NBA At 2: SPL Grades Pt. 3
Grading Picks 14-19
Over the past two days we've graded the top 13 selections in two different groups (1-7, 8-13) based on their play in summer league. As we continue handing out report cards for the rest of the first round picks it becomes clear that depth is the strength of this class. Even outside of the lottery there were a lot of great value picks, evident by the players in the 14-19 range:
Earl Clark – Phoenix Suns
Averages: 11 points and seven rebounds.
Noteworthy Performance: 13 points and 12 rebounds vs. the Toronto Raptors.
Grade: B-
Review: Even though Earl Clark struggled with his shot, shooting 37% in Las Vegas, there were a lot of reasons to come away impressed. His size and versatility are going to be valuable assets in Alvin Gentry's run-and-gun offense. If he wants to play really big minutes during his rookie campaign he's going to have to continue putting the same kind of emphasis that he did on rebounding because that is where the Suns are going to miss Shaquille O'Neal the most. We didn't see the best of Earl Clark these past two weeks, but he still looked ready to contribute.
Austin Daye – Detroit Pistons
Averages: 17 points and eight rebounds.
Noteworthy Performance: 27 points and 13 rebounds vs. the New York Knicks.
Grade: B+
Review: Leading up to the draft Austin Daye was bullied in one-on-one workouts but in the five-on-five setting in Las Vegas few players could contain him. Daye's extensive overall skill set makes it easy to look past his lack of physical strength, which will likely hold him back a bit early on. It only takes him a second to get his lethal and consistent jump shot off. Defensively is where his size hurts him the most, but he remains pesky because of his outstanding length. Four weeks ago 15 seemed a bit high for Austin Daye, right now it looks a little low though and two years from now it may be downright thievery.
James Johnson – Chicago Bulls
Averages: 16 points, seven rebounds, and three assists.
Noteworthy Performance: 21 points, eight rebounds, and three assists vs. the Golden State Warriors.
Grade: A-
Review: There's no other way to describe James Johnson other than ready. The Wake Forest product really excelled in Las Vegas showing off his ability to do just about anything on the basketball floor. His defensive game has some catching up to do before it's on par with his offense, but Johnson should provide immediate benefits for the Bulls next season. He's going to be a very tough matchup for opposing power forwards because he can play inside and out.
Jrue Holiday – Philadelphia 76ers
Averages: Eight points, three rebounds, and three assists.
Noteworthy Performance: 12 points, four rebounds, and four assists vs. the Orlando Magic.
Grade: C+
Review: The situation Jrue Holiday was put in at the Orlando Summer League made it very tough for him to succeed at a high level. The lack of chemistry on the team that included both Nets and Sixers players was well documented, making it very hard to run the team from a point guard perspective. However, there were things that the lack of chemistry had no effect on like his inability to finish around the rim. The promise is certainly there though and on the defensive side of the court he actually held his own very well considering he was one of the youngest players in attendance.
Ty Lawson – Denver Nuggets
Averages: 19 points, four rebounds, and three assists.
Noteworthy Performance: 26 points, five rebounds, and five assists vs. the Portland Trail Blazers.
Grade: B+
Review: It took Ty Lawson a few games to get going but once he did he looked like a steal for a team that is already one of the best in the Western Conference. Even when Lawson was off nobody could contain his speed, which is back up to elite status now that he's 100% healthy. As his coach pointed out, he looks like an NBA point guard and even if Anthony Carter returns the bulk of the minutes at the backup point should go to Lawson. His speed and playmaking abilities make him a game-changer; expect him to be a big part of the Nuggets' rotation next season.
Jeff Teague – Atlanta Hawks
Averages: n/a
Noteworthy Performance: n/a
Grade: Inc.
Review: The Atlanta Hawks did not field a summer league team this offseason, giving us nothing to evaluate Teague on.
Beasley or Boozer?
For Miami HEAT fans waking up every morning hoping to see the headline "Boozer to Miami" it may be time to stop getting your hopes up. Yes, the HEAT are the most logical destination for the All-Star forward but the Utah Jazz are not desperate to trade him. They're going to wait for the best deal possible and according to NBA.com's David Aldridge they have no problems going into the regular season with him as their starting power forward.
Aldridge indicates that in order for a deal to be completed immediately the HEAT are going to have to let go of Michael Beasley, the player with the most promise on their roster. It's a tough predicament for the HEAT because while Beasley does have all the potential in the world it's questionable as to whether or not he'll develop like they hope. Boozer on the other hand is already one of the best power forwards in the league and his acquisition provides Dwayne Wade with the superstar teammate that he covets. It could be the difference in signing him to an extension now or taking the risk of losing him in next summer.
The last time an organization was in this kind of position was when Kobe Bryant was advocating a trade of Andrew Bynum in order to bring Jason Kidd in to run the triangle. At the time Kobe was so upset by the Lakers decision to hold onto Bynum that he demanded to be traded. The Lakers didn't budge on that demand either and now here they are as the reigning champions with Bynum as a vital part of their run and future.
Would the Miami HEAT see the same kind of results if they held onto Beasley? Can he be a better player for them than Carlos Boozer?
Those are the million dollar questions right now in South Beach. The difference in the two situations though is at the time Kobe didn't have anywhere near the kind of leverage that Dwayne Wade has. At the time Kobe was under contract and while he wanted to play on Pluto his only option was to play for the Lakers. If the HEAT pass on Boozer and Beasley doesn't show significant signs of improvement Wade can leave town at season's end while they get nothing in return, likely leading the franchise to a rebuilding period. This is why Wade hasn't taken the extreme stance that Bryant did then. It isn't worth the negative feedback that it would come with and he has the ability to go wherever he wants in just a few months.
The best decision for the HEAT may be to be patient just like the Jazz. They need to keep a close eye on Boozer just as they need to do with Amar'e Stoudemire and Chris Bosh. The only way Boozer becomes their savior is if they pull the trigger and give up Beasley. Right now they have options and while Dwayne Wade going into the free agent market unrestricted is a scary thought, no one can offer him more money and they can still bring in another All-Star as well.
It doesn't appear that either team is going to do much other than stay on their current path until they have a legitimate reason to stray away from it. It's in the best interest of both franchises to let things play out a little bit more and see where things are at closer to February.
Eyenga Staying in Spain?
Sportando.net, A Spanish website, is reporting that Cleveland Cavaliers first round pick Christian Eyenga has signed on with Ricky Rubio's former team DKV Joventut for the next three years. Brian Windhorst of the Cleveland Plain Dealer is trying to confirm this information, but has yet to do so.
The Cavaliers knew when drafting Eyenga that there was very little chance of him joining the team next season. His decision shouldn't bother them at all, especially after watching the struggles he had during summer league. Eyenga isn't ready to play in the NBA just yet.
The details of the contract will be important for the Cavaliers to find out; they're obviously unknown at this point because it's not certain a deal is done. If it includes reasonable buyouts we could see Eyenga in a Cavs' jersey sometime in the next three seasons. Because Eyenga is locked into the set salary of the 30th overall pick though it could be hard to convince him to come over while paying money out of his own pocket if the buyout is significant. We all know how significant Rubio's buyout is, so it wouldn't be surprising at all if Eyenga does end up locked up for the next three years. If so it makes a questionable pick to begin with even more so.
NBA Chats
We'll be having two chats today a little later in the evening. At 5 pm EST Joel Brigham, who was in Las Vegas covering the Summer Pro League, will start his chat and you can get your questions into him here. At 8 pm EST Jason Fleming will get his underway. Get your questions regarding the Portland Trail Blazers and all NBA rumors into Jason here. As always the sooner you get your questions in the better chances they have of getting answered.
