Washington Wizards: Ranking 2019 NBA Summer League players
By Ben Yokoyama
5. Garrison Mathews
Garrison Mathews is an absolute sniper and is not afraid to let it fly. Though he seemed one-dimensional in Summer League, he earned a two-way deal with the Washington Wizards because of it. He shot 35.3 percent on a wide array of 3’s.
Wide-open, pump faking, coming around a screen or even taking a dribble inside the arc for a long 2, Mathews can make them all.
The former Lipscomb player did more than just shoot in college. In the pros, however, he will likely be a floor spacer. His 6’7” frame projects well at the next level and as a bonus he also showed some strong rebounding in his three games.
4. Justin Robinson
Justin Robinson was always on the move. He started all five games and danced around the court like a gazelle. Although this was not always a good thing for him. Sometimes he moved too fast for his own good, forcing him into 12 turnovers in a three-game stretch.
He dropped 15 in his first game, but slowed down, never topping 10 in the next four games.
His skills were apparent. He has the on-court leadership and vision to direct an offense, a good 3-point shot and excellent quickness on both sides of the court. But he will have to learn when to force the issue by using his athleticism and when to go into the team’s offensive sets.
The G League will suit him for now, but he will be up soon after signing an NBA deal with the team.
3. Troy Caupain
Other than the first-round picks, Troy Caupain established himself as the offensive leader on the court. An undrafted player out of Cincinnati in 2017, he played for the Lakeland Magic and got called up to play four games with the Orlando Magic.
He had two 15-point games and averaged 11.2 points and 4.4 assists, playing all five games. He handled the ball well and showed excellent patience on offense. He ran the pick-and-roll well with a number of different players and always seemed to know who would be open.
Caupain showed an ability to score at every level. He can make the 3-ball and was a good finisher around the rim, but the most impressive part of his game was the midrange. He has an excellent floater and a good pull-up jumper that popped in over bigger defenders.