NBA Summer League is underway in Salt Lake City and California, with the main event beginning tomorrow night in Vegas. Many teams and players have impressed, but here are my four favorite and most intriguing positive takeaways from the first few days of summer hoops.
- Keegan Murray
Keegan Murray came into the Summer League fresh off an All-Rookie first-team nod and showed why he’s too good to be in the Summer League. In his first game, he dropped 29 points only to follow it up with a 41-point outing. He was already a proven shooter, breaking an NBA record for made threes in a rookie season with 206. Still, he looked more aggressive attacking the rim, something we didn’t see a whole bunch of last season, adding another element to his offensive arsenal. We’ll unlikely see him play another minute in Summer League as he looks ready to become the Kings’ third option alongside Fox and Sabonis next season.
- Wemby-less Spurs
The much-anticipated debut of Victor Wembanyana hasn’t even occurred yet, but the Spurs have shown out without him. After two double-digit victories in the California Classic, the Spurs’ other young players looked the part and offer another layer to the Spurs rebuild alongside Wemby. 2022 first-round pick Malaki Branham looked sound offensively, dropping 32 points in his only game, hitting from beyond the arc, and effortlessly attacking the rim. Julian Champagnie just signed a four-year, $12 million contract with San Antonio, and it looks like the Spurs got an absolute steal, as he’s averaged 29 points per game through two outings. Dominick Barlow and Sidy Cissoko also shined, giving the Spurs a nice nucleus of young talent, making them an absolute wagon heading into Vegas.
- OKC’s Rebuild
The Thunder’s rebuild might finally come together in the 2023-24 season. Behind Shai Gilgeous-Alexander leading the charge, the Thunder’s two Summer League games have shown that OKC could be a thorn in the side of the Western Conference’s playoff hopefuls. Chet Holmgren looked special at times, utilizing his stronger frame to bully opponents in the paint while remaining an intimidating rim protector. Jalen Williams dropped 21 points in 21 minutes in his only Summer League appearance, showcasing the all-around abilities that make him one of the Thunder’s franchise cornerstones. Tre Mann, Jalen, and Jaylin Williams also looked the part, doubling down on the Thunder’s belief that if you have enough first-round picks, you’ll hit on some of them.
- 76ers Bench
The 76ers came into the Utah Summer League with basically nothing. Jaden Springer was the headliner of the roster, and he didn’t even crack the Sixers rotation last season, while the team didn’t own any draft picks. However, they might have nailed two undrafted free-agent signings in Ricky Council IV and Terquavion Smith. As the Sixers bench has been gutted in free agency, Council and Smith look to be threats to be Day 1 contributors. Smith already appears as an NBA-ready facilitator with a nice stroke from deep. Council is an absolutely sensational athlete who better be in the Slam Dunk Contest next season if he ultimately makes the roster. As the Sixers head into Vegas, it must be noted that Nick Nurse is commanding the sideline, something you rarely see in the Summer League. After two impressive showings in Utah thus far, I’ll be looking to back them as much as possible in Vegas.
