Thursday, July 12, 2007

Summer League: New News

At this point I think it's fair to say I've watched too much summer ball. I've seen pretty much every team in the two leagues at least 2-3 times. And you can see that for the players it's gotten to the point where the NBA caliber guys are quite clearly standing out regardless of role on the team. You get some guys (Andre Owens and Von Wafer for instance) who have the confidence to put up big numbers in summer league, but lack the skill to be able to do it consistently in the NBA. I like to call these guys the Euroleague Allstars, even though most of them stick around playing in the D-league, getting a 10 day contract or two and basically fighting to live the dream. The problem, both with their game and way of life, is a failure to adjust. These guys don't ever really make it in the NBA because they can't adjust their game. Wafer, for instance, is a high volume, low efficiency shooter. Has been since high school. He believes in his game, and it's not changing. Period. Just like he can't make the adjustment in his mind that the NBA is the only place to play. If I'm Von Wafer I'm taking my shoot'em style over to Europe where I'll avg 20+ pts a night and really enjoy the good years of my professional career, while making a multi-million dollar salary and absolutely pounding the hell out of Euro chicks. I mean, with a slight adjustment for location, wasn't that the dream in the first place? Moving on...


BIG NAMES


  • JJ Redick put up another 24 pts on 9-14 shooting. Last year he missed out summer league and training camp do to injuries and legal matters. This year he's got himself together and is looking like the Redick Orlando thought they drafted. That is to say they're hoping his jumper makes up for his inability to create a shot on his own and his defenseive shortcomings.

  • Rodney Carney is looking like a dominant player. The key is that he's doing it off the ball. Which is perfect considering he plays with Dre Miller and Iguodala, two guys who like to have the rock. Carney's jumper is looking pure and he's moving in the offense like he spent all summer in the playbook.

  • Teams are game planning for Yi. It's kinda shocking to see the constant double teams and traps being run at him in summer league.

  • Alando Tucker is looking good. He has a nice range to his game that would be perfect for Phx if they hadn't sold his minutes to rickety old Grant Hill.

  • Cory Brewer is gonna start from day 1 in Minny. He has amazing court presence that's generated by his energy, especially on the boards. He's not the defender that everybody talked about though. The energy is there, it's focus that's lacking. He has 0 stls and 1 blk in 2 games. I know, defense isn't all about numbers. But then this is just summer league so you'd think a strong defender would put up better numbers than that.

BIG SURPRISES



  • Nick young is not 6'6. No way in hell. But he is very exciting. Brings a ton of energy onto the court and is gonna fit perfectly in the Washington system.

  • DJ Strawberry is as advertised defensively, even though I still don't see him getting minutes in Phx.

  • Sean Williams is bad! Not bad meaning bad, but bad meaning sucks dick with sharp teeth. Maybe they need to let him start smoking weed again or something.

  • Jared Dudley has a nice, composed, all-around game. But Charlotte has spent big bucks this offseason on Jrich, Gerald Wallace, Matt Carroll, plus they still have Walter Hermann, and last year's bust Adam Morrison vying for minutes at the swing spots. Morrison, by the way, looks like he's been going to the same dentist as Sean Williams, but he'll still get minutes just because of his draft status.

BIG IFS



  • if the Celtics are relying on Rajon Rondo to run the point they are in trouble. Don't get me wrong, he's a dynamo and definitely a plus to have on the court, but when it comes down to decision making and having a guy who can help facilitate offense for your big 3, he's not the one.

  • if the Lakers sign Derek Fisher then Jordan Farmar will be traded. Brian Shaw again coached the Laker squad and started Javaris Crittenton, and the Lakers won again. In the 2 games Shaw has coached Critt has avg. 22 pts, 4rebs, with .600 fg%, and 0 turnovers. Farmar, through 3 total games has decent numbers of 13-4-4, but would be an unecessary third wheel with Fisher in the house. Oh, and for the Coby Karl fans, he's the only laker to hit double digit scoring in every game and is leading the team with 15 ppg. He's looking more and more like a Phil Jackson kind of guy everyday.

Oh and I'm trying to get pics of Toby Bailey's mustache, but David Stern must have outlawed it. I keep searching though!

3 comments:

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