Summer League 6. GSW v HOU. EARLY 4pm START. Trayce Jackson-Davis’s planned debut. Game thread and open thread.

Cam Whitmore revenge game?

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

Apricot’s In-Game Notes from Last Game

• There will be one more game, as listed in my schedule, day and time TBA.

• My guess is that CP3 will play 30-35 but sit out a number of games.

• LQ with the layup right over Dereck Lively. AVENGE OUR DRAFT

• Lively throws a simple pass into the stands. DRAFT REVENGE

• Lively with a beautiful block downcourt to start a fast break. Missed a couple of point blank shots though. As advertised.

• No one can shoot on the SL Dubs today.

• BP with some decent passes, but seems thrown off by his misaligned shot. Part of it is DAL defense is playing up a little, counting on Lively in the back line to erase mistakes.

• LQ showing some maturity by finding ways to grind out advantages and points even when the jumper isn't going down, by driving and shooting the midrange.

• Davis roasted Lively on the perimeter. DRAFT VENGEANCE

• DAL called for an impressive flop T. The flopper looked like tumbleweed rolling across the plains.

• I can live with Podz missing a bunch of shots, and I get that Podz doesn't want to force shots if he's ice cold, but it's made him very passive. The other games, Podz was having a big effect all over the court, just not with his jumper.

• Jantunen has a problem staying vertical. Every drive at him seems like an automatic foul.

• Okay after I complained about BP's passiveness, he's been better the last 4 min of the game.

• Podziemski with an ultra-patient clutch last possession getting all the way to the rim and kicking it out to a wide-open Davis for a super clutch basket. Probably some very random disappointing ending coming up, but it's been a very exciting ending

• Oh snap, I had no idea there was an Elam ending here. To 7 points.

• BP has had a couple of shots to the head down the stretch. He's looking a little groggy.

• I didn't mind that Elam ending. Pretty random though.

• I think BP has taken generally good shots that he should be able to make. So I’m not worried about him getting shots. He’s also been able to create off the dribble and made some excellent reads and passes. So it’s just a matter of settling down, getting used to the new situation and getting some confidence. Kind of like J Poole before he got sent to the G League.

  • belilaugh replied

    Poole's rookie Summer League numbers:

    40%/27%/79% (FG%/3P%/FT%)

    2.8 RPG

    1.8 APG

    2.3 SPG

    0.3 BPG

    3.5 TOV

    Terrible.

• I do know that Summer League is a bit early to give up on players. A lot of trigger-happy people would have been weeping about wasting picks on Steph and Jordan Poole after their mediocre shooting at Summer League.

• I think Podz has shown a lot more in Summer League than I was expecting in all areas except... shooting. We all agree if he doesn't get his shot together, he'll be a bust.

Schedule

Las Vegas Summer League

• Fri Jul 7, 8:00pm, ESPN. GSW v LAL. Jalen Hood-Schifino (vs TJD, teammate reunion!), Maxwell Lewis

• Sun Jul 9, 7:00pm, ESPN2. GSW v NOP. Jordan Hawkins

• Wed Jul 12, 2:30pm, NBA TV. GSW v DAL. Oliver-Maxence Prosper, Dereck Lively II

• Thu Jul 13, 4:00pm, ESPN. GSW v HOU. Amen Thompson, Cam Whitmore

• Jul 15 or 16 Bonus Game, TBA

• Jul 17 6pm Championship possibly

Summer League Roster

Players to Watch

Rockets

• Amen Thompson. 2023 #4 pick. Got injured in the first game of Summer League, so he won’t play.

• Cam Whitmore. 2023 #20 pick. This guy was mocked to be a lottery pick, to the extent that I didn’t include him in our DNHQ Draft Tourney. As it turned out, he dropped way down due to some combination of worries about his medical record plus bad interviews plus being scouted as an offensive black hole. The Warriors had a chance to grab him, but had Podziemski higher on their board, so Cam fell all the way back to HOU, who were delighted to snap him up.

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.

• Trayce Jackson-Davis. 2023 #57 pick. IS THIS THE DAY?? Still awaiting his debut, delayed due to hamstring issue. 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. Has played a settled and effective game all Summer League. He’s the team’s rock.

• Gui Santos. 2022 #55 pick. Local cult hero for his aggressive and charismatic play. 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. 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.