The NBA’s Summer League isn’t the best place to make concrete judgments about players, but it can still be an effective platform in finding new quirks in returning athletes’ games, or specific skills of newcomers that can help in the long run. Hawkshoop will be bringing you these observations throughout Atlanta’s journey through the Vegas Summer League, starting with their opener against the Washington Wizards.
- Mike Muscala really surprised today with a dribble-drive game that we didn’t see nearly this often last year. Moose was attacking on nearly every touch, using the pump fake to his advantage and creating A LOT of open looks. He rarely, if ever, went up for a shot on these takes, but was connecting perfectly on his kick outs to open shooters. Doubt this can translate well, but it was very fun to see. On the defensive end, Muscala continued to put his I.Q. on display, rotating when needed and abusing the verticality rule. However, the opposition still had no trouble actually scoring on him. If this is an issue in Vegas, it’ll still be one in the NBA unfortunately. Unsure whether the problem is lack of intimidation or mass, but it needs to be remedied if Muscala wants to be an effective defender at the next level.
- Adreian Payne came out firing, putting up any shot that looked appealing to him. No problem with this, since a player’s first Summer League game can come with jitters and shooting your way into a rhythm can help. His shots weren’t falling, but plenty were good looks off pick-and-pops that he will get at the next level. He also showed off his athleticism with a nasty put-back slam, and was able to make good things happen out of the post. Only the first game of Summer League, but Hawks fans have to like what they have in Payne if his shot can fall at an efficient rate.
- John Jenkins was a disappointment in this game to say the least, but where he failed to shine shouldn’t surprise. His defense was a gaping hole for the Hawks, with struggles navigating screens and being outclassed physically. His offense wasn’t there either, but mostly because the Wizards were aware of his shooting ability and made sure to keep him tightly guarded. We know Jenkins can shoot, even if his shots didn’t fall today, but it seems that everything else still needs work.
- Lamar Patterson was a pleasant surprise, looking shy early on but got into a groove with some nice defense plays and aggressive takes to the rim. His ball handling was top-notch as well, which is something the coaching staff must have picked up on as he was asked to run the point for small stretches. I’m looking forward to seeing more from this guy.
- Dennis Schroeder was a mixed bag. He did not look any bigger than he did in his rookie season, but man was he under control in the pick and roll. His passing was plentiful and extremely accurate, which was very enjoyable to watch. He showed a ton of patience running the offense, rarely forcing. The downside was his jumper didn’t look any better and his scoring as a whole was underwhelming, shooting just 2-13 from the field. But watching him defend full court though!
- Walter Tavares is freaking huge. How can a human be that tall with that wingspan? Ridiculous. He opened up his NBA career with a turnaround fadeaway on the baseline… that hit nothing but net. That was not in the scouting report. He picked up four fouls in his first five minutes, but I’m ready to skip over any in-depth analysis of his game because he’s a project that won’t be ready for the NBA for at least three years. But if he puts it together in that time… Yikes.
- D.J. Shelton, who I knew little of coming into the contest, showed flashes of some useful qualities. He confidently put up a three (which missed) during the game and his form was so-so. His rebounding was strong as well. Keep an eye out for him.
- Abraham Millsap, Paul Millsap’s brother, was a DNP-CD.
- I saw a tweet saying Paul Millsap was in attendance wearing super bright green shoes. I was sitting in the media section in the upper bowl and spotted him in three seconds. Those shoes were BRIGHT.