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2015 NBA Summer League: What To Watch For

By Ezra Siegel

Jul 18, 2013; Las Vegas, NV, USA; Miami Heat guard Tony Taylor dribbles the ball through center court as the first quarter of play begins against the Chicago Bulls during an NBA Summer League game at Cox Pavillion. Mandatory Credit: Stephen R. Sylvanie-USA TODAY Sports
Jul 18, 2013; Las Vegas, NV, USA; Miami Heat guard Tony Taylor dribbles the ball through center court as the first quarter of play begins against the Chicago Bulls during an NBA Summer League game at Cox Pavillion. Mandatory Credit: Stephen R. Sylvanie-USA TODAY Sports /
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While the 2015 NBA Draft is over, the hype surrounding its prospects is still very alive. After just over a one week wait, NBA fans will get their first glimpse of the new rookie class at the three NBA Summer League circuits in Las Vegas, Salt Lake City and Orlando, Fla.

Summer League results rarely translate into immediate NBA success-–Glen Rice Jr. led the Summer League in scoring last summer and didn’t make an NBA roster this year-–yet it’s worth watching just to see how the young talents adjust to playing in NBA offensive system and against pro-level defenders and elite athletes.

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While there are always some Summer League flukes, every year there’s a breakout star in summer league that translates to the next NBA season.

For example, Elfrid Payton averaged 9.2 points, seven assists and 5.2 boards at the 2014 Orlando Summer League on his way to an All-Rookie First Team season where he put very similar numbers at 8.9 points, 6.5 assists and 4.3 rebounds per game.

Other than premier rookies, Summer League is about finding the diamonds in the rough. It’s the best chance for fringe NBA players to make an impression and receive an invite to a team’s training camp.

It’s tough to gauge which prospects will steal the show this summer, but it’s bound to be exciting when it happens.

Orlando Summer League

Dates: July 4-10

Teams: Brooklyn Nets, Charlotte Hornets, Detroit Pistons, Indiana Pacers, Los Angeles Clippers, Memphis Gizzlies, Miami Heat, Oklahoma City Thunder,  Orlando Magic* 

*Magic will be fielding two teams

What to watch for: If you’re looking for premier rookies, there is no shortage of them in Orlando. Top-11 selections including Orlando’s Mario Hezonja (No. 5 Overall),Detroit’s Stanley Johnson (No. 8), Charlotte’s Frank Kaminsky (No. 9), Miami’s Justise Winslow (No. 10) and Indiana’s Myles Turner (No. 9) headline a long list of top rookies facing off in Florida.

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In particular Hezonja will be a particularly intriguing player to watch with the Magic. As a European prospect, Hezonja didn’t play with his fellow rookies, but played against pro-level players with Barcelona in Spanish and European leagues.

While Hezonja played at arguably the next best level from the NBA, he was often buried on a depth chart of more experienced players and was rarely able to showcase his skills for an extended period of time. He’s an elite shooter and an electrifying athlete, and the Magic’s Blue Team will look to unleash his talents for the first time in the United States at the Orlando Summer League.

Another compelling player to watch in Orlando is Indiana’s Myles Turner. Like Hezonja, Turner didn’t get the minutes that he might have received elsewhere, as he was a bench player in a deep Texas front court despite entering the program as the nation’s No. 2 recruit.

Unlike the Longhorns, the Pacers will be looking to make Turner the focus of their Summer League. He will get his first chance since his high school days to be a team’s top offensive option.

Turner is not necessarily ready to make an immediate impact at the next level, but his performance against NBA caliber talent, which he struggled against in college, at the Orlando Summer League may signal things to come.

Similar to Turner, Detroit’s Stanley Johnson will be a focal point in Orlando after struggling to breakout as a freshman at Arizona.

Coming into college, Johnson was the No. 7 recruit and was supposed to push an already elite Arizona team to the next level. While he had his moments, he occasionally found himself on the bench late in games, and he never really transcended to the star that the Wildcats were hoping for.

This summer, Johnson will have the chance to handle the ball and create offense for the Pistons. However, he will run into Miami’s Justise Winslow in what should be the best individual matchup of the Orlando Summer League, as the two will likely guard each other for the majority of their matchup.

Must Watch Prospect Matchups:

  • Myles Turner (IND) vs. Justise Winslow (MIA) – Saturday, July 4 at 9 a.m.
  • Cameron Payne (OKC) vs. Elfrid Payton (ORL – Blue) – Monday, July 6 at 3 p.m.
  • Justise Winslow (MIA) vs. Stanley Johnson (DET) – Monday, July 6 at 5 p.m.
  • Rondae Hollis-Jefferson (BRK) vs. Frank Kaminsky (CHA) – Tuesday, July 7 at 3 p.m.

*All Times Are In EST

Utah Summer League

Dates: July 6-9

Teams: Boston Celtics, Philadelphia 76ers, San Antonio Spurs, Utah Jazz

While the Utah Summer League will be the shortest in duration and will host the least amount of teams, it still has a lot of intriguing young talent to watch.

Philadelphia’s big man Jahlil Okafor will take the floor for the first time and attempt to show why he shouldn’t have fallen to the No. 3 pick. He led draft boards for the majority of the year, and he’s arguably the NBA’s most ready rookie and the frontrunner to make the biggest impact at Summer League.

In Salt Lake City, Okafor will get to face off against the likes of Utah forward Trey Lyles, who projects to be a starting forward at the next level.

Another top storyline for Salt Lake City is the play of the Boston Celtics, who will showcase their rookie talents, such as Terry Rozier and R.J. Hunter, after receiving significant criticism for their performance in the NBA Draft.

They will also send out last year’s rookie defensive sensation in Marcus Smart, as well as NBA sophomore and former No. 17 selection James Young who saw very limited minutes in his rookie year.

Lyles highlights the Jazz’s rookie class, but Jazz fans will also need to keep their eye on second-year guard Dante Exum. As a rookie, Exum struggled adjusting to the NBA game–as many anticipated he would–and Summer League will be his first chance to exhibit any improvement he gained this off season.

The Jazz will also field their No. 42 selection in Olivier Hanlan as well as Rodney Hood, who was one of the NBA’s top rookies last season.

Must Watch Prospect Matchups:

  • Marcus Smart/Terry Rozier (BOS) vs. Dante Exum (UTA) – Monday, July 6 at 9 p.m.
  • Kyle Anderson (SA) vs. Rodney Hood (UTA) – Tuesday, July 7 at 9 p.m.
  • Jahlil Okafor (PHI) vs. Trey Lyles (UTA) – Thursday, July 9 at 9 p.m.

*All Times Are In EST

Las Vegas Summer League

Dates: July 10-20

Teams: Atlanta Hawks, Boston Celtics, Brooklyn Nets, Chicago Bulls, Cleveland Cavaliers, Dallas Mavericks, Denver Nuggets, Golden State Warriors, Golden State Warriors, Houston Rockets, Los Angeles Lakers, Miami Heat, Milwaukee Bucks, Minnesota Timberwolves, NBA D-League Select, New Orleans Pelicans, New York Knicks, Philadelphia 76ers, Phoenix Suns, Portland Trail Blazers, Sacramento Kings, San Antonio Spurs, Toronto Raptors, Utah Jazz, Washington Wizards

With more teams, more games, more fans and a longer playoff bracket, Summer League “madness” really happens in Las Vegas. Simply put, the story lines here are endless.

Perhaps Las Vegas’ most intriguing storyline is the Lakers and their No. 2 selection, D’Angelo Russell, facing off against both the No. 1 pick in Minnesota big man Karl-Anthony Towns and the No. 3 pick in Philadelphia’s Jahlil Okafor.

The first matchups is arguably Las Vegas’ most enticing matchup since Pacquiao-Mayweather–at least for a basketball fan–while the second is in an exciting battle between the two prospects that the Lakers mulled over on draft night.

Lakers’ fans will also want to watch last year’s No. 7 pick in Julius Randle for his return to the court after a brutal early-season injury, as well their All First-Team Rookie in Jordan Clarkson and two additional 2015 draft picks in Anthony Brown and Larry Nance Jr.

The Las Vegas Summer League will also potentially be the first time that the Knicks’ fans are able to watch their rookie European sensation in big man Kristaps Porzingis, though he may be held out with a hip injury. Many New York fans were critical, to say the least, of the Porzingis selection initially, thus the venue, if he plays, will be Porzingis’ first chance to change their minds.

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    • Similar to Porzingis, NBA fans will also get their first look at Denver’s rookie point guard Emmanuel Mudiay, who de-committed from SMU last fall to pursue a paid roster spot on the Guangdong Southern Tigers in the Chinese Basketball Association.

    Before leaving for China, Mudiay was widely considered the No. 2 prospect to Okafor after dominating at the Nike Hoops Summit. However, his hiatus in China, as well as an injury that prevented him from actually playing there, caused him to slide down draft boards in favor of more easily scout-able talent.

    If Mudiay can make a positive impression in Las Vegas, it may cause some early regret among teams that passed on him towards the top of the draft.

    If all that wasn’t enough, Las Vegas will also feature Kentucky big man showdown with Minnesota’s Towns and Utah’s Lyles facing off on Saturday, July 13. The two helped the Wildcats dominate the NCAA for the majority of the 2014 season, and it will be their first chance to face off while carrying their own teams.

    Another Kentucky prospect in Phoenix’s Devin Booker will get to face off against Houston’s Sam Dekker, who was one of the key contributors in eliminating Kentucky from the 2015 Final Four. However, the two wings will have larger roles for their teams in Las Vegas than they had on their stacked college teams in their previous matchup, so expect more of a back-and-forth duel.

    In addition to the top rookies, the best unsigned players from the NBA’s Development League will compete against the NBA on the D-League Select team. The D-League Select’s roster is yet to be determined.

    Must Watch Prospect Matchups: 

    • D’Angelo Russell (LAL) vs. Karl-Anthony Towns (MIN) – Friday, July 10 at 8:30 p.m.
    • Jahlil Okafor (PHI) vs. D’Angelo Russell (LA) – Saturday, July 11 at 8:30 p.m.
    • Devin Booker (PHX) vs. Sam Dekker (HOU) – Sunday, July 12 at 4:30 p.m.
    • Willie Cauley-Stein (SAC) vs. Kevon Looney (GS) – Monday, July 13 at 6:30 p.m.
    • Emmanuel Mudiay (DEN) vs. Justise Winslow (MIA) – Monday, July 13 at 8 p.m.
    • Trey Lyles (UTA) vs. Karl-Anthony Towns (MIN) – Monday, July 13 at 10:30 p.m.
    • Kristaps Porzingis** (NY) vs. Jahlil Okafor (PHI) – Tuesday, July 14 at 5:30 p.m.

    *All Times Are In EST

    **Porzingis may be held out with injury. 

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