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KillaCali32
Banned
Smart, Exum thrive by getting to line in summer league opener
SALT LAKE CITY -- During the first evening of the Utah Jazz Summer League, all eyes were on the point guards in the host Jazz's matchup with the Boston Celtics. The game pitted the top two point guards taken in the 2014 NBA draft, Utah's Dante Exum and Boston's Marcus Smart, offering an opportunity to assess their development a little more than 12 months later.
"Especially when you're the first two off the board, you try to go out there and play hard," Smart said of a rivalry that dates back to the FIBA U19 World Championship in 2013, when Exum played for his native Australia and Smart won gold with USA Basketball. "We're going to go out there and play hard regardless, though."
The common denominator between the development both point guards showed from uneven rookie seasons was their ability to get to the basket, and more specifically to the free throw line -- a disappointment for both players during the 2014-15 regular season.
Smart's free throw rate (9.0 percent of the plays he finished) was about average, which was surprising given his proclivity for drawing fouls at Oklahoma State, where he led the Big 12 in free throws as a sophomore. Compared to Exum, Smart might as well have beenJames Harden. The Jazz rookie's free throw rate (2.6 percent of his plays) was the lowest of any player who saw at least 1,500 minutes, and he attempted just three free throws in 29 games after the All-Star break.
That changed in a big way on Monday night. Showing confidence in his ability to make plays off the dribble and newfound explosiveness as a leaper, Exum -- who turns 20 next week -- got to the free throw line 10 times, part of an impressive performance that saw him score 20 points, grab five rebounds and hand out five assists with just one turnover in 29 minutes of action.
"He got to the free throw line a ton tonight," said Utah summer coach Alex Jensen, "which was something I think we wanted to work on from last season."
Exum really should have had 12 free throw attempts, but the last foul he drew ended his night when he rolled his left ankle on a drive to the hoop. He walked off the court with assistance and was diagnosed with a sprained ankle that will be re-evaluated Tuesday.
Not to be outdone, the 21-year-old Smart relentlessly attacked the basket and made the most of his ability to draw -- critics would say exaggerate -- contact from defenders. His 13 free throw attempts were also more than he attempted in any regular-season game during his rookie season. Getting inside was a conscious effort by Smart.
"It's real big," he said. "It's real big. Keep getting to the rim -- not only to score the ball but to make plays for my teammates."
After making a pair of 3-pointers early (a third made triple was disallowed because of an illegal screen), Smart also fell in love with his outside shot to his detriment. He shot just 2-of-10 from beyond the arc and 6-of-20 overall, but scored 26 points because of the free throws. He also added eight assists and five rebounds.
While the point guard matchup was something of a draw in terms of individual statistics, Exum's team got the better of Smart's. Incredibly, Utah outscored Boston by 31 points with Exum on the court in the 101-82 victory.
Ultimately, one summer league performance is a small step in the development of the two point guards. Exum and Smart will have to prove they can get to the basket and draw fouls against NBA-caliber defenders. But it was certainly encouraging to see both players show improvement in a critical area a few short months after the conclusion of their rookie seasons.
Jazz Summer League news and notes
• The marquee player in Monday's opening game between the Philadelphia 76ers and San Antonio Spurs was No. 3 overall pick Jahlil Okafor, seeing his first action in a Sixers uniform. Okafor's NBA learning curve lasted about one half. He struggled in the opening two 10-minute quarters, shooting 3-of-11 from the field. After halftime, Okafor slowed down and read San Antonio's defense, utilizing his polished post moves and soft touch to score inside. He wound up shooting 9-for-21, scoring 14 points.
The biggest flaw in Okafor's game was -- you guessed it -- getting to the free throw line. Okafor attempted just four free throws, and missed all of them. A 51.0 percent foul shooter at Duke, Okafor might be at risk of drawing fouls he doesn't want of the intentional variety if he doesn't show improvement from the line.
• Late in their close game, a 74-71 Spurs win, both teams utilized the "advance" timeout being employed in summer league play this year after a D-League trial last season. Instead of a traditional timeout, the advance does just what it says -- allows the team to advance the ball to half court in the last two minutes, like a timeout taken then but without a lengthy stoppage of play. Look for the advance to come to the NBA soon.
• This summer marks the return of summer league action to Salt Lake City for the first time since 2008, when the Rocky Mountain Revue came to an end after 19 years as an NBA summer league. Utah fans ate it up, coming out in droves to see their team's young players in action. (Including Exum, six of the 11 Jazz players who saw action finished last season with the team.) Attendance was announced at 10,215 and sounded every bit that loud, lending the Boston-Utah game a very different atmosphere than a summer league game played at a neutral site (like the NBA summer league in Las Vegas) or closed to fans (like the Orlando Pro Summer League).
"It was great," said Celtics assistant Jay Larranaga, who's coaching the team during summer league. "It felt like some sort of regular-season game. The crowd was great."
#NBAFrontOffice: What happened to the Lakers and Knicks?
In the latest installment of the #NBAFrontOffice series, Tom Penn (playing the role of general manager), P.J. Carlesimo (head coach), Amin Elhassan (scouting director) and Kevin Pelton (analytics director) discuss the Los Angeles Lakers, New York Knicks and how the two struggling teams in the NBA's biggest markets can find ways to contend.
Want in on the conversation or have a question for one of the guys? Use #NBAFrontOffice.
Why have the Knicks and Lakers lost their touch?
Tom Penn: Polish and glamor aren't good enough anymore on their own. First and foremost, you've got to have teammates. Players are taking a more sophisticated look at where they want to go, and that's where they believe there's a chance to win. They don't want to do it all themselves, and/or they want to go to a place where they have a personal relationship with someone. So, the Los Angeles Lakers took a lot of heat for not having a good basketball story when they recruited guys this summer, but how could they? How could either the Lakers or New York Knicks have a good basketball story if you just put the guys on the floor who are there? There's nothing interesting or exciting about that.
That becomes the key factor everyone looks at because the money is the same in each of these places -- in fact, the money on a year-to-year basis is worse in the big markets because of taxes. The state income taxes in California are horrendous. It's 12 percent. And the city taxes and the state taxes in New York are horrendous. So if you're in Texas, Florida or Oregon, you don't have to pay any of those taxes. So when you get into this, it comes down to: Who am I playing with? And do I have a chance to win?
P.J. Carlesimo: Kevin Durant and LeBron James have proven that the small market thing doesn't fly. "You're not going to get endorsements. You can't be successful there like you can in L.A. and New York." That's not true. Those guys have proven that wherever you are, if you're good enough, you're going to get your endorsements. You're going to get your other things. That's not the deciding factor. For most of its history, the Lakers were always good, so if you went there you were going to go play with at least one superstar, if not more. The winning was a given. So, yes, the mystique is there. And if the money's the same and if the team is a really good team and you have the tradition that the Lakers had up until the last year or so, fine, then maybe L.A. can get you over the top. Now, it starts with the team. The money is going to be the same everywhere. I don't think the endorsements are a factor at all. The players don't care about L.A. now. L.A. is the team last year that lost however many games they lost. Admittedly, Kobe Bryant is coming back, that's a plus, but there is no magic to L.A. or New York.
Amin Elhassan: I've said this on the radio a bunch of times, but I'll say it one more time: The Lakers are stuck in 1996. They think they show the sizzle reel of going down Santa Monica Boulevard and the pretty blonde with the sunglasses with Randy Newman playing "I Love L.A." in the background and it's, "Give me a pen, where do I sign up? I can be a guest star on 'Friends'? I can be in an Alpo commercial?" These are things that appeal to people in the 1990s, but like Coach said, now I can get my Alpo commercial anywhere. I can be a guest star on the 'Big Bang Theory' from anywhere. I don't need to be on the coast, and I don't think the Lakers have grasped that yet. Or maybe they have now. Maybe, finally, the wake-up call has hit.
Carlesimo: These guys don't even remember. The players now couldn't tell you who Dave DeBusschere, Bill Bradley and dikk Barnett and those guys were. That was 1970. I love Madison Square Garden, but today's players don't care about playing at Madison Square Garden. The Knicks are this team that has made a lot of bad decisions and haven't been competitive. They've had moments and they've been pretty good at times, but that's the reality. They don't want to be there. People such as Phil Jackson, he's got 11 rings, but he's not coaching the team. So you're not going to play for Phil Jackson. If Phil shows the capabilities like Pat Riley in Miami, that'll be a plus. But at this point it's not. New York is not very good. L.A.'s better than New York right now, I think, with the recent moves, but I don't think there's any reason guys want to go there. If everything's equal, then you say, "Well, yeah, I'd rather be in New York or in L.A. rather than somewhere else." But everything's far from equal. They've got some major, major deficiencies that anyone can see. Players don't want to be a part of that.
What do they do now?
Elhassan: Every year we do the Future Power Rankings, and every year as a part of that component we're asked to vote what is the most important segment, and I always vote ownership is most important. If you have a wacky owner everything else trickles down. We see what's going on in Sacramento with unstable ownership. You see it with the Knicks. Jim Dolan has been probably the worst owner in professional sports over the past decade or so. And the Lakers now, when they used to have one of the best owners in Dr. Jerry Buss, his children haven't really carried his legacy in a proper fashion in terms of the way that they've run the team. And that obviously has an effect and impact. They really don't have a plan moving forward and I think it showed with LaMarcus Aldridge's first meeting. It was little substance and a lot of sizzle.
Kevin Pelton: I don't know if it was necessarily the analytics of the presentation to Aldridge weren't good enough and that's why he's going to San Antonio instead of the Lakers. But, the Lakers' roster is where it is because of the fact that they haven't valued assets over the years. They've thrown around first-round picks to sweeten deals but haven't had much regard that someday those could be valuable picks, like the one the Philadelphia 76ers have next year, which was originally from the Steve Nash trade. I think that all plays into it.
Elhassan: I do want to point out one thing: There is a difference between the Knicks' offseason and the Lakers' offseason. To me, it seems a bit as though the Knicks had a Plan A, Plan B and Plan C. Plan A was Greg Monroe, they swung and they missed, and they capitalized on Plan B by getting guys such as Robin Lopez, Arron Afflalo, Derrick Williams and Kyle O'Quinn. Not big-name guys, but, again, good building-block pieces to maybe get to a point where free agents will consider you -- the A-listers, so to speak. The Lakers, on the other hand, went blue-chip-or-bust, but their strategy in landing a blue-chipper was awful. So now they're bust. And now you're scrambling and you invest in a guy like Louis Williams. These are last-second, 'Oh, I have to pay somebody'-type moves.
Pelton: I actually like what the Lakers did. Their cap space is still more valuable than the average team's cap space. And I don't know if I want to settle for clogging it up for several years with a guy who's not a top-tier free agent. One year of Roy Hibbert is not going to be worth his salary, but he will be a productive player and will make them more competitive next season, just like Lopez will make the Knicks more competitive. But the Lakers go into next summer relatively unencumbered. They may have Brandon Bass' contract and Williams' contract, but still should have more than enough cap space to add two max-level guys, assuming Kobe retires or is not on the books one way or another. And that, I think, is where now you can start to go out and make a legitimate push to find these top-tier players. And next year I think they will be more successful in free agency.
Penn: I agree, I like what the Lakers have done. They didn't have a grand Plan B to win the headlines this week, but they're slowly executing an effective Plan B that takes them through the valley, slowly. And they've got two young potential studs in D'Angelo Russelland Julius Randle. If they show any signs of stud-liness on the NBA level, free agents will want to come play with them. The Lakers need to keep adding pieces at good numbers, like Williams -- he's got a lot of life left in him -- and Bass, a solid rotation player with life left in him. Then you see what happens. You'll get free agents who say, "OK, now I've got something to work with." That's why LeBron went back to Cleveland, because they had a bunch of young guys whom he thought he could fix. Kyrie Irving, Tristan Thompson, Anthony Bennett, Andrew Wiggins -- LeBron goes, "Yeah, they don't know how to win, but if I go with them they will." That's all the Lakers need, for those guys to show that promise.
Elhassan: That's the part that I always struggle with as far as the moves the Lakers made. It's the incongruence. It doesn't fit. Hibbert is a specific style of player and Russell and Williams are completely opposite styles, in terms of up-tempo versus slowed down, half court versus a transition game.
Penn: A beggar can't be a chooser. You need warm bodies that can play.
Carlesimo: They're both better than what they had. They were both so bad that any moves are going to make them better. They've got veteran players now. They're better. The Lakers' biggest problem is that they're in the West. They are more competitive, but how much they can win? I don't know. But if they have more flexibility going forward that's a good thing, and a healthy Kobe will certainly be a good thing.
storyteller
Superstar
The Knicks need to finish free agency with smart, small moves
Soon, when the free agent and trade markets will have more or less dried up for the summer -- that's when the real offseason begins for most NBA fans, save for the hardcore types (like us) who watch summer league action because, well, it's people playing basketball.
That's also when analysts (like me) will buckle down and try to make sense of all that's happened since the Warriors finished their title run, and begin formulating rigorous projections for next season. While my system kicks out a kind of generic projection with each transaction update, the formal procedure is a little more involved. So it's hard to say exactly how the league's new pecking our will shape up.
But I'll not exactly go out on a limb with one forecast: The New York Knicks aren't going to project as title contenders.
Given the state of the franchise at the end of last season, we knew there was not going to be any quick fix for Phil Jackson and his staff. The Knicks had to do their due diligence on the major free agents, just in case one of them had a burning desire to play in New York. However the real goal of the Knicks' offseason was to take a few incremental steps in the right direction. While the front office work will continue behind the scenes -- and New York's summer moves aren't finished yet -- the focus will now largely shift to the action on the court.
Though the Knicks aren't going to leap to elite status, it's remains essential that they make strides towards respectability in order to set themselves up for next season. As we learned this summer, the best free agent bait in today's NBA is winning. New York learned that firsthand when center Greg Monroe picked the 41-41 Bucks and tiny little Milwaukee over a chance to play in the Big Apple.
Let's begin with a chart that compares the initial WARP projections of the players who finished last season with New York with those players who are currently on the roster, including those involved in reported transactions that are not yet official.
New Knicks vs. Old Knicks
NEW KNICKS Proj WARP OLD KNICKS Proj WARP
Robin Lopez .521 Andrea Bargnani .436
Jose Calderon .486 Jose Calderon .486
Arron Afflalo .401 Tim Hardaway Jr. .443
Carmelo Anthony .613 Carmelo Anthony .613
Kyle O'Quinn .532 Jason Smith .389
Kristaps Porzingis .454 Cole Aldrich .594
Langston Galloway .462 Langston Galloway .462
Jerian Grant .446 Alexey Shved .566
Cleanthony Early .378 Ricky Ledo .299
Derrick Williams .442 Quincy Acy .428
Ricky Ledo .299 Louis Amundson .416
replacement level FA .415 Shane Larkin .408
replacement level FA .415 Cleanthony Early .378
replacement level FA .415 Lance Thomas .279
replacement level FA .415 Travis Wear .326
WEIGHTED PCT .478 WEIGHTED PCT. .462
This is about as rough of a sketch of a team as you can get, but it serves as a jumping off point. I've tried to place the players in a depth chart order, but in reality it's not easy to do that, either for the current Knicks or the old version. At this point, it's really just guess work. New York's leader in games started a season ago was Jose Calderon with just 42. Nineteen different players started a game for the Knicks last season, which is not surprising for a team that went 17-65.
It's important to note the figures at the bottom of the chart, which notes the Knicks' overall baseline percentage that was calculated by giving the starters each 2,400 projected minutes, the second units 1,200 minutes and the fringe players 350 minutes each. These are rough estimates, to be sure. But the story told is important: If the Knicks returned the exact same roster as last season, and those players stayed healthy and posted minutes totals typical for their full-season roles, New York would have projected to get better. That's because as last season unraveled, most of the minutes were going to the guys at the bottom of the depth chart, instead of the top. That's the way it goes for teams having lost seasons.
So in that vein, New York has made a small overall improvement in their baseline talent so far. If Jackson fills those remaining roster spots with sub-replacement players, that improvement will disappear. However, bringing back solid role players like Shved and Aldrich would improve the bottom line. So, though most of the major free agent dominoes have fallen, Jackson still has work to do with his 2015-16 roster.
In the East, we've seen that playoff contention is a solid drawing card for free agents, at least those of the second-tier variety. So too is the perception of forward momentum. If New York were to win even 38 games next season, it wouldn't be that shocking statistically -- just keeping their main players on the floor adds a lot to team expectation. But it still looks like a massive improvement and that the club is headed in the right direction. Milwaukee is a great example. The Bucks lost a franchise record 67 games in 2013-14, but the season before that, they won 38 games and made the playoffs. The Knicks won 37 games two years ago, and the roster is probably closer to that level than the 65-loss level. So where analysts see statistical regression, free agents might see strides in the right direction.
But it all has to come together. The one baseline forecast that should sound some alarm bells is the one for Afflalo, who many see as a bonafide solution for New York at shooting guard, though his metrics don't agree. Despite playing large roles, Afflalo has put up a combined minus-0.6 WARP over the last three seasons. He was better than that over his first five NBA seasons in Denver, most of it spent playing on the wing with Anthony. Back then, Afflalo was a low-usage role player and quite good at it. His efficiency has mostly suffered as he's taken on greater offensive responsibility, save for a solid season in Orlando two seasons ago.
However, he's a good midrange shooter and solid option as a secondary ballhandler, so it's entirely possible that he'll be a good fit in the Triangle and outperform his statistical forecast. If so, then Knicks will almost certainly be an upgraded squad.
However, the one thing that jumps out at you about New York's roster as it stands are the usage rates up and down the list. Anthony had a usage rate over 32 percent last season, and that's near where you can expect him to be going forward. Beyond Melo, Ledo is only other player on the list who had a usage rate higher than the league average of 20 percent last season, and he's not a cinch to be back with the team next season.
Rookies Porzingis and Grant also project to fall under the league mean in usage. That puts a lot of burden on Anthony, but he's used to that. Of more concern is Afflalo, because of his history of losing efficiency when his volume is too high. And if Anthony misses time, New York could again struggle for offense, which is bad news for a team that figures to be below average on defense. Who will provide consistent secondary scoring for Anthony?
So Jackson still has plenty of work left to do. He's put together a group that figures to be marginally better than the one New York finished the 2014-15 season with, but since the Knicks lost 65 games, that's probably damning with faint praise. This has not been a sexy offseason for New York, but in reality it only need be steps in the right direction.
For the Knicks to get where Jackson hopes to take them, those steps must serve as a prelude to a leap. This remains a precarious roster, and that makes the rest of the summer more important for New York than most other teams, even though none of the Knicks' remaining moves are likely to garner any major headlines.
KillaCali32
Banned
KillaCali32
Banned
Adam Finkelstein
NORTH AUGUSTA, S.C. -- The 2015 EYBL Finals at the Nike Peach Jam was filled with top talent and storylines. Here’s a look back on what was a very compelling five days of action:
1. Georgia Stars dominate
This was the Nike Peach Jam’s 20th year in North Augusta, South Carolina, which lies right on the border of Augusta, Georgia. Well this weekend, the Georgia Stars seemed right at home, not only knocking off the St. Louis Eagles to take the EYBL championship, but also beating the Arkansas Wings to win the title in the 16-and-under division. The EYBL squad is best known for their "triple towers" -- ESPN 100 centers Udoka Azubuike and Abdul Ado and ESPN 60 Wendell Carter, but because their frontcourt is so massive, the talent of the backcourt tends to fly under the radar. Trent Forrest and Brandon Robinson are ESPN 100 products in their own right and were pivotal throughout the championship run. Forrest is a top-notch on-ball defender who is headed to Florida State to run the show for Leonard Hamilton. Robinson is a long and wiry wing with an improved handle who had a breakout spring, and Jared Harper is yet another high-major -- already committed to Auburn -- with a shifty style and major shot-making ability. The 16-and-under squad is equally loaded with high-level talent. Ikechukwu Obiagu is an absolutely massive man in the middle and a shot-blocker extraordinaire, and Chuma Okeke, Davion Mitchell and the Lewis brothers (Daniel and Jamie) also appear poised to be recruited at the highest level.
2. No mistaking No. 1
Harry Giles was the story of the Peach Jam for the first four days and looked like he was heading to the finals after he knocked down a running lefty hook to give CP3 a one-point lead over St. Louis Eagles with just four seconds remaining in the semifinals. Luck wasn’t on his side though, as Jordan Barnes drilled a double-clutch, 25-foot prayer to steal the win for the Eagles. Though Giles' championship run stopped when that final shot went through the net, there was still no denying his brilliance throughout the event. Fresh off his gold medal with Team USA, Giles’ performance created some new-found separation when it comes to the title of the nation’s best prospect. He’s the complete package with the size and athleticism to quickly translate his game to the highest levels, the character and motor to maximize his abilities, and a rapidly increasing skill set. He made jump hooks and running hooks over both shoulders, handled the ball in the open floor after taking it off the defensive glass, showed a newly polished mid-range touch and even made a couple of stand-still threes.
3. Rising to the occasion
The Stars might have been crowned champions and Giles might have earned his top ranking, but Jayson Tatum’s performance in Sunday’s semifinals was a magnificent one, and the perfect precursor to his commitment to Duke. Like Giles, he was undoubtedly fatigued following his stint with Team USA, perhaps even more so than Giles, but when CP3 seemed to be on the verge of running away with the game, Tatum put the Eagles on his back and almost single-handedly put them in a position where they had a chance down the stretch. He finished with 28 points on 11-of-19 shooting, and the way in which Tatum was able to manufacture his own shot and get tough buckets against a set defense down the stretch reminded everyone of what he does better than anyone else in the class. It was only fitting that moments later Tatum announced his commitment, punctuating a storybook-type performance for the nation’s second-ranked player.
4. Three-peat for Duke?
Tatum’s pledge is just the first of what looks like it could be another monster class for Duke. The Blue Devils have finished with the nation’s top-ranked class in each of the past two years, and the third class might be the best of the bunch if everything goes according to plan. With Tatum now on board, the focus shifts to his best friend Giles, whose close proximity in the state of North Carolina also figures to be an advantage for Duke. The Blue Devils also went three coaches deep for virtually all of Marques Bolden’s games this week, and made a similarly strong statement earlier in the week for Frank Jackson at the Adidas Gauntlet Finale. That quartet is very clearly their ideal scenario for the 2016 class, and it’s very possible they end up getting all four. Their momentum isn’t likely to stop there, though, as the Blue Devils are making strong early inroads with ESPN 60 prospects including Michael Porter, Wendell Carter and Trae Young, among others.
5. Other standouts
When you put this much talent in one building for a five-day stretch, you’re going to have a number of high-level performances. ESPN 100 products Miles Bridges, De'Aaron Fox, Alterique Gilbert, Xavier Simpson and Kassoum Yakwe were all among the most impressive. Bridges did a better job of utilizing his versatility, still knocking down open threes, but also punishing defenders with his size and strength (not to mention a fantastic right hand) instead of settling for contested shots on the perimeter. Fox played himself into the conversation for the nation’s top point guard, showing his tremendous combination of speed and quickness, along with equally impressive size and length, to attack the rim and make plays on demand. UConn-bound guard Alterique Gilbert was dynamic, making plays, showing a quick first step, great strength through contact and a lethal floater game. Simpson was another point guard who stood out. Typically known for his toughness and ability to run the show, he proved he was capable of producing points on demand as well, and finished as one of the leading scorers in the tournament. Finally, Yakwe stepped up in a big way following an injury to his frontcourt running mate Omari Spellman, and dominated the game defensively, with astounding numbers both rebounding the ball and blocking shots.
NORTH AUGUSTA, S.C. -- The 2015 EYBL Finals at the Nike Peach Jam was filled with top talent and storylines. Here’s a look back on what was a very compelling five days of action:
1. Georgia Stars dominate
This was the Nike Peach Jam’s 20th year in North Augusta, South Carolina, which lies right on the border of Augusta, Georgia. Well this weekend, the Georgia Stars seemed right at home, not only knocking off the St. Louis Eagles to take the EYBL championship, but also beating the Arkansas Wings to win the title in the 16-and-under division. The EYBL squad is best known for their "triple towers" -- ESPN 100 centers Udoka Azubuike and Abdul Ado and ESPN 60 Wendell Carter, but because their frontcourt is so massive, the talent of the backcourt tends to fly under the radar. Trent Forrest and Brandon Robinson are ESPN 100 products in their own right and were pivotal throughout the championship run. Forrest is a top-notch on-ball defender who is headed to Florida State to run the show for Leonard Hamilton. Robinson is a long and wiry wing with an improved handle who had a breakout spring, and Jared Harper is yet another high-major -- already committed to Auburn -- with a shifty style and major shot-making ability. The 16-and-under squad is equally loaded with high-level talent. Ikechukwu Obiagu is an absolutely massive man in the middle and a shot-blocker extraordinaire, and Chuma Okeke, Davion Mitchell and the Lewis brothers (Daniel and Jamie) also appear poised to be recruited at the highest level.
2. No mistaking No. 1
Harry Giles was the story of the Peach Jam for the first four days and looked like he was heading to the finals after he knocked down a running lefty hook to give CP3 a one-point lead over St. Louis Eagles with just four seconds remaining in the semifinals. Luck wasn’t on his side though, as Jordan Barnes drilled a double-clutch, 25-foot prayer to steal the win for the Eagles. Though Giles' championship run stopped when that final shot went through the net, there was still no denying his brilliance throughout the event. Fresh off his gold medal with Team USA, Giles’ performance created some new-found separation when it comes to the title of the nation’s best prospect. He’s the complete package with the size and athleticism to quickly translate his game to the highest levels, the character and motor to maximize his abilities, and a rapidly increasing skill set. He made jump hooks and running hooks over both shoulders, handled the ball in the open floor after taking it off the defensive glass, showed a newly polished mid-range touch and even made a couple of stand-still threes.
3. Rising to the occasion
The Stars might have been crowned champions and Giles might have earned his top ranking, but Jayson Tatum’s performance in Sunday’s semifinals was a magnificent one, and the perfect precursor to his commitment to Duke. Like Giles, he was undoubtedly fatigued following his stint with Team USA, perhaps even more so than Giles, but when CP3 seemed to be on the verge of running away with the game, Tatum put the Eagles on his back and almost single-handedly put them in a position where they had a chance down the stretch. He finished with 28 points on 11-of-19 shooting, and the way in which Tatum was able to manufacture his own shot and get tough buckets against a set defense down the stretch reminded everyone of what he does better than anyone else in the class. It was only fitting that moments later Tatum announced his commitment, punctuating a storybook-type performance for the nation’s second-ranked player.
4. Three-peat for Duke?
Tatum’s pledge is just the first of what looks like it could be another monster class for Duke. The Blue Devils have finished with the nation’s top-ranked class in each of the past two years, and the third class might be the best of the bunch if everything goes according to plan. With Tatum now on board, the focus shifts to his best friend Giles, whose close proximity in the state of North Carolina also figures to be an advantage for Duke. The Blue Devils also went three coaches deep for virtually all of Marques Bolden’s games this week, and made a similarly strong statement earlier in the week for Frank Jackson at the Adidas Gauntlet Finale. That quartet is very clearly their ideal scenario for the 2016 class, and it’s very possible they end up getting all four. Their momentum isn’t likely to stop there, though, as the Blue Devils are making strong early inroads with ESPN 60 prospects including Michael Porter, Wendell Carter and Trae Young, among others.
5. Other standouts
When you put this much talent in one building for a five-day stretch, you’re going to have a number of high-level performances. ESPN 100 products Miles Bridges, De'Aaron Fox, Alterique Gilbert, Xavier Simpson and Kassoum Yakwe were all among the most impressive. Bridges did a better job of utilizing his versatility, still knocking down open threes, but also punishing defenders with his size and strength (not to mention a fantastic right hand) instead of settling for contested shots on the perimeter. Fox played himself into the conversation for the nation’s top point guard, showing his tremendous combination of speed and quickness, along with equally impressive size and length, to attack the rim and make plays on demand. UConn-bound guard Alterique Gilbert was dynamic, making plays, showing a quick first step, great strength through contact and a lethal floater game. Simpson was another point guard who stood out. Typically known for his toughness and ability to run the show, he proved he was capable of producing points on demand as well, and finished as one of the leading scorers in the tournament. Finally, Yakwe stepped up in a big way following an injury to his frontcourt running mate Omari Spellman, and dominated the game defensively, with astounding numbers both rebounding the ball and blocking shots.
storyteller
Superstar
See post above.
Summer-league observations: Day 4
The NBA summer league in Las Vegas is a chance to learn more about rookies getting their introductions to the league, young players developing their games and fringe players looking for opportunities. ESPN Insider's Amin Elhassan and Kevin Pelton will be watching everything and sharing their observations while keeping a close eye on the players they selected in the summer league fantasy draft for #TeamAminESPN and #TeamKPelton.
Jordan Clarkson, Los Angeles Lakers
(#TeamAminESPN: 15 fantasy points)
After two strong performances, Clarkson's level of play fell off Monday. He missed three of his four attempts from 3-point range, including a shot that would have cut into the lead in the final minute. Clarkson also struggled with his finishing, shooting 2-of-10 inside the arc.
Seth Curry, New Orleans Pelicans
(#TeamAminESPN: 28 fantasy points)
The younger brother of reigning MVP Stephen Curry entered Monday's action as the leading scorer in Las Vegas with 55 points. While he didn't match that average, scoring 20 points, Curry impressed offensively on a day when his 3-point shots weren't falling (1-of-6). He's getting his points in the flow of the offense without forcing things, getting to the basket off the dribble and hitting pull-up jumpers. At the NBA level, Curry is probably an undersized shooting guard. While he can dribble his way out of trouble, he doesn't really make plays for others.
Rondae Hollis-Jefferson, Brooklyn Nets
After totaling 24 points in his first four summer league games in Orlando, Hollis-Jefferson has found his scoring stride, scoring double figures each of his past three outings. Most of his production Monday came from the free throw line. Hollis-Jefferson's herky-jerky style draws defenders into him for shooting fouls, and he was 8-of-10 on free throws. The form on Hollis-Jefferson's jumper looks painful, and the NBA 3-pointer still seems to be a step out of his range.
Kristaps Porzingis, New York Knicks
Porzingis delivered another encouraging effort. Playing 18 minutes to keep from taxing his hip, Porzingis had nine points and three rebounds. He showed good touch early, scoring a jump hook in the post, and finished a running jumper through contact. Porzingis was aggressive contesting shots on defense and should have had three blocks, though he officially finished with one. Two others, including a two-hand volleyball-style rejection, were called fouls. The biggest shortcoming for Porzingis so far has been his free-throw shooting. He went 3-of-7 from the line.
Julius Randle, Los Angeles Lakers
We saw a lot of "point Randle" from Julius on Monday, as he looked to push the ball after grabbing rebounds. Randle had a couple of nice setups to Clarkson in transition. Within the half-court offense, the book is out on Randle: sit on his left hand and wait for him to come back to it. Randle got to the free throw line six times, but shot just 2-of-8 from the field as most of his attempts were contested in the paint.
D'Angelo Russell, Lakers
(#TeamAminESPN: 11 fantasy points)
The learning curve has gone the wrong direction for Russell, who started well and has increasingly struggled as summer league has gone on. Defenses are starting to anticipate his passes in transition, leading to steals. The court vision is still there, and Russell's best pass of the night bounced off the hands of teammate Tarik Black for a turnover. But even in this setting, eight turnovers to one assist is a problematic ratio.
Edy Tavares, Atlanta Hawks
Tavares, a second-round pick a year ago who recently signed a three-year deal to join the Hawks this season, matched up against fellow giant Hasheem Thabeet on Monday. For a player his size (7-foot-3), Tavares moves pretty well; at one point, he successfully showed on a pick-and-roll. Verticality is going to be Tavares' friend on defense; he was erroneously called for a foul when he defended straight up and later got a block using only his sheer wingspan.
Karl-Anthony Towns, Minnesota Timberwolves
(#TeamAminESPN: 28 fantasy points)
During summer league, the Timberwolves have been playing Towns almost exclusively in the post with mixed results. He shows impressive touch on a deep hook shot, but needs to do a better job of establishing deep post position. He has tended to settle for tough fadeaway jumpers. Towns has been more effective defensively, pulling down 10 boards and blocking a pair of shots.
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Fantasy scoring
Transactions: #TeamKPelton replaced Shabazz Napier with Justise Winslow and Rodney Hood with Bryce Cotton.
#TeamAminESPN: 123 (463 total)
Jordan Clarkson: 12; Seth Curry: 28; Montrezl Harrell: 26, James Michael McAdoo: 14; Karl-Anthony Towns: 28
#TeamKPelton: 43 (361 total)
Bryce Cotton: 20; Gary Harris: 18; Justise Winslow: 5
