Las Vegas Summer League 2019

[hoophabit]

The best thing about this SL team is they play good team basketball. So often SL teams show too much isolation and guys trying to get their own to impress, but these guys are just playing together like they've been doing it for a while. It helps that they have quite a few players who can hit a shot. Brown's biggest improvement is in thinking like a PG. If he improves his jumper he becomes a definite 2nd round coup.

[thesack12]

Why is Bruce so focused on playmaking in this Summer League? Won't Tim Frazier be a more natural 3rd PG off the bench than him when the season starts?

As primary ball-handler, Brown has probably had more chances at breaking down the defense and attacking the rim. But the real leap that he needs to make is in perimeter catch-&-shoot situations... He needs to find his spots & shooting rhythm in in-game situations. It's only been a small sample size, but -- correct me if I'm wrong -- I don't think his 3FG% has shown any improvement? Bruce really ought to use these SL 'practice games' as an opportunity to work on his shooting mechanics and try to shoot himself into rhythm, even if he ends up chucking the team out of the SL semis.

Does Casey actually intend to utilize Brown as PG to discourage the defense from slacking off him too much and preserve spacing on the floor? Because if that isn't the purpose of this experiment, then his stellar playmaking in SL isn't really gonna translate into flipping him from being a liability on offense when the season gets underway.

Its always a good thing to have your young players develop new skills, refine their overall game, and increase their usefulness. There is no downside to any of that happening. Bruce doesn't have to actually be the PG on the floor, for him having PG skills to be useful. Ball handling, playmaking, ability to penetrate, court vision, and bball IQ will always be valuable no matter what position a player slots into.

Also, although I like the signing, having Tim Frazier on the roster should not preclude anything. In addition both Reggie and Frazier are only contracted for 1 year, and Rose only on a 2 year deal. There is also always the possibility Reggie gets traded and a PG doesn't come back to Detroit. In other words, the PG position is far from being established for the future.

[440BB]

Its always a good thing to have your young players develop new skills, refine their overall game, and increase their usefulness. There is no downside to any of that happening. Bruce doesn't have to actually be the PG on the floor, for him having PG skills to be useful. Ball handling, playmaking, ability to penetrate, court vision, and bball IQ will always be valuable no matter what position a player slots into.

Also, although I like the signing, having Tim Frazier on the roster should not preclude anything. In addition both Reggie and Frazier are only contracted for 1 year, and Rose only on a 2 year deal. There is also always the possibility Reggie gets traded and a PG doesn't come back to Detroit. In other words, the PG position is far from being established for the future.

Exactly.

As things stand the 2020 PG rotation would be Rose, Brown and Bone. Bruce may never become a good outside shooter but maximizing his other tools can keep him on the floor in more situations. We're also pretty deep with actual shooting guards and our top two point guards are injury risks.

Perhaps the Pistons organization is actually doing thoughtful player development. Perhaps they were just short of point guards for the SL. Either way they put together a interesting SL team.

[Sort]

Like everyone, I wish Bruce Brown had an outside shot. That said, good things still happening. Here's The Ringer's take on him:

Brown, who played with Walker at the University of Miami, had an impressive rookie season for a player taken at no. 42. He started 56 games for a Pistons team that snuck into the playoffs, and received consistent playing time (14.3 minutes per game) in their first-round sweep at the hands of the Bucks. He earned his spot by playing defense. At 6-foot-5 and 202 pounds, Brown is a good athlete with the size to defend both backcourt positions and the willingness to get physical when guarding bigger players. He often received the toughest individual assignment on the opposing team: His top three most frequently defended players last season were Donovan Mitchell, Bradley Beal, and Kemba Walker. Nate Silver’s new defensive statistic, DRAYMOND, rated him as one of the best defenders in the league. Brown brought that same defensive approach to Las Vegas. He frustrated two different first-round picks from last year’s draft: Portland’s Anfernee Simons shot 5-for-14 in his game against Detroit, while Indiana’s Aaron Holiday shot 7-for-21....

Brown’s defense will allow him to play for a long time in the NBA, which makes him a great second-round pick even if he never gets any better. His ceiling, like with every defensive-minded player, will depend on how much he can improve as a shooter.

https://www.theringer.com/nba/2019/7/11/20689470/nba-las-vegas-summer-league

[Kilo]

When do we play again? Isn't there some single game knockout tournament now?

[MotownMadness]

When do we play again? Isn't there some single game knockout tournament now?

I thinl so and with them playing well maybe ill actually get to see them play cause it will be on ESPN.

[hoophabit]

When do we play again? Isn't there some single game knockout tournament now?

I expect they'll sort that all out after today's games. The Pistons will be in the 'championship tournament.'

[thesack12]

Detroit is currently on top of the summer league standings. Detroit and Minnesota are the only 4-0 teams. Detroit's +/- is better than the Wolves, which gives them the #1 spot. Memphis and Boston are the only other currently undefeated teams at 3-0. They play each other tonight, so obviously only one of them will finish 4-0. There's a chance the winner of that game can pass Detroit for the #1 if they can better Detroit's +/- of 17.3. Going into tonight Memphis has a +/- of 16, Boston's is 14.7. Detroit's hold on the #1 seed seems pretty safe.

Pistons will next play on Saturday in the quarterfinals of the tournament, opponent is TBD.

[whitehops]

Why is Bruce so focused on playmaking in this Summer League? Won't Tim Frazier be a more natural 3rd PG off the bench than him when the season starts?

i don't think he's playing point in summer league because they plan to play him at point in the regular season, it's just to get him comfortable handling the ball and making plays off the dribble.

for example, if he and kennard improve at making plays with the ball in their hands, then you put them with reggie (or rose) and griffin you now have four players on the floor who can run a pick and roll, create shots on their own, create shots for others, etc. that is the goal most teams are trying to have because it is so hard to defend.

obviously it would be nice if brown could shoot but he's more natural as a playmaker and it's more valuable now as shooters are a dime a dozen (think: galloway, bullock, ellington, etc.).

[whitehops]

also - through the round robin or whatever it's called bruce brown is leading the summer league in assists per game and is averaging 14/8/8 to go along with 1.3 steals and 1.5 blocks a game.

i'm not expecting him to be this far along this season, but i'm hoping after a few years he is something like lance stephenson (with his head on straight) offensively and a great defender.

[tmorgan]

Bruce can ball a little. Certainly better showing in SL than I expected.

[Kilo]

Got the 2nd seed, playing the 7th seed Nets. We're about to get a rude awakening and shown that we had a cake schedule and that is the reason for the showing out of some of our players.

[flow]

Was just looking over the Nets SL roster. Jarrett Allen is playing on their team. Interesting. It's almost unheard of for a 3rd year nba starter to play in the summer league. We'll see how Hall & Costello hold up.

.

[Drwho17]

Surprised by Brown's play at PG honestly. He looks comfortable handling the ball and has decent vision actually.

I mean, that is his natural position, he played PG a bunch in college. We just think Brown is a chump here because he was a 2nd round pick, if he would have came out after his Freshman year he probably would have been in the lottery, the guy has talent.

[vic]

I've been saying Bruce was a future starting or backup pg since last year. Which is why the Tim Frazier signing was so puzzling to me.

Bruce does not fit on the court as an SG. As a PG he is disruptive.

If I'm Ed Stefanski I let RJ expire, let Bruce Brown and Jordan Bone be the PGs of the future.

My gut says Jordan is the starter, Bruce backup. Whichever one shoots 3s can start. The other can back him up.

Then I try to find star 2-way wings.

[Sort]

I actually liked Bone the little I saw him play. Having the athleticism already makes a huge difference. He has a lot to learn, so his ultimate learning curve will be what determines whether or not he can do anything in the league, and I didn't see any indication he can play one iota of defense on the NBA level, but that's par for the course.

[Snakebites]

Was just looking over the Nets SL roster. Jarrett Allen is playing on their team. Interesting. It's almost unheard of for a 3rd year nba starter to play in the summer league. We'll see how Hall & Costello hold up.

.

Unusual, yeah.

I remember Baron Davis playing in the summer league when he was an all star with the Hornets. Said it was a good way to stay in shape. I think anyone can play if they want.

[DTP]

Every time I watch Carsen Edwards I'm puzzled as to why we didnt take him 30th....absolutely stunned.

[MotownMadness]

Every time I watch Carsen Edwards I'm puzzled as to why we didnt take him 30th....absolutely stunned.

Yeah i was actually thinking they were targeting him when they got that pick. Probably the best shooter in the draft and NBA ready.

Im pretty mad we traded that pick cause there was a few guys i wanted

[tradez401]

is sekou playin tonight?