Takeaways from Summer League
Most of the Warriors dispersed to enjoy their summer vacations after the championship parade last month, having gone nonstop since the start of training camp in September.
But now, with Summer League coming to an end, the Warriors coaching staff and young players will get their much-deserved break, too.
Summer League is a time for recently drafted or fringe players to impress NBA front offices. Some are proving why they're ready for an NBA opportunity while others use this as a transitional steppingstone from the college to professional level or as a time to polish their skills.
This summer's Warriors team was one of the most exciting to follow in recent memory. Not because it did well by any means — it finished 1-4 in Las Vegas and 1-7 overall after an 87-77 defeat to the Wizards on Sunday — but rather because this group gave a glimpse into the future as four reigning NBA champions took the floor together for the first time.
With that in mind, here are three takeaways from the Warriors' Summer League run: WISEMAN SETS A STARTING POINT >> James Wiseman dipped his toes back into live action in Summer League and came out with no known issues. That's important.
Though Wiseman had an upand-down showing for the Warriors, the last two weeks have given the 21-year-old a starting point for the upcoming season.
Though Wiseman was on a minutes restriction, he averaged about 20 Summer League minutes across four games, the most he's played in more than 15 months after he experienced several setbacks in his recovery from a torn meniscus in his right knee.
Wiseman opened his Summer League with a ferocious twohand dunk with an assist from Jonathan Kuminga and ended the stretch with an 11-point, sixrebound performance on Sunday.
The Warriors drafted Wiseman for his 7-foot stature and athleticism, both on display over the last two weeks.
Wiseman knows he needs to be a better rebounder, he even told coach Jama Mahlalela that after his first game back on July 10. But Mahlalela was certain that Wiseman's rebounding ability will improve with more repetitions.
“He's trying to block everything, which we knew he would try to do, and he's trying to post-up everything and dunk everything and he's an eager young man who's competitive and wants to win the game right away,” Mahlalela said. “And that's going to be a learning curve with him, to learn how to play NBA basketball, to learn how to be patient, calm down and slow down. But that's what we expected.”
After months of suffering setbacks, Wiseman's Summer League appearances were promising for
the upcoming season. DEVELOPING THE (POTENTIAL) NEXT BIG THREE WILL TAKE TIME >> Winning an NBA title this year took some of the urgency off the Warriors' young players to develop into the franchise's next star trio. Still, Wiseman, Moses Moody and Jonathan Kuminga appear ready for expanded roles in the second unit next season.
Put Jordan Poole into that group, and Mahlalela says the Warriors have a “pretty lethal lineup.”
Wiseman, Moody and Kuminga finally played together in a game after a season's wait. The Warriors will practice patience as they learn the nuances of each other's games and build chemistry.
Still, seeing those three on the floor together was exciting for the Warriors and their fanbase.
Each brings a different skill set to the table that complements the others.
“They're definitely not replicas of each other and that's what's going to make them special,” Mahlalela said. “JK can do things that Moses can't and vice versa. And Wiseman is obviously the
X-factor with his size and length and (status as a) running, skilled big.
“As we figure those guys out and add Jordan into the mix in the summer workouts and into the preseason, I think it will be unique to see what the second unit could potentially look like and put a young unit out there and it could be pretty good.”
Keep an eye on these three
QUINNDARY WEATHERSPOON >> Weatherspoon watched Gary Payton II go from last man on the roster to key contributor during the Warriors' title run last season. Now, he's hoping to follow a similar path after Payton left Golden State in free agency for more money in Portland.
Weatherspoon is an NBA champion, watching his team take this year's title while riding the bench due to two-way contract restrictions.
MAC MCCLUNG >> McClung switched teams for a better opportunity ahead of the Las Vegas portion of the summer basketball showcase after starting California Classic games off the
bench for the Lakers.
The Warriors' main reason for nabbing McClung was to replace their injured second-round pick, Ryan Rollins. But McClung impressed in his Warriors debut as starting point guard, a position in which he recognizes he has room to grow.
GUI SANTOS >> The Warriors drafted Santos out of Brazil, where he played professionally, under the recommendation of former development coach and player Leandro Barbosa, who played with Santos for Minas Storm from 2018 to 2020.
Santos went into summer play acknowledging the challenges of transitioning to the Americans' up-tempo and more physical style of play, which is different than what he's used to in international play.
But the 20-year-old has an aptitude for scoring and playmaking, which was on display at various points throughout the summer. He had some admirable performances, including his debut in the California Classic when he scored a team-leading 23 points and added six rebounds.