The Summer League Thread

[gyso]

Summer League schedule released

https://www.celticsblog.com/2022/6/20/23175913/summer-league-schedule-boston-celtics-las-vegas-milwaukee-bucks-miami-heat-golden-state-warriors

Summer league begins on July 9 for the Celtics and it’s littered with playoff rematches.

By AdamTaylorNBA@AdamTaylorNBA Jun 20, 2022, 3:07pm EDT



The beauty about a deep post-season run is that it shortens the time between the old season and the new. Just last week, the Boston Celtics fell in defeat in Game 6 of the NBA Finals against the Golden State Warriors, and their season was over. However, just four days later, we’ve been given our first glimpse of the new season with the NBA releasing Boston’s Summer League schedule.



The set schedule begins with a July 9 contest against the Miami Heat and is followed by a back-to-back against the Milwaukee Bucks, and yes, you guessed it, the Golden State Warriors. Then, the Celtics will round out their opening four games by facing off against the Memphis Grizzlies on July 14.

Of all the teams Boston will face, the Grizzlies are the most intriguing — they’ve created a successful roster via the draft, and will have a plethora of young talent looking to prove they’re worthy of a rotation spot next season.

From a Celtics perspective, this Summer League season won’t hold as much weight as previous years. Boston is now officially in contention mode, and outside of Sam Hauser and possibly Aaron Nesmith, our focus will likely be on the development of Yam Madar and Juhann Begarin who both continued their development in France and Serbia respectively.

Last season, the Celtics made it to the finals of the Summer League tournament before losing against the Sacramento Kings, who were led by impressive rookie Davion Mitchell, although none of the Boston roster made much noise once the regular season rolled around.

Furthermore, as CelticsBlog’s Keith Smith reported, these opening four games are the precursor to the Summer League tournament and will give us an opportunity to see some potential two-way players earning their spot, or, guys like Hauser looking to prove they’re ready to take the next step in their development.

So get ready, because there are only two-and-a-half weeks until we can start over-evaluating young prospects, throwing around hot takes, and most importantly, cheering for some Celtics basketball again. Because let’s be honest, the off-season already feels far too long, and it’s only just begun.

My comments:

In a little over two weeks (19 days) the Summer League starts. Time to set ourselves up for some unrealistic expectations on our team's youngin's ability to play the NBA game.

'Tis the season!!!

[bobheckler]

Pritchard, Nesmith and the two-way and G-Leaguers.  A 2nd round pick.  That'll be our team.

Generally accepted axiom:  the stronger the summer league team, the weaker the pro team and vice versa.  If you've got a strong summer league team it's because you have high draft picks on the team and most of the time you get those because the pro team had a bad record last season.  There are ample roster spots that may be open on such a team. If, however, you have a shitty SL team it's because the pro team is solid and had a good season, had a low draft position and their bench is well developed and/or stocked with veterans. Fewer open roster spots, if any.


Bob


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[gyso]

Pritchard, Nesmith and the two-way and G-Leaguers.  A 2nd round pick.  That'll be our team.

Generally accepted axiom:  the stronger the summer league team, the weaker the pro team and vice versa.  If you've got a strong summer league team it's because you have high draft picks on the team and most of the time you get those because the pro team had a bad record last season.  There are ample roster spots that may be open on such a team.  If, however, you have a shitty SL team it's because the pro team is solid and had a good season, had a low draft position and their bench is well developed and/or stocked with veterans.  Fewer open roster spots, if any.


Bob


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Don't forget Yam Madar and Juhann Begarin.

Still, your point stands. I wouldn't expect a trip to the Summer League Finals this year. I would expect a lot of "Who's that?" comments.

Lastly, I wouldn't expect to see much of Pritchard this summer. He is somewhat a proven thing and any time he spends on the floor will take away time to evaluate someone else.

[bobheckler]

Pritchard, Nesmith and the two-way and G-Leaguers.  A 2nd round pick.  That'll be our team.

Generally accepted axiom:  the stronger the summer league team, the weaker the pro team and vice versa.  If you've got a strong summer league team it's because you have high draft picks on the team and most of the time you get those because the pro team had a bad record last season.  There are ample roster spots that may be open on such a team.  If, however, you have a shitty SL team it's because the pro team is solid and had a good season, had a low draft position and their bench is well developed and/or stocked with veterans.  Fewer open roster spots, if any.


Bob


.

Don't forget Yam Madar and Juhann Begarin.  

Still, your point stands.  I wouldn't expect a trip to the Summer League Finals this year.  I would expect a lot of "Who's that?" comments.

Lastly, I wouldn't expect to see much of Pritchard this summer.  He is somewhat a proven thing and any time he spends on the floor will take away time to evaluate someone else.

gyso,

I agree about Pritchard, and I did forget about Bugarin and Madar.  Where Pritchard needs work is as a floor general.  That's where Ime and Damon having been nudging him towards.  However much court time he gets this SL will be focused on running the offense.  Same with Madar.  I sure hope he's put on a few pounds.  Last year he looked thin and weak.  Kebabs and falafels. Eat lots of kebabs and falafels (but not yams), Yam.


Bob


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[bobheckler]

Adam Himmelsbach @AdamHimmelsbach
about 22 minutes ago
New: Austin Ainge told the Globe the Celtics’ summer league roster will likely include Sam Hauser, Yam Madar, Juhann Begarin, Malik Fitts, Juwan Morgan, Matt Ryan and Brodric Thomas. Aaron Nesmith still TBD.


Bob
MY NOTE:  No Pritchard.  Nesmith is TBD?  Really?!!  Grant didn't attend SL last year so he could work on his game in Boston, and that worked out great obviously, but Nesmith?  He's got some things to prove too.  Shooting with defenders in your face is not the same thing as shooting in a gym.  Well, at least we'll have a chance to see what Madar and Bugarin have been doing with themselves over the past 12 months.

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[dboss]

https://www.boston.com/sports/boston-celtics/2022/06/24/celtics-nba-draft-jd-davison-alabama-guard-tony-tsoukalas-analysis-reaction/

[dboss]

JD is added to our SL team.

Nothing like a little excitement to get us through the dog days of summer.

[jrleftfoot]

Anybody know anything about Trevion Williams?

[dboss]

Anybody know anything about Trevion Williams?

Foot

6' 10"  255 LBS center out of Purdue.  He went undrafted.  below is a video clip.  he looks like an old school center.  Very powerful and a very creative passer but lumbering.  Does not hurt to have a tough guy like him on the bench.

Averaged 12.5 PPG with 7.4 rebounds and 3 assists

[dboss]

hey bob

Here is a highlight that shows strengths and weaknesses (turnovers) for JD.  Included is an extended look at his outside shooting.  I am ready to declare that with some work this kid could really good.

[jrleftfoot]

Anybody know anything about Trevion Williams?

Foot

6' 10"  255 LBS center out of Purdue.  He went undrafted.  below is a video clip.  he looks like an old school center.  Very powerful and a very creative passer but lumbering.  Does not hurt to have a tough guy like him on the bench.

Averaged 12.5 PPG with 7.4 rebounds and 3 assists

                                 thanks boss. I knew some of the particulars, but wanted to see him in action.

[worcester]

Popeye: I yam what I yam and that's all that I Yam.

[bobheckler]

Anybody know anything about Trevion Williams?

Foot

6' 10"  255 LBS center out of Purdue.  He went undrafted.  below is a video clip.  he looks like an old school center.  Very powerful and a very creative passer but lumbering.  Does not hurt to have a tough guy like him on the bench.

Averaged 12.5 PPG with 7.4 rebounds and 3 assists

                                 thanks boss. I knew some of the particulars, but wanted to see him in action.

6'10", 7'3" wingspan. But can he jump @ 255#?


Bob


.

[112288]

My first reaction on seeing him, he reminds me of Larry Bird passing. Great court vision and incredible passing ability!

But we now have a problem, we have 3 bigs named Williams!

112288

[NYCelt]

Williams is worth a look. I thought he might go by late second round.

We need one or two classic old school type bigs, and this signing is a no risk move.

[dboss]

Anybody know anything about Trevion Williams?

Foot

6' 10"  255 LBS center out of Purdue.  He went undrafted.  below is a video clip.  he looks like an old school center.  Very powerful and a very creative passer but lumbering.  Does not hurt to have a tough guy like him on the bench.

Averaged 12.5 PPG with 7.4 rebounds and 3 assists

                                 thanks boss. I knew some of the particulars, but wanted to see him in action.

6'10", 7'3" wingspan.   But can he jump @ 255#?


Bob


.

Has hops like Looney..rebounding is not just jumping but you already know that.

[cowens/oldschool]

I can’t believe Trevion Williams was not drafted, he’s is very mobile, somewhat athletic ballhandler with a variety of moves close to the basket and a very good passer. He is a team player and gladly came off the bench as Purdue started a 7 foot Chinese center from Canada, Zac Edey. Having said all that, all the recent Purdue bigs that went on to the NBA have been busts as we never know how things translate at the next level.

[dboss]

It is rare for undrafted players to make an NBA roster.  Everyone covets those stretch 5's but there is still a role for a physical center like TW.  

I hate when our bigs get pushed around.

We get to see what he looks like in SL.

[bobheckler]

One thing I've noticed about Davison is just how many of his layups, and he's a driver and not a shooter so there are lots of shots in the paint or at the rim, are off the glass.  A lot of modern players like to shoot it straight in and not use the backboard.  That makes it a little harder if you're off balance from contact or because you're trying to lean away from a challenge.  Davison seems to be a bit of a throwback in this.  Another player who uses the glass a lot more than other players is Jaylen Brown, and he seems to do ok with that.

This is a highlight film, so of course they're only showing fgm and not ones he doesn't make, but the push back on that is if he had a lot of fgm that he put in without the backboard they'd be showing them too, and this entire film is almost all with backboard.

And I think the individual defenses he went against in this video sucked.  Nobody moved their damn feet, so he got to the rim a lot.  That's not going to happen in the NBA.  Even the slowest, most unathletic NBA player at the end of a pro roster is bigger, faster, stronger and/or more mobile than most college players.  The NBA is very Darwinian.





Bob


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[cowens/oldschool]

Trevion Williams hangs out at a bar in Purdue regularly called Harry’s Chocalate Shop, my son had his last birthday party there. Being a good Dad, my wife and I went and had a great time hanging and meeting all his friends, place gets seriously packed.

[cowens/oldschool]

It is rare for undrafted players to make an NBA roster.  Everyone covets those stretch 5's but there is still a role for a physical center like TW.  

I hate when our bigs get pushed around.

We get to see what he looks like in SL.

I think he’s got a shot to stick with us, as you said 1/3 of the roster is filler and guarantee he’s better than Kornet. We have to see how it plays out, but I think he’s got enough ball handling and mobility to be a 4. His ball handling ability enables him to drive and his ambidextrous finishes are light years ahead of RWill.

[worcester]

I have a good friend who is a rabid Purdue fan. He says Trevion has been a joy to watch and is an exceptional passer.

Regarding JD Davison, I closely watched all 15:48 of his highlight video which Bob so kindly posted, and most of his early baskets featured were off the glass - 29 to 16 to be precise. Then the highlight reel showed him hitting mucho threes and making some thunderous dunks. By the end of the entire video he'd made 29 shots off the glass and 49 3's and dunks. NO - zero - shots were from mid-range. I really enjoyed his game. Such energy. The only negative I saw was his handle and too many turnovers, enough to make Jayson look like Bob Cousy in comparison.

[dboss]

I have a good friend who is a rabid Purdue fan. He says Trevion has been a joy to watch and is an exceptional passer.

Regarding JD Davison, I closely watched all 15:48 of his highlight video which Bob so kindly posted, and most of his early baskets featured were off the glass - 29 to 16 to be precise. Then the highlight reel showed him hitting mucho threes and making some thunderous dunks. By the end of the entire video he'd made 29 shots off the glass and 49 3's and dunks. NO - zero - shots were from mid-range. I really enjoyed his game. Such energy. The only negative I saw was his handle and too many turnovers, enough to make Jayson look like Bob Cousy in comparison.

He was the top hs player out of Bama.  He is very young but there is no denying his skills and off the chart athletcism.  

He reminds me of Darius Garland (his shot) and a lot of the same quickness, floaters and using the glass on layups.  He is no Morant but his hops bring Ja in for comparisons.

[bobheckler]

Bob
MY NOTE:  Two weeks away.

The start of NBA free agency has yet to be announced.  That's pretty freaking weird considering it usually starts on, or around, July 1st and that's only 6 days away.  The reason for the delay, I have to believe, is because they haven't calculated the salary cap number.  Hard to make offers if you don't know where the threshold for pain is.  Remember when Danny agreed to sign Gordon Hayward after free agency began, and then the salary cap number came out and it was lower than expected?  That after-the-fact announcement resulted in Danny having to trade Avery Bradley to create cap space, and Avery was Danny's pet.  I don't know why it takes this long to come up with the numbers, it's based upon historical numbers and an in-place TV contract, but it does.  So we just have to stay alert, for now.


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[dboss]

No SL for Yam. Opting out

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