Summer League 2. GSW v CHA. Game thread and open thread.

The new guys vs Brandon Miller

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

Schedule

California Classic Summer League in Sacramento

• Mon Jul 3, 7:00pm. ESPN2. GSW v SAC. Colby Jones, Jalen Slawson.

• Wed Jul 5, 3:00pm. ESPN2. GSW v CHA. Brandon Miller, Nick Smith Jr, Amari Bailey.

Summer League Roster

Players to Watch

Hornets

• Brandon Miller. 2023 #2 pick. The guy they picked over Scoot Henderson. Had a dreadful debut, so is probably going to press to make more plays.

• Nick Smith Jr. 2023 #27 pick. Projected lottery pick, fell all the way to #27. GSW passed on taking him.

• Amari Bailey. 2023 #41 pick. UCLA defensive whiz and dark horse favorite of some commenters. Some good defensive plays on Mon, but looked lost on O.

• James Nnaji. 2023 #31 pick. Promising big playing in Barcelona. In our Draft Tourney.

• James Bouknight and Bryce McGowens. In our 2021 Draft Tourney and 2022 Draft Tourney, respectively. Bouknight was a very divisive prospect who is trying to come back after falling farther than any detractor would have guessed. Both these guys had some good drives on Monday, but the teamwork chemistry with Bouk, Bryce and Nick Smith on the court was… still developing.

Young Warriors

These guys are already on the GSW roster.

• Jonathan Kuminga and Moses Moody. Not playing.

• Brandin Podziemski. 2023 #19 pick. The most polarizing prospect in the draft. I look for him to have an accurate catch-and-shoot 3 ball, cut well off-ball, and to handle the ball in the pick and roll. He doesn’t have the burst to get by defenders off the dribble, but he’s very sly using screens and splitting defenders and he has outstanding court vision.

• (UPDATE: Not playing in CA Classic, boooo) Trayce Jackson-Davis. 2023 #57 pick. So how did one of the best college basketball players this year almost go undrafted? His knock is being too old (23 yo) and too slow to be a wing and too short to guard centers. I’m expecting him to finish some lobs, have some nice weak-side help blocks and show some touch around the basket. Can he show he can guard the bulky bigs or strong fast wings?

• Jacob Rubin is the head coach and is an Assistant Coach with GSW.

The Santa Cruz Guys

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

• Lester Quinones. Undrafted. 2022-23 Two Way contract with GSW. 2022-23 G League Most Improved Player and 2022-23 G-League All-Rookie Team. He has an all-around offensive game with decent shooting and driving. Got only a few garbage time minutes in 2022-23 and played like a caffeinated Jack Russell Terrier. Looking to see him play a settled and effective game.

• Gui Santos. 2022 #55 pick. Local cult hero for his aggressive and charismatic play. He’s 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. GSW owns his NBA rights.

• Jayce Johnson. Hustling, bruising big guy.

The other guys

No Ceilings reviewed some of the other guys here. These guys are fighting for a spot in the G-League or maybe a two-way contract somewhere.

Exhibit-10 Contract:
-Javan Johnson, 6’6.25”, DePaul
-Kendric Davis, 5’11.5”, Memphis

Summer League Deal:
-Yuri Collins, 6’0”, Saint Louis
-Gabe Kalscheur, 6’4.5”, Iowa State
-Adam Kunkel, 6’4”, Xavier

Javan Johnson ranked 95th on my final board. He’s got long arms and is a great shot-blocker for a wing with a career 3.0 BLK%. Johnson loves to contest and swat shots in the mid-range when guarding the ball. He also hit 41.2% of his threes on high volume this year while also showing off a mid-range scoring bag and some creative passing chops. He’s not great the rim, but there’s the framework of a 3-and-D, dribble-pass-shoot wing here.

Kendric Davis is a small guard who can score like few others, averaging 21.9 PPG this past season. He’s a sharp live dribble passer, an impressive skill for someone who didn’t play until high school. Davis received rave reviews for his work ethic and attitude in interviews with teams. He’ll need to continue to blend his playmaking for other with his shot-making and find a way to stick as a small guard in a big, unforgiving league.

Yuri Collins faces a similar predicament, but he’s far and away a more pass-first player. He averaged 10.1 APG to 3.6 TOV, getting into the paint time and time again before rewarding his open teammates. A 32.9% career three-point shooter on low volume, he desperately needs to be less tentative and more effective from distance.

Gabe Kalschuer had a strange career, hitting 37.1% of his threes as a freshman and sophomore before a two-year cold streak (23.9% from three). As a graduate, he got his shot going again (35.4% on 6.2/game). During his “off years,” he still stayed on the court due to his powerful frame and defensive tenacity. If the shot can stick, he has a chance.

Adam Kunkel scored 16.5 PPG during a breakout sophomore year at Belmont. He transferred up to Xavier, and it wasn’t until his graduate year that he truly found his form again. He hit 42.5% of his threes last season, with many coming off movement. There’s a chance for him to grab a specialist role.