Forget Dennis, forget Luka: Here’s what to think about the OTHER Summer Mavericks
By Tim Cato Jul 10, 2018
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LAS VEGAS — Three summer league games constitute a large enough sample size to start looking at the
other Mavericks summer league prospects. Dennis Smith Jr. is done — he was only ever going to play two games,
per ESPN’s Tim MacMahon — and Luka Doncic, while officially signed, almost certainly isn’t going to play, despite the
Mavericks continuing to tease that he might.
Dorian Finney-Smith and Johnathan Motley have completed their summer leagues, too, according to the Vegas head coach Jamahl Mosley. Both had great games on Sunday, and you can take the Dallas decision to sit them down as a sure sign they’ll be back next year. Finney-Smith’s roster spot has converted to guaranteed money, while my guess is Motley returns as a two-way player. But he’ll have a chance to push for an actual roster spot in training camp.
So let’s forgo thoughts from Game 3 — a convincing 91-71 win over Golden State — and stroll through the rest of the roster.
Jalen Brunson
Brunson will make the team. He has struggled statistically throughout his time in Las Vegas, and he’s making a few more mistakes than you would expect from a three-year college player with championship experience. But the biggest thing missing is execution; he’s reading the defense correctly, getting past his defender, and generally making good reads. Give him time, and those shots will start falling. I’ve actually been more impressed with him than not — everything is there except the ball going in the bucket.
That said, Yogi Ferrell
is expected to return to the team next season, and it may take time before Brunson pushes him for rotation minutes. Ferrell has proven himself against NBA defenders, while Brunson is still settling in against fringe summer leaguers. There’s clearly a gap between the two right now, and it’s hard to say how quickly Brunson will close in on him.
Jalen Jones
Jones has probably been the best Summer Maverick, a moniker which I will continue to push. He has the size and the athleticism of an NBA player, and his skills are developed enough to make him intriguing. It would take a better jump shot and more overall development to crack an NBA roster, much less a rotation, and he is already 25 years old. But 25 isn’t old, and his strong play should earn him a training camp invite, at least. He should be in play for one of the Dallas two-way contracts, like he garnered down the stretch of last season. I’d be surprised if he didn’t make it to camp.
Jacob Wiley
I chatted with one Mavericks staffer who thinks Wiley has the best chance at a two-way contract out of any non-drafted player on this summer roster, and that seems right to me. Wiley is 6’8”, athletic as hell, and has moments where he flashes skills. On Monday, he hit a three-pointer and scored 12 points on nine shots. He’s also only 23 years old, so he has more time to develop his skillset than someone like Jones. But he also scored just five points combined in the first two games, so who knows.
Mitch Creek
To me, Creek was the most intriguing prospect headed into Las Vegas, but he looks a half step too slow for this level of competition. He has flashed good moments, befitting of someone with his international experience and overall overseas success, but it probably won’t translate to the highest NBA level. As it currently stands, it’s not really translating to the summer league level, not consistently. But you can bet the Mavericks won’t stop bringing over Australian players, something that
you can give Tony Ronzone credit for.
Kostas Antetokounmpo
Kostas made it clear Monday: he wasn’t just drafted for his last name.
As I wrote the day after the draft, that was probably one factor in the decision, but the younger Antetokounmpo brother really might develop into something. He’s incredibly long and a fluid athlete, just like Giannis, and he showed it Monday. His actual statistics were all over the place, with four points on 1-of-4 shooting and just 2-of-8 from the free throw line, but he also registered seven rebounds, two steals, and three blocks. Most impressive was this assist:
Which Doncic blessed with this quote tweet:
I have heard that Antetokounmpo would be more likely to go overseas than play for the Texas Legends, especially if Dallas didn’t offer him a two-way contract. That’s actually a great scenario; the Mavericks would retain his draft rights, wouldn’t lose a roster spot, and could later bring him over if his skillset develops. It also explains why Dallas traded down to obtain two picks and selected him 60th overall – since a team must actually draft him to secure those rights. Kostas has a long ways to go, but he’s a good gamble regardless no matter what happens to his superstar brother in free agency.
Ray Spalding
Spalding is a worthwhile late-second-round selection. He has size, athleticism, and hints of skillfulness. Still, when he makes a good passing read but overthrows his man, or when he fluidly steps into a long jumper but misses it badly, it’s a reminder that he has a long ways to go. Both those things happened in the Monday game. Dallas should bring him to camp and get him on the Legends, but I wouldn’t anticipate it being a two-way deal as of right now.
Kyle Collinsworth
I love Collinsworth’s vision and mature game, and in many ways, he’s better than all these summer league guys. But he turns 27 in October, and he still can’t shoot. He isn’t even attempting shots here in Vegas, consistently going to a pump fake and drive whenever he catches the ball on the perimeter. He’s 0-for-3 behind the arc across these three games, and that just won’t work. I hope another team gives him a chance, but it feels like Dallas is ready to move on — and the Mavericks did, of course, waive him last week so his salary wouldn’t turn into guaranteed money.
Phil Greene, Manu Lecomte, Josh Adams and Duop Reath
Greene can shoot, but not well enough to stick. Lecomte might be too small. Adams has a great story, but I don’t think he’ll stick. I don’t remember seeing Reath do anything notable during these three games. All these players are in the 99th percentile of the world’s population at playing basketball, but there are only 510 people who can be employed in the NBA at any given moment. I just don’t see NBA futures for any of them.
