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Re-Ranking the Top 50 Players After 2015 NBA Summer League
July 22, 2015Re-Ranking the Top 50 Players After 2015 NBA Summer League
The young kids all came out to play in Las Vegas, Orlando and Utah during the NBA's summer-league action, but not every one of them managed to shine. For many who participated in the festivities, this was the initial experience at the professional level, proving once and for all that there's a stark contrast between this setting and the ranks of collegiate ball.
In these rankings, we're not interested in recapping the summer-league fun and leaving it at that. Potential is also thrown into the mix, making this a forward-looking countdown that does lean quite a bit on the performances put together over the last few weeks.
As was the case for the Las Vegas Summer League rankings that Bleacher Report NBA draft guru Jonathan Wasserman and I put together before the action began, I looked at three things: the current level of the players (which was based on these exhibition contests), their expected performance in 2015-16 and their upside.
The goal is simple here, and it involves nothing more than identifying the best players who spent at least one minute on the floor in any of the three host cities. Experience and upside both help, but it's a requirement that a rotation spot is a realistic goal. We're not interested in the summer-league standouts who have no shot at making names for themselves during the regular season.
Honorable Mentions: Gary Harris (Denver Nuggets), James Michael McAdoo (Golden State Warriors), Adreian Payne (Minnesota Timberwolves), Dwight Powell (Dallas Mavericks), Walter Tavares (Atlanta Hawks)
50. Bryce Cotton, Utah Jazz
Last Team: Utah Jazz
Age: 22
Years of NBA Experience: One
Position: PG
Las Vegas Summer League Per-Game Stats: 16.8 points, 4.0 rebounds, 4.0 assists, 1.0 steals, 0.0 blocks
Utah Summer League Per-Game Stats: 13.0 points, 3.7 rebounds, 3.3 assists, 1.7 steals, 0.0 blocks
After going undrafted out of Providence and getting a brief cup of coffee with the San Antonio Spurs (though he didn't make a single appearance in the NBA), Bryce Cotton settled in with the Utah Jazz and thrived down the stretch run of the 2014-15 season. After receiving spot minutes in February and March, he actually earned consistent playing time during the final month of the regular season and made the most of his opportunity.
Now, he's continuing the trend.
Though he was plagued by the occasional spell of inaccuracy—something that troubles most everyone in the summer-league setting—Cotton still managed to provide a well-rounded impact in both Utah and Las Vegas. The ability to limit his turnovers, which he also boasted last year in the NBA, is a great sign for his development.
49. Aaron Harrison, Charlotte Hornets
Last Team: Kentucky
Age: 20
Years of NBA Experience: Rookie
Position: PG/SG
Orlando Summer League Per-Game Stats: 13.4 points, 4.8 rebounds, 3.4 assists, 1.4 steals, 0.6 blocks
Continuing with the early theme of undrafted players already making names for themselves, we come to Aaron Harrison. Though he was a star recruit at Kentucky and played a big part in the team's success over the last two years, his inability to develop into a true standout while surrounded by future lottery picks plagued him on draft night.
Then, given a chance to run the show for the Charlotte Hornets during Orlando Summer League, the 20-year-old twin showed exactly what he could do when tasked with even more responsibility. Andrew Harrison may have been the one who was drafted, but it's Aaron who has stood out this summer.
Not only did the combo guard score double digits in each of his five appearances, but he thrived on the glass and consistently made his teammates look better. Though he didn't record many assists toward the tail end of his ventures, it's no easy task to drop eight dimes in a single exhibition contest, given the lack of chemistry between players.
48. Norman Powell, Toronto Raptors
Last Team: UCLA
Age: 22
Years of NBA Experience: Rookie
Position: SG
Las Vegas Summer League Per-Game Stats: 18.2 points, 4.2 rebounds, 1.0 assists, 1.5 steals, 1.5 blocks
Norman Powell didn't just score 18.2 points per game during his four contests with the Toronto Raptors in Las Vegas. He lit up the scoreboard while shooting 50.9 percent from the field, 44.4 percent from beyond the arc and 71.4 percent from the charity stripe.
The result? Powell, the No. 46 pick in this year's draft, was named to the All-NBA Summer League 2015 First Team, per an official release from NBA.com.
This is nothing new, as the UCLA product has always been able to score with efficiency. The three-point marksmanship is an unexpected boost after he struggled to keep his percentage from downtown above 30 while with the Bruins, but the 6'4" guard has always had a knack for finding openings and capitalizing on them.
47. Branden Dawson, Los Angeles Clippers
Last Team: Michigan State
Age: 22
Years of NBA Experience: Rookie
Position: SF/PF
Orlando Summer League Per-Game Stats: 12.8 points, 10.2 rebounds, 1.0 assists, 1.8 steals, 1.3 blocks
The Draymond Green comparison isn't going to go away for a while and not just because both Branden Dawson and the new max player for the Golden State Warriors played college basketball under Tom Izzo. They're both gritty, hard-nosed forwards who don't have true positions but thrive because of their intensity and well-rounded play.
Dawson was an absolute force throughout his time in Orlando, even if he didn't light up the scoreboard. He just kept the official scorekeepers busy with his ability to contribute in virtually every category. Recording at least a single point, rebound, assist, steal and block is hard enough when suiting up for more than 30 minutes during your average appearance; this 22-year-old logged only 25.5 minutes per game for the Los Angeles Clippers.
"I did everything," Dawson said about his predraft workout for the Clippers, per MLive.com's Kyle Austin. "I defended, shot the ball well, and I handled the ball, and the whole vibe in the workout just changed. The looks on everyone's faces, they were in complete shock on what they had seen in the workout, just to see me do things I didn't do at Michigan State."
We can only imagine the looks now.
46. Terry Rozier, Boston Celtics
Last Team: Louisville
Age: 21
Years of NBA Experience: Rookie
Position: PG
Las Vegas Summer League Per-Game Stats: 12.2 points, 2.8 rebounds, 4.0 assists, 1.0 steals, 0.2 blocks
Utah Summer League Per-Game Stats: 12.3 points, 3.3 rebounds, 3.7 assists, 1.7 steals, 0.0 blocks
Now we come to the first player in the countdown who struggled his way through his summer-league stint.
The Boston Celtics thought so highly of Louisville's Terry Rozier that they made him the No. 16 pick of the 2015 NBA draft, adding him into the mix despite their pre-existing plethora of backcourt contributors. Thus far, the 21-year-old is getting by more on his pedigree than his actual production.
Obviously, there's plenty of time for Rozier to vault back up in the standings, but his time in Las Vegas and Utah featured plenty of poor shooting. He was most impressive when attacking the hoop and getting to the free-throw line—even going 12-of-13 from the stripe against the Philadelphia 76ers—but that type of mentality was inconsistent at best.
"Our annual check on scouts' opinions of Celtics drafts has generally been quite kind, but many of the league's talent evaluators are not exactly sold on first-round picks Terry Rozier and R.J. Hunter," Steve Bulpett of the Boston Herald reported after the festivities drew to a conclusion.
The latter won't be appearing in these rankings, but the former still barely squeezes in.
45. Spencer Dinwiddie, Detroit Pistons
Last Team: Detroit Pistons
Age: 22
Years of NBA Experience: One
Position: PG
Orlando Summer League Per-Game Stats: 10.4 points, 2.4 rebounds, 3.4 assists, 0.8 steals, 0.0 blocks
This is more about what Spencer Dinwiddie can do than what he's actually done. The Detroit Pistons point guard has been forced to recover from multiple knee injuries up to this point in his career, but he's still only 22 years old and possesses lottery-level upside.
The one-time Colorado standout didn't spend all that much time on the court during Orlando Summer League, but he managed to leave a positive impression whenever he was gifted an opportunity. His poor shooting percentages masked his impact on the game, since he settled in nicely on the defensive end and tried to become even more of a playmaker when he wasn't playing at too quick a tempo.
Dinwiddie knows that earning minutes is going to be difficult after the team retained Reggie Jackson and added Steve Blake, but he's doing his best to show Stan Van Gundy he deserves a big role, per NBA.com's Keith Langlois (sic):
I would love to show my man, Mr. Van Gundy, that I deserve all the backup minutes behind Reggie (Jackson). I would love to also slow I’m at a point where I can play with Reggie. I would love to get to that place where he has that much confidence in me, where I'm not just getting Reggie's backup minutes, I'm also playing with him in spurts. I'm just evolving more as a player and becoming that type of guy that I was seen as before the injury.
It's still an uphill battle, but at least there have been flashes of that upside.
44. Troy Daniels, Charlotte Hornets
Last Team: Charlotte Hornets
Age: 24
Years of NBA Experience: Two
Position: SG
Orlando Summer League Per-Game Stats: 13.5 points, 7.8 rebounds, 2.5 assists, 0.5 steals, 0.0 blocks
Troy Daniels was one of the more experienced players to suit up during summer league, and that worked in his favor as he tried to carve out a bigger role on the Charlotte Hornets. The shooting guard has spent the last few years establishing himself as one of the sport's premier marksmen—albeit in limited capacity—but he was so much more in Orlando.
Could Daniels knock down shots from the outside? Of course.
But in addition to making 12 of his 22 attempts from beyond the arc, highlighted by a 6-of-9 showing against the Memphis Grizzlies, Daniels also crashed the boards with aplomb and did what he could to involve his less experienced teammates.
During his first two seasons in the Association, this backcourt member averaged a combined 2.1 assists per 36 minutes. But throughout his four appearances this summer, he racked up 2.5 dimes during his typical outing, doing so while logging only 30.8 minutes per game.
43. Joe Young, Indiana Pacers
Last Team: Oregon
Age: 23
Years of NBA Experience: Rookie
Position: PG/SG
Orlando Summer League Per-Game Stats: 22.5 points, 2.5 rebounds, 3.2 assists, 0.5 steals, 0.0 blocks
"We liked Joe [Young] all year, so we were surprised he'd be there but he's there and we got him," Larry Bird, the Indiana Pacers' president of basketball operations, told IndyStar.com's Candace Buckner right after picking up the Oregon prospect in the draft. "We got to get him integrated with what we're going to do and hopefully, he can get the ball up and down the court a little bit faster."
Young was limited by a stomach illness at the beginning of his summer-league adventure, but it wouldn't hold him back for long. Banking on his experience and explosion, he quickly proved himself as a capable scorer, just as he'd done so many times in Eugene.
If he's going to log minutes at the 1, Young will have to continue improving as a distributor, especially in pick-and-roll situations. But he's already capable of serving as a scoring spark plug off the Indiana bench. He proved as much by averaging 22.5 points while knocking down 50.8 percent of his shots from the field, 45 percent of his three-point attempts and 78.9 percent of his looks from the charity stripe.
For what it's worth, that equates to a true shooting percentage of 61.3 percent.
42. Russ Smith, Memphis Grizzlies
Last Team: Memphis Grizzlies
Age: 24
Years of NBA Experience: One
Position: PG
Orlando Summer League Per-Game Stats: 14.8 points, 2.4 rebounds, 6.2 assists, 3.2 steals, 0.2 blocks
Even though he was such a captivating and exciting athletic specimen during his time at Louisville, Russ Smith didn't make much of an impact during his rookie season in 2014-15. The New Orleans Pelicans drafted him midway through the second round of the proceedings and only granted him a total of 65 minutes before trading him to the Memphis Grizzlies as part of a three-team deal.
But Smith should get more of a chance on Beale Street as a sophomore, especially after he showcased some dramatically improved dime-dropping in Orlando. Even during the height of his collegiate career with the Cardinals, this short point guard (6'0") was more of a scorer than a distributor, topping out at 4.6 assists per game as a senior.
If you only watched the 24-year-old this summer, you'd have no idea.
Despite spending less than 30 minutes per game on the floor, Smith averaged 6.2 assists while helping steer Memphis to a perfect 5-0 record. The highlight was a nine-dime outing to finish up the schedule against the Orlando Magic, a game made even more impressive by the guard limiting himself to just a lone turnover.
41. Jarnell Stokes, Memphis Grizzlies
Last Team: Memphis Grizzlies
Age: 21
Years of NBA Experience: One
Position: PF
Orlando Summer League Per-Game Stats: 12.0 points, 6.6 rebounds, 1.2 assists, 0.6 steals, 0.4 blocks
It was never hard to envision Jarnell Stokes as a key player for the Memphis Grizzlies. Throughout his collegiate career, he played as if he were meant to fit in with the grit-and-grind mentality that's come to serve as the identity of his new NBA franchise.
Now, he just keeps proving it.
Stokes was never scared to bang around on the glass, trying to corral every available rebound on both ends of the floor. Given that he spent only 28 minutes on the floor during his average outing, it's exceedingly positive that he managed to grab at least two offensive boards in every contest, with five against the Orlando Magic serving as the high-water mark.
Now that Jon Leuer is a member of the Phoenix Suns, the job as the primary backup power forward presumably belongs to this 21-year-old. Everything he did in Orlando should give Dave Joerger confidence in his ability to handle that role.
40. Jerami Grant, Philadelphia 76ers
Last Team: Philadelphia 76ers
Age: 21
Years of NBA Experience: One
Position: SF
Utah Summer League Per-Game Stats: 11.7 points, 4.0 rebounds, 0.3 assists, 0.0 steals, 0.3 blocks
Throughout his time as a rookie with the Philadelphia 76ers, Jerami Grant flew under the radar but made a positive impact on the perennially rebuilding organization. According to my FATS model (based on historical comparisons and explained in full here), the team performed like a 22.1-win squad when he was on the bench but elevated its level to 32.6 wins when he played, giving him a net positive impact that trumped everyone else's, save Hollis Thompson.
Unfortunately, Grant didn't do much to build upon that first-year success during his brief time in Utah.
He only played in three games, but his shot never managed to gain any semblance of consistency. That issue plagued him throughout his rookie season, and connecting on only two of his 10 attempts from beyond the arc isn't going to inspire much confidence. The Sixers probably won't be turning to this Grant brother as a featured scorer.
At least his defensive ability was just as solid as ever.
39. Mitch McGary, Oklahoma City Thunder
Last Team: Oklahoma City Thunder
Age: 23
Years of NBA Experience: One
Position: PF/C
Orlando Summer League Per-Game Stats: 12.5 points, 7.0 rebounds, 1.3 assists, 2.0 steals, 1.0 blocks
Though it's tough to see the Oklahoma City Thunder giving him too many minutes, Mitch McGary has shown that he'd deserve them on almost every team. He just happens to be rostered by a franchise that already features Serge Ibaka, Nick Collison, Steven Adams and Enes Kanter at the two biggest positions in the rotation.
Still, McGary is too talented to flounder away on a bench. He's a unique big man, one who can bull his way through defenders on one possession and then use his finesse dribbling skills to lead the charge on a fast-break opportunity shortly thereafter.
For proof, you need only look at the Michigan product's well-rounded line. He's another one of those guys who managed to average at least a single tick in each of the five major box-score categories, and that's not the least bit fluky.
After all, he posted 14.9 points, 12.2 rebounds, 1.0 assists, 1.2 steals and 1.2 blocks per 36 minutes during his 32 appearances as an OKC rookie.
38. Montrezl Harrell, Houston Rockets
Last Team: Louisville
Age: 21
Years of NBA Experience: Rookie
Position: PF
Las Vegas Summer League Per-Game Stats: 16.5 points, 8.0 rebounds, 1.0 assists, 1.0 steals, 1.3 blocks
Montrezl Harrell is more than an energy guy who operates in similar fashion to the Denver Nuggets' Kenneth Faried.
Granted, he's capable of thriving in that role. But he can also do even more after sneakily improving as a mid-range marksman during his time with the Louisville Cardinals and continuing to show off his offensive capabilities for the Houston Rockets during Las Vegas Summer League.
As the Houston Chronicle's Jonathan Feigen wrote, it didn't take long for Harrell to challenge the established scouting reports:
Rockets rookie forward Montrezl Harrell opened the game with a turnaround fadeaway, launching it as if his game was built around his shooting touch. Harrell was selected by the Rockets with the second pick of the second round for many reasons, but his shot was not high on the list.
After he added a jumper off the dribble and another turnaround jumper in the third quarter, there were signs that the list might need some work. Harrell had 16 points in 26 minutes of the Rockets 97-93 summer league loss Wednesday to the Milwaukee Bucks, but he showed a more versatile offensive game than his reputation would indicate he had.
It's almost as if collegiate roles and ingrained limitations don't always translate to a new NBA setting.
37. Rashad Vaughn, Milwaukee Bucks
Last Team: UNLV
Age: 18
Years of NBA Experience: Rookie
Position: SG
Las Vegas Summer League Per-Game Stats: 17.2 points, 3.2 rebounds, 1.7 assists, 0.8 steals, 1.0 blocks
It didn't take long for Rashad Vaughn to establish himself as a merciless scorer who can light up the scoreboard from all areas of the floor.
At UNLV, the shooting guard averaged 17.8 points while shooting 43.9 percent from the field and 38.3 percent from the shortened three-point arc. He was only a freshman, but he wasn't exactly bashful when it came to letting the rock fly out of his hands.
The trend continued during his first journey into the ranks of professionals.
Vaughn wasn't very efficient—he slashed 0.364/0.250/0.815 for the Milwaukee Bucks—but he didn't exactly show fear against more experienced players, especially given that they were almost all older than him. The 18-year-old knows he's capable of scoring at the highest level, and that's exactly why he was brought aboard as a prospect for a team with established defensive prowess.
36. Lucas Nogueira, Toronto Raptors
Last Team: Toronto Raptors
Age: 22
Years of NBA Experience: One
Position: C
Las Vegas Summer League Per-Game Stats: 7.8 points, 10.6 rebounds, 2.6 assists, 1.2 steals, 2.6 blocks
Even though it may feel as if Lucas "Bebe" Nogueira has been around for a while now, he's only spent one year in the NBA. He may have been drafted in 2013, but the Brazilian big man played internationally for a season before the Atlanta Hawks traded him to the Toronto Raptors.
Now, Nogueira has more experience and looks as if he's filled out a bit more.
A great athlete who can run the floor well and play above the rim, the 22-year-old 7-footer showed off more physicality during his stint in Sin City, establishing himself as one of the better glass-crashing presences in the field. Averaging 10.6 rebounds is impressive in any setting, but it's even better that he recorded at least three offensive boards in each outing and earned his numbers while playing just 23.8 minutes per game.
The Hawks and Raptors were both patient with Nogueira. Now, it appears to be time for that patience to pay off in a big way, given his contributions in the rebounding column and on the defensive end.
34. Rondae Hollis-Jefferson, Brooklyn Nets
Last Team: Arizona
Age: 20
Years of NBA Experience: Rookie
Position: SF
Las Vegas Summer League Per-Game Stats: 11.2 points, 6.6 rebounds, 1.8 assists, 1.4 steals, 1.2 blocks
Orlando Summer League Per-Game Stats: 9.2 points, 7.2 rebounds, 2.2 assists, 2.6 steals, 0.4 blocks
At this point in Rondae Hollis-Jefferson's career, any offensive contributors are going to be gravy.
The former Arizona standout doesn't have an impressive repertoire as a scorer, even if he occasionally pulls off moves that force us to re-evaluate his ceiling on the more glamorous end. But he profiles as an impact player on the defensive side, and that was abundantly clear throughout his time in two separate summer-league tournaments.
Both in Las Vegas and Orlando, Hollis-Jefferson was a persistent pest, jumping passing lanes and using his quick hands to swipe the ball away from the opposition. He also thrived after shots went up, blocking the occasional attempt but almost always establishing strong positioning so that he could end a possession.
The Brooklyn Nets desperately need this type of energy infusion, and that bodes well for Hollis-Jefferson's chances of earning immediate playing time.
33. Delon Wright, Toronto Raptors
Last Team: Utah
Age: 23
Years of NBA Experience: Rookie
Position: PG
Las Vegas Summer League Per-Game Stats: 9.5 points, 2.0 rebounds, 5.5 assists, 1.5 steals, 0.0 blocks
Lou Williams is gone. Greivis Vasquez is gone.
And even though the Toronto Raptors brought aboard Cory Joseph to further their defensive identity, head coach Dwane Casey will inevitably have to rely on Delon Wright's offensive ability during the 2015-16 campaign, if for no other reason than the shallow nature of his backcourt rotation.
Wright hasn't yet given reason for the Raptors to be inordinately confident in his ability to make a seamless transition to the NBA, but his passing was superb throughout Las Vegas Summer League.
That setting naturally deters distributors from racking up gaudy assist figures, thanks to the prominence of isolation ball and the dearth of established chemistry, but the rookie point guard still managed to make an impact with his passing chops.
He only had two games to showcase his skills, but kicking things off with a nine-assist game is nothing to sniff at when you're playing in Vegas.
32. Jordan Mickey, Boston Celtics
Last Team: LSU
Age: 21
Years of NBA Experience: Rookie
Position: PF
Las Vegas Summer League Per-Game Stats: 13.8 points, 9.6 rebounds, 0.8 assists, 1.0 steals, 2.6 blocks
Utah Summer League Per-Game Stats: 9.7 points, 5.0 rebounds, 0.0 assists, 0.3 steals, 2.0 blocks
Jordan Mickey may already be establishing himself as one of the 2015 NBA draft class' biggest steals.
The former LSU standout had to wait as 32 players heard their names called before his, and now he's taking out his frustration on a group of players who are largely overmatched. Not only did he thrive as an efficient scorer around the hoop, but he made a substantial impact on the glass and forced everyone to think twice about lofting up an attempt he could contest.
"He's going to be so good, he'll make people forget about the guys they took in the first round. We talked about taking Mickey in the first round, and then we tried to buy a pick early in the second round to get him," an anonymous NBA talent evaluator told Steve Bulpett of the Boston Herald. "But I don't know about Boston's first-round guys."
R.J. Hunter (unranked) and Terry Rozier (No. 46) may have been Boston's first two picks in this year's selection process, but Mickey has the early nod as the gem of the rookie class in Beantown.
31. Trey Lyles, Utah Jazz
Last Team: Kentucky
Age: 19
Years of NBA Experience: Rookie
Position: PF
Las Vegas Summer League Per-Game Stats: 11.6 points, 6.6 rebounds, 1.0 assists, 1.4 steals, 0.6 blocks
Utah Summer League Per-Game Stats: 10.0 points, 1.0 rebounds, 1.0 assists, 1.0 steals, 0.0 blocks
Though Trey Lyles may have been the No. 12 pick in the draft, that doesn't mean he'll serve as an immediate-impact player.
Not only is the power forward just 19 years old, but he's also coming off a season in which he played for the University of Kentucky's platoon system, sharing both the court and the ball with plenty of other future NBA players. He was drafted more because of his long-term upside than anything else, which is especially true for a Utah Jazz organization that's already brimming over with frontcourt contributors.
The rawness showed up throughout Lyles' time in summer league. He struggled with his shooting from all areas of the court—even at the charity stripe, where he made just 16 of his 29 attempts—and he seemed far too willing to force the issue from the perimeter.
Eventually, Lyles should settle in as a stretch 4 in Salt Lake City. But it might not happen in 2015.
30. Kelly Oubre, Washington Wizards
Last Team: Kansas
Age: 19
Years of NBA Experience: Rookie
Position: SG/SF
Las Vegas Summer League Per-Game Stats: 16.8 points, 5.7 rebounds, 1.3 assists, 1.8 steals, 0.7 blocks
Kelly Oubre is another prospect who was supposed to be exceedingly raw. He had trouble focusing for the full 40 minutes at Kansas, often seeming to forget what play was being run and just mentally checking out of the proceedings.
Nonetheless, his two-way upside (see: George, Paul) made him an intriguing prospect, and the Washington Wizards traded up in order to get their hands on this former Jayhawk. So far, that decision appears to be paying off, as Oubre was fully engaged and quite impressive while operating in Las Vegas.
Still only 19 years old, the swingman overcame some early shooting woes to make a well-rounded impact that peaked as the schedule drew to a close. In his final appearance, he dropped 30 points on only 14 shots against the Denver Nuggets, showing more than just a few flashes of what he can bring to the proverbial table.
29. Doug McDermott, Chicago Bulls
Last Team: Chicago Bulls
Age: 23
Years of NBA Experience: One
Position: SF
Las Vegas Summer League Per-Game Stats: 18.8 points, 4.4 rebounds, 1.0 assists, 0.2 steals, 0.0 blocks
Doug McDermott probably wouldn't mind if he only had to play summer-league ball for the rest of his life. After all, his first two seasons doing so have been exceedingly impressive:
| PPG | RPG | APG | FG% | 3P% | FT% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2014 | 18.0 | 4.0 | 2.8 | 44.2 | 44.4 | 95.7 |
| 2015 | 18.8 | 4.4 | 1.0 | 48.8 | 12.5 | 66.7 |
McDermott struggled to find his stroke from outside the arc and while making a few scattered trips to the stripe, but he impressed once more on the offensive end. This time, though, he has a head coach waiting to make the most of his talents instead of burying him on the bench, so he should receive a good bit more run with the actual Chicago Bulls.
Even though McDermott can go through dry spells and is a rather porous defender, there's no denying he already exhibits a gravitational pull on a defense. As soon as he steps onto the court, the opposition has to pay attention to where he's standing.
28. Justin Anderson, Dallas Mavericks
Last Team: Virginia
Age: 21
Years of NBA Experience: Rookie
Position: SF
Las Vegas Summer League Per-Game Stats: 17.5 points, 4.2 rebounds, 1.5 assists, 1.2 steals, 0.5 blocks
Say hello to the next big three-and-D contributor.
To his credit, Justin Anderson is fully aware of what he brings to the table at this stage of his career, though that won't stop him from trying to bring the rest of his game up to speed. Per Earl K. Sneed on Mavs.com:
I'm just a rookie, so they're going to make me prove myself and say, "You're going to have to hit that shot," in order for them to close out and everything on me. But when I have great vets that can score the ball with great ease and [Dirk] Nowitzki picking and popping, it can help. I don't want to speak too soon. I just want to stay humble and just continue to be a sponge. Now, it's like I said before: it's not time to reinvent the wheel. They know exactly what I'm capable of, our coaching staff, and I want to be really good at things I'm already pretty good at. So, I just want to take that next step, being good defensively on the ball and off the ball, rotating and then being able to operate out of those corners, because that's where I think our front office and coaching staff thinks I can be effective...You hear a lot about the athletes in this league. But I'm athlete myself, so I think I fit in pretty well.
Did he play defense well in Las Vegas? Check.
Did he shoot the ball well? He knocked down 38.5 percent of his deep looks while taking 6.5 per game.
You tell me.
27. Bobby Portis, Chicago Bulls
Last Team: Arkansas
Age: 20
Years of NBA Experience: Rookie
Position: PF
Las Vegas Summer League Per-Game Stats: 14.5 points, 8.7 rebounds, 0.3 assists, 0.7 steals, 1.3 blocks
If Bobby Portis wants to play like Chris Bosh, he's doing a pretty fine job of it.
The 20-year-old was an absolute stud during his final season at Arkansas, and he looked quite a bit like the Toronto Raptors version of Bosh—playing decent defense while operating out of the post and hitting the occasional floor-spacing jumper. But now, he's adding some Miami Heat Bosh into the mix.
Portis' first game as a professional came against the Minnesota Timberwolves, and he immediately worked on dragging his assignment out to the perimeter. In that contest, he took four attempts from downtown and connected on three of them, resulting in nine of his points.
Though he wasn't able to replicate that success, he showed off other skills. As an example, the Phoenix Suns weren't able to keep him from overpowering their frontcourt during the final appearance of his summer-league stint, and Portis wound up recording 25 points and 15 rebounds while making all nine of his free-throw attempts.
The Bulls will inevitably have a crowded frontcourt during the 2015-16 season, but Portis' contributions could quickly make one of the veteran incumbents a bit more expendable.
26. Jerian Grant, New York Knicks
Last Team: Notre Dame
Age: 22
Years of NBA Experience: Rookie
Position: PG
Las Vegas Summer League Per-Game Stats: 11.8 points, 3.2 rebounds, 4.8 assists, 1.6 steals, 0.6 blocks
Though it remains to be seen how Jerian Grant will operate in the triangle while playing next to Carmelo Anthony, his willingness to spread the ball around to his teammates and his aggressive, attacking mentality both bode well for his future.
The former Notre Dame point guard never found much success shooting the ball from mid-range zones and around the hoop, but his ability to connect from the outside and get to the charity stripe both kept him relatively efficient.
Right away, he showed what he wanted to do with the ball in his hands when he made 10 trips to the free-throw line in his debut against the San Antonio Spurs, though it took him another game to get going as a distributor.
Perhaps most positively, Grant never looked uncomfortable. He was in control of the proceedings and minimized his mistakes, never once recording more than a trio of turnovers.
Given his inexperience at the professional level, it's tough to complain about that.
25. Justise Winslow, Miami Heat
Last Team: Duke
Age: 19
Years of NBA Experience: Rookie
Position: SG/SF
Las Vegas Summer League Per-Game Stats: 4.0 points, 2.0 rebounds, 0.5 assists, 0.0 steals, 0.0 blocks
Orlando Summer League Per-Game Stats: 11.5 points, 2.3 rebounds, 2.0 assists, 1.0 steals, 0.0 blocks
It's far too early to label Justise Winslow as a draft bust, especially because he essentially played four whole games during his brief stints in Las Vegas and Orlando. Though he made six total appearances, he logged a combined 31 minutes during the final three.
Still, Winslow wasn't exactly impressive during his first foray into the realm of the professionals, struggling to find any semblance of consistency while recording more turnovers (12) than assists (nine). He also failed to assert himself on the defensive end, often giving up easy points and logging just four steals, all of which came in his first two appearances.
The typical summer-league caveats apply here, and it's important to remember that Winslow is only 19 years old. It will be quite a while before he can enjoy the full extent of Las Vegas' offerings, and by that time, he'll surely be beyond the point of spending this time of year in Sin City.
Give him time, even if we're dropping him down a number of spots in these rankings.
24. Frank Kaminsky, Charlotte Hornets
Last Team: Wisconsin
Age: 22
Years of NBA Experience: Rookie
Position: PF/C
Orlando Summer League Per-Game Stats: 15.2 points, 7.8 rebounds, 0.8 assists, 0.6 steals, 1.0 blocks
Throughout his time at Wisconsin, Frank Kaminsky's overall game just kept improving.
He turned into one of the best players on the collegiate map, dazzling with his footwork on the interior and ability to handle the rock while creating his own shots. But his three-point shooting kept getting better as well, even if that development often flew below the radar:
| Season | 3PA | 3P% |
|---|---|---|
| 2011-12 | 1.0 | 28.6 |
| 2012-13 | 1.4 | 31.1 |
| 2013-14 | 2.6 | 37.8 |
| 2014-15 | 2.6 | 41.6 |
| 2015 summer league | 3.6 | 38.9 |
Considering he's now operating with a deeper three-point arc, that's a rather impressive start, one largely driven by his 4-of-8 debut against the Oklahoma City Thunder.
Kaminsky will have heaps of pressure placed upon his shoulders right away given the Charlotte Hornets' burning desire to draft him at the expense of some rather lucrative trade offers. So far, he's given no indications he's going to fall short of the expectations.
23. Devin Booker, Phoenix Suns
Last Team: Kentucky
Age: 18
Years of NBA Experience: Rookie
Position: SG
Las Vegas Summer League Per-Game Stats: 15.3 points, 4.9 rebounds, 1.7 assists, 0.7 steals, 0.1 blocks
Devin Booker may be the first member of the Phoenix Suns' summer-league squad to appear in this countdown, but he certainly won't be the last. In fact, three more members of the desert-based organization will be appearing, even if they couldn't get over the hump against the San Antonio Spurs in the last game of the Las Vegas action.
Though this shooting guard is only 18 years old, he certainly didn't seem overwhelmed by either the stage or the fact that he was playing against competition that consistently included fully grown men with experience at the professional level. After all, he looks like he's 12 but plays with much more maturity.
Perhaps the most impressive part of Booker's initial set of outings was his ability to bounce back from early struggles. He actually missed all eight three-point attempts taken in his first two appearances, but he still shot 40 percent from downtown throughout his time in Vegas.
Going 12-of-22 tends to result in some pretty strong numbers.
21. Archie Goodwin, Phoenix Suns
Last Team: Phoenix Suns
Age: 20
Years of NBA Experience: Two
Position: SG
Las Vegas Summer League Per-Game Stats: 15.9 points, 4.7 rebounds, 2.1 assists, 1.3 steals, 0.6 blocks
As Ray Hrovat explained for Bright Side of the Sun after the Phoenix Suns drafted Devin Booker, this is a make-or-break season for Archie Goodwin:
Goodwin will enter his third NBA season after the Suns selected the athletically gifted guard 29th in the 2013 draft. The Suns hold a small (little over $2M) option for 2016-17 on Goodwin, and if he hasn't proven to be at least a rotation player after three years of development, it might be time to move on to the next project.
Last season, Goodwin showed scant improvement from his rookie year. His FG% dropped overall, and categorically from every distance except for an uptick in 3 point % from an awful 14% to a merely bad 29%. He also looked stronger in the upper body, and more able to withstand contact and finish in the paint, though his stats there don't demonstrate it.
This will be a bit of a make or break season for Goodwin in Phoenix. If he can't beat out fellow Kentucky product and youngster Booker for minutes, it's hard to imagine Goodwin having a future on the Suns.
So far, so good.
The 20-year-old swingman wasn't inordinately impressive from beyond the arc, but his attack mentality and ability to contribute across the board allowed him to stand out against a crop of more inexperienced players. Remember, he's one of those young veterans, and that bodes well for his future.
20. Julius Randle, Los Angeles Lakers
Last Team: Los Angeles Lakers
Age: 20
Years of NBA Experience: One
Position: PF
Las Vegas Summer League Per-Game Stats: 11.5 points, 4.0 rebounds, 1.2 assists, 1.0 steals, 0.8 blocks
Apparently, it's going to take a bit longer for Julius Randle to get back on track.
After a broken leg suffered during his regular-season debut derailed his rookie go-round, the power forward from Kentucky spent the rest of his year rehabbing and adjusting to life as a professional. But as we head into his sophomore campaign—which is really more akin to his de facto rookie effort—he's still figuring out how to maximize his talents.
Given his ability to adjust over the last 12 months and his status as a lottery talent, Randle could reasonably have been expected to dominate the competition, looking like a man among boys as he got to the rim with ease and finished virtually everything around the hoop.
But that's not what happened, and that has to tarnish his stock a bit, if only in terms of our expectations for the 2015-16 campaign. Randle's future is still bright, but the immediate aid he'll give to the Los Angeles Lakers might be more up in the air after he knocked down just 39.5 percent of his shots from the field against competition nowhere near as stiff as what he'll face in a few months.
19. Willie Cauley-Stein, Sacramento Kings
Last Team: Kentucky
Age: 21
Years of NBA Experience: Rookie
Position: C
Las Vegas Summer League Per-Game Stats: 11.4 points, 5.4 rebounds, 0.6 assists, 0.4 steals, 2.8 blocks
"You can see the progression," Sacramento Kings assistant coach Vance Walberg explained after his team's final summer-league outing, per Kings.com's Jason Wise. "Defensively he [Willie Cauley-Stein] can change the game and a lot of people don't think he's at a great level offensively but I think in time he's going to do things that will surprise some people."
The offensive game did show signs of improvement, but the 21-year-old big man simply doesn't look confident on that end of the floor. He's hesitant to call his own number and delays his jumps ever so slightly, which is just enough to have the ball swatted back into his own face.
But already, he's an impact defender. That much is abundantly clear, and it offers a chance for Cauley-Stein to immediately contribute in the big leagues as he settles in next to fellow Kentucky product DeMarcus Cousins.
Most nights in Las Vegas, he could guard anyone on the floor for brief spurts. That will obviously change in the Association, but the versatility of his point-preventing game is quite promising.
18. Kyle Anderson, San Antonio Spurs
Last Team: San Antonio Spurs
Age: 21
Years of NBA Experience: One
Position: SF
Las Vegas Summer League Per-Game Stats: 21.0 points, 6.0 rebounds, 1.9 assists, 1.1 steals, 0.9 blocks
The NBA Summer League MVP did exactly what you want to see from a sophomore player looking to burst onto the scene.
Kyle Anderson was overmatched last year, but his experience paid rather large dividends in 2015. He was in control of the proceedings, confident in his own abilities and simply better than the vast majority of the players he went up against. There's no need to complicate the initial analysis; he was just an NBA player competing against plenty of fringe candidates who were just hoping to earn roster spots.
"Steady growth," Stephen Babb wrote for Bleacher Report. "It's the kind of maturation process one expects from young players, particularly ones playing for deep, successful franchises. The Spurs are taking their time with Anderson, and they can afford to. Fortunately, he understands that, admitting he won't be a leading scorer during the regular season."
Chances are the growing won't suddenly stagnate. Minutes will be hard to come by during the regular season, and Anderson may well have a ceiling that stands significantly lower than many of the players who have yet to appear in this countdown.
But his summer-league experience went as well as possible, resulting in the slow-moving Anderson bursting from the No. 48 spot in my joint rankings with Bleacher Report's Jonathan Wasserman to this lofty position. Even more impressively, that first countdown only featured players expected to suit up in Vegas, while this one includes those who only competed in Orlando and Utah as well.
17. Kristaps Porzingis, New York Knicks
Last Team: Baloncesto Sevilla
Age: 19
Years of NBA Experience: Rookie
Position: PF
Las Vegas Summer League Per-Game Stats: 10.5 points, 3.2 rebounds, 1.0 assists, 1.0 steals, 1.8 blocks
Oh, how quickly the tides can shift.
On June 25, Kristaps Porzingis was booed mercilessly by the New York Knicks fans in attendance at the Barclays Center. Granted, that was just a microscopically small portion of the passionate fanbase, but it still had to sting a bit for the 19-year-old Latvian prospect.
A few weeks later, Porzingis is a fan-favorite. That's what showcasing some of his potential at summer league can do, even if the games are ultimately just glorified exhibition contests for players like him—ones who are guaranteed to hold down roster spots.
"Porzingis, whose nickname is 'Zinger' in Europe, was such a crowd favorite that some fans screamed enthusiastically for him to shoot as soon as he caught the ball," Bleacher Report's Jared Zwerling explained while introducing an interview with the 7-footer.
Welcome to New York, kid. Just get ready for the boo birds to come back out after the first prolonged slump.
16. Myles Turner, Indiana Pacers
Last Team: Texas
Age: 19
Years of NBA Experience: Rookie
Position: PF/C
Orlando Summer League Per-Game Stats: 18.7 points, 8.3 rebounds, 0.0 assists, 0.7 steals, 4.3 blocks
Is it possible that Myles Turner was just held back by the system in place at the University of Texas? The young big man never recorded strong shooting percentages, even though he flashed a fundamentally sound stroke as well as other signs that he'd eventually develop into a stretchy frontcourt player.
But now, he's riding quite the high after dominating Orlando Summer League.
Outside of Aaron Gordon and Stanley Johnson, no player was more impressive than this new Indiana Pacer with a hairstyle that resembles that of a Chia Pet. Thing is, Turner is so young—he turned 19 years old in March—that he might not even know what a Chia Pet is.
When he wasn't viciously swatting away any shot attempt in his vicinity or crashing the boards, Turner thrived as a scorer—something he wasn't always able to do in Austin. He made two of his three attempts from downtown but shot 60.5 percent from the field en route to his 18.7 points per game.
"It's early still, and obviously he's off to a great start in the summer league..." Indiana head coach Frank Vogel explained during an NBA TV broadcast, as relayed by Manny Randhawa of IndyStar.com. "He's got such a unique combination of skills with the ability to shoot with range, but also you've seen him dominate the game on the defensive end with his shot-blocking. ... We're really high on him."
15. Marcus Smart, Boston Celtics
Last Team: Boston Celtics
Age: 21
Years of NBA Experience: One
Position: PG
Las Vegas Summer League Per-Game Stats: 10.7 points, 2.0 rebounds, 2.0 assists, 2.3 steals, 0.0 blocks
Utah Summer League Per-Game Stats: 24.0 points, 4.5 rebounds, 7.5 assists, 2.5 steals, 1.0 blocks
It was a tale of two summer leagues for Marcus Smart.
During his three appearances in Las Vegas, he struggled to get anything going, recording subpar per-game numbers while shooting 26.5 percent from the field and 21.7 percent from beyond the arc. Nothing seemed to click for him while he was playing more limited minutes.
But throughout Utah Summer League, Smart was significantly better.
In two appearances, the second-year point guard recorded the averages you can see above, and he did so while connecting on 44.1 percent of his field-goal attempts and hitting from downtown at a 37.5 percent clip. Making his line even more impressive, he worked his way to the charity stripe quite often and turned the ball over just six times—a number that needs to be put in proper context since he handled the rock so often.
Considering his Utah stint came first and Smart already doesn't have much to prove against this level of competition, the Las Vegas portion of his summer needs to be taken with the proverbial grain of salt.
14. Zach LaVine, Minnesota Timberwolves
Last Team: Minnesota Timberwolves
Age: 20
Years of NBA Experience: One
Position: PG/SG
Las Vegas Summer League Per-Game Stats: 22.0 points, 7.5 rebounds, 2.0 assists, 0.5 steals, 0.0 blocks
Zach LaVine might not have been as impressive as he was during the Seattle Pro-Am, when he scored 49 points, including the game-winning triple. He was still excellent during his brief time suiting up for the Minnesota Timberwolves.
For the 20-year-old combo guard, this season is more about proving himself as a convincing NBA player than anything else. His name registers because he won the Slam Dunk Contest and provided fans with some high-flying exploits, but not because he made the Wolves markedly better.
Now, it's time for that to change.
So far, so good.
LaVine has done nothing but score against everyone he's squared off with this summer. He's struggled with his shot, but the percentages shouldn't drag down the overall perception of his game too much, since this type of aggression is what we'd like to see from such a talented, high-upside player.
Plus, his 32.4 percent shooting is more palatable when coupled with 5-of-12 shooting from deep and a 15-of-18 performance at the stripe over his two appearances.
13. D'Angelo Russell, Los Angeles Lakers
Last Team: Ohio State
Age: 19
Years of NBA Experience: Rookie
Position: PG/SG
Las Vegas Summer League Per-Game Stats: 11.8 points, 5.2 rebounds, 3.2 assists, 1.0 steals, 0.2 blocks
The transition from Ohio State to the Los Angeles Lakers has not been a seamless one for D'Angelo Russell.
He struggled immensely throughout his time in Las Vegas, trying to make too much happen in all facets of the game. Frankly, it's hard to pick out the biggest knock thus far—his slash line of 0.377/0.118/0.688, his 5.2 turnovers per game, his penchant for falling asleep on defense or his desire to force the issue at all costs.
But this struggle is far from serving as a death knell for his ability to become an NBA superstar. Plenty of current standouts struggled on this type of stage, and that's exactly why Russell still fares so well in these rankings, even if he could have ranked significantly higher.
Plus, Russell looked like a phenomenal passer throughout the experience. His assist-to-turnover ratio might mask that, but he sees passing lanes far before they develop and can squeeze the ball into the tightest of spots. In time, that should make him a strong dime-dropping threat when he's running set plays and building chemistry with teammates—teammates who can actually make more shots than the rest of the L.A. summer-league squad.
12. Alex Len, Phoenix Suns
Last Team: Phoenix Suns
Age: 22
Years of NBA Experience: Two
Position: C
Las Vegas Summer League Per-Game Stats: 10.8 points, 9.8 rebounds, 0.6 assists, 0.0 steals, 2.2 blocks
First, the bad news.
Despite working extensively on a three-point shot throughout the offseason, Alex Len didn't showcase his outside touch at all in Las Vegas. Though he suited up in five games, he attempted just a single shot from the perimeter, and it was a misfire against the Utah Jazz.
But the good news is much more substantial. Len looked the part of a convincing rim-protecting presence who could dominate on the glass and provide some nice interior offense. He'll continue to develop in the desert, now working behind Tyson Chandler, and his upside remains as high as ever, thanks to that two-way ability.
Len was one of the most experienced rotation players who decided to take part in summer league, and it showed in a big way.
11. T.J. Warren, Phoenix Suns
Last Team: Phoenix Suns
Age: 21
Years of NBA Experience: One
Position: SF
Las Vegas Summer League Per-Game Stats: 18.7 points, 3.6 rebounds, 1.3 assists, 1.1 steals, 1.1 blocks
Apparently, it's virtually impossible to stop T.J. Warren from scoring.
Though the Phoenix Suns' promising wing player doesn't thrive from beyond the arc and isn't an extraordinary athlete, he's a wizard when it comes to creating space and finding creative ways to finish plays. Whether he's pulling up, stepping back, lobbing up a floater or doing something even more crafty, Warren just understands how to find the bottom of the net.
Partially because he played for the lottery-bound Suns, Warren's abilities went unrecognized during his rookie season. Nevertheless, he averaged 14.4 points per 36 minutes, shot 52.8 percent from the field and posted a player efficiency rating of 14.0, per Basketball-Reference.com. Among the 33 rookies who played in at least 40 games, only five earned more win shares per 48 minutes.
Now, Warren is back at it, and he's getting the credit he deserves.
After all, how can we overlook scoring 18.7 points per game while shooting 54 percent from the field, especially when that's highlighted by a 31-point outing against the Chicago Bulls?
10. Emmanuel Mudiay, Denver Nuggets
Last Team: Guangdong Southern Tigers
Age: 19
Years of NBA Experience: Rookie
Position: PG
Las Vegas Summer League Per-Game Stats: 12.0 points, 3.5 rebounds, 5.8 assists, 1.3 steals, 0.3 blocks
No pressure, rookie.
Emmanuel Mudiay won't just be making the transition from playing in China to suiting up for a squad in the Association; he'll be immediately inserted as a starting point guard in the Western Conference. Following the trade that sent Ty Lawson to the Houston Rockets, this 19-year-old is the man in charge at the 1 for the Denver Nuggets, and he looks ready for the challenge.
Turnovers and shooting percentages will be an issue for Mudiay, just as they are for most first-year contributors, but he showed off his feel for the game in Las Vegas. No matter what type of pressure was thrown at him, he remained calm and collected as he went about his business, probing the defense and trying to make the right basketball play.
Sam Vecenie of CBSSports.com even called this floor general the Most Impressive Player at summer league:
He basically lived in the paint, showing off the immaculate instincts in the pick-and-roll that he's been known for throughout his career. His first step and court vision, both of which you love to see in lead guards, were also impressive. Yeah, the shooting still isn't great and the turnovers were a problem as he increasingly tried to do too much throughout the course of the week. But overall, the package of skills that we saw this week looked more translatable to the NBA than many of the other players in town this week. And with Ty Lawson being moved to the Rockets in a deal that opened up the starting point guard spot in Denver, Mudiay couldn't have picked a better time to cause a stir with a sublime week.
9. Rodney Hood, Utah Jazz
Last Team: Utah Jazz
Age: 22
Years of NBA Experience: One
Position: SG/SF
Utah Summer League Per-Game Stats: 20.5 points, 7.5 rebounds, 2.5 assists, 1.0 steals, 0.5 blocks
Rodney Hood didn't need much time to prove himself.
He only suited up in two contests for the Utah Jazz, but the young swingman still left an indelible impression. Though his three-point attempts weren't falling, he was able to attack the hoop and make an impact in other areas, which means he's developing in the manner the organization would like.
"I had a conversation with Rodney Hood yesterday, and we've tactically decided to stay out of the free-agent wing market in a big way," Utah general manager Dennis Lindsey explained before summer league began on Utah's 1280 The Zone, per Austin Horton.
The Jazz believe in this 22-year-old, and he's given them no reason to feel otherwise.
8. Noah Vonleh, Portland Trail Blazers
Last Team: Charlotte Hornets
Age: 19
Years of NBA Experience: One
Position: PF
Las Vegas Summer League Per-Game Stats: 17.2 points, 8.5 rebounds, 0.8 assists, 0.3 steals, 0.3 blocks
Noah Vonleh began showcasing more of his talent during the tail end of his rookie season with the Charlotte Hornets, but a fresh start will do wonders for him. He's getting one after an offseason trade sent him to the Portland Trail Blazers, and his second year as a professional began in promising fashion.
Perhaps most impressively, Vonleh stretched out his range rather significantly and lit up the Las Vegas scoreboards with some work from long-range zones.
During his first appearance, the teenager scored 13 points against the Dallas Mavericks, though he missed both of his looks from beyond the arc. Two days later, he dropped a 20-spot while playing the San Antonio Spurs, and he went 1-of-2 from downtown. He followed that up with 16 points and 1-of-3 shooting from the perimeter, and his final appearance saw him record another 20 points while making all three of his deep attempts.
Combine everything, and you're looking at a 50 percent clip from beyond the arc, though that admittedly comes in a small sample—both in terms of games and attempts. Still, that bodes well for Vonleh's development as a modern big man who can make a significant impact in Rip City.
7. Dante Exum, Utah Jazz
Last Team: Utah Jazz
Age: 20
Years of NBA Experience: One
Position: PG/SG
Utah Summer League Per-Game Stats: 20.0 points, 5.0 rebounds, 5.0 assists, 0.0 steals, 0.0 blocks
Twenty-nine minutes is all Dante Exum needed.
As a rookie guard for the Utah Jazz, this Australian teenager was plenty raw. He struggled to make solid contributions on the offensive end, resulting in some putrid numbers that didn't capture his true value on defense. But the 20-year-old has grown, and he put that development on display during his lone appearance in Utah Summer League.
Strutting his stuff for the hometown crowd, Exum exploded for 20 points, five rebounds and five assists, connecting on five of his 11 looks from the field, knocking down a three-point attempt, making 10 trips to the charity stripe and turning the ball over just once.
It's tough to place much stock in a single outing, impressive as it may have been. But this is still exactly what Utah needed to see heading into its potential season-long playoff push in 2015-16, and it's hard not to get just a bit excited.
"Exum turns 20 next week," Bleacher Report's Andy Bailey wrote after the guard's showing but before his July 13 birthday. "He still has plenty of time to develop his offensive game. And if Game 1 of his 2015 summer was any indication, he's already heading in the right direction."
6. Stanley Johnson, Detroit Pistons
Last Team: Arizona
Age: 19
Years of NBA Experience: Rookie
Position: SF
Orlando Summer League Per-Game Stats: 16.2 points, 6.8 rebounds, 2.0 assists, 1.8 steals, 1.0 blocks
During Orlando Summer League, Stanley Johnson was everything the Detroit Pistons could have dreamed up and then some.
The 19-year-old small forward did whatever he could to justify the top-10 selection the Motor City used on him in the 2015 NBA draft, becoming so much more than a defensive stalwart who could make the occasional offensive contribution. Not only did Johnson thrive on the point-preventing end, but he also dished out the ball to his teammates, connected from all areas of the floor and put together a relentless assault on the rim.
"From a terminology standpoint, from a learning standpoint, he is so much farther along right now. He displayed some really good qualities as an NBA small forward throughout the play this past week, but it's going to take time," Detroit assistant coach Bob Beyer told reporters about his prized rookie, per MLive.com's David Mayo." I think what summer league does is it gives you an idea, but it's far from being the final judgment."
Final judgment or not, Johnson has already asserted himself as a strong candidate for Rookie of the Year honors, especially since he figures to begin the season as the Pistons' starting small forward.
5. Elfrid Payton, Orlando Magic
Last Team: Orlando Magic
Age: 21
Years of NBA Experience: One
Position: PG
Orlando Summer League Per-Game Stats: 5.5 points, 1.5 rebounds, 6.5 assists, 2.0 steals, 0.0 blocks
With the exception of his assist figures, Eflrid Payton's numbers aren't nearly as impressive as the ones submitted by many of the other players who populate the premier spots in this countdown. But the long-haired point guard had nothing to prove on this stage, only suiting up in a pair of contests so that he could keep his game sharp and work with some of his new (and old) teammates.
The 21-year-old spent a combined 52 minutes on the floor and struggled to find a consistent shooting stroke, but he kept showcasing his developing skills as a playmaker, picking up where he left off at the conclusion of his rookie go-round.
And for our purposes, that's enough.
After all, Payton is coming off a year in which he was named to the All-Rookie First Team and finished behind only Andrew Wiggins, Nikola Mirotic and Nerlens Noel in the Rookie of the Year voting. He didn't have to prove anything more at this level.
4. Jordan Clarkson, Los Angeles Lakers
Last Team: Los Angeles Lakers
Age: 23
Years of NBA Experience: One
Position: PG/SG
Las Vegas Summer League Per-Game Stats: 16.8 points, 3.6 rebounds, 2.0 assists, 1.0 steals, 0.4 blocks
As Bleacher Report's Stephen Babb explained, Jordan Clarkson's early summer-league results were quite impressive:
The even better sign is that Clarkson is showing consistency, tallying 19 points in the second outing—this time a 68-60 victory over the Philadelphia 76ers. He's been aggressive, even with prized rookie D'Angelo Russell and second-year power forward (and de facto rookie) Julius Randle at his side.
Perhaps we shouldn't be surprised by Clarkson's results. He now finds himself vying for playing time. In addition to drafting Russell (a 6'5" point guard), a healthy Bryant reasons to occupy minutes at shooting guard this season. General manager Mitch Kupchak also brought in free agent and reigning Sixth Man of the Year Lou Williams to add some backcourt spark.
Nothing changed throughout the rest of his schedule, and the 23-year-old combo guard even finished things up with a monstrous slam over Jack Cooley of the Utah Jazz. Obviously, the aggression didn't exactly die down, never being replaced with anything even resembling complacency.
Clarkson isn't guaranteed to maintain the level of play he achieved during the second half of his rookie season, particularly because he's now surrounded by so many other guards. Playing time will inevitably be tougher to come by.
But for now, he's doing everything in his power to ensure he can make an even bigger mark than he did as a rookie.
3. Aaron Gordon, Orlando Magic
Last Team: Orlando Magic
Age: 19
Years of NBA Experience: One
Position: SF/PF
Orlando Summer League Per-Game Stats: 21.7 points, 11.7 rebounds, 2.7 assists, 1.3 steals, 1.7 blocks
Were these rankings solely meant to show who stood out most during summer league, Aaron Gordon would have taken the No. 1 spot. He might not have earned the most glamorous MVP honors that were reserved for Kyle Anderson, but that's because he participated in only three games for the Orlando Magic, two of which resulted in losses.
Gordon was just a flat-out stud on both ends of the court.
He wreaked havoc in the passing lanes, swatted away ill-advised attempts and dominated the boards to the tune of 11.7 rebounds per game. And though his offense repertoire was limited and devoid of polish during his rookie go-round, that wasn't the case this July.
Not only did he score either 21 or 22 points in each appearance, but he shot 50 percent from the field. Better still, he looked comfortable operating on the perimeter, even knocking down six of his 12 three-point attempts. Keep in mind that Gordon went 13-of-48 from long range during the entirety of his first campaign.
If you knew nothing about this young forward and only watched those three summer-league games, you'd be entirely convinced he was a superstar.
2. Jahlil Okafor, Philadelphia 76ers
Last Team: Duke
Age: 19
Years of NBA Experience: Rookie
Position: C
Las Vegas Summer League Per-Game Stats: 18.5 points, 8.5 rebounds, 1.5 assists, 0.0 steals, 1.0 blocks
Utah Summer League Per-Game Stats: 14.0 points, 8.3 rebounds, 1.3 assists, 1.3 steals, 0.7 blocks
Jahlil Okafor delivered what was expected during his two separate summer-league exposures.
His conditioning looked as if it needed a bit of work, and the same was true of his skill on the defensive end of the floor. But he inhaled rebounds and showed off a convincing set of moves around the basket, thriving in most offensive situations and only looking overmatched when facing an athletic defender who could take advantage of his vertical limitations.
Even on offense, though, this was by no means a perfect set of outings. Okafor experienced significant turnover trouble and woes at the charity stripe, which wasn't exactly, well, charitable to him.
But Okafor is only 19 years old, and the tools that make him such a special prospect were indeed on full display.
1. Karl-Anthony Towns, Minnesota Timberwolves
Last Team: Kentucky
Age: 19
Years of NBA Experience: Rookie
Position: C
Las Vegas Summer League Per-Game Stats: 12.8 points, 7.2 rebounds, 2.0 assists, 0.8 steals, 1.8 blocks
Karl-Anthony Towns didn't put up superstar numbers, and his first foray into the world of professional basketball was filled with plenty of mistakes. His go-to moves weren't necessarily clicking, he was setting up his defensive position a bit too close to the basket, and his shot was awry from outside the paint.
But hidden in the mistakes was the abundance of upside that made him the No. 1 pick in the 2015 NBA draft. Even though he dealt with foul trouble (yes, even by the summer-league rules that gift a player 10 personal fouls) and poor shooting percentages, you could see all the tools that turned him into such a special prospect.
It's simply too soon to move a potential franchise-changing player out of the top spot. He might not have made the All-NBA Summer League squad or left an indelible impression on those who watched him during any given outing, but the same is true of other prospects who went on to achieve stardom.
Once Towns adjusts to the physicality of the NBA, he'll be just fine.
Note: All stats, unless otherwise indicated, come from NBA.com.
Adam Fromal covers the NBA for Bleacher Report. Follow him on Twitter:@fromal09.