NBA Summer League 2023: Hot Takes from Utah Day 3 with Chet Holmgren Out

The Salt Lake City Summer League wrapped up on Thursday night with two games ahead of the NBA's 2K24 Summer League in Las Vegas, which kicks off Friday, and the action did not disappoint.

The Thunder opened Thursday's action with a 100-91 win over the Philadelphia 76ers, and 2021 first-round pick Tre Mann drew much of the attention for Oklahoma City with Chet Holmgren being held out of the lineup to get some rest.

A matchup between the Jazz and Grizzlies put the wrap on Salt Lake City Summer League, with Utah defeating Memphis 98-83. Despite the loss, Grizzlies second-round pick GG Jackson was the standout.

Here's some of the biggest reaction from Thursday's slate.

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OKC's Tre Mann the Salt Lake City Summer League MVP?

The Thunder selected Mann in the first round of the 2021 draft out of Florida, and fans have been desperate to see him take the next step in his development to become an integral player in the Oklahoma rotation.

After three consecutive performances of 20-plus points in the Salt Lake City Summer League, it appears Mann might be ready to take on a larger role off the bench in 2023-24.

Mann was a leader in Thursday's victory over the Sixers, finishing with 23 points, eight rebounds, five assists and one steal in just over 31 minutes on the court.

The 22-year-old's latest performance had fans naming him the MVP in Salt Lake City:

It's worth noting that Mann is entering his third NBA season and should be putting together some solid Summer League performances at this point in his career.

The Florida product is coming off a decent 2022-23 campaign in which he averaged 7.7 points, 2.3 rebounds and 1.8 assists in 67 games, primarily off the bench, while shooting 39.3 percent from the floor and 31.5 percent from deep.

If Mann continues to perform at a high level in Las Vegas, he could have some more significant expectations heading into the 2023-24 season.

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Grizzlies Got Steal of Draft with GG Jackson?

The Grizzlies selected Jackson in the second round of the 2023 draft out of South Carolina, and he was the youngest prospect in this year's class at just 18 years old (born Dec. 17, 2004).

With plenty of time to grow his game, Jackson could eventually mold into a more than serviceable player for Memphis, and his skillset was on full display against the Jazz on Thursday night.

Jackson finished with 23 points, 10 rebounds and one block in just over 27 minutes. His performance has fans salivating at his potential, with some even calling him the steal of the draft:

As a freshman at South Carolina in 2022-23, Jackson averaged 15.4 points and 5.9 rebounds in 32 games while shooting 38.4 percent from the floor and 32.4 percent from beyond the arc. The forward went on to be named to the SEC All-Freshman Team.

While he might not have a very significant role with the Grizzlies in 2023-24, his potential is off the charts and there could be a spot for him alongside Ja Morant somewhere down the line.