NBA: 10 Summer League standouts, takeaways

1. Atlanta added to an already-deep roster: Nate McMillan is hoping to improve even more after reaching the Eastern Conference Finals and it looks like the Hawks did just that. Jalen Johnson (19.0 points, 9.5 rebounds) and Sharife Cooper have outplayed their draft picks, while Skylar Mays (18.8 points, 3.8 assists) continues to improve as a shot creator for himself and others. Johnson has the best chance to crack the Hawks rotation in 2022 after a strong summer.

2. Cam Thomas could be the steal of the draft: Brooklyn isn't exactly pressed for scorers heading into next season but bringing Thomas off the bench certainly won't hurt a thing. He scored a summer league-high 27.0 points and 2.0 assists on 36% shooting from 3-point range. The 6'4 shooting guard can score in a variety of ways but will look to work on efficiency as he plays behind and learns from veteran guards Kyrie Irving, James Harden, Joe Harris, and Patty Mills.

3. Davion Mitchell's defense needs to be contagious: Mitchell was the clear cut best perimeter defender in this class and put that on full display in Las Vegas. The 6'0 guard received praise for absolutely locking down fellow lottery pick James Bouknight in a win last week. He's an aggressive, intelligent, and persistent defender that will look to bring a spark to Sacramento next year. Mitchell averaged 12.0 points and 4.3 assists en route to a 100-67 win in the summer league championship game.

4. Detroit's development will be something to watch: Cade Cunningham looked smooth and under control but also showed room for improvement with drawing contact and limiting turnovers. The top overall pick averaged 18.7 points and 5.3 rebounds on 50% shooting from beyond the arc. Detroit also saw solid showings from Saddiq Bey and Luka Garza in Las Vegas, as the rookie big man averaged 15.0 points and 9.6 rebounds, and earned a two-way contract per Shams Charania.

5. Houston has a promising young core: Picking up Jalen Green, Alperen Şengün, Usman Garuba, and Josh Christopher made Houston one of the biggest winners on draft night. All four first round picks looked comfortable in transition and scoring the ball. According to CBS Sports, Green missed the last two games with a sore hamstring after scoring 20.3 points on 51/53/93 shooting splits. Şengün and forward KJ Martin averaged a combined 27.0 points and 14.6 rebounds per game.

6. Golden State's lottery picks flash potential: Jonathan Kuminga and Moses Moody were thrown into trade discussions on draft night but the Warriors might want to keep them around after summer league play. The duo combined to contribute 33.6 points and 9.1 rebounds a game, leading Golden State to three wins. Kuminga proved that his game will translate with jaw-dropping plays like this crossover and dunk against Oklahoma City on Saturday night.

7. Jalen Suggs looks like a sure thing: Despite leaving the summer league after spraining his left thumb, Suggs already looks like a starter in the NBA because of his two-way ability. His energy and motor makes him the building block going forward for Orlando. Suggs averaged 15.3 points, 6.3 rebounds, and 2.3 assists in three games in Las Vegas. He'll look to have an immediate impact on the Magic organization alongside Markelle Fultz, Jonathan Isaac, and Terrence Ross.

8. Tyrese Maxey could climb 76ers rotation: Philadelphia's offseason has been centered around if Ben Simmons will stay with the team but elsewhere Maxey made the most of his Summer League debut and should earn more playing time in 2022. He finished 2nd among all scorers in Las Vegas, putting up 26.0 points, 5.5 rebounds, and 4.5 assists a night. It'll be interesting to see if Maxey starts to take minutes from fellow guards Danny Green and Furkan Korkmaz.

9. Payton Pritchard deserves more minutes: Brad Stevens traded Kemba Walker in June before bringing in replacements Kris Dunn and Dennis Schroder. Pritchard is far from becoming Boston's starting point guard but he definitely deserves to play more as a sophomore. The 6'1 guard dropped 16.8 points and 8.5 assists per game, leading Boston to a 4-1 record. Pritchard is a good scorer but is an even better passer, just what the Celtics rotation needs more.

10. Florida State forwards shine in Las Vegas: Leonard Hamilton and the Seminoles have produced each of the last two #4 picks in Bulls forward Patrick Williams and Raptors wing Scottie Barnes. Both players proved their value in the summer league, having high impact offensively and defensively. Williams finished 8th in scoring (21.0) and 4th in rebounding (9.7), while Barnes put up 15.5 points and 6.8 rebounds. Expect the Bulls forward to make a major leap in his sophomore season.

Summer League First Team:

G: Davion Mitchell (Kings)

G: Cam Thomas (Nets)

F: Jalen Johnson (Hawks)

F: Jonathan Kuminga (Warriors)

C: Alperen Şengün (Rockets)

Photo Credit: SB Nation.