NBA: Summer League Takeaways
1. Memphis has a solid young core: The Grizzlies took home the 2019 NBA Summer League championship and their future seems somewhat bright. Ja Morant, the No. 2 overall pick in the most recent draft, didn't play in the Summer League but Brandon Clarke did, as he took home the MVP. Clarke averaged 14.7 points and 9.8 rebounds while leading the team to a 6-1 record. And those two guys will join an impressive Jaren Jackson Jr. in Memphis next year.
2. New Orleans has two good back up point guards: The Pelicans made arguably the biggest splash of the offseason as they traded Anthony Davis, getting Lonzo Ball, Brandon Ingram, and Josh Hart in return. Ball is expected to start at the point, but Frank Jackson and Nickeil Alexander-Walker look like good options of the bench. Jackson only played once, but he dropped 30 points, while Alexander-Walker averaged 24.3 points, 6.0 assists, and 4.8 rebounds.
3. Bruce Brown has improved a lot: The Pistons started Bruce Brown for the majority of his rookie season and it really made a difference in his impact during the Summer League. In five games, he averaged 13.5 points, 8.3 assists, and 8.0 rebounds on 41.0% shooting from the field, while going 4-1 and reaching the quarterfinals. Brown led the league in assists and he looks like he could be a starter alongside Reggie Jackson in the backcourt again.
4. R.J. Barrett has the skill, but lacks the efficiency: R.J. Barrett is one of the most scrutinized rookies in the league because of how high he was drafted and where he is going to play. The Knicks are putting a lot of pressure on Barrett to make an impact immediately and after his performance in the Summer League, it's clear that he has the talent to score the ball but needs to improve his efficiency. He averaged 15.4 points and 8.6 rebounds on 34% shooting.
5. Jarrett Allen is going to be key for Brooklyn’s success: Jarrett Allen looked really good during his sophomore year and now that Kyrie Irving and Kevin Durant are coming to Brooklyn, the team has much higher expectations (even if Durant misses the entire season). With that said, Allen should get even better and be a serious threat in the paint on both sides of the floor. He averaged 16.4 points, 10.6 rebounds, and 2.2 blocks per game.
Photo Credit: CBS Sports.
