NBA Summer League | July 9th-16th

[Knutsen]

HIRE A TRAINING STAFF MASAI

I’m really wondering what the plan is for this - it’s not only relevant during the season, especially in this individual summer workout period you lay the ground work with the athletic stuff for each player to systematically work on his weaknesses and disbalances to prevent future injury. 

So from my perspective it’s at least as urgent then the coaching stuff.

[michaeltex]

Looks like Morez may be out for the remainder of summer league.

I think that may be my neighbor working on his calf.  Although I thought my neighbor was an accountant.

https://x.com/noahweber00/status/2077479...67439?s=46

Calf injury? Good thing Nico's gone or he'd have him traded already. 

[OldMavsFan]

I really didn't expect him to play more than two games, he obviously sold some season tickets and showed he is one of the better rookies, how many games did Cooper play last year.  This is the chance to look at all of the camp players that have a chance to make the Mavs or play for the Legends.  I wonder if Nemby will play anymore, I will guess no, but maybe they want to see if he fits their team and plans on speed of play.

[Dirknows]

I really didn't expect him to play more than two games, he obviously sold some season tickets and showed he is one of the better rookies, how many games did Cooper play last year.  This is the chance to look at all of the camp players that have a chance to make the Mavs or play for the Legends.  I wonder if Nemby will play anymore, I will guess no, but maybe they want to see if he fits their team and plans on speed of play.

Cooper was a known commodity, consensus number 1 guy for years. Morez had a great game 1, and an okay game 2. He didn’t show enough range to say he could play the 4 in the NBA. So yeah if he was healthy he absolutely should still be playing.

[Chicagojk]

I really didn't expect him to play more than two games, he obviously sold some season tickets and showed he is one of the better rookies, how many games did Cooper play last year.  This is the chance to look at all of the camp players that have a chance to make the Mavs or play for the Legends.  I wonder if Nemby will play anymore, I will guess no, but maybe they want to see if he fits their team and plans on speed of play.

I think most lottery picks wind up playing 2-3 games.   I think the practice sessions are probably more important than the games.   It looks like he may have had a sore calf so that is why he only played two games.   No big deal.  

I am sure these last few months have been a whirlwind for the draft prospects and they probably need a break.  After summer league, they should have a few week break where they can recharge before ramping up again in the Mavs workout facility.

[HoosierDaddyKid]

Chicago Bulls rookie Caleb Wilson won't play in the club's final Summer League matchup against the Cleveland Cavaliers, the team announced Thursday. Wilson capped his first stint in a Bulls uniform earlier Thursday with a 21-point, eight-rebound performance versus the Los Angeles Lakers. The fourth overall pick in this year's draft averaged 23.5 points on 50% shooting - including a 42% clip from deep - to go along with 7.3 rebounds, 2.5 blocks, and 1.3 steals over four appearances in Las Vegas.

The Score

[HoosierDaddyKid]

Per the Thunder: Aday Mara and Bennett Stirtz will not be playing in the final 2 Summer League games.

x.com

[HoosierDaddyKid]

After a highly successful four games in the Summer League, the Suns will shut down Khaman Maluach, Rasheer Fleming, and Koa Peat. They won't play in any other Summer League games.

x.com

[Chicagojk]

Love seeing success for guys like KAO and Green. Both are not going to be in the nba or on a two way, but that is not the point. Both have been on the fringes and have had winding roads to get her. They got their chance and delivered. KAO was very Powell-ish. He knew his role and went hard. Crashed the rim with a fury and had a guard who got him buckets. They will be long forgotten as next years Mavs take the floor but they did their best to make their best impression. Hopefully they are rewarded with a good opportunity in whatever league they wind up in.

[hakeemfaan]

I think this is a dangerous mindset.  Based on this argument you could warrant spending the few remaining future assets on win now vets so we don't waste his talent.  Flagg will probably hit his prime sooner than most, but its still going to be a couple of years.  More importantly this roster timeline is not now.  It does not have the overall talent to win now.

So far this FO is doing exactly what a lot of us hoped it would.  They focused on the 26 draft and then focused on acquiring young players.  That mindset needs to continue until they see significant success on the court.  Then you can start assessing when to make win now moves.

It's not a dangerous mindset at all.

Of course in a 1 para conversation a lot of nuances are lost, which is why I said there is no easy solution.

You can try to be like the Cavs were with LeBron where they went all in during his first rodeo, didn't win a title, jeopardized future assets,  and Bron left anyway.

However, who is to say that if they didn't go all in and played the long game, they would have done any better and Bron would have stayed?  At least with the previous approach, they went far in the playoffs than Bron watching from his home every year as the playoffs started.

Coop is watching Dylan and VJ on strong teams.  While we say we have 7 more years, the reality is also that each year the team doesn't contend, it is wasting a year of a generational talent. All you can do is hope Coop stays content even as he enviously watches his contemporaries be in situations that he wishes he were in.

Again there are no easy answers.  All I'm saying is there is no long term timeline wrt a generational player who already has shown that he is one of the top players in the league. The timeline to contend runs through every year that he is here.

[Mavs2021]

It's not a dangerous mindset at all.

Of course in a 1 para conversation a lot of nuances are lost, which is why I said there is no easy solution.

You can try to be like the Cavs were with LeBron where they went all in during his first rodeo, didn't win a title, jeopardized future assets,  and Bron left anyway.

However, who is to say that if they didn't go all in and played the long game, they would have done any better and Bron would have stayed?  At least with the previous approach, they went far in the playoffs than Bron watching from his home every year as the playoffs started.

Coop is watching Dylan and VJ on strong teams.  While we say we have 7 more years, the reality is also that each year the team doesn't contend, it is wasting a year of a generational talent. All you can do is hope Coop stays content even as he enviously watches his contemporaries be in situations that he wishes he were in.

Again there are no easy answers.  All I'm saying is there is no long term timeline wrt a generational player who already has shown that he is one of the top players in the league. The timeline to contend runs through every year that he is here.

I think they see this as a one year developmental plan. For one very simple reason: the pick situation.

2027 we simply won´t be good enough between a new coach and new players, so the plan is to develop the young players and see where it goes. That means you likely finish 18th to 24th-ish, which under the new lottery laws gives you a chance to retain the top 2 protected pick. So there is still a potential huge reward at the end of the rainbow. 

BUT these favourable odds flip completely in 2028 (Thunder), 2029 (Rockets) and 2030 (Spurs), when we lose our pick to these conference rivals and now they get these favourable odds to improve even further, if the Mavs are still in the gutter.

So to me the strategy is pretty straight forward this year: develop the young players, get Lively healthy, implement the new system and let the ping pong balls fly. Then with plenty of cap space in the summer of 2027 you strengthen the squad and compete as best as you can to avoid given the Thunder a top pick.

[mvossman]

It's not a dangerous mindset at all.

Of course in a 1 para conversation a lot of nuances are lost, which is why I said there is no easy solution.

You can try to be like the Cavs were with LeBron where they went all in during his first rodeo, didn't win a title, jeopardized future assets,  and Bron left anyway.

However, who is to say that if they didn't go all in and played the long game, they would have done any better and Bron would have stayed?  At least with the previous approach, they went far in the playoffs than Bron watching from his home every year as the playoffs started.

Coop is watching Dylan and VJ on strong teams.  While we say we have 7 more years, the reality is also that each year the team doesn't contend, it is wasting a year of a generational talent. All you can do is hope Coop stays content even as he enviously watches his contemporaries be in situations that he wishes he were in.

Again there are no easy answers.  All I'm saying is there is no long term timeline wrt a generational player who already has shown that he is one of the top players in the league. The timeline to contend runs through every year that he is here.

Its way too early to talk about wasting Flagg years or worrying about him being content.  Wemby and Lebron didn't make the playoffs in their first two seasons.  I think you are underestimating how much better he will be in a couple of years, and how much more talent this team needs to acquire/develop to have any thoughts on contending.

I mean if you really don't want to waste Flagg's early years (or you think his first contract is your best window) then do you trade for Brown?  PJ + Gafford + Klay would have salary matched and I think a better package than the rotting corpse of Paul George.  Add most of their remaining draft capital and you have the big three of Flagg/Brown/Kyrie.  That would probably give you your best chance to win now (probably not enough), but it would have left the team completely screwed in three years when you have to pay both Flagg and Brown and have no assets.  Its this kind of thinking that I am referring to as dangerous.

[HoosierDaddyKid]

Cedric Coward is really developing into a very good 2-way player. He did a little of everything and helped lead Memphis to the SL championship game against the Lakers or Warriors.

[KillerLeft]

Cedric Coward is really developing into a very good 2-way player. He did a little of everything and helped lead Memphis to the SL championship game against the Lakers or Warriors.

Yes, and both De Larrea and Ischenko got the better of him when they played earlier. It was the best moment of the summer for me. 

The announcers said "this just isn't Coward's day" about 10 times during that game.

[myconsumerclub]

So GSW and Memphis play at 8:00 tonight for the championship of summer league and we beat Memphis and lost to GSW in our first game. So blah blah blah, I know its only summer league right?

[Chicagojk]

Ok help me out board, is this his real voice?

https://x.com/All_Things_Mavs/status/207...7621249427

[windjc]

Ok help me out board, is this his real voice?

https://x.com/All_Things_Mavs/status/207...7621249427

Doesn’t seem so but maybe it wasn’t synced to video?

[Chicagojk]

pretty cool seeing Yaxel and Boozer play in all summer league games.  I understand why high drafted rookies play 2-3 games and then get shut down.  The last few summer league games are filled with guys hoping to get a two way.    To see Yaxel and Boozer play in the championship is pretty cool.

[Chicagojk]

Sergio!!!

https://x.com/Sam_Vecenie/status/2079324300973359367

[HoosierDaddyKid]

NBA Communications: The 2026 NBA All-Summer League First Team: Cameron Boozer, @memgrizz, Brayden Burries, @Bucks, Yaxel Lendeborg, @warriors, Meleek Thomas, @cavs, Caleb Wilson, @chicagobulls. The team was selected by a vote of all 30 NBA teams based on performance at Summer League in Las Vegas. The 2026 NBA All-Summer League Second Team: Cedric Coward, @memgrizz Egor Dёmin, @BrooklynNets Khaman Maluach, @Suns Liam McNeeley, @hornets Zyon Pullin, @Timberwolves

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