With the dog days of summer officially here, what is better than Summer League NBA action? This is our last chance to watch these players in action before they are suiting up for real next season.
We've been fortunate enough to be courtside for the action, and of course, the best part of Summer League is the access we get to assistant coaches and scouts.
Last night's summer league action included some great performances, and some Bronny James. What do we have to look forward to on Tuesday night? Here are our best bets and a handful of players worth watching.
What to Watch for From Indiana
Indiana finds themselves 0-2 in Summer League play with two tight matchups ending in losses. The bright spots for the Summer Pacers have been their wing players. Most notably, Jarace Walker is coming into his own body on offense and defense, while rookie Enrique Freeman has been a quiet star for this team averaging 10.5 PPG on 89% FG in just 19.5 MPG. He looks NBA ready while Johnny Furphy and Kendall Brown also gave solid minutes during the first two games.
One player I’m looking to produce more impactful plays is NCAA champion Tristen Newton. Newton looked flustered when I was in person for their game against the Wolves, turning the ball over 7 times while going 1 of 6 from the field. He will need to limit the turnovers while playing impactful basketball on both ends on Tuesday night in order to find the rotation for the final stretch of SL.
What to Watch for From Phoenix
Speaking with two Suns assistants yesterday at Thomas & Mack, we all agreed that Ryan Dunn is the answer to many of their defensive problems. After losing Mikal Bridges and Cam Johnson in the Durant trade, perimeter defense was needed instantly. In comes Ryan Dunn, who despite shooting concerns - put up 5 stocks in just 26 minutes of play in Phoenix’s first SL game.
Oso Ighodaro - the Suns 2nd round selection, is another player to keep your eyes on as a playmaking big man, while wings David Roddy and Jalen Bridges should get more minutes during this matchup against Indiana.
Prediction: Enrique Freeman
Best Bet: Indiana ML
What to Watch for From Chicago:
While Summer League never dictates whether a player will pan out in the league or not, Matas Buzelis of the Chicago Bulls sure looks like a dominant wing player.
Matas has averaged 21.5 PPG in two games for Chicago, while shooting above 30% from beyond the arc. Turning it over just 1.5 times per game in Vegas, Matas is efficient with the ball and isn’t wasting too much movement - something we were concerned about during the pre-draft process.
With Matas serving as the main attraction on the Bulls alongside Julian Phillips, Chicago is certainly trending in the right direction as they look to go 2-1 in Vegas on Tuesday afternoon.
What to Watch for From Detroit:
Detroit’s Ron Holland and Bobi Klintman have been solid so far in Vegas, accounting for 30.5 PPG. While the Summer Pistons have split their first two games, one player will look for redemption in game three. Marcus Sasser has averaged just 7.0 PPG in these two outings shooting just 20% from the field. If there’s one player to bet on during this game, it has to be Sasser’s redemption as he’ll look to take control of this offense from the tip.
Best Bet: Detroit Moneyline
Player to Watch: Marcus Sasser
What to Watch for From Washington:
The Wizards looked out of sorts against the Rockets in their second Vegas matchup and will look to right their wrongs against Portland. Alex Sarr will get a battle in Donovan Clingan as the two best big men in the draft will square up. Sarr put up just 8 points in a -18 performance against Houston while allowing opposing big man Orlando Robinson to drop 22 and 15 on +31.
This should be a revenge game for Sarr, who looks like a raw prospect that has the upside of an NBA All Star and the downside of a bust at this point. Guard Bub Carrington was my favorite prospect coming into the draft cycle and put together an unbelievable Summer League debut, but went a tad cold in Game 2. Against a weaker Portland backcourt, expect Bub to get back on track with 20+ points.
What to Watch for From Portland:
Portland’s Donovan Clingan has been a machine on the defensive end, but has struggled to score consistently during his time in Vegas. He’ll get a great test against Alex Sarr, who he has a physical advantage against. DC has averaged 6 PPG on just 26% shooting.
That’s virtually the lowest percentage he’ll shoot in his career due to how close he plays to the basket. He has a point to prove in this game though - as the tougher of the two big men will come out on top in this one.
Best Bet: Over 182.5
Player to Watch: Bub Carrington