The NBA Summer League has become a thing (who knew?) for fans throughout the country.
Obviously, for organizations, it has served its purpose as it always has. It’s part of the roster construction process. For the high picks, it’s a quick look, and for some veterans in the summer league, they are trying to secure a spot.
For the Washington Wizards, it’s the next step in rebuilding the organization.
What to Watch For:
Returners:
I advise fans, if you’re going to watch the Wizards Summer League games, be prepared for the returners to play in certain games, have limited minutes, and work on roles that they’ve been practicing.
Using the Miami Heat as an example, it’s evident that Kel’el Ware has been working on becoming a stretch big. Does that necessarily mean he’s ready to do that full-time during the regular season? No. However, it’s something he’s working towards.
Don’t be shocked if you see “working on things” reps, from Alex Sarr, KyShawn George, and Bub Carrington.
It could be Sarr taking more threes or posting up more. For George, it could be getting more reps at putting the ball on the floor. In Carrington’s case, it’s been the primary ball-handler and decision-maker.
Drafted Rookies:
Johnson comes from Texas with the potential to be a legitimate knockdown shooter in the NBA. By that, I mean that if he reaches his potential, you can run actions for him to get his shot off, rather than simply being a stand-in-the-corner or end-of-swing player.
That will come with time, so don’t overreact if his perimeter shooting numbers in July are low.
I will be interested in seeing what Johnson does in space. Will he attack it or settle for an open perimeter look?
Will Riley has the build of a 3-and-D player in the NBA. It’s going to be hard to determine how effective a defender he will be in the NBA based on Summer League because there aren’t going to be defensive philosophies implemented.
On the offensive end, his three-point shot is what I’m looking for. As I’ve said time and time again, there are players who can make threes, kiss-the-line three-point shooters, and floor spacing three-point shooters.
Riley probably needs time to develop into an impactful 3-and-D player. Since Washington is still in the earlier stages of the rebuild, he has time.
Best of the Rest:
Kadary Richmond and Jamir Watkins headline my other players to watch.
Richmond was a physical presence at Seton Hall and St. John’s. He frequently bullied college players from the three-point line to the paint. That won’t happen in the NBA. It will be interesting to see if Richmond shows enough to convince the Wizards’ brass that he can be a tough, physical perimeter defender in the NBA. That could warrant a trip to the G League.
Similar to Richmond, Watkins’ impact should be felt primarily on the defensive end. He wasn’t an efficient three-point shooter in college, so it would take some time for him to get to being a dependable three-point shooter from the NBA three-point line, and that’s far from being a guarantee.
Schedule:
July 11 Phoenix 9:00 p.m. ET
July 13 Brooklyn 8:00 p.m. ET
July 15 Philadelphia 8:30 p.m. ET
July 16 Utah 10:00 p.m. ET
