Tip-In Points Newsy Notes: Summer League-ing, Had Me A Blast
With Summer League over, I thought it might not be a bad idea to take a look at some of the big winners and losers from the three week series of exhibitions. Then I thought it might be a bad idea if people read this and begin ranking their rosters according to player output in July. Then I remembered that I only have two readers and my parents don’t start ranking their players until mid-August. So we’re good.
Take everything with a grain of salt. This is pre-season exhibition hoops starring the youngest players in the league … and J.R. Smith, who was just bored, I guess. This is a movie trailer, not the whole feature film. This isn’t even the normal trailer studios release six weeks before the film opens, this is the trailer they release a year in advance to alert you they’ve just started shooting the film. Seriously, don’t start standing in line for a movie that is nowhere near being released.
W I N N E R S
John Wall, WAS Led the league in points, assists and was second in steals, despite shooting .377 from the floor. The Great Wall of Chinatown’s performance is less noteworthy than that of his teammate, JaVale McGee. Epic Vale shot nearly 69 percent from the floor while averaging the league’s fourth most points and rebounds over five games. A John Wall that makes other Wizards better is a more dangerous John Wall than previously anticipated.
Armon Johnson, POR Finished in the top 10 in minutes played (4th), assists (10th) and steals (9th). What’s it get him? Well, if the Blazers eschew Rudy Fernandez and Patty Mills continues doing whatever Patty Mills did last year, Armon becomes their mon in Portland … right after Brandon Roy and Wesley Matthews.
DeMarcus Cousins, SAC He double-doubled in each of his four games. And managed not to break things, throw things, whine at things, ignore things, or exhibit any of the characteristics that made him drop from the No.2 pick in the draft to No.5. If Wall is a 40th-60th pick in the draft, assume Cousins won’t be far behind.
Pooh Jeter, CLE I’m pulling for this guy to get some burn if for no other reason than the prospect of a guy named Pooh and a guy named Boobie together in the Cavs backcourt at some point this season.
Jeff Teague, ATL Found himself in the top 16 in points, assists and minutes played. Teague’ll play more than last season, but not more than Mike Bibby. Meanwhle the rest of the Hawks will do everything they can to help Bibby fall down a staircase here or a black ice patch there. You know – whatever.
Dominique Jones, DAL Mavericks coach Rick Carlisle said this about his rookie guard: “Dominique has a great knack for finding the crevasses, creating space, getting the contact, and finishing …” This quote sounds like it came from a man who could use a little more attention from Mrs. Carlisle.
DeMar DeRozan, TOR Had the third-highest ppg average in the entire summer league and the highest point-per-minute average. And this is how you know the summer league is fluky.
Derrick Caracter, LAL I toyed with the idea of giving Derricter an early nickname after he averaged 15 and 9 in the summer league, but thought better of it. As this is the only time you’ll hear from the guy for the rest of the season, it seemed disrespectful to rob the man of his name. Like when Muhammad Ali called everyone “killer” or John Wayne called everyone “sport” because they couldn’t remember or never knew anyone’s actual name. Or like how my father only refers to me as “You Again.”
Larry Sanders, MIL Not much to speak about on offense, but he led the summer league with 3.2 blocks per game and grabbed a flock of rebounds (8.4 rbd). What does one call a group of rebounds? A pride? A school? A throng? Add that to the list of things Sanders can think about while cooling his jets on Milwaukee’s bench all season.
L O S E R S
Rodrigue Beaubois, DAL An ankle tweak slowed him down, as did learning to lead the point. If Beaubois means “attractive wood,” his summer league was more of a “mochebois.” Google it.
Evan Turner, PHI His threes were off, his twos were off, his drives were off, his shot was off. Just off. Like a camper near a buggy bayou – just full of off.
Eric Bledsoe, LAC Led the summer league in minutes played, but barely cracked the top 20 in assists (17) and steals (18). A perfect replacement for Baron Davis, indeed.
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