Final notes on NBA Summer League
The reverberations of the wild, NBA-changing free agency are still being felt.
The Western Conference has changed dramatically, and we’re still waiting to see what Oklahoma City does with Chris Paul.
Do the Thunder trade him?
If so, to which team?
After spending four days at the NBA’s Las Vegas Summer League, which concluded Monday, here are some takeaways from conversations with coaches, players, executives and agents.
Wizards’ top spot: Team executive after executive had the same question when Washington’s unresolved top front office job opening came up. “Why not just give Tommy the job?”
Tommy is Tommy Sheppard, the Wizards’ longtime exec who has been running basketball operations since owner Ted Leonsis decided not to bring back Ernie Grunfeld. Sheppard ran the draft, free agency and the Wizards’ Summer League team, but he doesn’t have the full-time job.
The protracted search has an impact on potential candidates and other teams. Per Thunder team policy, assistant general manager Troy Weaver, who interviewed for the Wizards’ job, was prevented from taking part in Thunder business during the draft and free agency while he’s a candidate for a job with another team.
Zion’s surprising showing: Before Duke coach Mike Krzyzewski said New Orleans rookie Zion Williamson should not have played in Summer League because he wasn’t in playing shape, there were concerns about his conditioning.
In the NCAA tournament, Michigan State wanted to run, thinking it could wear down Williamson in a 40-minute game. While Williamson made some of his trademark plays, he took just two shots in the game’s final seven minutes, including a five-minute stretch in which he didn’t attempt a shot.
I expected Williamson, from the end of the college season to the start of Summer League, to get in shape. That didn’t happen, and in hindsight that’s not unexpected given the whirlwind season he had and the attention he drew.
He played just shy of 10 minutes in the opening game against the Knicks but left with a bruised knee and was benched out of precaution for the rest of the session.
All that matters now is that Williamson is in shape when he returns for training camp in September.
Pelicans’ draft picks shine: New Orleans appeared to have aced this draft. Selecting Williamson was a no-brainer, but executive president of basketball operations David Griffin and general manager Trajan Langdon also scored on Jaxson Hayes (No. 8 pick from Texas) and Nickeil Alexander-Walker (No. 17 pick from Virginia Tech).
Both were impressive in Summer League. Alexander-Walker averaged 24.3 points and six assists, and Hayes averaged 16.3 points and 7.3 rebounds
Major numbers: Memphis’ Brandon Clarke (14.7 points, 9.8 rebounds) was named MVP of Summer League, and it underscores the impressive early stages of the Grizzlies’ rebuild.
They have Jaren Jackson Jr., selected Ja Morant No. 2 overall (he didn’t play following minor arthroscopic surgery on his right knee) and are compiling firstround draft picks.
What about R.J.? Don’t fret R.J. Barrett’s Summer League. It’s foolish drawing any long-term conclusions based on five games in Vegas. The Knicks’ rookie draft pick has the skill set and mind-set
necessary to succeed in the NBA. Give him time.
Westbrook to the Big Apple? From what I was told, the Knicks never had interest in trading for Russell Westbrook when he became available. Yes, the Knicks missed out on big stars in free agency and had a few PR snafus. But they remained true to their word and were focused on their rebuild without giving up assets. They signed free
agents to reasonable deals that still give them salary cap flexibility in 2020 and 2021.
Clippers on call: Los Angeles signed Kawhi Leonard and then acquired Paul George in a trade with Oklahoma City. The moves make the Clippers one of the favorites to win the 2019-20 title. It also puts a spotlight on their medical and training staff.
Leonard’s injury and treatment are well-documented, especially how Toronto managed his health last season. George had surgery on both shoulders in the offseason, and Patrick Beverley missed most of the 2017-18 season with microfracture and meniscus surgery on his right knee.
How the Clippers handle those players, especially Leonard, will be watched all season.
AI inroads: The NBA last week announced a partnership and equity stake in the artificial intelligence company that developed HomeCourt, an interactive app that basketball players can use on the court to train, develop and improve skills. Players use their smartphones to video their actions, such as dribbling or shooting, and receive immediate results and feedback. Those results are compiled in a database.
The app has practical uses (helping players get better through a variety of drills) and far-reaching uses (such as discovering talented players throughout the world).
According to HomeCourt, the app has recorded 25 million shots and 20 million dribbles in 10,000 cities in 170 countries.
Investors include the NBA, Harris Blitzer Sports and Entertainment (owner of the 76ers) and Alibaba, which was co-founded by Joe Tsai, who owns 49% of the Nets. Several players are also investors: Bradley Beal, Sue Bird, Matthew Dellavedova, Joe Harris, Al Horford, Jeremy Lin, Jewell Loyd, Steve Nash, Mason and Miles Plumlee and J.J. Redick.
Harris Blitzer Sports and Entertainment joined as an investor because it liked the approach to youth basketball and the convenience of it and being able to use it on your phone on any court.
“I wasn’t a believer at first. I was skeptical,” founder Josh Harris said. “Then I started using it in February. Jeremy Lin got me involved. He talked about how cool it was and how he thought it was going to revolutionize youth training. If I were a kid growing up, this would be one of the first things I would want to have when I was working out in a gym.”