As I have for the last several years, I went to the Vegas Summer League this year and checked out several of the games. When I watch these games I care a lot more about how a player plays as opposed to what his final box score looks like, and I ask myself questions to help me evaluate each performance. Was there any part of his game (positive or negative) that stood out? Would the things that he did in Vegas translate to the NBA? How does his Vegas performance match what I already knew about him? This year I got to see several potential fantasy draftees up close, including Blake Griffin, Anthony Randolph, Stephen Curry, James Harden, Eric Gordon, Shaun Livingston, Ty Lawson, DeAndre Jordan, Anthony Morrow, and BJ Mullens. Here are some of my thoughts.
Blake Griffin: Griffin was named the Most Outstanding Player in the summer league and put up some big numbers, but in the game I saw I was more struck with things besides his scoring and rebounding. Athletically, Griffin looked like a man among boys despite the fact that he was playing with several players that had seen action in the NBA. Not only was he physically strong enough to get post/rebound position wherever he liked, but he was also by-far the quickest frontcourt player in the game. In the game I saw, Griffin was clearly working on his ball-handling/passing, and though he will never be a point forward he was obviously extremely comfortable with the ball in his hands. He made several passes (from alley-oops to entry passes from the top of the key to kick-outs from double teams) that illustrate better court vision and finesse than I had expected from him, and his handle and hands are solid enough that if he gets a pass out of scoring range he should be able to handle it and not turn it over. I watched Kevin Durant in Vegas a couple of years ago, and physically he was not nearly as physically prepared as Blake Griffin was. I came away very impressed with Griffin, and expect him to make an immediate impact as a rookie.
Anthony Randolph: Randolph was bar-none the most impressive performer that I saw in Vegas. With some players, you just get the sense that they are so much better than their competition that they could really do whatever they wanted out there on the floor. Brandon Roy is a player that comes to mind who performed like that in Vegas. Randolph had that look as well, as he was longer, quicker, and just better than his competition. Randolph's game reminds me a lot of Lamar Odom, as a wiry 6-10 player with the ability to handle the ball like a guard but crash the boards like a big man. Randolph is a more disruptive defender than Odom, though, blocking shots and creating steals both on-ball and through the passing lanes. In Vegas Randolph was also doing a lot of work on his jump shot, and it appeared to be paying off. He made several 15-20 foot jumpers off the dribble, and took a few feet-set 3-pointers that looked good as well. I saw the game where Randolph tied the then-record of 42 points, and his actual performance was more impressive than his point total. If he earns a starting job in Golden State this year, Randolph could be an outstanding mid-round sleeper.
Stephen Curry: Curry was working a lot on his point guard skills in Vegas. He did a lot of ball handling and often set up the offense, though he did spend some time at SG when Acie Law ran the point. The best thing I can say about Curry's floor game is that he did not appear out of place playing PG, though he also did not wow anyone with his skills on that front. Every so often, though, Curry would decide to be aggressive and score. And when he did, it was beautiful. His shot goes in so cleanly that it barely ruffles the net, and his repertoire of scoring moves included a running teardrop, an up-fake step-in jumper from 20 feet, and one crossover that buckled the knees of his opponents. All of those moves should translate to the NBA, especially in a run-and-gun offense like the Warriors play. The main question I have is whether Curry will start right away or come off the bench, but if he starts he is immediately fantasy-worthy.
James Harden: Harden is an interesting case, because in the game I saw his final numbers (22 points) were more impressive to me than his actual performance. He was not noticeably quicker than his competition, nor was he able to gain much separation off the dribble. The positives that stood out to me were that he has a solid jumper, and if he gets out on the break he has the athletic ability to finish with authority. He also was willing to hustle and work hard, both positive qualities. But I did not see any go-to moves from Harden that I'm sure will translate to the league, which makes me a bit more hesitant about his rookie output potential. In Oklahoma, Harden will benefit from the attention that Kevin Durant receives and there are enough young, talented players that perhaps he will be able to get his numbers against a defense that is focused elsewhere. But in the meantime, based on what I saw in Vegas I am not likely to pick Harden in fantasy leagues before the late rounds.
Eric Gordon: Gordon looked good. In fact, he looked like he had no need to play in Vegas this year after his already impressive rookie season. Gordon was able to use post-ups and a bevy of baseline dribble moves to get an assortment of easy shots almost at will. He was a bit more physical and athletic than I had previously realized, but his game was almost too advanced for me to really judge it against that competition level. All I can come away with is the impression that he should be good in his sophomore season, even better than he was as a rookie.
Shaun Livingston: Livingston is currently a prep-to-pros horror story. With his size, athletic ability, and court vision Livingston was expected to revolutionize the league. Instead, because he just physically was not ready to play with the men yet, Livinston's career has been derailed after a series of smaller injuries built up to one of the most horrific knee injuries I've ever seen. He got back to the NBA last season, but in Vegas it was clear to me that Livingston has not yet (and may never) recovered the amazing athleticism that he once had. Playing with an ankle-to-thigh brace on, Livingston was unable to get any separation at all from his defender off the dribble. The few times that he tried to drive he was cut off, had to turn his back to the rim, and either reset the offense or force a turnover. Livingston is still 6-7 and still blessed with outstanding court vision, and he made even a few ordinary passes look breathtaking. But on the other hand, he is still too thin to effectively back his man down off the dribble and without his athleticism it is difficult to imagine him as an impact player this year. I will keep my eye on him, and keep my fingers crossed that his health continues to improve, but until I see some better performances I won't expect much fantasy production from Livingston.
Ty Lawson: Lawson was the most impressive player that I saw in the Nuggets/Spurs game, but there is a caveat. The easiest type of player to be fooled about in Vegas is the extremely quick guard that can blow past his defender and control the game. Marcus Banks, previous owner of the Vegas League scoring record, is an example of this type of guard who can dominate in Vegas but not translate that to the NBA where the perimeter defenders are quicker and the help defenders are longer and better at protecting the rim. Lawson was noticeably quicker than George Hill, who was defending him, but he was also very clearly about four inches shorter. Thus, Lawson could dribble penetrate and break down the defense to create easy shots for either himself or his teammates. But occasionally if he tried to score himself, an opposing big man would be there to reject his shot (which will probably happen more at the next level). Also, Lawson's jumper was broken in the game that I saw. He was a streaky shooter in college, but with his size disadvantage he needs to get a lot more consistent with that in the pros. When you factor in that Lawson will be coming off the bench behind Chauncey Billups he is not really worthy of a fantasy roster spot yet, but still he is one to keep an eye on just in case he is able to use that quickness to find some success even against the big boys.
DeAndre Jordan: Jordan was the best center that I saw in Vegas this year. As he showed in brief snippets of playing time for the Clippers last season, Jordan is a huge guy that can rebound and block shots very effectively. In Vegas, though, he also showed me that he has great hands and is crafty at scoring in the lane. He doesn't have beautiful post moves, but he is solid at catching alley-oops and put-back dunks and he is able to catch/control difficult passes in traffic. The Clippers have a log-jam of big men right now, but if they move either Chris Kaman or Marcus Camby then Jordan would be worth taking a flier on as a late-round sleeper candidate.
Anthony Morrow: I did not see the game where Morrow scored 47 points to set the new Vegas Summer League record, but based on how he plays and what I did see I am not surprised. Morrow is essentially a long-range gunner. He was one of the best 3-point shooters in the NBA last season as a rookie, and in Vegas that was still his role. If he gets hot he can fill it up in a hurry, but he also isn't one that is going to break his man down off the dribble or create offense for others. Morrow is a shooter/scorer, and whenever he gets on the court that is about all you should expect from him.
B.J. Mullens: Mullens looked better than I expected. He had been a highly touted high school player, but his underwhelming performance at Ohio State pushed him further down into the draft. In Vegas, Mullens was strong on the glass and on defense. He was crafty at scoring around the rim, and had at least two tip-dunks off of rebounds. The only thing that I question is how he would do against players his own size in the league, since in Vegas he was much taller than his competition. I won't be spending a draft pick on Mullens, but after his Vegas performance I will at least be paying attention to see if he is able to get on the court/produce as a rookie.