Summer League 7. 4:00 game vs LAL with Joel Ayayi, Mac McClung, Austin Reaves
Last game for a long time, so savor it in all its clunky glory
How To Watch
4pm Pacific on ESPNEWS
Players To Watch
You can check out detailed comments at
Warriors
This is the last game, so it’s very possible a bunch of the names below will be rested.
Jonathan Kuminga. Electrifying unharnessed talent. His passing has improved a lot. His defense, when motivated, is stifling and he can guard (in Summer League) 1 through 5. But will his jumper continue to be a menace to bystanders or settle into consistency?
Moses Moody. Subtle, smart and in the middle of winning plays. His shot creation and driving improved a lot after Game 2 and 3. He whizzed some cool passes in Game 4. Skipped Game 6, so not sure he’ll be playing Game 7.
Justinian Jessup. He seems to have recovered some confidence after a poor start to Summer League. Can he adjust to the speed and strength of NBA players? Can he get open, hit shots and stay with drivers?
Gary Payton II. Can this defensive dynamo play himself onto the roster with some gutsy driving and kicking without a jumper? He has been throwing down some enormous dunks, memorably got hung up on a couple more.
Ryan Taylor. Sharpshooter toiling in the G-League who may get a two-way this year. Didn’t pop out in Sacramento and hasn’t played in Las Vegas. Perhaps it’s his turn now to enter the 10 man rotation? He’s had an ankle injury so we’re not sure we’ll see him at all.
Jaquori McLaughlin, a huge favorite of Perks, who wrote an in-depth piece about him. Some good flashes.
Kyle Guy. He hit 7 threes and a game-winner last preseason against GSW. He hit some threes and made some great passes in Game 3, but also couldn’t create anything off the dribble against the ORL A-team in crunch time and overtime. Has infuriated some DNHQ regulars.
Lakers
Joel Ayayi. Undrafted out of NCAA Runners-up Gonzaga, he signed a two-way with LAL. Plays an attacking style with variable results.
Mac McClung. Undrafted, played his way into a training camp invite with LAL and some kind of contract, presumably an Exhibit 10. Microwave scorer.
Austin Reaves. Undrafted, got a two-way with LAL. The rare great midrange and FT shooter who is not good from 3. Yet.
Warriors Las Vegas Roster
This is slightly different from the Sacramento California Classic roster. Schakel went to the Kings team, and Dowtin went to the Magic team.
Lakers Las Vegas Roster
The thing that worries me about Moody is that he doesn't seem to make others better. We can't say that about Kuminga. In many ways, Moody seems kind of lost. He is primarily a shooter, not a creator or defender. I can see why he fell to #14. Without a good playmaker next to him, he doesn't excel. Rebounding and passing seem to elude him. I'm starting to wonder if the Warriors should have grabbed Sengun or Trey Murphy. I know they should have grabbed Sengun but Murphy looks like the kind of player that will have an impact. Moody is now questionable in my mind. I'd like to think differently about him. He really needs to add some muscle for power. He looks weak.
Jessup will be a player at some point. No doubt he still needs work on his game but is Australia the best place for him?
I still think we need someone big on the roster, not Guy or Jacquori. Their development would hold the Warriors back. They are gleague material and should develop there. We need another stud.
Watching Jessup bomb from deep and make some really nice plays and I’m all “OK, so maybe he’s not Smileyinan Jessup.🤷🏼♂️“
If he’d played like this in the first SL game, I’d have started a GoFund Me account to buy out his Aussie contract.