Summer League Las Vegas 2016, July 8th -18th
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I don't know what game you guys watched, but Malachi Richardson was the only King in SL that looked like he could translate well to the NBA.
Yes, that includes WCS (surprisingly).
Don;t know what's wrong with Willie, but he should be doing MUCH better against SL competition if he's expecting to be the starting PF for a playoff team (Kings, hopefully).
Yes, that includes WCS (surprisingly).
Don;t know what's wrong with Willie, but he should be doing MUCH better against SL competition if he's expecting to be the starting PF for a playoff team (Kings, hopefully).
Kings' coaches need to TEACH all the bigs how to screen out their opponents for both offensive and defensive rebounds. WCS just WATCHED several rebounds sail past him without any effort to get the rebound.
Small steps in SL. Today's game with David Stockton at PG was a huge step up from the last game. None of the other PGs did well at all. Malichi looked like a keeper, and Skal will be a very good player in several years. Papa doesn't screen out very well, but does set a mean screen. Kings SL team is interesting to watch, but only two maybe three of the rookies will make the training camp.
Small steps in SL. Today's game with David Stockton at PG was a huge step up from the last game. None of the other PGs did well at all. Malichi looked like a keeper, and Skal will be a very good player in several years. Papa doesn't screen out very well, but does set a mean screen. Kings SL team is interesting to watch, but only two maybe three of the rookies will make the training camp.
I didn't want Willie at SL in the first place because I thought he was too good for it.. Wow, was I wrong. I expected him to come out, play good defense, box out, rebound, and maybe give us a glimpse of a jumper.
On defense, he's been hot/cold. He's been overpowered a few times, and his motor is inconsistent. He also hasn't been rebounding well at all. The biggest reason is because he's not boxing out on defense. I'm seeing lack of fundamentals rather than lack of strength. This was a problem in the regular season too. You'd expect a 2nd year player like WCS in to be able to box out against inexperienced bigs in the SL. Not the case at all.
On offense, he's shown a little jumper, but it's still not nearly good enough to be a big part of his game. I've also realized that Willie lacks a lot of touch around the rim... for a guy who can throw it down as hard as he can, I wonder why he doesn't do it more often(instead going for a layup). He's great at bringing balls down into the hoop(alley oops), but he doesn't have soft hands when you're feeding him in the post.
I don't want to say Willie will never become a good offensive player, but I think he should focus 100% of his game on the defensive side. I have no problem with Willie having a limited offense. Most of the bigs today are extremely limited on offense. If Willie decide to develop an offense, I'd rather he just develop a mid range J rather than a post game. I think it might be easier.
On defense, he's been hot/cold. He's been overpowered a few times, and his motor is inconsistent. He also hasn't been rebounding well at all. The biggest reason is because he's not boxing out on defense. I'm seeing lack of fundamentals rather than lack of strength. This was a problem in the regular season too. You'd expect a 2nd year player like WCS in to be able to box out against inexperienced bigs in the SL. Not the case at all.
On offense, he's shown a little jumper, but it's still not nearly good enough to be a big part of his game. I've also realized that Willie lacks a lot of touch around the rim... for a guy who can throw it down as hard as he can, I wonder why he doesn't do it more often(instead going for a layup). He's great at bringing balls down into the hoop(alley oops), but he doesn't have soft hands when you're feeding him in the post.
I don't want to say Willie will never become a good offensive player, but I think he should focus 100% of his game on the defensive side. I have no problem with Willie having a limited offense. Most of the bigs today are extremely limited on offense. If Willie decide to develop an offense, I'd rather he just develop a mid range J rather than a post game. I think it might be easier.
@SeanCunningham: Willie Cauley-Stein said getting into game shape has been a process. He's not discouraged, said he didn't expect to have massive numbers.
Second year in a row that he's out of game shape for Summer League. Kind of disappointing. That is not how you go about trying to impress. It's not the end of the world but personally I'm thinking WTF.
Second year in a row that he's out of game shape for Summer League. Kind of disappointing. That is not how you go about trying to impress. It's not the end of the world but personally I'm thinking WTF.
I was expecting Willie to have a Devin Booker/ Deanglo Russell type dominate 2nd year performance but he hasn't delievered on that yet. I have a feeling that the bigs will sorely miss Rondo getting them easy buckets in fact unless we fill that talent void left by Rondo's departure its might get real ugly trying to get a bucket against real nba defenses without any perimeter playmakers at all.
We can see the importance of the PG to get him involved where he's a big time threat, (this is one area we will miss Rondo). And that is on lobs, a completely wide open 12 footer or so or less, and of course running the floor.
I'd of guessed running anything through him would be a disaster, but as you know Brick, this is summer league, so if they want him to grow to be more all encompassing, do it now, work on it, get some time in training camp individually.
So we are doing it the right way with him if you ask me, throw him to the wolves.
But lol, thank goodness for Stock running the point, holy moley, Prime Shaq would of been averaging 10 points with the guard play our first game.
I'd of guessed running anything through him would be a disaster, but as you know Brick, this is summer league, so if they want him to grow to be more all encompassing, do it now, work on it, get some time in training camp individually.
So we are doing it the right way with him if you ask me, throw him to the wolves.
But lol, thank goodness for Stock running the point, holy moley, Prime Shaq would of been averaging 10 points with the guard play our first game.
Could mean that he hasn't played full 5 on 5 contact for a while, and he's trying to adjust from his mini break away from basketball.
I don't want to make a big deal out of it...but I remember last year mid-season, Karl was asked about WCS' limited minutes after his finger injury. He said Nothing wrong with the quote at all, but Karl suggested that his in-game conditioning was probably lower because of his injury, so he didn't want to rush Willie back into the lineup.... however, what I found even more interesting when Karl followed that with Again, I don't want to make a whole big deal out of nothing, but his conditioning last year in the SL was poor and documented by some. Then, he showed up to training camp(2 months later) out of shape...hence the Karl comments from above. Or, maybe the James Ham comments.. Again, I don't want to read much into any of these, because he had a solid rookie year for us and I didn't notice any conditioning issues in the regular season.
Just curious on why he's having these problems though. Willie is clearly a hardworker, so it makes you scratch your head. I did notice that he played with less, or lack of intensity in the 1st game, but he picked it up a lot more this game.
I don't want to make a big deal out of it...but I remember last year mid-season, Karl was asked about WCS' limited minutes after his finger injury. He said Nothing wrong with the quote at all, but Karl suggested that his in-game conditioning was probably lower because of his injury, so he didn't want to rush Willie back into the lineup.... however, what I found even more interesting when Karl followed that with Again, I don't want to make a whole big deal out of nothing, but his conditioning last year in the SL was poor and documented by some. Then, he showed up to training camp(2 months later) out of shape...hence the Karl comments from above. Or, maybe the James Ham comments.. Again, I don't want to read much into any of these, because he had a solid rookie year for us and I didn't notice any conditioning issues in the regular season.
Just curious on why he's having these problems though. Willie is clearly a hardworker, so it makes you scratch your head. I did notice that he played with less, or lack of intensity in the 1st game, but he picked it up a lot more this game.
Well I've been here for three days of summer league, and have some thoughts. First, anyone that draws any conclusions on the future of any player based on what they see in summer league is a total idiot. For instance, Brandon Ingram was downright terrible in the game I watched on saturday. Does that make him a bust. Most of these guys have never played together. Willie is fine. He's trying out new stuff, and trying too hard. Not unusual folks. Richardson looked good in the last game, and just so so in the first game. So which is it.
Best rookie so far is Kris Dunn. He's looked good in both games I saw. Very solid in all aspects of his game. Best overall player has been Booker. Looks like a man amongst boys at times. Simmons has been very impressive at times. Terrific passer in traffic with great court vision. Jamal Murray was downright terrible in the game I watched. When he tried to guard Dunn, it was laughable. He couldn't create anything off the dribble. Ingram struggled big time in his second game. Opponets are starting to pressure him when he has the ball, and he can't handle it. Baldwin was just OK in the game I saw. DItto Denzel Valentine. Played OK, but no impact on game at all.
Papagiannis looked like a B 52 with a bunch of fighter planes flying around him. Everything was moving way too fast for him. Amazingly, Stockton looked like a star by comparison to our PG in the first game, whoever the hell he was. Dragan Bender has looked a little lost at time. He can't get his shot to fall, and hasn't rebounded well. Looks very thin. He really needs about 25 pounds of muscle. He's not ready for the NBA yet. Chriss has showed off his athleticism, and also his lack of fundamental skills. But I think he could be something in a couple of years. He plays with a lot of energy.
Off now to day four. More later!
Best rookie so far is Kris Dunn. He's looked good in both games I saw. Very solid in all aspects of his game. Best overall player has been Booker. Looks like a man amongst boys at times. Simmons has been very impressive at times. Terrific passer in traffic with great court vision. Jamal Murray was downright terrible in the game I watched. When he tried to guard Dunn, it was laughable. He couldn't create anything off the dribble. Ingram struggled big time in his second game. Opponets are starting to pressure him when he has the ball, and he can't handle it. Baldwin was just OK in the game I saw. DItto Denzel Valentine. Played OK, but no impact on game at all.
Papagiannis looked like a B 52 with a bunch of fighter planes flying around him. Everything was moving way too fast for him. Amazingly, Stockton looked like a star by comparison to our PG in the first game, whoever the hell he was. Dragan Bender has looked a little lost at time. He can't get his shot to fall, and hasn't rebounded well. Looks very thin. He really needs about 25 pounds of muscle. He's not ready for the NBA yet. Chriss has showed off his athleticism, and also his lack of fundamental skills. But I think he could be something in a couple of years. He plays with a lot of energy.
Off now to day four. More later!
They have not yet updated the bracket, but according to my calculations, the Kings will be playing in the 1:30 game tomorrow. I have not bothered to figure who they are playing against. (Yet.)
Edit: If my understanding of the tiebreakers is correct, we will be playing the Hawks.
Edit 4: From the Twitter reports coming out, my matchups appear correct but the NBA is not respecting the schedule that was laid out and is moving games around, so...I'm just deleting Edits 2 and 3.
Kings will play the Hawks at 1:00 PM Wednesday in Cox Pavilion.
Edit: If my understanding of the tiebreakers is correct, we will be playing the Hawks.
Edit 4: From the Twitter reports coming out, my matchups appear correct but the NBA is not respecting the schedule that was laid out and is moving games around, so...I'm just deleting Edits 2 and 3.
Kings will play the Hawks at 1:00 PM Wednesday in Cox Pavilion.
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seems schedule for the next 2 days is released (Kings at 1 pm)
http://www.peachtreehoops.com/2016/...-vegas-summer-league-tournament-schedule-2016
http://www.peachtreehoops.com/2016/...-vegas-summer-league-tournament-schedule-2016
Don't agree at all. So I guess I disagree with all the "likes" of your post as well. All you guys must be "idiots."
If a guy sucks in the summer league, it's a huge red flag for his NBA potential. Regarding Papa, nobody is making any final conclusion, but they are saying that because of his showing on the floor in summer league, the chances of his success in the NBA goes markedly down. Similarly, with Ingram, I haven't seen him play, but if he played liked Papa, I'd say the same thing: His chances of succeeding in the NBA goes down quite a bit. There are always exceptions to the rule, but it's still a rule: You suck in the summer league, then you're likely to suck in the NBA; if you succeed in the summer league, then you *might* succeed in the NBA.
If a guy sucks in the summer league, it's a huge red flag for his NBA potential. Regarding Papa, nobody is making any final conclusion, but they are saying that because of his showing on the floor in summer league, the chances of his success in the NBA goes markedly down. Similarly, with Ingram, I haven't seen him play, but if he played liked Papa, I'd say the same thing: His chances of succeeding in the NBA goes down quite a bit. There are always exceptions to the rule, but it's still a rule: You suck in the summer league, then you're likely to suck in the NBA; if you succeed in the summer league, then you *might* succeed in the NBA.