Milwaukee Bucks: Rashad Vaughn standing out in NBA Summer League

By Josh Cornelissen | Jul 12, 2017

LAS VEGAS, NV - JULY 09: Rashad Vaughn /

The Milwaukee Bucks have waited for Rashad Vaughn to make the leap. Does a strong NBA Summer League performance mean he is ready to contribute?

NBA Summer League provides an opportunity for a variety of players to make their mark, from top picks facing off to fringe prospects just seeking a job. The Milwaukee Bucks have some of each. Somewhere in between these two groups are those players who entered the league with plenty of promise, and now are teetering on the edge of employment.

Rashad Vaughn was the 17th pick in the 2015 NBA Draft, a young and raw wing prospect with all of the potential the modern NBA craves. In the two years since, however, Vaughn has struggled to improve any area of his game, putting up inconsistent stats in the D-League and failing to crack the rotation.

With the Bucks pressed up against the luxury tax and multiple expensive contracts on the books for years to come, Milwaukee can use inexpensive talent to help push its ceiling toward the top of the Eastern Conference. A player such as Vaughn would be a perfect fit if he can take the next step in his career.

With the NBA Summer League in Las Vegas this week, Vaughn is the senior member of the Milwaukee roster. How has his play thus far reflected his growth as a player and expectations for next year?

More from Milwaukee Bucks

Only six players have averaged more points thus far than Rashad Vaughn, who has put up 21.3 points per game while averaging just 28 minutes in three contests. In contrast with many stars like Jayson Tatum and Donovan Mitchell he has done so efficiently, shooting 64.1 percent from the field.

Vaughn’s highlight performance of the summer thus far came in Milwaukee’s lone win, an 88-83 victory over the Brooklyn Nets. Vaughn put up 31 points on 13-of-18 shooting, also bringing down seven rebounds.

The third-year wing was scoring from all over the court, finishing in traffic around the rim on drives and pulling up from multiple feet behind the three-point line. At one point, perhaps emboldened by first overall pick Markelle Fultz, he ripped off a spin move in the lane before finishing with the floater.

The array of scoring moves is something Vaughn has struggled to bring to the NBA, but if he can generate offense during short stints off the bench the Bucks will have use for him, as they have a lack of such players beyond the starting lineup.

The efficiency will be key — no team needs an inefficient microwave scorer in the hyper-efficient world of the Warriors and Cavaliers, but one who can shoot around 50 percent has a place. While Vaughn’s shooting percentages are boosted by his stellar performance against the Nets, he has continued to take a number of poor shots. Firing up contested outside jumpers is not the way to a rotation spot.

Defensively Vaughn has all of the tools to be an above average defender, standing at 6’6″ — exactly the height head coach Jason Kidd wants in a 2-guard. He can explode off the ground to contest, he has quick hands, and he is fast enough to get back in transition.

Vaughn has flashed those defensive skills off and on during this week in Vegas, racking up a pair of blocks and averaging a steal per game. He has been engaged on defense, moving his feet to close out driving lanes and pressure the ball-handler. If offense is his calling card, this is his ticket into the Bucks’ future.

Overreacting to a handful of games in Las Vegas is a mistake, but it’s also a mistake to ignore what Vaughn has accomplished. Last season he averaged 14 points per game on just 33.3 percent shooting in more minutes per game in Vegas. This year he is clearly showing more to a front office watching closely to decide how to move forward with Vaughn.

Next: 2017 NBA free agency tracker - Grades for every deal so far

With at least one more game to prove himself, the third-year player has a chance to make a difference for both Milwaukee and his future.

Home/Milwaukee Bucks