Trae Young summer league

[BoulderSooner]

game one from utah tonight at 6pm CST on NBAtv

 

[thebigabd]

game one from utah tonight at 6pm CST on NBAtv

Kinda surprised he is playing at all.

 

[BoulderSooner]

Kinda surprised he is playing at all.

why?

 

[WichitaSooner]

Kinda surprised he is playing at all.

Pretty much every rookie plays unless they are injured, lottery picks included.

 

[thebigabd]

why?

Risk of injury to the guy you picked over Luka Doncic. I'd be protecting him, and telling him to focus on getting stronger. Not sure what he gains by playing Summer League... its pure BS basketball.

 

[pnkranger]

Risk of injury to the guy you picked over Luka Doncic. I'd be protecting him, and telling him to focus on getting stronger. Not sure what he gains by playing Summer League... its pure BS basketball.

The level of basketball being played is much higher than college ball. It's not the NBA, but it's closer than anything else out there.

 

[CoachTalk]

He needs to play. Ranger is right, it’s better bball than college.

 

[thebigabd]

The level of basketball being played is much higher than college ball. It's not the NBA, but it's closer than anything else out there.

Better quality player but its basically AAU scrimmage.... Every year you see guys go nuts in the summer league and either can't make the team or do relatively nothing when real NBA basketball starts.

It is essentially a try-out for undrafted guys...

 

[WaymanFan]

Kinda surprised he is playing at all.

Buddy Hield played in it two years ago. I remember how badly he struggled, and so happy that he turned things around after a rough summer league and first 2-3 months in the NBA. Hopefully, Trae gets off to a better start.

 

[WichitaSooner]

It is definitely not glorified pickup ball. The teams are coached by assistants from the NBA team, they generally run the team's system, and while there are plenty of undrafted rookies, there are also guys who have been playing professionally for multiple years who are trying to impress a team enough to get invited to training camp. With all that on the line, it is anything but an AAU scrimmage. The games are generally low-scoring, which is another sign that the players are competing hard and taking things seriously.

Only thing I'll quibble with in Wayman's post is the idea that Buddy struggled badly for the first 2 or 3 months of his career. He didn't shoot great the first few weeks, but shortly after the game in OKC in early December of his rookie year, he moved into the starting lineup and played well till the trade, and then he was outstanding down the stretch in Sacramento.

 

[BCSooners]

Better quality player but its basically AAU scrimmage.... Every year you see guys go nuts in the summer league and either can't make the team or do relatively nothing when real NBA basketball starts.

It is essentially a try-out for undrafted guys...

Those guys play extremely hard in Summer League. Very talented players where about 20% make NBA & other 80% are professional players. Simmons, Lonzo, Tatum, etc. all play in it.

 

[coolm]

so far he's getting schooled. his first 3 attempt was an airball too ... but it's defensively he's playing rather horrid.

 

[WichitaSooner]

so far he's getting schooled. his first 3 attempt was an airball too ... but it's defensively he's playing rather horrid.

Wish I had 6:18 in the betting pool for the first overreaction based on an obscenely small sample size.

 

[coolm]

I said "so far". Please let me express an observation without trying to make me feel bad for it.

 

[sheepdogs1]

Some things never change.

 

[sybarite]

So. How did he do overall?

 

[skyvue]

I didn't see any of the game but he shot terribly. Totaled 16 points, earned mostly at the free throw line.

 

[coolm]

I didn't see any of the game but he shot terribly. Totaled 16 points, earned mostly at the free throw line.

It was ugly. first two shots were airball 3's. he was consistently out of position on defense and he had a few unforced to's.

 

[OU92Grad]

4-20 from the field including 1-11 from 3 and 3 assist

 

[BoulderSooner]

It is definitely not glorified pickup ball. The teams are coached by assistants from the NBA team, they generally run the team's system, and while there are plenty of undrafted rookies, there are also guys who have been playing professionally for multiple years who are trying to impress a team enough to get invited to training camp. With all that on the line, it is anything but an AAU scrimmage. The games are generally low-scoring, which is another sign that the players are competing hard and taking things seriously.

this is spot on