out for him, and he’s bounced around four teams in six years playing 306 games. He’s still grinding. I hope things come together for him.

  • Update: #10 Donta Scott is replacing former No. 9 overall pick Kevin Knox on the Warriors' summer league team, the team announces. Knox out with a strained calf. Update update: Knox plays, Scott stays on the team.

  • Knox is playing after all in Game 2. He says the coaches helped him with the injury.

  • In Game 2, he brought a truly chaotic presence, with some awkward flailing (JaVale-like) plays, gasp-inducingly horrible shot selection, mixed in with some productive moves. It was, frankly, electrifying.

• Marques Bolden, Charlotte Hornets

  • Played in 18 NBA games across 5 years, played in the G-League. Grinding, trying to make his dream com true.

  • Played really solid ball and outclassed first round pick Kel’el Ware in Game 1.

• Daeqwon Plowden, Osceola Magic

  • Played for Bowling Green University. Undrafted in 2022

  • Now he’s 25 years old, he’s bounced around the G-League, most recently for ORL.

  • He was on fire in Game 1 and maybe will get some more attention. He had a nasty knee bump that has unknown effect on his availability. I would guess he’ll sit Game 2.

• Ethan Thompson, Osos de Manatí

  • Scorching hot shooting in Game 1. Steady scoring in Game 2 and got a double double. 22 PTS, 11 REB. Not bad at all for a 6-5 guard.

  • Played for Oregon State. Undrafted in 2021.

  • Now he’s 25 years old. He’s played G-League for CHI and Capitanes de Ciudad de México and now plays in the Puerto Rican Basketball Federation.

• Roman Sorkin, Maccabi Tel Aviv

  • OriiBeruu: 16/6 in 23mpg in Maccabi, 41% 3P, 6'10 PF/C, 3&D center

  • Beefy, banged under the basket, three not dropping: 0-3 Game 1, 0-2 Game 2.

• Christian Terrell, Lahti Basketball*. 27 y.o.

  • Played for UC Santa Barbara, then Sacramento State.

  • Undrafted in 2021, he played in the G-League for SAC. Now playing in Finland.

  • Only playing in the CA Classic.

Suns

• Jalen Bridges, Baylor. 2024 undrafted, two way contract. Scouted at our Draft Tourney.

• Ryan Dunn, Virginia. 2024 #28. College teammate of new Warrior Reese Beekman.

• Oso Ighodaro, Marquette. 2024, #40. Scouted at our Draft Tourney.

• Collin Gillespie, two-way. New two way with PHX. Played college at Villanova, so he’ll probably end up on the Knicks soon enough.