RADIO
Now that we've completed all the summer league games, we can reflect on some of the players' performances. We saw a bunch of great players who exceeded expectations and set themselves up nicely headed into training camp. We also saw some bad performances that could potentially make people taper their expectations.
Today I'm going to list out my summer league risers and fallers. I will have three each with a semi-detailed explanation so that you understand why each player is listed where they are. I wanted to shy away from lottery picks and rookies who were expected to exceed for my risers portion. That rule doesn't apply to my fallers portion, though.
This list will include players with big roles next season to players with roles primarily in the G-league. Let's hop straight into the list, and as always, if you have any questions, ask me on Twitter (X) at @danieldleonard7.
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Summer League Risers
Jordan Miller - LA Clippers
The first player that I was thoroughly impressed with during the summer league was Jordan Miller. He showed immense strides in his game, which could land him a spot in the rotation this year. After a stellar year in the G-league, Miller flashed the on-ball creation skills that had scouts enamored with him during his draft process.
He averaged a stellar 25.4 points in his summer league stint, but even more impressively, he shot 54.9 from the field and 60% from three. Jordan being a consistent shooter this early on is a really big thing for his development; he always showed flashes, but his consistency was the biggest question.
Jordan Miller earned All-Summer League First Team honors after putting up 25.4 PPG on 55% FG and 60% 3PT for the @laclippers! 👏
The #GLeagueAlum scored 20+ in four of his five games including 36 PTS vs. the Nuggets. pic.twitter.com/K7rH2IQtiX
— NBA G League (@nbagleague) July 24, 2024
Miller currently is on a two-way contract, but, per multiple reports, he is a top candidate to be upgraded to a standard contract. While I think Miller has done enough to at least get the opportunity to be a contributor for the Clippers, it's hard to see right now. The Clippers currently have a log jam in the role he would fill for them, so unless they make another move, Miller could spend another year dominating the G-league.
Jalen Wilson - Brooklyn Nets
Now it's time to talk about the summer league MVP. Wilson has locked himself into a great role heading into next season. Coming out of college, Jalen Wilson was touted as one of the more pro-ready players, but that didn't seem to be the case in his rookie year. Though he played sparingly, it wasn't anything too impressive. Now it seems he is finally coming into his own as a player, and you can see the confidence brewing from him. Wilson averaged a stellar 21.8 points, 4.6 rebounds, and 1.0 assists. He did this with elite efficiency, 47% from the field and 55% from three.
Jalen Wilson DOMINATED at #NBA2KSummerLeague, averaging 21.8 PTS and 4.6 REB while shooting 55% from three-point range on 8.0 3PA per contest to earn Summer League MVP honors! 🔥 @BrooklynNets pic.twitter.com/SzizZSYNhC
— NBA G League (@nbagleague) July 23, 2024
The Nets are obviously in tanking mode and will prioritize developing their young players next year. Wilson should be in line to get a good amount of minutes to show what he might materialize into in the future. He is in the perfect situation to be able to develop his game and possibly be a good rotation player in his career.
Kel'el Ware - Miami Heat
Kel'el Ware in NBA Summer League:
18PPG, 62% FG, 30% 3PT, 70% FT, 8.3RPG, 1APG, 1SPG, 1.5BPG, 67% TS, 25.5 PER on 24.1% USG.
Heat big man of the future. pic.twitter.com/SKYnqS4FcH
— Naveen Ganglani (@naveenganglani) July 27, 2024
Heading into the draft, there were multiple reports of the Heat prioritizing moving Bam Adebayo to the power forward position for next season. The reason why I'm bringing this up is because this directly aligns with Kel'el Ware being a major contributor on a team with championship aspirations next year. Ware showed off his offensive and defensive versatility all summer league.
He was able to consistently finish around the rim and also control the boards on both ends. His defense impressed me as well; he moved excellently in space and was a major deterrent protecting the rim.
Kel'el averaged 18 points, 8 rebounds, 1.5 blocks, and 1.0 steals per game during his summer league tenure. He and Bam should be a frontcourt match made in heaven. He can be a seamless fit for the Heat and make them a dark horse contender next year.
Summer League Fallers
Alex Sarr - Washington Wizards
Coming into summer league Alex Sarr was my pick for the best rookie in the draft; that hasn't changed, but I am a little more worried. In the pre-draft process, Sarr's glaring weaknesses were holes in his offensive game, specifically his creation and shooting skills. Those weaknesses came to light during the summer league in a big way; Sarr routinely struggled to get to his spots and make shots. Then the times when he did get to spots he was comfortable from, he still couldn't convert them efficiently. Sarr finished the summer league with an ugly stat line of 9/47 from the field and 2/17 from three, just an all-around bad offensive showing from him.
Alex Sarr in his first Summer League appearance:
12PTS
7 REB
4 AST
4 BLK 😳🎥 via @NBA pic.twitter.com/EIK0Ncy3Im
— NBL (@NBL) July 13, 2024
On a bright note, Sarr did showcase some great potential on the defensive side of the ball; he averaged 2.5 blocks per game. One point that I emphasized before Sarr was drafted was that Washington was the best possible place for him to land because of the surplus of offensive talent he would have next to him. Hopefully, Sarr can have a better outing on the offensive end in the regular season, but only time will tell.
Gradey Dick - Toronto Raptors
Gradey Dick vs New Orleans Pelicans
22 PTS
4 REB
2 AST
9/16 FG#WeTheNorth L pic.twitter.com/fh30NHiplr— A Walking Highlight (@11AWH) February 6, 2024
After a positive finish to the season with the Raptors, I was high on Gradey going into his second year. But he wasn't impressive at all during his second summer league, which kind of worries me. I thought he would flash more on-ball skills and truly be able to get to his spots better. Gradey Dick in a couple of games of action was far from impressive, to say the least. He had a stat line of 11 points, 7 rebounds, and 3 assists. The bad part is that he did this on 30% shooting from the field and 0% shooting from three; yes, you read that right!
Gradey's biggest strength has always been his jumper, so I was surprised to see him struggle shooting the way he did. Even though his summer league was very bad on the offensive end, I won't doubt him too much going into the season. Dick still is on a young team, which will allow him to have ample opportunities to get better.
Dariq Whitehead - Brooklyn Nets
After a year of battling injuries, Dariq Whitehead was able to take the court again. During his summer league tenure, it was not a pretty showing at all. I was among the majority that hoped he would flash some uber talent, which got him selected in the first round. Dariq did not have a pretty showing; he only managed to play two games, which is confusing to me. But, in those two games, he averaged 1.5 points on 20% shooting from the field.
Dariq Whitehead highlights > pic.twitter.com/JG0FS5tYrb
— Nets Fan (@OfficialNetsFan) July 5, 2024
The reason why I have Dariq Whitehead pegged as a faller is that he missed out on getting valuable reps in the summer league. Not only that, but he also has an uphill battle in camp to even get minutes. Unlike Jalen Wilson, I think Dariq Whitehead dropped his value among the Nets organization after this summer league showing. The Nets roster will have a multitude of players vying for the same role as him, so I think he needs to show some signs of potential soon.
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