By: Tyler Ward
The NBA Summer League officially started on July 5th, and already, there have been some great performances. Personally, I love the Summer League because there seems to be one player in every game and my immediate thought is, "Wow, I forgot about that guy!"
I also like it because players try so hard to make the team when they didn't get selected in the draft. It shows true competition and even though it's not the "real NBA", it provides some very intense games - buzzer beaters, half-court shots, you name it, they got it.
The Summer League lasts until the 18th and then, in a few months, final roster cuts will be made. The 2010-11 schedule hasn't been released yet, but I can only assume that it'll start in late October.
So, without further ado, here's my Top 5 players that have shown the most this summer:
Players That Didn't Crack The List: Gani Lawal, Phoenix; DeMar DeRozan, Toronto; Sam Young, Memphis; Ty Lawson, Denver; Alonzo Gee, San Antonio; John Wall, Washington; Damion James, New Jersey; Austin Daye, Detroit; Roddy Beaubois, Dallas; Mustafa Shakur, Oklahoma City
5) Jermaine Taylor, Houston
Although he played sparingly in Houston over the regular season, he has been one of the best point guards in the Summer League. After backing up Aaron Brooks and Kevin Martin, Taylor played almost 10 minutes per game, averaging 4.1 points, 1.5 rebounds, and .5 assists per game. In five summer league games, he has played decent competition against teams like Portland and Denver.
Taylor is expected to have a roster spot next season, so he doesn't really have to worry about not making the team. He has averaged 17.8 points, 4.6 rebounds, and 2.2 assists.
4) Derrick Caracter, Los Angeles
Despite only playing three games so far, Caracter has proven that he was worth the 57th overall pick. Many considered him to be a first round pick, but somehow, he fell until the tail end of the draft, landing into the hands of the defending national champions.
He has formed a solid duo with fellow draftee, Devin Eubanks. Although they have been helping lead the team, the Lakers are 0-5 so far in the Summer League. Caracter has averaged 15.4 points and 8.6 rebounds per game.
3) Reggie Williams, Golden State
Last year's Summer League star, Reggie Williams, has again showed promise. He has proven that he could be a great shooter and an athletic forward. Golden State had a surplus of shooting guards and small forwards, but they were able to ship out Corey Maggette, Anthony Morrow, and Kelenna Azubuike. This gives Williams ample time to become the back-up in Golden State.
Like Taylor, Williams is practically guaranteed to make the roster this season, but he has still shown great ability. As stated in my previous article on the Warriors sale, they were ranked 11th in attendance, despite a 26-56 record. They are definitely on the uprise, acquiring David Lee this summer. Williams is looking to become one of the best back-ups in the league, as he can shoot lights out from the field.
2) DeMarcus Cousins, Sacramento
Yes, I talked bad about Cousins in our Draft Grades, but I have to put him on here. He has dominated the Summer League so far, proving that he can battle with the big boys. I will give him credit for his domination, but it is still the Summer League and is completely different from the NBA. Not only has he done exceedingly well, he hit the game-winning shot with 2.9 seconds left in the game last night against Sacramento. He ended the night with 22 points, 12 rebounds, and 5 assists, one of the best all-around games so far.
He was selected 5th overall by the Kings in this year's draft - one of five players selected out of Kentucky in the first round. Cousins is expected to learn from and possibly compete with newly-acquired Samuel Dalembert. Sacramento is 3-0 in Summer League play and Cousins has averaged 18.3 points, 10.6 rebounds, and 3 assists per game.
1) Terrence Williams, New Jersey
After going through a tumultuous 12-70 season, one of their bright spots for this year seems to be Terrence Williams. He split time with Chris Douglas-Roberts and with CDR's departure, he will get more playing time.
Williams has made the Summer League look easy, but hasn't played since the Orlando Summer League on July 8th. New Jersey is 2-2 right now, with Williams being their primary contributor. His teammate, Damion James, has also done really well this summer. Another rookie, Derrick Favors, has shown that he is doing well, but still needs time to be their go-to guy.
