5 takeaways from the Nets playing in the Las Vegas Summer League
Forward Drake Powell, the 22nd overall pick in the Draft by the Nets, was unable to play in Las Vegas due to left knee tendinopathy, something that isn't considered to be serious. However, Powell was held out of action by Brooklyn to ensure that he didn't make the injury worse by playing in the summer league when the team will have time to evaluate him over the rest of the offseason.
The Summer league is usually the chance for all 30 NBA teams to evaluate their younger players along with some veterans who are looking for a chance to solidify themselves within a team's rotation or be seen by another team. With that being said, here are five takeaways from the Nets playing in Las Vegas, including a player who showed what he could do in a featured role:
Drew Timme Showed He Can Play
While Timme showed that he can play last season in his limited amount of game at the NBA level, his time in Las Vegas displayed a different level of impact that Timme could have thanks to his footwork and ability to remain calm under pressure. Timme came away from the summer league averaging 25.3 points, 8.0 rebounds, 2.7 assists, and 1.0 steals per game while shooting 55.4% from the field and 64.7% from the free-throw line.
Egor Demin Can Shoot
Demin, the eighth overall pick in the Draft and the first pick that the Nets made in the first round, came into the league with one of his biggest questions being his ability to play off the ball due to his poor shooting numbers. While Demin had serviceable numbers to the tune of 11.3 points, 4.3 rebounds, and 1.3 assists per game, he also showed that he can be efficient playing off the ball as he shot 43.5% from three-point land on an impressive 7.7 attempts per contest.
Nolan Traore Is Fast
Traore was one of the four players that was able to play in Las Vegas, but his evaluation was always going to be tough because of his having to fit in with three other players that are used to having the ball in their hands. Traore had some tough moments when it came to shooting and taking care of the ball, but his speed with the ball is as advertised so it's plausible that everything else will fall into place as he gains more experience.
Ben Saraf Is Interesting
For someone like Saraf, his place in the NBA will be dependent on how well he can balance being a scorer and a passer given his unique ability to do both at fairly-high levels prior to the NBA. Saraf shot just 30.4% from the field over the course of his three games played in Las Vegas, but his confidence grew by the game and his skillset is reliant on him trusting his instincts and playing in a free-flowing manner.
Danny Wolf Is Exciting
Wolf was already one of the more interesting players coming into the summer league due to his ability to handle the basketball while standing at 6-foot-11 and 250 pounds. Similar to the rest of the rookies that played in Las Vegas, Wolf had his struggles with efficiency in multiple areas. However, Wolf still shot 40.0% from deep on 3.3 attempts per game and he showed that the stage of the NBA will not stop him from using his package of flashy passes and stepbacks that he used to elevate himself to first-round pick territory during his college career.
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