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#pounditMonday, March 18, 2024

Five takeaways from the NBA Summer League

Ben Simmons

Las Vegas waved goodbye to the NBA Summer League once again after hosting some of the league’s young up-and-comers. The Bulls went 7-0 to win the league, as they took down the Timberwolves in overtime, while the Raptors had a strong display at 4-1.

Las Vegas was our first chance to see some of the rookies compete, while it also gave us a look at other emerging young players.

Here are five takeaways from the summer action.

1. Ben Simmons’ court vision is undeniable

Sixers fans, be excited. For the fourth consecutive year, the Sixers gambled their lottery pick on a front-court player, and they finally hit the bullseye with No. 1 overall selection Ben Simmons.

Simmons showed unselfishness with the basketball as well as incredible court vision during his four games in the summer league. The 6’10” forward was running the floor for the Sixers and throwing in some fancy passes along the way. His size plus passing ability is a rare combination; he passes the ball like he’s Ricky Rubio yet he has the body size of Kevin Durant. That’s what led him to rack up impressive numbers during the summer league as he averaged 7.7 boards per game and 5.5 assists.

However, Simmons’ scoring still needs some work.

Simmons averaged only 10.8 points per game while shooting just 32.2 percent from the field in four summer games. That’s an area the former LSU standout will need to improve his offense in order to succeed.

Although Simmons has the quick ball handling ability and court vision similar to other great forwards in the NBA, the ability to create shots for yourself and execute in crunch time goes along way. Simmons has a decent mid-range jumper, but one thing he needs to continue working on is his outside shot; a 3-point element added to his game would keep opposing defenses on their toes.

2. D’Angelo Russell is ready to shine (on the court at least)

D’Angelo Russell has officially graduated from the Summer League. In the five games he played, last year’s No. 2 overall pick averaged 21.8 points per game while shooting a steady 48 percent from the field.

His excellent play should come as no surprise. If you can score 39 points in a game as a rookie in the NBA, as Russell did in March against Brooklyn, you’ve already proven you don’t belong at the Summer League. But Russell had an up-and-down rookie season that was marred by a lack of confidence in him from former Lakers coach Byron Scott, and of course the Nick Young video. It’s almost as if by sending him to Vegas prior to his sophomore season that the Lakers’ front office was trying to tell Russell he still needs to mature.

Nonetheless, Russell did his work on the court and showed any critics that his game is ready for the big time. He has a deep shot ability similar to that of Damian Lillard, and new Lakers head coach Luke Walton better be ready to unload it. Look for Russell to be the primary scorer on the Lakers this season, so long as he keeps his act together off the court.

3. Denzel Valentine could be a solid value pick

Valentine was the hero of the summer league for the Chicago Bulls as he sunk a game-winning shot in overtime to beat the Timberwolves. He also helped the Bulls’ team to a 7-0 record.

Valentine was a four-year player at Michigan State who could do everything. He was the heart and soul of the Spartans, and his competitiveness was on display in the summer.

“If you’re out here, you’re competing, but if you’re out here and you’re not competing, then why are you playing? So, I feel like you play these games like NBA games,” Valentine told the Detroit Free Press about his approach to the summer.

Valentine did a little of everything in the summer league, averaging 11.6 points, 6.7 rebounds and 1.6 steals per game while playing 29.9 minutes per contest. The one area where he could use some work is on his shooting. He shot just 35.2 percent from the field and 25.5 percent on threes. As long as he spends the months leading up to his rookie season working on his shot, he should be in good shape.

An issue with his knees led Valentine to slip to No. 14 overall in the draft, but for now, Valentine is proving the Bulls to look wise for the pick.

4. Thon Maker could be a force

Not long ago the Milwaukee Bucks had a big man in the middle who was a shot-blocking and rebounding threat. His name was Larry Sanders. They could have found a replacement for him in first-round pick Thon Maker, only Maker is much more versatile.

Maker, a Sudanese-Australian, was taken 10th overall by Milwaukee in the draft, and he had a strong showing in the Summer League. The 7-foot-1 big man averaged nearly a double-double while earning second-team All-Summer League honors. He posted 14.2 points and 9.6 rebounds per game, truly opening eyes with a 17/17 game in his second summer contest. Maker also collected five blocks in his first three games.

But more than just a guy like Sanders, Maker offers a ton of potential offensively. Despite his 7-foot stature, Maker can shoot from the outside and was 31.6 percent on threes. After going 1-for-8 from beyond the arc in his first two summer games, Maker started to make it rain by going 5-for-11 on threes (45 percent). That sort of versatility is something that will continue to make the Bucks a dangerous team.

5. Tyus Jones proves he’s ready for a bigger role

If the Wolves were told at the beginning of the summer league that one of their young guards would be MVP, Tyus Jones would have come second to mind behind rookie Kris Dunn. As it turns out, one concussion for Dunn and a fantastic tournament from Tyus Jones flipped the storyline.

Minnesota native Tyus Jones took home the NBA Summer League’s MVP award after a string of impressive games. Unlike his Spanish teammate Ricky Rubio, Jones loves to score the ball, and he did so at great productivity. Jones averaged over 20 points per game and shot 45 percent from the field. He also led all players in assists per game (6.8) and was able to keep his turnovers below four per game.

The Wolves went into the Summer League to watch their first-round pick Dunn dip his toe in the water, and they left talking about Jones’ standout performance. Though Jones had a great showing, for now he will remain just a role player in Minnesota unless the team trades Rubio, which they recently said they are not doing.

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